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For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals.
Achieving those goals is made easier with the Zacks Style Scores, a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on popular investing methodologies, namely value, growth, and momentum. The Style Scores can help you narrow down which stocks are better for your portfolio and which ones can beat the market over the long-term.
Why Investors Should Pay Attention to This Value Stock
Finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
HCA Healthcare (HCA)
HCA Healthcare is the largest non-governmental operator of acute care hospitals in the United States. Headquartered in Nashville, TN, it operates hospitals and related health care entities. At the end of 2024, the company operated 190 hospitals and approximately 2,400 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding emergency rooms, urgent care centers and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom.
HCA boasts a Value Style Score of A and VGM Score of A, and holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rating. Shares of HCA Healthcare are trading at a forward earnings multiple of 13.4X, as well as a PEG Ratio of 1.1, a Price/Cash Flow ratio of 9.3X, and a Price/Sales ratio of 1.2X.
Value investors don't just pay attention to a company's valuation ratios; positive earnings play a crucial role, too. Eight analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.20 to $24.98 per share. HCA has an average earnings surprise of 5.9%.
Investors should take the time to consider HCA for their portfolios due to its solid Zacks Ranks, notable earnings and valuation metrics, and impressive Value and VGM Style Scores.
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HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).