Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Hits New 12-Month High After Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday after Barclays raised their price target on the stock from $249.00 to $257.00. Barclays currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Universal Health Services traded as high as $177.37 and last traded at $177.12, with a volume of 1048515 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $171.88.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on UHS. Stephens lifted their price objective on Universal Health Services from $210.00 to $223.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 28th. Robert W. Baird reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $224.00 target price (down from $274.00) on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Tuesday, April 15th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $230.00 to $225.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 10th. Baird R W downgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 15th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald raised shares of Universal Health Services from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $224.77.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $179.16, for a total value of $179,160.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 7,916 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,418,230.56. The trade was a 11.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 16.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Universal Health Services

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Barclays PLC lifted its stake in Universal Health Services by 13.4% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 188,765 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $43,227,000 after purchasing an additional 22,369 shares in the last quarter. Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Universal Health Services in the third quarter worth about $2,194,000. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co purchased a new position in shares of Universal Health Services in the third quarter worth about $201,000. Tidal Investments LLC increased its holdings in Universal Health Services by 208.0% during the 3rd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 12,100 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $2,771,000 after purchasing an additional 8,171 shares during the period. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in Universal Health Services by 163.9% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 133,499 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $29,430,000 after purchasing an additional 82,913 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $11.36 billion, a PE ratio of 11.62, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a current ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The business has a fifty day moving average of $176.49 and a 200-day moving average of $188.34.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 28th. The health services provider reported $4.84 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.36 by $0.48. The business had revenue of $4.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.16 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 15.75% and a net margin of 6.66%. The business’s revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.70 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.46%. Universal Health Services’s payout ratio is 4.75%.

Universal Health Services Company Profile

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.