Universal Health Services

UHS · NYSE

$185.61+$3.32 (+1.82%)TodayMarket closed · Oct 20, 7:30 PM ET

Prev close $182.29

UHS analyst rating

HoldConsensus of 11 analysts over the last 12 months. 36% rate it a buy.

Strong buy0
Buy4
Hold7
Underperform0
Sell0

12-month price target · 21 analysts

Average $204.30 (+10.1% upside)

Low: $167.66
Now: $185.61
High: $304.50

Upgrades and downgrades

The latest rating actions, newest first

UHS analyst upgrades, downgrades and rating actions
Firm	Date	Action	Rating	Price target	Hit rate
Leerink Partners	Sep 18, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$198.00 → $205.00	55%
RBC Capital	Aug 20, 2026	Maintains	Sector Perform	$183.00	57%
RBC Capital	Aug 3, 2026	Maintains	Sector Perform	$190.00 → $183.00	57%
Goldman Sachs	Jul 30, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$242.00 → $190.00	64%
Morgan Stanley	Jul 29, 2026	Maintains	Equal-Weight	$212.00 → $191.00	61%
Guggenheim	Jul 29, 2026	Maintains	Buy	$195.00 → $189.00	66%
Cantor Fitzgerald	Jul 29, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$194.00	34%
Baird	Jul 29, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$204.00 → $166.00	34%
Cantor Fitzgerald	Jul 28, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$194.00	34%
Barclays	Jul 28, 2026	Maintains	Equal-Weight	$179.00 → $168.00	59%

The case for and against

Updated Oct 16, 2026

Bull case

Universal Health Services is supported by a favorable mix of scale, margin, and growth catalysts, with behavioral health generating just over half of consolidated operating income and over 55% of pretax profits despite acute care representing more than 55% of revenue. The company’s 1Q26 consolidated adjusted EBITDA rose 8.4% year over year, helped by pricing strength and higher acuity mix, while behavioral health posted same-store revenue growth of 7.3% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 8% amid moderating labor pressure. Its positive outlook also reflects continued capacity expansion, potential upside from state directed payment programs and Florida approvals, and a disciplined capital plan including $800-900m in share repurchases and the Talkspace acquisition.

Bear case

Universal Health Services is facing a negative fundamental setup because its business mix leaves it exposed to sluggish acute care volumes and margin pressure, while more profitable behavioral health operations are vulnerable to tight state budgets and regulatory shifts. Concentration risk in Nevada, Texas, and California heightens earnings volatility, and the 2020 cyberattack showed how operational disruptions can carry meaningful financial cost, with an estimated $67MM pre-tax impact. On top of that, a possible Medicare-For-All or ACA repeal-and-replace framework, tighter clinical labor supply, and reimbursement pressure could keep FY27 earnings about 5% below estimates and compress valuation multiples.

Information on this page is provided for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Market data is delayed at least 15 minutes and is provided without warranty. Analyst ratings, price targets and company data come from third-party sources. Past performance does not guarantee future results.