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HCA Healthcare Inc (HCA)

Undervalued
HealthcareMedical Care FacilitiesUnited States

Fundamental

81

Price

$426.74

Market Cap

$95.97B

Part 1 · What the company is worth

Overview

HCA Healthcare, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides health care services in the United States. The company owns, manages, and operates hospitals, ASCs, freestanding emergency care facilities, urgent care facilities, walk-in clinics, diagnostic and imaging centers, radiation and oncology therapy centers, as well as rehabilitation and physical therapy centers, physician practices, home health agencies, hospices, outpatient physical therapy providers, home and community-based services providers, and various other facilities. Its general and acute care hospitals offer medical and surgical services, including inpatient care, intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic services, and emergency services; and outpatient services, such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology, and physical therapy. The company was formerly known as HCA Holdings, Inc. HCA Healthcare, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.

No editorial profile for this company yet

Direct competitors

Who this company fights with for the same customers

Compare

Generated on September 18, 2026 with claude-haiku-4-5 — shared with all users

P/E: 9.9Score: 78Market cap: $20.77B

The closest for-profit peer to HCA: Tenet runs acute care hospitals and a large ambulatory surgery platform in many of the same Sun Belt metro markets, competing for the same patients, the same physicians and the same commercial insurance contracts.

P/E: 7.1Score: 73Market cap: —

Operates general acute care hospitals alongside the largest US network of behavioral health facilities, overlapping with HCA's hospitals in states such as Nevada, Texas and Florida for the same inpatient admissions and payer contracts.

Community Health Systems, Inc.CYH

A for-profit chain of acute care hospitals concentrated in smaller cities and suburban markets across the South and Midwest, competing with HCA for community hospital volumes and for physician recruitment in overlapping states.

Ardent Health, Inc.ARDT

Runs about 30 acute care hospitals and roughly 280 sites of care in mid-sized urban markets in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Idaho and New Jersey, several of which overlap directly with HCA's hospital networks.

Ascension HealthNot tracked

One of the largest non-profit hospital systems in the United States, with facilities in Tennessee, Texas and Florida that draw the same patients as HCA's hospitals; HCA's own 10-K singles out such tax-exempt systems as its competition.

CommonSpirit HealthNot tracked

A non-profit system of more than 140 hospitals born from the Dignity Health–CHI merger, competing with HCA for inpatient and outpatient volumes in Texas, Colorado, Nevada and California.

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Revenue

$76.39B

Trailing 12 months (through 3/31/2026)

Net Income

$6.79B

Trailing 12 months (through 3/31/2026)

Free Cash Flow

$7.69B

Total Equity

$-6.03B

Total Liabilities

$63.49B

Current Ratio

0.83

Interest Coverage

-

Debt/EBITDA

3.17

Earnings Per Share

Revenue & Net Income

Free Cash Flow

Income Breakdown

Historical statement

Margins over time

Debt over time

How heavy the debt is

Growth grid

Growth — Revenue

Fair Value Estimation

General caseUndervalued

Fair Value

$685.77

Current Price

$426.74

Margin of Safety

+37.8%

Fair Value Range

$445.75 - $925.79

Spread across the valuation methods used, not a statistically calibrated confidence interval.

Estimation Methods

Analyst price target:$454.23
Discounted cash flow (DCF):$1146.90
Earnings multiple (P/E):$416.34
Graham growth formula:$1325.12
Earnings power value (EPV):$397.49
Justified P/B:$172.15
Dividend discount (Gordon):$43.62
P/FFO, funds from operations:$743.38
Mid-cycle earnings:Not enough data to compute it
Revenue multiple:$1379.38
Analyst Consensus:Buy (17B / 12H / 1S)
Last Earnings Surprise:+1.03%

Valuation Metrics

P/E Ratio

14.70

ROE

-112.6%

P/B Ratio

-

P/FCF

11.94

Gross Margin

-

ROIC

-

Profitability Radar

Value Creation (Economic Moat)

ROIC

-

WACC

8.3%

ROIC − WACC

-

Fundamental Analysis Criteria

Passed (18)

  • EPS shows upward trend
  • EPS CAGR 16.56%
  • Price CAGR 19.15%
  • P/FCF 11.94
  • Positive Free Cash Flow
  • Current Ratio
  • Debt/EBITDA
  • Return on Tangible Assets
  • Low reliance on intangibles
  • ROE 695.7%
  • Revenue Growth 5Y 8.0%
  • Analyst Consensus 57% Buy
  • Earnings Surprise avg 7.2%
  • PEG Ratio 0.65
  • Earnings Quality (OCF/NI) 1.91
  • Share Dilution -8.5%
  • Net Margin Trend 8.9% vs 8.1%
  • Piotroski F-Score 6/9

Failed (2)

  • CapEx intensity
  • DCF valuation (Overvalued)

Unavailable (8)

  • ROIC NaN%
  • Gross Margin NaN%
  • P/B Ratio NaN
  • Dividend Payout NaN%
  • Debt/Equity ratio
  • Operating Margin NaN%
  • Interest Coverage
  • Price below Graham Number

Piotroski F-Score

6/9

Mixed signals: some areas need attention

score
criteria

Earnings Quality

1.91

High quality: earnings backed by cash

Share Dilution

-8.5%

Buying back shares. Shareholder friendly

Institutional Holdings

Governance

Executive Team

NameTitleAge
Mr. Samuel N. HazenCEO & Director65
Mr. Michael A. MarksCFO & Executive VP55
Mr. Jon Mack FosterExecutive VP & COO63
Mr. Michael R. McAleveyExecutive VP and Chief Legal & Administrative Officer61
Dr. Michael S. Cuffe M.B.A., M.D.Executive Officer59
Dr. Thomas F. Frist Jr., M.D.Founder & Chairman Emeritus86
Mr. Christopher F. WyattSenior VP, Principal Accounting Officer & Controller47
Mr. Chad J. WassermanSenior VP & Chief Information Officer-
Mr. Frank George Morgan C.F.A.Vice President of Investor Relations-
Ms. Wendy WarrenSenior VP and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer-

Audit Risk

8

Board Risk

9

Compensation Risk

4

Shareholder Rights Risk

3

Part 2 · The price and when to enter

This part won't tell you whether the company is worth owning: it helps you choose when to buy it, once the fundamentals have convinced you. Inside: technical analysis, potential, historical drawdowns, gamma exposure.

Documents

  • Annual Report (10-K)

    A yearly overview of the business, its financial results, and the risks it faces.

    Filed on 2026-02-10

    View document
  • Quarterly Report (10-Q)

    A snapshot of financial performance for the most recent three-month period.

    Filed on 2026-07-28

    View document
  • Current Report (8-K)

    An announcement of a major event, such as a leadership change or big news.

    Filed on 2026-07-29

    View document

via SEC EDGAR

Income History

via SEC EDGAR

Latest News

Recent headlines for HCA, sourced from Markets Gazette.

  • 6/15/2026NEUTRAL
    Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning HCA Healthcare Stock In The Last 15 Years

    An analysis of HCA Healthcare Inc. stock reveals its performance over the past 15 years. While the article title suggests a focus on potential returns for investors, the content itself is not provided, making it impossible to ascertain specific financial metrics, growth drivers, or any recent developments. Therefore, without detailed information on earnings, strategic initiatives, or market positioning, a definitive assessment of its current investment appeal or future outlook cannot be made. The historical performance, while potentially positive, does not offer actionable insights for present trading decisions.

  • 4/24/2026NEUTRAL
    HCA Healthcare Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

    HCA Healthcare is scheduled to hold its Q1 2026 Earnings Call on April 24, 2026. While the transcript is available, the provided information does not contain the actual earnings results, forward-looking guidance, or any specific operational updates that would allow for an assessment of financial performance or market impact. Investors should consult the full transcript or subsequent reports for detailed financial figures, management commentary on performance drivers, and future outlook.

  • 4/24/2026POSITIVE
    HCA Healthcare Earnings Are Imminent; These Most Accurate Analysts Revise Forecasts Ahead Of Earnings Call

    HCA Healthcare is poised to report its Q1 earnings on April 24th, with analysts projecting earnings per share of $7.15, a notable increase from $6.45 in the prior year. This upward revision in forecasts by analysts, who are recognized for their accuracy, suggests a positive outlook for the company's performance. The stock's modest 0.6% gain on Thursday further indicates investor optimism ahead of the earnings call. For investors, this anticipated earnings growth and analyst confidence signal potential for continued stock appreciation.

  • 4/23/2026NEUTRAL
    How To Earn $500 A Month From HCA Healthcare Stock Ahead Of Q1 Earnings

    HCA Healthcare offers an annual dividend yield of 0.66%, equating to $3.12 per share annually. The article explores strategies for investors to generate approximately $500 per month from this dividend, suggesting a focus on dividend reinvestment or accumulation strategies. While the dividend itself is a positive attribute for income-focused investors, the news primarily focuses on a strategy for income generation rather than a direct catalyst for stock price appreciation ahead of Q1 earnings. The actual Q1 earnings results, which are not yet released, will be the primary driver of short-term stock movement.

  • 2/26/2026POSITIVE
    Here's How Much $1000 Invested In HCA Healthcare 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

    A retrospective analysis of an investment in HCA Healthcare reveals exceptional performance for long-term shareholders. An initial $1,000 investment made 15 years ago would today be worth a significantly larger sum, underscoring the robust and consistent growth of the healthcare sector and, specifically, this leading company. HCA Healthcare's ability to generate value over time, navigating economic cycles and market challenges, highlights its resilience and the strength of its business model. This data not only celebrates past success but also offers insights into the potential of strategic, long-term investments in defensive sectors and companies with solid fundamentals.

via Markets Gazette