Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) have received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the sixteen research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $226.14.

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Barclays upped their price objective on Universal Health Services from $256.00 to $271.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Universal Health Services from $285.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $226.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $223.00 target price on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 9th.

Universal Health Services Stock Up 2.5 %

Shares of NYSE UHS opened at $180.11 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The business’s 50 day moving average is $204.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $208.01. Universal Health Services has a 52-week low of $149.02 and a 52-week high of $243.25. The firm has a market cap of $11.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.98, a PEG ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 1.28.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.75 by ($0.04). Universal Health Services had a net margin of 6.66% and a return on equity of 15.75%. The firm had revenue of $3.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.90 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.55 EPS. Universal Health Services’s quarterly revenue was up 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Universal Health Services will post 15.88 EPS for the current year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 3rd were issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.44%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 3rd. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is presently 5.32%.

Insider Activity at Universal Health Services

In other news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,614 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.15, for a total transaction of $308,516.10. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 5,879 shares in the company, valued at $1,123,770.85. The trade was a 21.54 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 16.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Universal Health Services in the 3rd quarter valued at about $202,000. 1ST Source Bank acquired a new position in Universal Health Services during the third quarter worth about $204,000. DGS Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Universal Health Services by 11.4% in the third quarter. DGS Capital Management LLC now owns 7,984 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $1,829,000 after buying an additional 817 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 82,913 shares during the period. Finally, Tidal Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of 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 worth $2,771,000 after acquiring an additional 8,171 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

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.