Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume

Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) saw an uptick in trading volume on Monday . 562,754 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 13% from the previous session’s volume of 646,786 shares.The stock last traded at $221.19 and had previously closed at $229.92.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UHS has been the subject of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $200.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $219.00 target price on shares of Universal Health Services in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Baird R W raised Universal Health Services from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Universal Health Services from $200.00 to $229.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $183.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $224.92.

Universal Health Services Price Performance

The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $224.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $194.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.28 and a quick ratio of 1.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.48, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.28.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The health services provider reported $4.31 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.37 by $0.94. The business had revenue of $3.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.87 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 14.91% and a net margin of 6.22%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.53 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.91 EPS for the current year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.36%. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 6.78%.

Universal Health Services declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase program on Wednesday, July 24th that permits the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the health services provider to buy up to 8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Health Services

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Nina Chen-Langenmayr sold 850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $212.11, for a total value of $180,293.50. Following the transaction, the director now owns 1,985 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $421,038.35. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Matthew Jay Peterson sold 15,141 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.85, for a total value of $3,192,479.85. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,253 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,107,595.05. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Nina Chen-Langenmayr sold 850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.11, for a total value of $180,293.50. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 1,985 shares in the company, valued at $421,038.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 21,970 shares of company stock worth $4,653,535 in the last 90 days. 16.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Health Services

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Universal Health Services by 0.8% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,099,282 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $1,295,335,000 after buying an additional 57,036 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its holdings in Universal Health Services by 42.8% in the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 736,542 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $112,278,000 after acquiring an additional 220,823 shares in the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. grew its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 32,501.2% during the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 570,847 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $87,020,000 after purchasing an additional 569,096 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. increased its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 12,924.9% during the fourth quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 503,935 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $76,820,000 after purchasing an additional 500,066 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 0.5% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 486,438 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $89,957,000 after purchasing an additional 2,620 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.