Proficio Capital Partners LLC Takes $11.30 Million Position in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 62,998 shares of the health services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $11,303,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. R Squared Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Universal Health Services in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Quent Capital LLC increased its stake in Universal Health Services by 118.3% in the fourth quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 179 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in Universal Health Services in the third quarter worth about $39,000. Huntington National Bank raised its position in Universal Health Services by 414.3% in the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 180 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sentry Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Universal Health Services during the third quarter worth about $64,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Universal Health Services

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,614 shares of Universal Health Services stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $191.15, for a total transaction of $308,516.10. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 5,879 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,123,770.85. The trade was a 21.54 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 16.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Universal Health Services Price Performance

Shares of UHS opened at $175.07 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $11.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.30. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a 1 year low of $152.68 and a 1 year high of $243.25. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $184.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $204.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 26th. The health services provider reported $4.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.21 by $0.71. The business had revenue of $4.11 billion for 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%. On average, equities analysts predict that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be issued a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.46%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 3rd. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 4.75%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UHS. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $226.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Stephens lifted their price target on Universal Health Services from $210.00 to $223.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $285.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 25th. TD Cowen dropped their target price 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. Finally, StockNews.com cut Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 9th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $228.77.

About Universal Health Services

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.