HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) AI Stock Analysis

HCA Healthcare, Inc. provides healthcare services across the United States and England, operating a network of general and acute care hospitals, outpatient facilities, and psychiatric hospitals. Its medical offerings include intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic imaging, and emergency care. The company also operates freestanding ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care centers, rehabilitation centers, and physician practices. In addition, HCA Healthcare runs psychiatric facilities offering specialized behavioral health and addiction recovery programs. Founded in 1968 and based in Nashville, Tennessee, the organization managed 182 hospitals as of December 31, 2021.

HCA Healthcare expanded annual revenue from $58.75B in FY2021 to $75.60B in FY2025, reflecting a 5-year revenue CAGR of 8.0%. Over the same period, gross margin widened from 38.3% to 41.5%, while operating margin moved from 16.5% to 15.8%. Net income reached $6.78B in FY2025 with diluted earnings per share of $28.26. Operating cash flow stood at $12.64B, and free cash flow was $7.69B in FY2025. In the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026, revenue increased 8.7% year-over-year, and quarterly earnings grew 11.6% year-over-year.

As of June 30, 2026, HCA Healthcare held $1.01B in cash and short-term investments against $48.78B in total debt, resulting in net debt of $47.76B. The company reported a current ratio of 0.78 and negative shareholders' equity of -$6.58B. In FY2025, operating cash flow funded capital expenditures of $4.94B, cash dividends of $679.0M, and share buybacks of $10.07B. Reflecting these repurchases, the company's share count declined 29.4% over five years.

At $458.84 per share, HCA Healthcare trades at a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 15.4x and a forward P/E of 13.9x, both below the median of its S&P 500 Healthcare peers at 28.9x and 16.6x, respectively. Its enterprise value stands at $145.39B, corresponding to an EV-to-EBITDA ratio of 9.2x versus the peer median of 15.7x. The stock has generated a 1-year return of 10.1%, trailing the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) return of 16.8%, but its 5-year return of 93.8% leads the index return of 83.0%.

HCA Healthcare pays a quarterly dividend with a forward annual rate of $3.12 per share, offering a dividend yield of 0.68%. The company has paid dividends for 9 consecutive years and reported a 5-year annualized dividend growth rate of 30.2%. Its dividend payout ratio stands at 10.3%, and the most recent ex-dividend date occurred on September 16, 2026.

Wall Street coverage includes 14 Strong Buy, 1 Buy, 9 Hold, 1 Sell, and 1 Strong Sell ratings. The consensus mean price target of $460.59 implies 0.4% upside from the last closing price of $458.84. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, analysts estimate revenue of $78.51B and earnings per share of $29.48. HCA beat earnings estimates in each of the past 4 quarters, with its next earnings report scheduled for October 27, 2026.

This page is an AI-written research summary of HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

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