Analysts expect HCA Healthcare to report a slight earnings increase and higher revenues in its upcoming quarterly report
Nashville: Analysts are buzzing about HCA Healthcare’s upcoming earnings report. They predict the company will announce earnings of $5.99 per share, which is a 1.5% increase from last year. Revenue is expected to hit $18.09 billion, up 4.6% from the same quarter last year.
Interestingly, the earnings per share estimate hasn’t changed in the last month. This shows that analysts are sticking to their guns about their predictions.
Before earnings are released, it’s smart to look at how estimates have shifted. This can give investors a clue about how the stock might perform. Research shows that changes in earnings estimates often correlate with short-term stock price movements.
While many investors focus on overall earnings and revenue, digging into specific metrics can provide deeper insights. So, let’s break down what analysts are saying about HCA’s key metrics.
For instance, analysts estimate that ‘Revenue per Equivalent Admission’ will be around $18,036.69, up from $17,755 last year. They also expect ‘Equivalent Admissions’ to reach about 997.59 million, compared to 974.56 million last year.
When it comes to ‘Admissions,’ the forecast is 561.41 million, which is higher than last year’s 544.55 million. For ‘Equivalent Patient Days,’ analysts predict around 4.89 million, up from 4.79 million last year.
As for the ‘Average Length of Stay,’ it’s expected to stay steady at 5 days. Analysts also think the ‘Number of hospitals’ will increase to 187, up from 186 last year.
Looking at ‘Inpatient Revenue per Admission,’ the estimate is $19,608.16, compared to $18,992 from the same quarter last year. The ‘Licensed Beds at End of Period’ is projected to be 49,819, up from 49,588 last year.
Lastly, analysts expect ‘Patient Days’ to reach about 2,714.32, compared to 2,674.33 last year. They also predict there will be 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, up from 124 last year.
In the past month, HCA shares have gained 2.3%, while the S&P 500 has dipped by 0.4%. Currently, HCA has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell), indicating it might lag behind the market soon.