HCA Healthcare (HCA) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $107.56B
• Dividend Yield: 0.63%
• Average Volume (3M): 1.33M
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 18.2
• Beta (1Y): 0.41
• Revenue Growth: 6.82%
• EPS Growth: 15.82%
• Country: US
• Employees: 226,000
• Sector: Healthcare
• Sector Strength: 45
• Industry: Medical - Care Facilities
• EPS (TTM): 6.96
• Shares Outstanding: 228,193,900
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 1,650,630
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 1,334,219
• PEG Ratio: 0.86
• Price to Book (P/B): -31.06
• Price to Sales (P/S): 1.10
• P/FCF Ratio: 13.76
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.39
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 2.00
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 12.82
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 9.96
• 1Y Price Target: $477.26
• Price Target Upside: 1.25% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 20
• EPS Forecast (FY): 27.53
• Revenue Forecast (FY): $75.57B

• Rating: 77 Outperform
• Price Target: $507.00 ▲(7.56% Upside)

HCA Healthcare's overall stock score is driven by strong technical analysis and positive earnings call results, reflecting robust financial performance and upward guidance revision. However, financial risks due to high leverage and negative equity slightly temper the score. The valuation is fair, supporting the company's growth potential.

Positive Factors

Revenue Growth

HCA's strong revenue growth reflects its ability to expand services and optimize payer mix, enhancing long-term financial stability and market position.

Operational Efficiency

Improved operational efficiency through cost management strengthens HCA's profitability, allowing for sustainable margin maintenance and competitive advantage.

Cash Flow Management

Robust cash flow management ensures HCA can fund operations, invest in growth opportunities, and manage debt obligations effectively over the long term.

Negative Factors

High Debt Levels

High debt levels pose a risk to financial flexibility and may limit HCA's ability to invest in growth or weather economic downturns, impacting long-term stability.

Federal Policy Uncertainty

Uncertainty around federal policies could affect HCA's revenue from government programs, impacting its financial performance and strategic planning.

Margin Pressure

Decreasing margins suggest potential challenges in maintaining profitability, which could affect HCA's ability to reinvest in business operations and growth.

HCA Healthcare Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

HCA Healthcare (HCA) is one of the largest healthcare services providers in the United States, operating a network of hospitals, outpatient centers, and other healthcare facilities. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, HCA delivers a wide range of medical services, including surgical procedures, emergency care, and diagnostic services. The company focuses on providing high-quality patient care and has a significant presence in various regions across the country, catering to diverse patient demographics and needs.

How the Company Makes Money

HCA Healthcare generates revenue primarily through patient services, which include hospital admissions, surgical procedures, outpatient services, and ancillary services such as laboratory and imaging services. The company earns money by billing patients and third-party payers, including government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as commercial insurance providers. HCA's revenue model relies on a combination of fee-for-service payments and capitated payments, where they receive a set amount for patient care regardless of the number of services provided. Significant partnerships with insurance companies and healthcare organizations enhance their revenue opportunities. Additionally, HCA benefits from economies of scale due to its extensive network, enabling more efficient operations and cost management, which contribute to its overall profitability.

HCA Healthcare Financial Statement Overview

Summary

HCA Healthcare shows solid revenue growth and strong cash flow management, with a free cash flow growth rate of 11%. However, the high debt-to-equity ratio and negative stockholders' equity pose significant financial risks, impacting the overall financial performance score.

Income Statement

HCA Healthcare shows a consistent revenue growth trend, with a TTM revenue growth rate of 2.3%. The company maintains stable profitability with a gross profit margin of 15.6% and a net profit margin of 8.5%. However, margins have slightly decreased compared to previous years, indicating potential pressure on profitability.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet reveals a high debt-to-equity ratio due to negative stockholders' equity, which poses a significant risk. The return on equity is negative, reflecting challenges in generating returns for shareholders. Despite these concerns, the company has substantial total assets, indicating potential for future leverage.

Cash Flow

HCA Healthcare demonstrates strong cash flow management with a free cash flow growth rate of 11% TTM. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is healthy at 0.72, indicating efficient cash generation relative to profits. The free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.63 further supports the company's robust cash flow position.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	74.37B	70.60B	64.97B	60.23B	58.75B	51.53B
Gross Profit	11.63B	10.55B	9.63B	9.05B	9.68B	7.26B
EBITDA	14.96B	13.90B	12.72B	13.29B	14.21B	9.71B
Net Income	6.38B	5.76B	5.24B	5.64B	6.96B	3.75B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	59.75B	59.51B	56.21B	52.44B	50.74B	47.49B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	997.00M	2.02B	935.00M	908.00M	1.45B	1.79B
Total Debt	46.35B	45.24B	41.86B	40.20B	36.73B	33.06B
Total Liabilities	61.91B	58.96B	55.15B	52.51B	49.25B	44.60B
Stockholders Equity	-5.33B	-2.50B	-1.77B	-2.77B	-933.00M	572.00M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	8.10B	5.64B	4.69B	4.13B	5.38B	6.40B
Operating Cash Flow	12.84B	10.51B	9.43B	8.52B	8.96B	9.23B
Investing Cash Flow	-5.02B	-4.93B	-5.32B	-3.39B	-2.64B	-3.39B
Financing Cash Flow	-9.71B	-4.58B	-4.09B	-5.66B	-6.66B	-4.68B

HCA Healthcare Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 471.36
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Negative
• RSI: Negative
• STOCH: Negative

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For HCA, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 471.36 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 448.61, above the 50-day MA of 427.64, and above the 200-day MA of 371.60, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 14.51 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 73.82 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 86.56 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for HCA.

HCA Healthcare Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
UHS	78 Outperform	$14.50B	10.83	19.97%	0.35%	10.21%	39.58%
HCA	77 Outperform	$107.56B	18.22	―	0.63%	6.82%	15.82%
FMS	73 Outperform	$14.00B	17.60	5.31%	3.28%	4.09%	13.17%
THC	73 Outperform	$17.95B	14.07	34.51%	―	-0.56%	-53.50%
EHC	62 Neutral	$11.60B	21.79	24.94%	0.55%	11.13%	27.53%
DVA	58 Neutral	$8.58B	12.74	―	―	5.14%	4.37%
Sector *	51 Neutral	$7.86B	-0.30	-43.30%	2.27%	22.53%	-2.21%

HCA Healthcare Corporate Events

HCA Healthcare Announces Senior Notes Offering

On October 27, 2025, HCA Healthcare announced a proposed public offering of senior unsecured notes through its subsidiary, HCA Inc. The proceeds from this offering are intended for general corporate purposes, including the potential redemption of $1.5 billion of senior notes due in 2026. This strategic financial move is expected to impact HCA’s financial operations and market positioning by potentially reducing its debt obligations.

The most recent analyst rating on (HCA) stock is a Buy with a $490.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on HCA Healthcare stock, see the HCA Stock Forecast page.

HCA Healthcare Reports Strong Q3 Earnings Growth

HCA Healthcare’s recent earnings call painted a picture of robust financial performance, characterized by significant growth in both revenue and earnings. The company reported improvements in payer mix and operational efficiency, although challenges persist in hurricane-impacted markets and uncertainties loom due to potential federal policy changes affecting health insurance coverage.

HCA Healthcare Reports Strong Q3 2025 Financial Results

HCA Healthcare reported strong financial results for the third quarter of 2025, with revenues increasing by 9.6% to $19.161 billion and net income rising by 29.4% to $1.643 billion compared to the same period in 2024. The company also announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.72 per share, payable on December 29, 2025, and raised its 2025 financial guidance, reflecting a positive outlook for stakeholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (HCA) stock is a Buy with a $475.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on HCA Healthcare stock, see the HCA Stock Forecast page.