HCA Healthcare Stock Sinks as Recent Hurricanes Hurt Results, Outlook

Core Insights - HCA Healthcare reported worse-than-expected results for the third quarter, primarily due to the impact of recent hurricanes, leading to a significant drop in share price by approximately 10% [1][2] - The company experienced a third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $4.88, with revenue increasing by 8% to $17.49 billion, both figures falling short of analyst expectations [1] - HCA estimated additional expenses and revenue losses of $50 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, related to Hurricane Helene's impact on facilities in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina [1] Financial Impact - For the current quarter, HCA anticipates ongoing additional expenses and revenue losses between $200 million to $300 million, translating to $0.60 to $0.90 per share, due to the effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton [2] - The company expects that the consequences of Hurricane Helene will continue to affect its North Carolina operations into 2025, but believes these impacts will be manageable [2] - Despite the recent declines, HCA Healthcare shares have increased by one-third in value over the year [2]