Advisory Alpha LLC Boosts Stock Position in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA)

Advisory Alpha LLC increased its stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) by 14.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,118 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 140 shares during the quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC’s holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $336,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of HCA. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the second quarter worth $33,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth $39,000. Canoe Financial LP bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth $41,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth $41,000. Finally, Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth $44,000. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

HCA Healthcare Price Performance

Shares of HCA stock opened at $325.18 on Friday. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $278.68 and a fifty-two week high of $417.14. The firm has a market capitalization of $82.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.60, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.71, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.12. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $314.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $352.84.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently weighed in on HCA shares. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded HCA Healthcare from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $400.00 to $320.00 in a research report on Monday, November 25th. StockNews.com downgraded HCA Healthcare from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $440.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 28th. Raymond James downgraded HCA Healthcare from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $390.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $385.27.

Insider Transactions at HCA Healthcare

In related news, insider Erol R. Akdamar sold 2,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $353.00, for a total value of $1,023,700.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 6,843 shares in the company, valued at $2,415,579. This represents a 29.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Phillip G. Billington sold 3,897 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.00, for a total value of $1,363,950.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 52,702 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,445,700. This represents a 6.89 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.60% of the company’s stock.

About HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates hospitals and related healthcare entities in the United States. It operates general and acute care hospitals that offers medical and surgical services, including inpatient care, intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic, and emergency services; and outpatient services, such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology, and physical therapy.