Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.71 EPS

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The health services provider reported $4.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.21 by $0.71, Zacks reports. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 15.75% and a net margin of 6.66%. Universal Health Services updated its FY 2025 guidance to 18.450-19.950 EPS.

Universal Health Services Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UHS traded down $9.90 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $179.11. 1,149,515 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 557,380. The stock has a market cap of $11.82 billion, a PE ratio of 11.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.30. The business’s fifty day moving average is $184.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $205.64. Universal Health Services has a one year low of $152.68 and a one year high of $243.25. The company has a current ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

Universal Health Services Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.45%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 3rd. Universal Health Services’s payout ratio is currently 5.32%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on UHS shares. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Universal Health Services from $285.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 25th. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Universal Health Services from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $228.00 to $198.00 in a research note on Monday, December 16th. TD Cowen decreased their target price on Universal Health Services from $275.00 to $251.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 26th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 9th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $226.14.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Health Services

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

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.