Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Price Target Raised to $205.00

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) had its price target boosted by Leerink Partners from $198.00 to $205.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the health services provider’s stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Universal Health Services from $165.00 to $166.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. TD Cowen decreased their price target on Universal Health Services from $230.00 to $197.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $183.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Barclays cut their price objective on Universal Health Services from $179.00 to $168.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on Universal Health Services from $204.00 to $166.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $204.94.

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

Shares of UHS opened at $176.73 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $10.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.06. The company’s fifty day moving average is $167.71 and its 200-day moving average is $167.87. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. Universal Health Services has a 12 month low of $140.08 and a 12 month high of $246.32.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The health services provider reported $5.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.94 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $4.64 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.58 billion. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 8.42% and a return on equity of 19.39%. Universal Health Services’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $5.35 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Universal Health Services will post 22.96 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 1st. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is presently 3.26%.

Institutional Trading of Universal Health Services

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. First Eagle Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 4,554,670 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $677,234,000 after purchasing an additional 130,389 shares during the period. Pzena Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 31.5% in the fourth quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 2,112,604 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $460,590,000 after buying an additional 505,575 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 12.1% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,781,262 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $318,812,000 after buying an additional 192,351 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its position in Universal Health Services by 7.1% during the fourth quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,206,000 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $262,932,000 after buying an additional 80,236 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Universal Health Services during the fourth quarter worth about $199,334,000. 86.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Universal Health Services

Universal Health Services, Inc (NYSE: UHS) is a healthcare services company that owns and operates hospitals, outpatient facilities and other healthcare organizations. Its operations are primarily focused on acute care and behavioral health services, serving patients through a network of hospitals, treatment centers and ambulatory facilities.

The company’s acute care activities include general and specialty hospitals that provide services such as emergency care, surgery, inpatient treatment and diagnostic procedures.