Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) Plans $0.20 Quarterly Dividend

Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) announced a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, February 12th,RTT News reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be paid a dividend of 0.20 per share by the health services provider on Monday, March 17th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.44%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 3rd.

Universal Health Services has a dividend payout ratio of 4.0% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Universal Health Services to earn $17.69 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.80 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 4.5%.

Universal Health Services Stock Up 1.8 %

Shares of NYSE UHS opened at $182.52 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.04 billion, a PE ratio of 12.14, a P/E/G ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.30. Universal Health Services has a one year low of $152.68 and a one year high of $243.25. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $185.27 and its 200-day moving average price is $207.51.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,614 shares of Universal Health Services 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $1,123,770.85. The trade was a 21.54 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 16.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $285.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $226.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. Bank of America started coverage on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $223.00 price objective for the company. StockNews.com downgraded Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 9th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on Universal Health Services from $256.00 to $271.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Universal Health Services has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $226.14.

Universal Health Services Company 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.