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Shares of HCA Healthcare Inc. HCA,
rose 3.0% in pre-market trading on Tuesday after the hospital company beat earnings and revenue guidance in the fourth quarter of 2020. HCA made a profit of $ 1.4 billion, or 4.13 $ per share, in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $ 1.1 billion, or $ 3.09 per share, in the same quarter a year ago. The FactSet consensus was $ 3.57. It had revenue of $ 14.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020, up from $ 13.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019. That’s compared to the FactSet consensus of $ 13.9 billion. HCA said that in the last quarter of 2020, admissions at the same facility fell 3.4%, emergency room visits at the same facility fell 21.0%, hospital surgeries in the same facility fell 6.7% and outpatient surgeries at the same facility fell 5.1%. The company said it expected revenue of $ 53.5 billion to $ 55.5 billion and earnings per share of $ 12.10 to $ 13.10 in 2021. It also announced that it had resumed its quarterly dividend program and its share buyback program, with the board approving up to $ 6 billion in buybacks. Both programs were suspended at the start of the pandemic. HCA shares have gained 20.2% in the past 12 months, while the S&P 500 SPX,
is up 17.0%.
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