Analysts Set Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) Price Target at $234.14

Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) has been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the sixteen brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $234.1429.

Several analysts have weighed in on UHS shares. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Universal Health Services in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $219.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley set a $233.00 price target on shares of Universal Health Services in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. UBS Group set a $231.00 target price on Universal Health Services in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Zacks Research raised Universal Health Services from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Finally, Raymond James Financial set a $270.00 price objective on Universal Health Services and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd.

Universal Health Services Trading Up 0.2%

Shares of UHS opened at $227.63 on Thursday. Universal Health Services has a twelve month low of $152.33 and a twelve month high of $246.32. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.81, a PEG ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 1.27. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $225.93 and its two-hundred day moving average is $197.82.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The health services provider reported $5.69 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.66 by $1.03. The business had revenue of $4.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.32 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 19.47% and a net margin of 8.09%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.71 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Universal Health Services will post 15.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were given a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. Universal Health Services’s payout ratio is currently 3.80%.

Insider Activity at Universal Health Services

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Warren J. Nimetz sold 3,817 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $223.30, for a total value of $852,336.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 8,481 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,893,807.30. The trade was a 31.04% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Elliot J. Md Mba Sussman sold 965 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $225.70, for a total value of $217,800.50. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 6,113 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,379,704.10. This represents a 13.63% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 16.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Health Services

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Pzena Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Universal Health Services by 310.2% in the 3rd quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 1,607,029 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $328,541,000 after buying an additional 1,215,286 shares during the last quarter. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services in the second quarter worth approximately $87,373,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Universal Health Services in the second quarter valued at approximately $83,333,000. Nomura Holdings Inc. increased its position in Universal Health Services by 100.6% during the second quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. now owns 2,560 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $464,000 after purchasing an additional 426,211 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Universal Health Services by 57.8% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 931,355 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $173,381,000 after purchasing an additional 340,966 shares during the period. 86.05% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Universal Health Services

Universal Health Services, Inc (NYSE: UHS) is one of the largest diversified health care management companies in the United States, offering a broad spectrum of services through its acute care hospital and behavioral health segments. The company operates general acute care hospitals, surgical hospitals and ambulatory centers, as well as inpatient and outpatient behavioral health facilities. Its network provides emergency and specialized medicine, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, advanced surgical care and rehabilitation, complemented by a comprehensive array of behavioral services including psychiatric treatment, addiction programs and developmental disabilities care.

In the acute care segment, UHS’s facilities deliver services ranging from emergency department treatment and intensive care to maternity care and outpatient surgery.