Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Trading Up 4.2% – Time to Buy?

Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) shares traded up 4.2% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $188.73 and last traded at $189.18. 139,139 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 80% from the average session volume of 707,508 shares. The stock had previously closed at $181.58.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on the stock. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Universal Health Services from $271.00 to $249.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Stephens upped their target price on Universal Health Services from $210.00 to $223.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, February 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald raised Universal Health Services from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $226.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price objective on Universal Health Services from $275.00 to $251.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $230.75.

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

The company’s fifty day moving average price is $181.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $198.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 1.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.15 billion, a PE ratio of 12.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.32.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The health services provider reported $4.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.21 by $0.71. The firm had revenue of $4.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.01 billion. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 6.66% and a return on equity of 15.75%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Universal Health Services Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 3rd were issued a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. Universal Health Services’s payout ratio is currently 4.75%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Health Services

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $179.16, for a total transaction of $179,160.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 7,916 shares in the company, valued at $1,418,230.56. The trade was a 11.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 16.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Health Services

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its position in Universal Health Services by 22.5% in the fourth quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 54,105 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $9,721,000 after purchasing an additional 9,946 shares during the period. Savant Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 255.3% in the fourth quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 6,345 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $1,138,000 after buying an additional 4,559 shares in the last quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 175.6% during the 4th quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 2,792 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $501,000 after buying an additional 1,779 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 86.4% during the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 21,047 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $4,820,000 after acquiring an additional 9,755 shares in the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in Universal Health Services by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,197,537 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $274,248,000 after acquiring an additional 10,578 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

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.