HighTower Advisors LLC Sells 421 Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)

HighTower Advisors LLC lowered its stake in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,223 shares of the health services provider’s stock after selling 421 shares during the quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC’s holdings in Universal Health Services were worth $3,031,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,160 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $215,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 19.5% during the 2nd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 386 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $71,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. Empirical Finance LLC lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Empirical Finance LLC now owns 5,704 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $1,306,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,238 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $512,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 31.6% in the 3rd quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 283 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $65,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,614 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $191.15, for a total transaction of $308,516.10. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 5,879 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,123,770.85. This trade represents a 21.54 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 16.10% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UHS. StockNews.com downgraded Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 9th. KeyCorp initiated coverage on Universal Health Services in a research note on Friday, October 11th. They issued a “sector weight” rating on the stock. TD Cowen decreased their price target on Universal Health Services from $275.00 to $251.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Universal Health Services from $236.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Universal Health Services from $285.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 25th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $225.50.

Universal Health Services Trading Down 2.2 %

Shares of NYSE:UHS opened at $186.44 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $12.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.40, a PEG ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.28. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a 1 year low of $143.96 and a 1 year high of $243.25. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $208.11 and its 200-day moving average price is $208.06.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The health services provider reported $3.71 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.75 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $3.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.90 billion. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 6.66% and a return on equity of 15.75%. The firm’s revenue was up 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.55 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.88 earnings per share for the current year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 3rd will be given a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 3rd. Universal Health Services’s payout ratio is 5.32%.

Universal Health Services 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.