UPDATE: JP Morgan Initiates LifePoint Hospitals at Overweight on Gains from Reform

JP Morgan initiated coverage on LifePoint Hospitals LPNT with an Overweight rating and a $46 price target. JP Morgan commented, "LifePoint should enjoy the highest EBITDA upside potential from reform-based coverage expansion. A combination of the company's geographic footprint, coupled with the managed care negotiating leverage of a sole community provider heading into exchange pricing discussions, should enable LifePoint to capture outsized gains compared to peers in our opinion. Our JP Morgan Healthcare Reform Model estimates that LifePoint has the potential to see ~13% EBITDA upside from reform relative to our baseline model, although a relative lack of financial leverage leaves relative EPS gains significant but more in line to peer average." LifePoint Hospitals closed at $36.92 on Monday.