HCA Healthcare Stock: Is HCA Outperforming the Healthcare Sector?

Core Insights - HCA Healthcare, Inc. is the largest non-governmental operator of acute care hospitals in the U.S. with a market cap of $117.5 billion, providing various medical and surgical services [1][2] Financial Performance - HCA's stock reached an all-time high of $520 recently, with a 28.1% increase over the past three months, outperforming the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLV) 15.6% returns [3] - Year-to-date, HCA's stock has surged 71.5%, and 56.5% over the past 52 weeks, significantly exceeding XLV's gains of 15.2% and 8.4% respectively [4] - Following the release of better-than-expected Q3 results on October 24, HCA's stock gained 1.6%. The company's revenue for the quarter increased by 9.6% year-over-year to $19.2 billion, surpassing expectations by 3.6%. Adjusted EPS rose 42% year-over-year to $6.96, exceeding consensus estimates by 23.2% [5] Market Position and Analyst Ratings - HCA has slightly underperformed compared to Tenet Healthcare Corporation's 72.2% surge in 2025 but has outpaced Tenet's 49.3% gains over the past 52 weeks [6] - Among 26 analysts covering HCA, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," although the stock is currently trading above the mean price target of $480.61 [6]