Percent change in each close since the start of the chosen range, for both companies and the S&P 500 (SPY). Daily closes over the last year, weekly before that and monthly before five years.
In short
How the two compare
Over the past year HCA Healthcare returned −0.5% and Universal Health Services −19.3%, while the S&P 500 returned +12.7%. The operating margin is 0% for HCA Healthcare and 11.1% for Universal Health Services. Over the next 21 sessions the model expects −1.32% for HCA Healthcare, with a 7% chance of a rise, and +0.44% for Universal Health Services, with a 58% chance. HCA Healthcare's long-run fair value is $476.78, a gap of +2.9% to its price; the long-run model view is neutral. Universal Health Services has no published fair value today.
Model view
What the model expects
Expected returns and the chance of a rise from our forecasting models, and the long-run fair value against the price. Readings, not advice.
Model readings:
MeasureHCA Healthcare · HCAUniversal Health Services · UHS
Expected returnnext 21 sessions
HCA−1.32%
UHS+0.44%
Chance of a risenext 21 sessions
HCA7%
UHS58%
Expected returnnext 63 sessions
HCA+1.57%
UHS+2.38%
Range of outcomes63 sessions, 80% band
HCA−22% to +25.2%
UHS−20.1% to +24.9%
Chance of a risenext 63 sessionsMembers only · see plans
Long-run fair valueintrinsic value model
HCA$476.7828 Oct 2026
UHS—The model's fair value falls outside its own interval or at the gap clamp, so it is not a measurement.
Gap to pricefair value against the close
HCA+2.9%
UHS—The model's fair value falls outside its own interval or at the gap clamp, so it is not a measurement.
Past readings that matchedsign of the 21-session outcome
HCA49.8%of 269
UHS59.1%of 269
Price performance
How the prices moved
Price change over each period, with the S&P 500 (SPY) for comparison.
Closes to
MeasureHCA Healthcare · HCAUniversal Health Services · UHS
1 monthS&P 500: +1.1%
HCA+7.3%
UHS−2%
6 monthsS&P 500: +8.5%
HCA+6.8%
UHS+2.6%
Year to dateS&P 500: +13.3%
HCA−0.4%
UHS−20.8%
1 yearS&P 500: +12.7%
HCA−0.5%
UHS−19.3%
5 yearsS&P 500: +70.7%
HCA+92.2%
UHS+31.9%
1 year against the S&P 500percentage points
HCA−13.2 pts
UHS−32.0 pts
Position in the 52-week range0% low, 100% high
HCA54%close $463.22 in $353.99 to $554.58
UHS30%close $172.18 in $140.08 to $245.55
Against the 200-day average
HCA+4.4%
UHS−2.8%
Valuation
What the market pays
Size and the multiples from the latest filed quarter. A P/E on losses reads n/m.
Filings: quarter to (HCA), (UHS)
MeasureHCA Healthcare · HCAUniversal Health Services · UHS
Market value
HCA—Not measured today.
UHS$10.32B28 Oct 2026
Enterprise valueat the last filing
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS$12.85B30 Jun 2026
P/Elatest filed
HCA—Not measured today.
UHS6.0
Price to book
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS1.17
EV / EBITDA
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS4.86
Free cash flow yield
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS9.49%
Dividend yield
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS0.56%
Profitability
How much of revenue becomes profit
Margins and returns on capital from the latest filing; revenue, net income and earnings per share over the trailing twelve months.
Filings: quarter to (HCA), (UHS)
MeasureHCA Healthcare · HCAUniversal Health Services · UHS
Gross margin
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS—Not in the latest filing data.
Operating margin
HCA0%
UHS11.1%
Net margin
HCA1.2%
UHS7.7%
Return on equity
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS19.7%
Return on invested capital
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS3.4%
Revenuetrailing twelve months
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS$17.72B
Net incometrailing twelve months
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS$1.49B
Earnings per sharetrailing twelve months
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS$24.94
Growth
How fast the business grew
Change against the same quarter a year earlier.
Filings: quarter to (HCA), (UHS)
MeasureHCA Healthcare · HCAUniversal Health Services · UHS
Revenue growthyear over year
HCA+6.6%
UHS+8.3%
Earnings growthyear over year
HCA−71.3%
UHS+1.5%
Free cash flow growthyear over year
HCA+28.3%
UHS−1%
Financial health
Balance sheet and quality scores
Leverage, liquidity and two published scores: Altman Z (below 1.8 the distress zone, above 3 the safe zone) and Piotroski F (0 to 9).
Filings: quarter to (HCA), (UHS)
MeasureHCA Healthcare · HCAUniversal Health Services · UHS
Debt to equity
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS0.54
Current ratiocurrent assets over current liabilities
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS1.12
Altman Z-score
HCA—Not in the latest filing data.
UHS—Not in the latest filing data.
Piotroski F-scoreout of 9
HCA4 of 9
UHS6 of 9
Trading and risk
How the shares trade
Volatility, sensitivity to the market, the deepest fall, short interest and how closely the two move together.
Closes to ; FINRA settlement
MeasureHCA Healthcare · HCAUniversal Health Services · UHS
Volatility21 sessions, annualised
HCA26%
UHS29.3%
Betaagainst the S&P 500, 5 years
HCA0.74
UHS0.78
Deepest fallpeak to trough, 5 years
HCA−39.5%
UHS−43.3%
Market regimeour reading at each model date
HCAStrong risk-off
UHSStrong risk-off
Short interestshare of the float
HCA—Not measured today.
UHS4.8%settled 30 Sep 2026
Days to covershort shares over average volume
HCA3.1
UHS2.8
Average volume3 months, shares a day
HCA1.32M
UHS692.88K
Moving togethercorrelation of daily returns, past year0.65, often together−1 opposite0 unrelated+1 together
Questions
HCA Healthcare or Universal Health Services: common questions
How did HCA Healthcare and Universal Health Services move over the past year against the S&P 500?
Over the past year HCA Healthcare returned −0.5% and Universal Health Services −19.3%, while the S&P 500 returned +12.7%. Prices at close 28 Oct 2026.
What does the model expect for HCA Healthcare and Universal Health Services over the next month?
−1.32% for HCA Healthcare with a 7% chance of a rise, and +0.44% for Universal Health Services with a 58% chance, over the next 21 sessions. Model readings 28 Oct 2026. These are model readings, not advice.
How do the operating margins of HCA Healthcare and Universal Health Services compare?
The operating margin is 0% for HCA Healthcare and 11.1% for Universal Health Services. Filings: quarter to 30 Sep 2008 and 30 Jun 2026.
Do HCA Healthcare and Universal Health Services shares move together?
Over the past year the correlation of their daily returns was 0.65 (often together); 1 means they always move together, 0 unrelated, −1 opposite. Prices at close 28 Oct 2026.
In the consoleCompare up to four companies with every model readingMembers see the 63-session chance of a rise and all four horizons, side by side in Research › Compare.
Model readings are research estimates, not investment advice. Prices: daily closes. Fundamentals: the latest SEC filings. Short interest: FINRA, settlement 30 Sep 2026. A dash means the figure is not in our data; it is never shown as zero. The model view follows a published rule: next month by the sign of the expected return, the long run positive at a fair value 10% or more above the price and negative at 10% or more below it.