Merit Financial Group LLC Boosts Stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA)

Merit Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) by 137.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,569 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 909 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $471,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. Canoe Financial LP purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter valued at about $41,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter valued at $41,000. Finally, Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at HCA Healthcare

In related news, insider Erol R. Akdamar sold 2,900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $353.00, for a total value of $1,023,700.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 6,843 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,415,579. The trade was a 29.76 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Phillip G. Billington sold 3,897 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.00, for a total value of $1,363,950.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 52,702 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,445,700. This represents a 6.89 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

HCA Healthcare Trading Up 1.8 %

Shares of HCA stock opened at $325.18 on Friday. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $278.68 and a fifty-two week high of $417.14. The firm has a market capitalization of $82.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.60, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.64. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $314.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $352.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.71, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.12.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Oppenheimer raised their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $390.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Raymond James downgraded HCA Healthcare from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Barclays cut their price target on HCA Healthcare from $396.00 to $392.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded HCA Healthcare from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $400.00 to $320.00 in a research report on Monday, November 25th. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $440.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $385.27.

HCA Healthcare Company Profile

HCA Healthcare, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates hospitals and related healthcare entities in the United States. It operates general and acute care hospitals that offers medical and surgical services, including inpatient care, intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic, and emergency services; and outpatient services, such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology, and physical therapy.