HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Stock, Quote.Headers.trade-ideas

HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the United States. As of June 2024, the firm owned and operated 188 hospitals, 123 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent-care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across 20 states and a small foothold in England.

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Shares of The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) have gained 25.6% in the past year compared with the industry&#39;s 18.2% growth. The Medical sector and the S&amp;P 500 composite index have rallied 9.3% and 21.2%, respectively, in the same time frame.

Cigna Stock Gains 26% in a Year: What Lies Ahead for Investors?

Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) shares have returned 24.6% in the past three months, outperforming both the hospital industry and the S&amp;P 500 Index. Over this timeframe, the industry and the S&amp;P 500 Indexhave gained 20.8% and 6.4%, respectively. 

Tenet Stock Rises 24.6% in 3 Months: Is This Your Buy Signal?

ARDT

Analyst Color

Initiation

Movers

Ardent Health Partners completes $192M IPO, operating 30 hospitals and 200+ care sites across six states. RBC Capital and Truist Securities initiate coverage with positive ratings, citing growth potential, market leadership, and strategic expansion in outpatient services.

New Hospital Operator On The Block Ardent Health Garners Interest As Analysts Initiate With Bullish View

HCA Healthcare Inc

HSBC MSCI CHINA A UCITS ETF USD ACC

Hony Capital Acquisition Corp

HSBC MSCI CANADA UCITS ETF

HOLDING CO ADMIE IPTO by Holding Co Admie Ipto SA

Holding Co ADMIE (IPTO) SA

Huachen AI Parking Management Technology Holding Co Ltd

HALO COLLECTIVE INC by HALO COLLECTIVE INC.

Halo Collective Inc

Health Catalyst Inc

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 7.68% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 18.9%. Currently, HCA Healthcare has a market capitalization of $104.14 billion. 
Buying $100 In HCA: If an investor had bought $100 of HCA stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $552.74 today based on a price of $403.52 for HCA at the time of writing.
<h3>HCA Healthcare's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1726862571_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning HCA Healthcare Stock In The Last 10 Years

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with HCA, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 16 uncommon options trades for HCA Healthcare.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 31% bullish and 12%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $91,353, and 13 are calls, for a total amount of $911,865.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $310.0 to $420.0 for HCA Healthcare over the recent three months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for HCA Healthcare's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across HCA Healthcare's significant trades, within a strike price range of $310.0 to $420.0, over the past month.
<h3>HCA Healthcare Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1726515029_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$73.4</td>
<td>$71.9</td>
<td>$71.9</td>
<td>$335.00</td>
<td>$224.7K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">155</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">120</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$56.3</td>
<td>$54.6</td>
<td>$54.73</td>
<td>$355.00</td>
<td>$171.5K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">38</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">120</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$54.5</td>
<td>$54.4</td>
<td>$54.5</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$81.7K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">15</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$73.7</td>
<td>$72.6</td>
<td>$73.15</td>
<td>$335.00</td>
<td>$80.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">155</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$56.6</td>
<td>$55.4</td>
<td>$56.0</td>
<td>$355.00</td>
<td>$61.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">38</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">50</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About HCA Healthcare</h3>
HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the United States. As of June 2024, the firm owned and operated 188 hospitals, 123 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent-care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with HCA Healthcare, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Where Is HCA Healthcare Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 471,571, the price of HCA is up by 2.28%, reaching $403.0.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 36 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On HCA Healthcare</h3>
Over the past month, 5 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $409.2.
<ul>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Truist Securities keeps a Buy rating on HCA Healthcare with a target price of $430. </li>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from RBC Capital continues to hold a Outperform rating for HCA Healthcare, targeting a price of $405. </li>
<li>An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its action to Overweight with a price target of $392. </li>
<li>An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its action to Overweight with a price target of $392. </li>
<li>In a cautious move, an analyst from Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating to Equal-Weight, setting a price target of $427. </li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest HCA Healthcare options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Options

Check Out What Whales Are Doing With HCA

Shares of The Cigna Group (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ci#NYSE">CI</a>) have gained 25.6% in the past year compared with the industry&#39;s 18.2% growth. The Medical sector and the S&amp;P 500 composite index have rallied 9.3% and 21.2%, respectively, in the same time frame. CI has been well-poised for growth on the back of a sound membership base, solid Evernorth unit, acquisitions and expanding cash reserves.&nbsp;
Currently priced at $357.40, the stock is just 3.6% below its 52-week high of $370.64. This proximity underscores investor confidence and market optimism about Cigna&#39;s prospects.&nbsp;
The health insurer, presently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), has an impressive record of beating estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 3.83%.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/a8/77228.jpg?v=810613562" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>Robust Growth Prospects of CI Stock</h2>
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cigna&#39;s 2024 earnings is pegged at $28.48 per share, which indicates a 13.5% increase from the 2023 figure. The consensus mark for revenues is $239.1 billion, which implies 22.4% growth from the year-ago figure.&nbsp;
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is pegged at $31.80 per share, which implies an 11.7% improvement from the 2024 estimate. The consensus mark for revenues is $246.5 billion, implying a 3.1% rise from the 2024 estimate.
<h2>Cigna&#39;s Business Tailwinds</h2>
Cigna&#39;s performance is underscored its strong growth platforms, Evernorth and Cigna Healthcare. Evernorth is propelled by a range of specialty pharmacy services, significantly enhancing pharmacy revenues for the parent company. Pharmacy revenues saw a 31.8% year-over-year increase in the first half of 2024.&nbsp;
Conversely, Cigna Healthcare is strengthened by its sound customer base across the U.S. Healthcare business. This segment anticipates long-term average annual adjusted earnings growth in the band of 7-10%.&nbsp;
An expanding customer base leads to higher premiums, a critical revenue source for health insurers. As of June 30, 2024, Cigna served 19 million medical customers. The aging U.S. population is likely to drive continuous demand for its Medicare plans in the days ahead. In addition to premium growth, Cigna Healthcare benefits from ongoing product enhancements and new or extended partnerships with prominent healthcare systems.
Cigna strategically acquires companies to bolster its solutions and capabilities, broaden its geographical reach and reinforce its market presence. In alignment with its focus on high-growth platforms, it has divested its non-core health units. A robust cash balance and sufficient cash generation abilities allow the company to invest in business expansion and strategically allocate capital for share buybacks and dividends. Over the next five years, management anticipates cash flows of approximately $60 billion.
<h2>Stocks to Consider</h2>
Some better-ranked stocks in the Medical space are Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/uhs#NYSE">UHS</a>), The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ensg#NASDAQ">ENSG</a>) and HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hca#NYSE">HCA</a>). Universal Health currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and Ensign Group and HCA Healthcare carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Universal Health&#39;s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 14.58%. The consensus estimate for UHS&#39; 2024 earnings indicates a rise of 51% from the year-ago number. The consensus mark for revenues indicates growth of 9.8% from the year-ago figure.&nbsp;
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UHS&#39; earnings has moved 15% north in the past 30 days. Shares of Universal Health have gained 73.7% in the past year.
Ensign Group&#39;s earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 1.40%. The consensus estimate for ENSG&#39;s 2024 earnings indicates a rise of 14.1% from the year-ago number. The consensus mark for revenues implies an improvement of 13.1% from the year-ago figure.&nbsp;
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ENSG&#39;s earnings has moved 0.7% north in the past 60 days. Shares of Ensign Group have risen 59.9% in the past year. &nbsp;
HCA Healthcare&#39;s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark once, the average surprise being 8.24%. The consensus estimate for HCA&#39;s 2024 earnings indicates an improvement of 18.2% from the year-ago figure. The consensus mark for revenues implies growth of 8.9% from the year-ago figure.&nbsp;
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HCA&#39;s earnings has moved 1.2% north in the past seven days. Shares of HCA Healthcare have rallied 42% in the past year.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2334211/cigna-stock-gains-26-in-a-year-what-lies-ahead-for-investors?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|price_surge_/_plunge-2334211">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 7.84% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 18.29%. Currently, HCA Healthcare has a market capitalization of $102.46 billion. 
Buying $100 In HCA: If an investor had bought $100 of HCA stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $547.79 today based on a price of $397.01 for HCA at the time of writing.
<h3>HCA Healthcare's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1725638421_0_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $100 Invested In HCA Healthcare 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Morgan Stanley analyst Craig Hettenbach initiates coverage on HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) with a Equal-Weight rating and announces Price Target of $427.

Price Target

Morgan Stanley Initiates Coverage On HCA Healthcare with Equal-Weight Rating, Announces Price Target of $427

Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/thc#NYSE">THC</a>) shares have returned 24.6% in the past three months, outperforming both the hospital industry and the S&amp;P 500 Index. Over this timeframe, the industry and the S&amp;P 500 Indexhave gained 20.8% and 6.4%, respectively.&nbsp;
Currently priced at $163.87, the stock is just 1% below its 52-week high. This proximity underscores investor confidence and market optimism about this hospital company&#39;s prospects. Moreover, the stock is trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, signaling strong upward momentum.
<h2>3-Month Price Performance</h2>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/02/75772.jpg?v=812194338" style="border-style:solid; border-width:1px; height:310px; width:600px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>Decoding THC&#39;s Bright Prospects</h2>
The growing senior population and increasing prevalence of diseases are expected to drive long-term demand for hospital services. Tenet Healthcare is well-positioned to benefit from this trend through strategic acquisitions and the development of new facilities. These expansion efforts aim to help Tenet capture more market share in a highly fragmented healthcare market, which will boost its adjusted admissions, emergency room visits and hospital surgeries.
Improving labor market conditions and effective staffing solutions are allowing the company to hire more workers and reopen services that were earlier shut down due to pandemic-related challenges. This increased capacity is expected to meet the rising demand for healthcare services. The company&#39;s strong second-quarter results reflect this positive growth trend.
Tenet&#39;s robust Q2 performance led it to raise its 2024 forecast. Net operating revenues from the Hospital segment are now expected to be between $16.3 billion and $16.5 billion, up from the previous range of $15.9 billion to $16.1 billion. Additionally, adjusted EBITDA is now projected to be between $3.825 billion and $3.975 billion, compared to the earlier estimate of $3.5 billion to $3.7 billion.
<h2>THC&#39;s Strategic Efforts</h2>
By the end of the second quarter, Tenet had stakes in 520 ambulatory surgery centers and 24 surgical hospitals. The company expects its transformative efforts to boost margins and free cash flow while creating a diversified business mix that can thrive in any political or regulatory environment. This approach will help reduce risks for investors.
Tenet Healthcare is focusing more on ambulatory surgery centers to tap into the rising demand for outpatient services. By leveraging its partnership with United Surgical Partners International, the company aims to expand its network, enhance operational efficiency, and improve profit margins.
Strategic investments in artificial intelligence-enabled technologies are set to enhance both clinical and administrative workflows, boosting overall efficiency. These advancements will likely reduce costs, shorten patient wait times and significantly improve the patient experience.
Alongside favorable industry trends, THC&#39;s focus on operational efficiency and rising net revenue per caseare expected to drive further profit growth, which is reflected by the revised estimates. Also, it doesn&#39;t shy away from divesting non-core and unprofitable business units to repay debt, maintain financial liquidity and make higher-return investments.
<h2>Estimate Revision Favoring THC Stock</h2>
Reflecting the positive sentiment around Tenet, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share has seen upward revisions. The consensus estimate for 2024 adjusted earnings for THC is currently pegged at $10.70 per share, indicating a 53.3% year-over-year surge. The consensus mark for 2025 suggests a further 2.4% jump. It beat earnings estimates in each of the past four quarters, with an average surprise of 58.5%. The consensus estimate for 2024 and 2025 revenues suggests 1.4% and 3.8% year-over-year growth, respectively.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/ae/75774.jpg?v=1359469431" style="border-style:solid; border-width:1px; height:310px; width:600px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>THC: A Value-Driven Choice</h2>
Despite the recent growth in stock price, Tenet is trading at a discount compared to the industry average. It presents a compelling investment opportunity with its attractive forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 15.07X, lower than the industry average of 16.19X. The company has a Value Score of A.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/3c/75775.jpg?v=344075325" style="border-style:solid; border-width:1px; height:310px; width:600px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In comparison, its peers like HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hca#NYSE">HCA</a>) and Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/uhs#NYSE">UHS</a>) are currently trading at forward 12-month price-to-earnings of 16.43X and 13.91X, respectively.
<h2>Final Verdict: Buy THC Now</h2>
With the stock currently trading at a discount and benefiting from efficiency-enhancing initiatives and favorable industry trends, Tenet appears to have significant growth potential. Investors may consider accumulating more shares, as improving labor market conditions and higher admissions are expected to provide additional support for growth. The upward revisions in estimates are suggesting a promising outlook ahead.
As such, Tenet currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2328485/tenet-stock-rises-24-6-in-3-months-is-this-your-buy-signal?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|most_popular_stocks-2328485">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

HCA Healthcare's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) short percent of float has risen 4.41% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 2.66 million shares sold short, which is 1.42% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.57 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>HCA Healthcare Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1724771715_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for HCA Healthcare has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing HCA Healthcare's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, HCA Healthcare's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 4.35%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Peering Into HCA Healthcare's Recent Short Interest

RBC Capital analyst Ben Hendrix maintains HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $378 to $405.

RBC Capital Maintains Outperform on HCA Healthcare, Raises Price Target to $405

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 7.93% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 18.76%. Currently, HCA Healthcare has a market capitalization of $98.87 billion. 
Buying $1000 In HCA: If an investor had bought $1000 of HCA stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $5,557.18 today based on a price of $383.12 for HCA at the time of writing.
<h3>HCA Healthcare's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1724421622_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $1000 Invested In HCA Healthcare 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Sarah James reiterates HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) with a Overweight and maintains $392 price target.

Reiteration

Cantor Fitzgerald Reiterates Overweight on HCA Healthcare, Maintains $392 Price Target

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with HCA, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 8 uncommon options trades for HCA Healthcare.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 12% bullish and 50%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 4 are puts, for a total amount of $365,074, and 4 are calls, for a total amount of $321,050.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $370.0 to $430.0 for HCA Healthcare over the recent three months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for HCA Healthcare's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of HCA Healthcare's whale activity within a strike price range from $370.0 to $430.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>HCA Healthcare 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1724100328_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$13.3</td>
<td>$12.7</td>
<td>$13.0</td>
<td>$370.00</td>
<td>$171.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">386</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">142</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$15.4</td>
<td>$14.4</td>
<td>$14.6</td>
<td>$370.00</td>
<td>$146.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">103</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$6.4</td>
<td>$6.3</td>
<td>$6.4</td>
<td>$370.00</td>
<td>$101.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">103</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">357</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$6.6</td>
<td>$5.1</td>
<td>$6.47</td>
<td>$370.00</td>
<td>$91.9K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">103</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">629</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HCA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$9.2</td>
<td>$8.8</td>
<td>$9.0</td>
<td>$375.00</td>
<td>$68.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">289</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">107</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About HCA Healthcare</h3>
HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the United States. As of June 2024, the firm owned and operated 188 hospitals, 123 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent-care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across 20 states and a small foothold in England.
In light of the recent options history for HCA Healthcare, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>HCA Healthcare's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 512,327, the HCA's price is up by 0.12%, now at $374.21. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be overbought.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 64 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for HCA Healthcare</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $400.8.
<ul>
<li>In a cautious move, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its rating to Overweight, setting a price target of $392. </li>
<li>An analyst from Barclays has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on HCA Healthcare, which currently sits at a price target of $396. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Truist Securities keeps a Buy rating on HCA Healthcare with a target price of $430. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Truist Securities keeps a Buy rating on HCA Healthcare with a target price of $390. </li>
<li>An analyst from Leerink Partners persists with their Outperform rating on HCA Healthcare, maintaining a target price of $396. </li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for HCA Healthcare, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

This Is What Whales Are Betting On HCA Healthcare

Truist Securities analyst David Macdonald maintains HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $390 to $430.

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on HCA Healthcare, Raises Price Target to $430

UBS analyst Andrew Mok maintains HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $405 to $438.

UBS Maintains Buy on HCA Healthcare, Raises Price Target to $438

In July, Ardent Health Partners Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARDT#NYSE">ARDT</a>) closed its initial public offering of 12 million at a public offering price of $16 per share, for total gross proceeds of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/07/b39867880/ardent-health-announces-closing-of-its-initial-public-offering" rel="noreferrer noopener">approximately $192 million</a>.
Ardent Health Partners owns and operates a network of hospitals and clinics. It operates acute care hospitals, including rehabilitation hospitals and surgical hospitals.
Through its subsidiaries, Ardent Health delivers care through 30 acute care hospitals, more than 200 care sites, and over 1,700 providers across six states.
RBC Capital Markets has initiated coverage on Ardent Health Partners, citing a &#8216;differentiated hospital platform with strong growth runway.&#8217;
The analyst initiates with an Outperform rating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ARDT/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">and a price target of $23</a>.
RBC analyst says Ardent Health Partners&#8217; valuation and rating are based on its strong market position and clear growth potential.
Additionally, the company is poised for margin growth through supplemental Medicaid programs in key states and the efficiencies it has gained from its unique joint venture strategy.
Ardent&#8217;s organic growth is bolstered by numerous expansion opportunities, particularly in outpatient services like ambulatory surgery. The company is currently underrepresented in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) within its markets.
Investing in outpatient facilities has proven successful for its public peers, including industry leader HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>).
&#8220;Like HCA, Ardent holds a leading market position in its service areas, with a #1 or #2 market position in most of its markets. That said, we believe Ardent&#8217;s markets likely comp more closely to those of Community Health Systems, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CYH#NYSE">CYH</a>), given Ardent&#8217;s concentration in secondary MSAs,&#8221; RBC Capital writes.
Truist Securities also initiated coverage on Ardent Health, &#8220;Well Positioned With Attractive Secular Tailwinds.&#8221;
The analyst notes the company focuses on mid-size markets with attractive growth characteristics.
Truist analyst initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a price target of $21 and viewed the valuation risk/reward as attractive.
The analyst says Ardent&#8217;s strong cash flow and financial flexibility are expected to support continued investment in its core business, expand its footprint, and pursue potential mergers and acquisitions in a fragmented market.
Price Action: ARDT stock is up 4.19% at $16.30 at the last check on Monday.
Read Next:
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HCA Healthcare's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) short percent of float has fallen 6.77% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 2.37 million shares sold short, which is 1.24% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.63 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>HCA Healthcare Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1723212915_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for HCA Healthcare has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing HCA Healthcare's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, HCA Healthcare's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 6.66%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

(HCA) - Analyzing HCA Healthcare's Short Interest

Terms Dependent On Market Conditions; Proceeds To Be Used For General Corporate Purposes, Including Repayment Of Borrowings

Offerings

HCA Healthcare Announces Proposed Senior Notes Offering By Wholly Owned Subsidiary HCA Inc.; Size Not Disclosed

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 7.34% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 18.12%. Currently, HCA Healthcare has a market capitalization of $91.75 billion. 
Buying $100 In HCA: If an investor had bought $100 of HCA stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $530.40 today based on a price of $355.53 for HCA at the time of writing.
<h3>HCA Healthcare's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1722619820_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Shares of&nbsp;The Ensign Group, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ensg#NASDAQ">ENSG</a>) gained 7.2% since it reported second-quarter 2024 results on Jul 25, 2024. Strong quarterly results benefited from improved occupancy, skilled mix days, and higher skilled service revenues. However, declining cash flow from operations and a rise in overall expenses acted as a partial offset.
ENSG reported a second-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $1.32, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.3%. The bottom line increased 13.8% year over year.
Operating revenues of $1.04 billion improved 12.5% year over year in the quarter under review. The top line outpaced the consensus mark by 2%.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>The Ensign Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise</h3>
<img alt="The Ensign Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/43/1722354138.png" style="height:265px; width:600px" title="" />
The Ensign Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Ensign Group, Inc. Quote
</div>
<h3>Q2 Update</h3>
Ensign Group&#39;s adjusted net income grew 15.3% year over year to $76.4 million in the second quarter and beat our estimate of $75.2 million.
Same-store occupancy improved 280 basis points (bps) year over year while transitioning occupancy expanded 430 bps year over year.
Total expenses of $950.3 million escalated 12.7 % year over year in the quarter under review and came higher than our estimate of $932.7 million. The year-over-year increase was due to higher costs of services, general and administrative expenses, and rent.
<h3>Segmental Update</h3>
Skilled Services:&nbsp;The segment&#39;s revenues rose 12.1% year over year to $991.3 million in the second quarter. The metric beat our estimate of $983 million. The metric was supported by improved occupancy and improved patient days. Segment income of $122.2 million improved 4.4% year over year.
Skilled nursing and campus operations of the segment totaled 272 and 29, respectively, at the second-quarter end.
Standard Bearer:&nbsp;Rental revenues amounted to $23.4 million, which grew 17.3% year over year and outpaced our estimate of $22.8 million. The metric was supported by rising acquisitions. Segmental income of $7.4 million rose 3.2% year over year.
Funds from Operations were $14.5 million in the second quarter, which improved 9.5% year over year.
<h3>Financial Update (as of Jun 30, 2024)</h3>
Ensign Group exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $477.3 million, which declined 6.3% from the 2023-end figure. It had a leftover capacity of $573.1 million under its line of credit at the second-quarter end.
Total assets of $4.4 billion rose 6.2% from the 2023-end level.
Long-term debt-less current maturities were $143.6 million, which declined 1.3% from the figure as of Dec 31, 2023. Current maturities of long-term debt amounted to $4 million.
Total equity of $1.7 billion climbed nearly 11.1% from the 2023-end figure.
ENSG generated net cash from operations of $112.2 million in the first half of 2024, which plunged 33.2% from the year-ago figure.
<h3>Capital-Deployment Update</h3>
Ensign Group did not buy back shares in the first half. During the first half of 2024, management paid dividends worth $6.8 million.
<h3>2024 Outlook Raised</h3>
Revenues are anticipated to lie within $4.20-$4.22 billion, the mid-point of which indicates an improvement of 12.9% from the 2023 figure of $3.73 billion.
Adjusted EPS is forecasted to be between $5.38 and $5.50 for 2024, the midpoint of which suggests more than 14% growth from the 2023 figure of $4.77.
The weighted average common shares outstanding is estimated to be around 58.5 million, and the tax rate is assumed to be 25% for 2024.
<h3>Zacks Rank</h3>
Ensign Group currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
<h3>Other Medical Sector Releases</h3>
Of the&nbsp;Medical&nbsp;sector players that have reported second-quarter 2024 results so far, the bottom-line results of&nbsp;UnitedHealth Group Incorporated&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/unh#NYSE">UNH</a>),&nbsp;Elevance Health, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/elv#NYSE">ELV</a>), and&nbsp;HCA Healthcare, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hca#NYSE">HCA</a>) beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
UnitedHealth Group reported a second-quarter 2024 adjusted EPS of $6.80, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.3%. The bottom line rose 10.7% year over year. Revenues amounted to $98.9 billion, which improved 6.4% year over year in the quarter under review on the back of strong performance in its UnitedHealthcare and Optum business lines. The top line outpaced the consensus mark of $98.7 billion.
Elevance Health reported second-quarter 2024 adjusted EPS of $10.12 per share, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.3%. The bottom line improved 12% year over year. Operating revenues of $43.2 billion dipped 0.4% year over year. However, the top line beat the consensus mark by 0.5%.
HCA Healthcare reported a second-quarter 2024 adjusted EPS of $5.50, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.7%. The bottom line improved 28.2% year over year. Revenues amounted to $17.5 billion, which improved 10.3% year over year in the quarter under review. The top line outpaced the consensus mark by 2.2%.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2312272/ensign-group-ensg-q2-earnings-beat-on-occupancy-stock-up-7-2?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|earnings_article-2312272">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

streetTRACKS Dow Jones U.S. Large Cap Value Index Fund

Ensign Group Q2 Earnings Beat on Occupancy, Stock Up 7.2%

Wells Fargo analyst Stephen Baxter maintains HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $315 to $365.

Wells Fargo Maintains Equal-Weight on HCA Healthcare, Raises Price Target to $365

Small-cap and mid-cap Health Care has room to rally - Roth MKM

Franklin Equity Income Fund Q2 2024 Commentary

Bank of America Securities analyst Kevin Fischbeck maintained a Buy rating on HCA Healthcare (HCA – Research Report) today. The company's shares op...

Bank of America Securities Remains a Buy on HCA Healthcare (HCA)

In a report released today, Ben Hendrix from RBC Capital maintained a Buy rating on HCA Healthcare (HCA – Research Report), with a price target of ...

RBC Capital Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on HCA Healthcare (HCA)

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In a report released today, Brian Tanquilut from Jefferies maintained a Buy rating on HCA Healthcare (HCA – Research Report), with a price target o...

Jefferies Sticks to Their Buy Rating for HCA Healthcare (HCA)

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HCA Healthcare: A Balanced Outlook with Growth Prospects and Market Uncertainties

In a report released today, Joanna Gajuk from Bank of America Securities maintained a Buy rating on HCA Healthcare (HCA – Research Report). The com...

HCA Healthcare (HCA) Gets a Buy from Bank of America Securities

In a report released today, Craig Hettenbach from Morgan Stanley maintained a Hold rating on HCA Healthcare (HCA – Research Report), with a price t...

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