Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Releases FY 2024 Earnings Guidance

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) updated its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Wednesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 15.400-16.200 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 13.790. The company issued revenue guidance of $15.6 billion-$15.8 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $15.6 billion.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Universal Health Services from $183.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Friday. UBS Group upgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from $189.00 to $226.00 in a report on Monday, May 20th. Barclays raised Universal Health Services from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their target price for the stock from $198.00 to $256.00 in a research note on Friday. StockNews.com raised Universal Health Services from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an equal weight rating and issued a $200.00 target price on shares of Universal Health Services in a research report on Thursday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $206.14.

Universal Health Services Stock Up 4.2 %

Shares of UHS stock traded up $8.70 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $213.69. 1,474,291 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 800,823. The business’s fifty day moving average is $185.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $173.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.11, a P/E/G ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.28. Universal Health Services has a 12-month low of $119.90 and a 12-month high of $214.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.28 and a quick ratio of 1.28.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The health services provider reported $4.31 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.37 by $0.94. The company had revenue of $3.91 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.87 billion. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 14.91%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.53 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Universal Health Services will post 15.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Universal Health Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.37%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 3rd. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 6.78%.

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

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.