Gulf International Bank UK Ltd Sells 163 Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)

Gulf International Bank UK Ltd reduced its stake in shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,963 shares of the health services provider’s stock after selling 163 shares during the quarter. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd’s holdings in Universal Health Services were worth $1,136,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 0.8% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,099,282 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $1,295,335,000 after acquiring an additional 57,036 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 0.5% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 486,438 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $89,957,000 after buying an additional 2,620 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. lifted its holdings in Universal Health Services by 362.3% in the second quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 322,626 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $59,663,000 after buying an additional 252,846 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its stake in Universal Health Services by 357.9% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 261,221 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $48,308,000 after acquiring an additional 204,178 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Universal Health Services by 1,191.8% during the 1st quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 215,215 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $39,267,000 after acquiring an additional 198,555 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Health Services

In other news, Director Warren J. Nimetz sold 3,444 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $217.64, for a total value of $749,552.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 3,971 shares in the company, valued at $864,248.44. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 16.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on UHS shares. Stephens reissued an “equal weight” rating and issued a $200.00 price target on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. UBS Group raised their target price on Universal Health Services from $247.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. StockNews.com cut Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Universal Health Services from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, KeyCorp began coverage on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Friday, October 11th. They issued a “sector weight” rating on the stock. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $231.14.

Universal Health Services Stock Down 0.4 %

NYSE:UHS opened at $207.63 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $224.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $203.81. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a 52-week low of $127.43 and a 52-week high of $243.25. The company has a market cap of $13.85 billion, a PE ratio of 13.81, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 1.39.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The health services provider reported $3.71 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.75 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $3.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.90 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 15.75% and a net margin of 6.66%. Universal Health Services’s revenue was up 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.55 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Universal Health Services announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase program on Wednesday, July 24th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the health services provider to reacquire up to 8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Universal Health Services Company Profile

Universal Health Services, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. It operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. The company's hospitals offer general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic and coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services, and/or behavioral health services.