Empowered Funds LLC Grows Stock Position in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)

Empowered Funds LLC boosted its stake in shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 541.1% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 24,469 shares of the health services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 20,652 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Universal Health Services were worth $5,604,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Point72 Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 362.3% during the 2nd quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 322,626 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $59,663,000 after purchasing an additional 252,846 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP raised its stake in Universal Health Services by 357.9% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 261,221 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $48,308,000 after buying an additional 204,178 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Universal Health Services by 1,191.8% during the 1st quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 215,215 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $39,267,000 after buying an additional 198,555 shares during the last quarter. Goldentree Asset Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Universal Health Services during the 1st quarter worth about $21,378,000. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 408.2% in the 2nd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 140,561 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $25,994,000 after acquiring an additional 112,902 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Price Performance

Shares of UHS opened at $201.69 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $13.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.29. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $132.74 and a fifty-two week high of $243.25. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $221.18 and a 200-day simple moving average of $205.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 1.39.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The health services provider reported $3.71 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.75 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $3.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.90 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 15.75% and a net margin of 6.66%. The firm’s revenue was up 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.55 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Universal Health Services declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, July 24th that permits the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the health services provider to repurchase up to 8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UHS has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Universal Health Services from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. StockNews.com cut shares of Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 9th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $236.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $256.00 to $271.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Universal Health Services from $200.00 to $229.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $231.14.

About Universal Health Services

Universal Health Services, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. It operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. The company's 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.