Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Sets New 52-Week High After Analyst Upgrade

Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)’s share price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday after Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on the stock from $195.00 to $200.00. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Universal Health Services traded as high as $183.50 and last traded at $182.58, with a volume of 14183 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $181.85.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price objective on Universal Health Services from $148.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Universal Health Services from $170.00 to $189.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $144.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $140.00 to $181.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 1st. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $152.00 to $177.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $176.29.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Universal Health Services news, CFO Steve Filton sold 35,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.82, for a total transaction of $6,188,700.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 68,785 shares in the company, valued at $12,162,563.70. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 15.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Health Services

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its holdings in Universal Health Services by 6.6% during the 4th quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,070 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $163,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC grew its position in Universal Health Services by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 3,695 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $563,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Universal Health Services by 45.4% in the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 253 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 42.8% during the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 267 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 76.4% in the 4th quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 187 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. 86.05% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Universal Health Services Trading Up 0.3 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.40 and a quick ratio of 1.29. The company has a market capitalization of $12.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.23. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $166.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $147.15.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 27th. The health services provider reported $3.13 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.02 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $3.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.66 billion. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 5.03% and a return on equity of 12.08%. Universal Health Services’s revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $3.02 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 13.39 earnings per share for the current year.

Universal Health Services Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st were paid a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.44%. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 7.80%.

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.