Validea John Neff Strategy Daily Upgrade Report - 2/28/2025
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 28 2025
0mins
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Validea's Low PE Investor Model: Universal Health Services Inc (UHS) received an upgrade in its rating from 62% to 81% based on John Neff's investment strategy, indicating strong interest due to the company's fundamentals and valuation.
About John Neff and Validea: John Neff, known for his conservative investment approach, achieved significant returns managing the Windsor Fund, while Validea provides stock analysis based on strategies of successful investors like Neff.
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Analyst Views on UHS
Wall Street analysts forecast UHS stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for UHS is 248.00 USD with a low forecast of 190.00 USD and a high forecast of 302.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
15 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
7 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 203.020
Low
190.00
Averages
248.00
High
302.00
Current: 203.020
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.
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.
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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.
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