Cozad Asset Management Inc. Purchases 1,857 Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)

Cozad Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 8.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 24,837 shares of the health services provider’s stock after buying an additional 1,857 shares during the period. Cozad Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Universal Health Services were worth $5,688,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Management Professionals Inc. bought a new position in Universal Health Services during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in Universal Health Services by 1,284.6% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 180 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new position in Universal Health Services in the second quarter worth about $35,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of Universal Health Services in the first quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, LRI Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services during the first quarter valued at approximately $43,000. 86.05% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Warren J. Nimetz sold 3,444 shares of Universal Health Services stock in a transaction on Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $217.64, for a total transaction of $749,552.16. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 3,971 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $864,248.44. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 16.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Universal Health Services Trading Down 4.1 %

UHS stock opened at $203.51 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $225.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $203.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 1.29. 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 twelve month low of $127.43 and a twelve month high of $243.25.

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

Universal Health Services announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan 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 buy up to 8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Wednesday. They set a “neutral” rating and a $223.00 target price on the stock. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $256.00 to $271.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $219.00 price target on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Friday, October 25th. KeyCorp assumed coverage on Universal Health Services in a research report on Friday, October 11th. They set a “sector weight” rating on the stock. Finally, Stephens reissued an “equal weight” rating and issued a $200.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Universal Health Services presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $231.14.

About Universal Health Services

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.