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Universal Health (UHS)
NYSE:UHS
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Universal Health (UHS) AI Stock Analysis

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UHS

Universal Health

(NYSE:UHS)

Rating:77Outperform
Price Target:
$203.00
▲(13.74% Upside)
Universal Health Services demonstrates strong financial performance and valuation metrics, with consistent revenue growth and efficient debt management. The earnings call provided a balanced view with positive EPS guidance but highlighted challenges such as cash flow declines and potential Medicaid impacts. Technical indicators suggest caution due to potential bearish sentiment.
Positive Factors
Financial Performance
Reported revenue of $4.284 billion beat estimates by about 1%.
Guidance
The company raised its 2025 guidance by $80 million at the midpoint.
Valuation
The company's valuation remains incredibly undemanding, offering a significant discount compared to its peers and the broader market.
Negative Factors
Behavioral Health
Behavioral health performance fell short of expectations, despite some revenue growth in core pricing.
EBITDA Performance
Normalized EBITDA of $567 million fell short of the model by 5.5%.
Hospital Performance
Incremental losses from Cedar Hill in the second half of the year are expected to impact company performance.

Universal Health (UHS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Universal Health Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionUniversal Health Services, Inc., through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. The company operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. Its hospitals offer general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic and coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services, and/or behavioral health services. As of February 24, 2022, it owned and/or operated 363 inpatient facilities, and 40 outpatient and other facilities located in 39 states; Washington, D.C.; the United Kingdom; and Puerto Rico. The company also provides commercial health insurance services; and various management services, which include central purchasing, information, finance and control systems, facilities planning, physician recruitment, administrative personnel management, marketing, and public relations services. Universal Health Services, Inc. founded in 1978 and is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
How the Company Makes MoneyUHS generates revenue primarily through patient services in its hospitals and behavioral health facilities. The company bills for services rendered to patients, which is reimbursed by government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as private insurance companies. Key revenue streams include inpatient and outpatient services, emergency room visits, and rehabilitation services. Additionally, UHS benefits from partnerships with various healthcare providers and payers, which can enhance patient referrals and optimize service delivery. The company's strategic acquisitions of healthcare facilities also contribute to its revenue growth by expanding its operational footprint and service offerings.

Universal Health Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 28, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: 15.18%|
Next Earnings Date:Oct 22, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call presented a mix of positive developments, such as increased EPS guidance and growth in the behavioral health segment, alongside significant challenges including cash flow declines, start-up issues at Cedar Hill, and potential impacts from Medicaid legislation. While there are plans to mitigate these challenges, the sentiment appears balanced with both opportunities and risks highlighted.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Increase in EPS Guidance
Universal Health Services increased the midpoint of their 2025 EPS guidance by 7% to $20.50 per diluted share, up from $19.20 per diluted share previously, primarily due to increased DPP reimbursement.
Behavioral Health Expansion
The company continues to grow its behavioral health segment, including new facilities in Michigan, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and the U.K., with a focus on outpatient services.
Strong Acute Care Performance
Same-facility net revenues in the acute care hospital segment increased by 5.7% during the second quarter of 2025 compared to last year's second quarter, driven by effective expense controls leading to a 10% increase in same-facility EBITDA.
Cash Flow and Capital Allocation
UHS has approximately $1 billion of aggregate available borrowing capacity and has repurchased 34% of the company's outstanding shares since 2019, with $332 million spent on share repurchases in the first half of 2025.
Negative Updates
Decrease in Cash Generated from Operating Activities
Cash generated from operating activities decreased by $167 million to $909 million during the first 6 months of 2025 compared to $1.076 billion during the same period in 2024.
Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center Challenges
The Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center in Washington, D.C. faced significant start-up challenges, resulting in a $25 million EBITDA drag in Q2, with another $25 million drag expected in the second half of the year.
Impact of Medicaid Legislation
The One Beautiful Bill Act changes in Medicaid could reduce UHS's net benefit by approximately $360 million to $400 million by 2032, with significant uncertainties surrounding future operating results starting in 2026.
Behavioral Health Volume Growth Lag
Behavioral health volume growth has been weaker than expected, with a 1.2% increase in adjusted patient days, impacting the company's ability to reach its 2.5% to 3% volume growth target.
Company Guidance
During the Q2 2025 earnings call, Universal Health Services (UHS) provided several key metrics in their guidance. The company reported a net income attributable to UHS per diluted share of $5.43 for the quarter, with adjusted net income per diluted share at $5.35. In the acute care segment, same-facility adjusted admissions increased by 2.0% year-over-year, while same-facility net revenues rose by 5.7%. Operating expenses on a same-facility basis increased by 3.1%, and same-facility EBITDA grew by 10% due to effective expense management. In the behavioral health segment, same-facility net revenues climbed by 5.4%, supported by a 4.2% increase in revenue per adjusted day and a 1.2% rise in adjusted patient days. UHS also increased its full-year 2025 EPS guidance midpoint by 7% to $20.50, driven largely by increased DPP reimbursement. The company highlighted strategic initiatives, including new hospital developments and behavioral health expansions, while also addressing the potential impact of the One Beautiful Bill Act on future Medicaid supplemental payments.

Universal Health Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Universal Health presents a strong financial position with consistent revenue and profit growth, efficient debt management, and healthy cash flows. While there are slight concerns over increasing debt levels, the overall financial health remains robust with solid profitability and equity positions.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Universal Health has shown consistent revenue growth with a 15.2% increase in revenue over the past year and a strong gross profit margin at 69.7% for TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). The net profit margin improved to 7.7% in TTM, indicating enhanced profitability. However, there was a slight decrease in EBIT margin from 10.6% in the previous year to 11% in TTM, signifying stability in operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
78
Positive
The company's financial leverage appears well-managed with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, showing a moderate level of debt. The equity ratio stands at 46.9%, suggesting a solid equity foundation. Return on equity has improved to 17.9% in TTM, reflecting better utilization of shareholder funds. However, the total debt has increased slightly, which could pose a risk if not controlled.
Cash Flow
82
Very Positive
Operating cash flow is robust with a slight reduction year-over-year, but remains healthy at $1.9 billion for TTM. Free cash flow growth rate shows a decline, yet it remains positive, suggesting that the company is generating sufficient cash to cover capital expenditures. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is 1.51, indicating strong cash earnings relative to net income.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue16.46B15.83B14.28B13.40B12.64B11.56B
Gross Profit11.48B14.24B12.75B11.93B11.21B10.27B
EBITDA2.43B2.27B1.74B1.58B1.91B1.87B
Net Income1.26B1.14B717.79M675.61M991.59M943.95M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets14.99B14.47B13.97B13.49B13.09B13.48B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments137.59M125.98M119.44M102.82M115.30M1.22B
Total Debt5.01B4.96B5.37B5.27B4.56B4.19B
Total Liabilities7.84B7.71B7.77B7.52B6.90B7.07B
Stockholders Equity7.03B6.75B6.15B5.92B6.09B6.32B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow901.52M1.12B524.74M262.02M28.04M1.63B
Operating Cash Flow1.90B2.07B1.27B996.02M883.70M2.36B
Investing Cash Flow-1.05B-911.11M-763.27M-647.30M-914.47M-802.56M
Financing Cash Flow-835.48M-1.14B-493.94M-318.40M-1.07B-384.86M

Universal Health Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price178.47
Price Trends
50DMA
173.60
Positive
100DMA
177.90
Positive
200DMA
182.94
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.49
Negative
RSI
61.74
Neutral
STOCH
96.14
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For UHS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 178.47 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 166.36, above the 50-day MA of 173.60, and below the 200-day MA of 182.94, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.49 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 61.74 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 96.14 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for UHS.

Universal Health Risk Analysis

Universal Health disclosed 31 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Universal Health reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Universal Health Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (51)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
77
Outperform
$11.37B9.4118.66%0.45%9.61%39.65%
73
Outperform
$11.95B23.1925.35%0.57%11.80%30.02%
70
Outperform
$92.11B16.54-230.22%0.70%6.37%11.25%
70
Outperform
$15.06B11.0041.09%-1.09%-43.10%
66
Neutral
$14.55B20.274.72%3.16%1.11%25.84%
61
Neutral
$9.61B13.21635.30%5.09%7.85%
51
Neutral
$7.46B-0.25-46.00%2.25%22.77%-2.14%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
UHS
Universal Health
178.47
-47.06
-20.87%
DVA
DaVita
135.38
-14.92
-9.93%
FMS
Fresenius Medical Care
24.87
6.26
33.64%
HCA
HCA Healthcare
395.79
24.99
6.74%
EHC
Encompass Health
119.65
31.62
35.92%
THC
Tenet Healthcare
172.02
15.36
9.80%

Universal Health Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Universal Health Holds Annual Stockholders Meeting
Neutral
May 15, 2025

On May 14, 2025, Universal Health held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders virtually. During the meeting, stockholders elected two Class II members to the Board of Directors for a term ending in 2028, ratified PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP as the independent accounting firm for 2025, and voted against a proposal for annual director elections.

The most recent analyst rating on (UHS) stock is a Buy with a $240.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Universal Health stock, see the UHS Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 14, 2025