Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS)
Universal Health Services is a major American company that runs a vast network of hospitals and behavioural health facilities across the United States.
Is Universal Health Services, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Strong return on equity shows efficient use of capital. Worth weighing: Recent share price decline reflects market caution. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has Universal Health Services, Inc. actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Universal Health Services, Inc. fell as much as −42% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Successful integration of new technology improves operational efficiency.
Long-term decline in insurance coverage availability.
What does Universal Health Services, Inc. do?
Think of Universal Health Services as a giant operator of hospitals and mental health clinics, providing everything from emergency care to long-term therapy. The business earns by billing insurance companies and patients for the medical services delivered inside its facilities. The number that really counts is how they cope with rising staffing costs, which is a common headache for hospital operators right now.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on value and income, and weakest on momentum.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 0.5% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 8% over the year
- ·Low P/E of 7 vs last year's earnings
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 21%)
- Value screens high (87/100)
- Strong return on equity shows efficient use of capital
- Double-digit earnings growth indicates a healthy business momentum
- Large-scale operations provide a competitive footprint in the US market
- Changes to US government healthcare funding and insurance policies
- Rising costs for medical staff and equipment
- Potential for legal or regulatory challenges in the healthcare sector
What do Universal Health Services, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Universal Health Services, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Universal Health Services, Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Universal Health Services, Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 0.5% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about Universal Health Services, Inc.'s dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does Universal Health Services, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Universal Health Services, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-26 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-27 | $6.01 | $5.98 | In line |
| 2026-04-27 | $5.46 | $5.62 | Beat +3% |
| 2026-02-25 | $5.91 | $5.88 | In line |
| 2025-10-27 | $4.95 | $5.69 | Beat +15% |
| 2025-07-28 | $4.96 | $5.35 | Beat +8% |
| 2025-04-28 | $4.36 | $4.84 | Beat +11% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Universal Health Services, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 4 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Healthcare
Eli Lilly
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
Incyte Corporation
The Cigna Group
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
Moderna, Inc.
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.What are the scenarios for Universal Health Services, Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Universal Health Services, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. shows efficient use of capital
- Double-digit earnings growth indicates a healthy business momentum
- Large-scale operations provide a competitive footprint in the US market
- Recent share price decline reflects market caution
- Low dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone. may not appeal to income-focused investors
- High sensitivity to labour costs and staffing shortages
- Changes to US government healthcare funding and insurance policies
- Rising costs for medical staff and equipment
- Potential for legal or regulatory challenges in the healthcare sector
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant drop in patient admission rates across their network
- Major changes to how US insurance companies reimburse hospital services
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.