Do Wall Street Analysts Predict HCA Stock Will Go Up or Down?

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA), headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, is a leading healthcare provider in the U.S. It operates hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, free-standing emergency rooms and medical clinics in multiple states, and employs a broad workforce dedicated to high-quality patient care, innovative treatments and compassionate services. The company has a market capitalization of $120.82 billion.

Thanks to strong fundamentals and share buybacks, HCA stock has been gaining. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has risen 67.8%, while it is up 15.7% year-to-date (YTD). HCA shares had reached a 52-week high of $552.90 on February 12, but are down 2.3% from that level.

On the other hand, the broader S&P 500 index ($SPX) has gained 11.8% over the past 52 weeks but is down marginally year to date, indicating the stock has outperformed the broader market. Below, we compare the stock to its own sector. The State Street Health Care Select Sector ETF (XLV) SPDR is up 7.7% over the past 52 weeks and 1.9% year to date. Therefore, the stock has outperformed its sector during these periods.

HCA Healthcare shares gained 7.1% intraday on Jan. 27 as the company reported strong fourth-quarter results. Its revenue increased 6.7% year-over-year (YOY) to $19.51 billion. HCA also announced an additional share repurchase program for up to $10 billion of its outstanding common stock and increased its dividend. The company’s adjusted earnings per share for the quarter was $8.01, up 28.8% year-over-year and better than Wall Street analysts expected.

For the current quarter, Wall Street analysts expect HCA’s EPS to rise 11.2% year-over-year to $7.17 on a diluted basis. Furthermore, EPS is expected to increase 7.1% annually to $30.20 for fiscal 2026, followed by a 10.4% improvement to $33.35 in fiscal 2027. The company has a strong track record of topping consensus estimates, surpassing them in the trailing four quarters.

Among the 25 Wall Street analysts covering HCA stock, the consensus is a “moderate buy.” This is based on 14 “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” nine “Holds,” and one “Strong Sell.” The ratings setup has become less optimistic than three months ago, with 14 “Strong Buy” ratings, down from 15.

Following the fourth quarter results, Argus Research, represented by analyst David Toung, maintained a “Buy” rating on the stock, while raising the price target from $530 to $560, indicating continued confidence in the company’s performance. HCA’s average price target of $535.86 indicates marginal downside to current market prices. However, the Street’s highest price target of $598 implies a potential upside of 10.7%.

As of the date of publication, Anushka Dutta had no (directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article are for informational purposes only. This article was originally published on Barchart.com