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Here's Why HCA Healthcare (HCA) is a Strong Value Stock

Zacks Equity Research
·2-min read

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors alike.

Achieving those goals is made easier with the Zacks Style Scores, a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on popular investing methodologies, namely value, growth, and momentum. The Style Scores can help you narrow down which stocks are better for your portfolio and which ones can beat the market over the long-term.

Why Investors Should Pay Attention to This Value Stock

Different than growth or momentum investors, value-focused investors are all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under what their true value is before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

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HCA Healthcare (HCA)

HCA Healthcare is the largest non-governmental operator of acute care hospitals in the United States. Headquartered in Nashville, TN, it operates hospitals and related health care entities. At the end of 2023, the company operated 186 hospitals and approximately 2,400 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding emergency rooms, urgent care centers and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom.

HCA boasts a Value Style Score of A and VGM Score of A, and holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rating. Shares of HCA Healthcare are trading at a forward earnings multiple of 16.3X, as well as a PEG Ratio of 1.6, a Price/Cash Flow ratio of 10.9X, and a Price/Sales ratio of 1.3X.

Many value investors pay close attention to a company's earnings as well. For HCA, seven analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.30 to $20.92 per share for 2024. Per share HCA boasts an average earnings surprise of 5.6%.

HCA should be on investors' short lists because of its impressive earnings and valuation fundamentals, a good Zacks Rank, and strong Value and VGM Style Scores.

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HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research