Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) Shares Sold by CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co

CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co cut its holdings in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 2.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 35,661 shares of the health services provider’s stock after selling 899 shares during the period. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co owned about 0.05% of Universal Health Services worth $6,401,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 22.5% in the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 54,105 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $9,721,000 after purchasing an additional 9,946 shares during the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 255.3% during the fourth quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 6,345 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $1,138,000 after acquiring an additional 4,559 shares during the last quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 175.6% in the 4th quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 2,792 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $501,000 after acquiring an additional 1,779 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,197,537 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $274,248,000 after purchasing an additional 10,578 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Empirical Finance LLC grew its position in Universal Health Services by 43.3% in the 4th quarter. Empirical Finance LLC now owns 8,176 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $1,467,000 after purchasing an additional 2,472 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded Universal Health Services from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Universal Health Services in a research note on Wednesday, March 26th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. They set a “buy” rating and a $208.00 price objective on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $230.00 to $225.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 10th. Finally, Baird R W lowered shares of Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 15th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $224.92.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Health Services

In other news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,000 shares of Universal Health Services stock in a transaction on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $179.16, for a total transaction of $179,160.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 7,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,418,230.56. The trade was a 11.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 16.40% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UHS opened at $161.36 on Wednesday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $177.79 and its 200 day simple moving average is $190.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.73, a PEG ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a 52-week low of $153.99 and a 52-week high of $243.25.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 26th. The health services provider reported $4.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.21 by $0.71. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 15.75% and a net margin of 6.66%. The firm had revenue of $4.11 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.01 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Universal Health Services Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.50%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 3rd. Universal Health Services’s payout ratio is 4.75%.

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.