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HCA vs UHS
Which Stock Would AI Choose? HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- HCA Healthcare operates one of the largest U.S. hospital networks, while Universal Health Services focuses on acute care hospitals and behavioral health facilities, creating distinct exposure profiles within the healthcare services sector.
- Recent market activity shows HCA shares declining after a preliminary second-quarter 2026 earnings preview and full-year guidance reduction tied to payer-mix shifts.
- UHS shares have exhibited relative resilience with stronger year-to-date gains amid ongoing sector pressures such as labor costs.
- Both companies reported solid first-quarter 2026 results, with revenue and earnings growth reflecting volume trends and operational adjustments.
- Market sentiment reflects caution for HCA due to guidance revisions, while UHS faces headwinds from staffing challenges but maintains positive momentum indicators.
- Relative performance highlights trade-offs between HCA’s scale in acute care and UHS’s diversified behavioral health presence.
Introduction
HCA Healthcare (HCA) and Universal Health Services (UHS) represent two prominent publicly traded operators in the U.S. healthcare services industry. Investors and traders often compare these stocks to assess relative positioning within hospital and behavioral health segments, particularly amid evolving reimbursement dynamics, labor market conditions, and volume trends. This analysis appeals to market participants seeking to understand sector-specific catalysts, risk factors, and performance differentials that may influence portfolio allocations or tactical positioning in the current environment.
HCA Overview and Recent Performance
HCA Healthcare operates a large network of hospitals and ambulatory facilities across the United States. In recent weeks, the stock experienced downward pressure following a preliminary second-quarter 2026 earnings preview that included a revision to full-year guidance. The update cited an unfavorable shift in payer mix toward uninsured patients, contributing to a notable share price decline. Broader market activity reflects sensitivity to reimbursement trends and operating margin expectations, with year-to-date performance showing mixed results amid sector volatility.
UHS Overview and Recent Performance
Universal Health Services provides acute care hospital services and behavioral health treatment across multiple states. Recent market activity indicates the stock has faced pressures from rising labor costs and nursing shortages, resulting in periodic share declines. Year-to-date performance has shown notable gains relative to broader benchmarks, supported by first-quarter 2026 results that featured earnings per share outperformance. Sentiment remains influenced by staffing dynamics and volume trends within its diversified service lines.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
HCA Healthcare maintains a broader acute-care hospital footprint emphasizing high-volume procedures, whereas Universal Health Services balances acute care with a significant behavioral health presence that can offer different demand stability. Recent momentum favors UHS on a year-to-date basis, while HCA has encountered sharper short-term reactions to guidance adjustments. Risk factors for both include reimbursement policy changes and labor expenses, though HCA’s larger scale may amplify exposure to payer-mix shifts. Sector sentiment reflects shared healthcare headwinds, with relative positioning depending on investor views toward acute versus behavioral health utilization trends.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable trend consistency, relative stability indicators, and recent positioning, Tickeron’s AI models would currently assign a modestly higher probabilistic preference to UHS over HCA. This assessment reflects UHS’s stronger year-to-date trajectory and earnings beat history alongside HCA’s more pronounced recent guidance-related volatility, though both equities remain subject to sector-wide variables that could alter relative attractiveness.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is HCA is a Buy and UHS is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
HCA’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileUHS’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- HCA’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- UHS’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
HCA’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UHS’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- HCA’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- UHS’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
HCA (@Hospital/Nursing Management) experienced а +5.34% price change this week, while UHS (@Hospital/Nursing Management) price change was +8.15% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Hospital/Nursing Management industry was +0.13%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -2.49%, and the average quarterly price growth was +34.09%.
Reported Earning Dates
HCA is expected to report earnings on Oct 23, 2026.
UHS is expected to report earnings on Oct 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Hospital/Nursing Management (+0.13% weekly)Hospital/Nursing Management companies own and operate health care facilities. Their operations include nursing homes, acute care facilities, retirement centers and outpatient surgery centers. HCA Healthcare Inc., Alcon Inc. and Universal Health Services, Inc. are some major companies in this industry. Technology has been at the forefront of development of advanced solutions, including quicker diagnoses of complex conditions. Investments in new diagnostics, healthcare IoT, and other healthcare technologies continue to gather momentum in this industry.
| HCA | UHS | HCA / UHS | |
| Capitalization | 87.2B | 10.2B | 855% |
| EBITDA | 15.7B | 2.8B | 562% |
| Gain YTD | -13.465 | -22.559 | 60% |
| P/E Ratio | 13.50 | 6.88 | 196% |
| Revenue | 76.4B | 17.8B | 429% |
| Total Cash | N/A | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 49.8B | 5.13B | 972% |
HCA | UHS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 22 | 38 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 8 Undervalued | 12 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 45 | 85 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 43 | 43 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 57 | 50 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 62 | 76 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
HCA's Valuation (8) in the Hospital Or Nursing Management industry is in the same range as UHS (12). This means that HCA’s stock grew similarly to UHS’s over the last 12 months.
HCA's Profit vs Risk Rating (45) in the Hospital Or Nursing Management industry is somewhat better than the same rating for UHS (85). This means that HCA’s stock grew somewhat faster than UHS’s over the last 12 months.
HCA's SMR Rating (43) in the Hospital Or Nursing Management industry is in the same range as UHS (43). This means that HCA’s stock grew similarly to UHS’s over the last 12 months.
UHS's Price Growth Rating (50) in the Hospital Or Nursing Management industry is in the same range as HCA (57). This means that UHS’s stock grew similarly to HCA’s over the last 12 months.
HCA's P/E Growth Rating (62) in the Hospital Or Nursing Management industry is in the same range as UHS (76). This means that HCA’s stock grew similarly to UHS’s over the last 12 months.
| HCA | UHS | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 63% | 3 days ago 38% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 50% | 3 days ago 56% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 74% | 3 days ago 66% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 70% | 3 days ago 62% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 68% | 3 days ago 65% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 64% | 3 days ago 66% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 69% | 5 days ago 69% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 63% | 12 days ago 69% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 47% | 3 days ago 46% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 69% | 3 days ago 64% |
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HCA and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HCA has been closely correlated with UHS. These tickers have moved in lockstep 68% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if HCA jumps, then UHS could also see price increases.
UHS and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UHS has been loosely correlated with HCA. These tickers have moved in lockstep 65% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if UHS jumps, then HCA could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To UHS | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UHS | 100% | +3.15% | ||
| HCA - UHS | 65% Loosely correlated | +1.72% | ||
| THC - UHS | 58% Loosely correlated | +0.81% | ||
| ENSG - UHS | 41% Loosely correlated | -0.37% | ||
| EHC - UHS | 40% Loosely correlated | +0.16% | ||
| PNTG - UHS | 40% Loosely correlated | -1.97% | ||
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