Senate Vote Setbacks on ACA Could Lead to Increased Healthcare Costs for All
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 11 2025
0mins
Should l Buy UHS?
Source: MarketWatch
Senate Plans to Address Obamacare Subsidies: Two stopgap plans aimed at extending expiring Obamacare subsidies are likely to fail in the Senate, risking health insurance access for millions in the U.S. next year.
Impact on Health Insurance Premiums: Average premiums for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are projected to rise by 114% in 2026 due to the expiration of enhanced tax credits and insurers anticipating a drop in younger, healthier enrollees.
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Analyst Views on UHS
Wall Street analysts forecast UHS stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
7 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 234.050
Low
190.00
Averages
248.00
High
302.00
Current: 234.050
Low
190.00
Averages
248.00
High
302.00
About UHS
Universal Health Services, Inc. is a holding company. The Company operates, through its subsidiaries, including its management company. It is engaged in owning and operating acute care hospitals and outpatient facilities, and behavioral healthcare facilities. Its segments include acute care hospital services, behavioral health care services, and Other. It owns and operates approximately 359 inpatient facilities, and 60 outpatient and other facilities located in 39 states, Washington, D.C., the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico. It provides services, which include general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic care, coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services and/or behavioral health services. It also provides capital resources, as well as a variety of management services to its facilities, including information services, finance and control systems, physician recruitment services, and public relations.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Universal Health Services Declares Cash Dividend
- Dividend Announcement: Universal Health Services' Board of Directors has voted to pay a cash dividend of $0.20 per share on March 16, 2026, to shareholders of record as of March 2, 2026, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholder returns and likely boosting investor confidence.
- Company Overview: Universal Health Services is one of the largest providers of hospital and healthcare services in the U.S., operating acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, outpatient facilities, and ambulatory care access points across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, addressing a wide range of healthcare needs.
- Market Position: As an industry leader, Universal Health Services' extensive presence in acute and behavioral health sectors enables it to effectively respond to market changes, enhance service quality, and meet the growing healthcare demands, further solidifying its market share.
- Future Outlook: This dividend not only reflects the company's robust financial health but may also attract more investor interest, supporting the company's continued growth in the highly competitive healthcare industry.
See More
Universal Health Services Schedules Q4 Earnings Report and Conference Call
- Earnings Report Schedule: Universal Health Services will release its Q4 2025 earnings report after market close on February 25, 2026, demonstrating the company's commitment to transparency and investor communication.
- Investor Conference Call: The company has scheduled a conference call for investors and analysts at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on February 26, 2026, aimed at providing in-depth insights into the earnings report and enhancing investor engagement.
- Live Webcast Availability: The conference call will be available via live webcast on the company's website, ensuring that global investors can access real-time information, reflecting the company's modernization efforts in information dissemination.
- Telephone Participation Registration: Participants must register in advance to receive the dial-in number and unique passcode, indicating the company's meticulous arrangements for ensuring the security and efficiency of the meeting.
See More
Universal Health Services Schedules Q4 Earnings Release
- Earnings Release Announcement: Universal Health Services will report its fourth-quarter results for the period ending December 31, 2025, after market close on February 25, 2026, providing essential financial metrics to assess company performance.
- Investor Conference Call: The company has scheduled a conference call for investors and analysts at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on February 26, 2026, aimed at discussing the earnings report in detail and addressing investor inquiries.
- Live Webcast Availability: The conference call will be available via live webcast on the company's website, ensuring that global investors can access real-time information and participate in discussions, thereby enhancing transparency and engagement.
- Telephone Participation Registration: Participants are required to register in advance to receive the dial-in number and unique passcode, ensuring a smooth conference experience and improving participant engagement.
See More
HCA Healthcare Reports Mixed Q4 2025 Results Amidst Market Pressure
- Revenue Growth Weakness: HCA Healthcare reported total revenues of $19.513 billion for Q4 2025, reflecting a 6.7% year-over-year increase but falling short of the consensus estimate of $19.67 billion, indicating potential challenges in sustaining investor confidence moving forward.
- Earnings Beat Expectations: The company reported adjusted earnings of $8.01 per share, a significant increase from $6.22 a year ago, surpassing the consensus estimate of $7.43, suggesting an improvement in core business profitability.
- Cautious 2026 Outlook: HCA forecasts fiscal 2026 earnings between $29.10 and $31.50 per share, slightly below the consensus of $29.54, with projected sales of $76.5 billion to $80 billion, reflecting a cautious stance on future growth.
- Buyback Plan Boosts Confidence: The announcement of a $10 billion share buyback plan, despite market pressures, is seen as a strong signal of confidence in long-term value creation, indicating management's optimistic outlook for future business development.
See More
Universal Health Services (UHS) Expected EPS Growth of 7.8%, Outpacing Industry Average
- Earnings Growth Potential: UHS has a historical EPS growth rate of 10.9%, with an expected EPS growth of 7.8% this year, significantly surpassing the industry average of -1.6%, indicating strong future profitability that attracts investor interest.
- Asset Utilization Efficiency: UHS's sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio stands at 1.14, well above the industry average of 0.82, demonstrating the company's efficiency in asset utilization, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Sales Growth Outlook: UHS is projected to achieve a sales growth of 5.2% this year, exceeding the industry average of 4.2%, which not only reflects the company's strong market performance but also has the potential to drive its stock price higher, attracting more investors.
- Earnings Estimate Revision Trend: The current-year earnings estimates for UHS have been revised upward by 0.4% over the past month, indicating increased market confidence in its future performance, further solidifying its appeal as a growth investment.
See More
Universal Health Services Analyzes Dividend History and Volatility Assessment
- Dividend Yield Expectation: Based on UHS's dividend history chart, an annualized dividend yield of 0.4% is anticipated, reflecting the impact of the company's profitability fluctuations on dividend payments, necessitating careful assessment of future sustainability by investors.
- Trading History Analysis: UHS's trailing twelve-month trading history indicates a current stock price of $201.09, and with a historical volatility of 33%, it provides a basis for investors to evaluate whether to sell covered calls at the $220 strike price, weighing the risk against potential rewards.
- Options Market Dynamics: As of Tuesday afternoon, the put volume among S&P 500 components was 785,316 contracts, while call volume reached 1.51 million contracts, resulting in a put:call ratio of 0.52, indicating a market preference for calls that could influence UHS's stock price trajectory.
- Options Trading Trends: The current high call volume relative to the long-term median put:call ratio of 0.65 suggests that investors are optimistic about UHS's future performance, potentially driving the stock price upward.
See More
Universal Health Services Declares Cash Dividend
- Dividend Announcement: Universal Health Services' Board of Directors has voted to pay a cash dividend of $0.20 per share on March 16, 2026, to shareholders of record as of March 2, 2026, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholder returns and likely boosting investor confidence.
- Company Overview: Universal Health Services is one of the largest providers of hospital and healthcare services in the U.S., operating acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, outpatient facilities, and ambulatory care access points across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, addressing a wide range of healthcare needs.
- Market Position: As an industry leader, Universal Health Services' extensive presence in acute and behavioral health sectors enables it to effectively respond to market changes, enhance service quality, and meet the growing healthcare demands, further solidifying its market share.
- Future Outlook: This dividend not only reflects the company's robust financial health but may also attract more investor interest, supporting the company's continued growth in the highly competitive healthcare industry.
See More
Universal Health Services Schedules Q4 Earnings Report and Conference Call
- Earnings Report Schedule: Universal Health Services will release its Q4 2025 earnings report after market close on February 25, 2026, demonstrating the company's commitment to transparency and investor communication.
- Investor Conference Call: The company has scheduled a conference call for investors and analysts at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on February 26, 2026, aimed at providing in-depth insights into the earnings report and enhancing investor engagement.
- Live Webcast Availability: The conference call will be available via live webcast on the company's website, ensuring that global investors can access real-time information, reflecting the company's modernization efforts in information dissemination.
- Telephone Participation Registration: Participants must register in advance to receive the dial-in number and unique passcode, indicating the company's meticulous arrangements for ensuring the security and efficiency of the meeting.
See More
Universal Health Services Schedules Q4 Earnings Release
- Earnings Release Announcement: Universal Health Services will report its fourth-quarter results for the period ending December 31, 2025, after market close on February 25, 2026, providing essential financial metrics to assess company performance.
- Investor Conference Call: The company has scheduled a conference call for investors and analysts at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on February 26, 2026, aimed at discussing the earnings report in detail and addressing investor inquiries.
- Live Webcast Availability: The conference call will be available via live webcast on the company's website, ensuring that global investors can access real-time information and participate in discussions, thereby enhancing transparency and engagement.
- Telephone Participation Registration: Participants are required to register in advance to receive the dial-in number and unique passcode, ensuring a smooth conference experience and improving participant engagement.
See More
HCA Healthcare Reports Mixed Q4 2025 Results Amidst Market Pressure
- Revenue Growth Weakness: HCA Healthcare reported total revenues of $19.513 billion for Q4 2025, reflecting a 6.7% year-over-year increase but falling short of the consensus estimate of $19.67 billion, indicating potential challenges in sustaining investor confidence moving forward.
- Earnings Beat Expectations: The company reported adjusted earnings of $8.01 per share, a significant increase from $6.22 a year ago, surpassing the consensus estimate of $7.43, suggesting an improvement in core business profitability.
- Cautious 2026 Outlook: HCA forecasts fiscal 2026 earnings between $29.10 and $31.50 per share, slightly below the consensus of $29.54, with projected sales of $76.5 billion to $80 billion, reflecting a cautious stance on future growth.
- Buyback Plan Boosts Confidence: The announcement of a $10 billion share buyback plan, despite market pressures, is seen as a strong signal of confidence in long-term value creation, indicating management's optimistic outlook for future business development.
See More
Universal Health Services (UHS) Expected EPS Growth of 7.8%, Outpacing Industry Average
- Earnings Growth Potential: UHS has a historical EPS growth rate of 10.9%, with an expected EPS growth of 7.8% this year, significantly surpassing the industry average of -1.6%, indicating strong future profitability that attracts investor interest.
- Asset Utilization Efficiency: UHS's sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio stands at 1.14, well above the industry average of 0.82, demonstrating the company's efficiency in asset utilization, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Sales Growth Outlook: UHS is projected to achieve a sales growth of 5.2% this year, exceeding the industry average of 4.2%, which not only reflects the company's strong market performance but also has the potential to drive its stock price higher, attracting more investors.
- Earnings Estimate Revision Trend: The current-year earnings estimates for UHS have been revised upward by 0.4% over the past month, indicating increased market confidence in its future performance, further solidifying its appeal as a growth investment.
See More
Universal Health Services Analyzes Dividend History and Volatility Assessment
- Dividend Yield Expectation: Based on UHS's dividend history chart, an annualized dividend yield of 0.4% is anticipated, reflecting the impact of the company's profitability fluctuations on dividend payments, necessitating careful assessment of future sustainability by investors.
- Trading History Analysis: UHS's trailing twelve-month trading history indicates a current stock price of $201.09, and with a historical volatility of 33%, it provides a basis for investors to evaluate whether to sell covered calls at the $220 strike price, weighing the risk against potential rewards.
- Options Market Dynamics: As of Tuesday afternoon, the put volume among S&P 500 components was 785,316 contracts, while call volume reached 1.51 million contracts, resulting in a put:call ratio of 0.52, indicating a market preference for calls that could influence UHS's stock price trajectory.
- Options Trading Trends: The current high call volume relative to the long-term median put:call ratio of 0.65 suggests that investors are optimistic about UHS's future performance, potentially driving the stock price upward.
See More
