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HCA Healthcare, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 27 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 10 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth quarter revenue and net income rose: Revenues were $19.513 billion, up 6.7 percent from the fourth quarter of 2024; net income attributable to HCA Healthcare was $1.878 billion, up 30.6 percent. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $8.14: Diluted EPS was $8.14, up 44.6 percent, and diluted EPS as adjusted, which excludes facility sale gains and losses, was $8.01, up 28.8 percent. Source
  • Same facility admissions rose 2.4 percent: Same facility admissions were up 2.4 percent and same facility equivalent admissions up 2.5 percent, against the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Quarter operating cash flow was lower: Operating cash flow was $2.359 billion against $2.559 billion, affected by about $1.3 billion of estimated tax payments deferred under IRS relief for Tennessee taxpayers. Source
  • Fourth quarter buybacks of $2.558 billion: The company repurchased 5.432 million shares for $2.558 billion in the fourth quarter. Source
  • New $10 billion repurchase authorization: The board authorized an additional program of up to $10 billion, with no time limit, which may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Source

“We finished 2025 with strong performance consistent with previous quarters.”

Sam Hazen, Chief Executive Officer of HCA Healthcare

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenues Source2026 full year$76.500 to $80.000 billionNew
Net income attributable to HCA Healthcare, Inc. Source2026 full year$6.495 to $7.035 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Source2026 full year$15.550 to $16.450 billionNew
Diluted EPS Source2026 full year$29.10 to $31.50 per diluted shareNew
Capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions Source2026 full year$5.0 billion to $5.5 billionNew
Shares used in diluted EPS Source2026 full year223.500 millionNew
Depreciation and amortization Source2026 full year$3,705 to $3,775 millionNew
Interest expense Source2026 full year$2,330 to $2,420 millionNew
Provision for income taxes Source2026 full year$2,010 to $2,160 millionNew
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests Source2026 full year$1,010 to $1,060 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The company issued 2026 guidance for revenues, net income, Adjusted EBITDA, diluted EPS and capital expenditures. Source
  • New: An additional share repurchase program of up to $10 billion was authorized. Source
  • New: Quarterly dividend declared at $0.78 per share, against $0.72 in the previous release. Source
  • Ended: A hospital facility in Indiana was sold in the fourth quarter. Source
  • New: Enhanced premium tax credits are described as expiring at the end of 2025; the previous release described them as scheduled to take effect after that date. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth quarter revenue and net income rose: Revenues were $19.513 billion, up 6.7 percent from the fourth quarter of 2024; net income attributable to HCA Healthcare was $1.878 billion, up 30.6 percent. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $8.14: Diluted EPS was $8.14, up 44.6 percent, and diluted EPS as adjusted, which excludes facility sale gains and losses, was $8.01, up 28.8 percent. Source
  • Full-year revenue and EPS grew: For 2025, revenues were $75.600 billion and net income attributable to HCA Healthcare was $6.784 billion, or $28.33 per diluted share. Source
  • Prior-year hurricane costs in comparison: The fourth quarter of 2024 included an estimated $200 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, of additional expenses and lost revenue from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Source
  • Facility sale gains in the quarter: Gains on facility sales were $41 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source

Patient volumes and services

  • Same facility admissions rose 2.4 percent: Same facility admissions were up 2.4 percent and same facility equivalent admissions up 2.5 percent, against the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Length of stay and admissions: Average length of stay was 4.696 days, against 4.814 days a year earlier, and reported admissions were 576,839. Source
  • Emergency visits and surgeries varied: Same facility emergency room visits rose 0.5 percent, inpatient surgeries were flat, and outpatient surgeries declined 0.5 percent. Source
  • Outpatient share of patient revenue rose: Outpatient revenues were 39.7 percent of patient revenues, against 37.9 percent a year earlier; the full-year share was 38.4 percent. Source

“Our investments in network expansion, workforce development, and advancing clinical capabilities further strengthened the HCA Healthcare system.”

Sam Hazen, Chief Executive Officer of HCA Healthcare

Pricing and revenue per admission

  • Revenue per equivalent admission up 3.6 percent: Revenue per equivalent admission was $18,794, up 3.6 percent from $18,146 a year earlier. Source
  • Same facility revenue per admission up 2.9 percent: Same facility revenue per equivalent admission rose 2.9 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Inpatient revenue per admission rose 0.6 percent: Inpatient revenue per admission was $19,847, up 0.6 percent; for 2025 it rose 3.4 percent. Source

Costs and margins

  • Salaries and benefits ratio fell: Salaries and benefits were 42.8 percent of revenues, against 43.3 percent in the prior-year quarter; supplies were 15.3 percent, unchanged. Source
  • Other operating expenses ratio eased: Other operating expenses were 20.9 percent of revenues, against 21.2 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin reached 21.1 percent: Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenues, was 21.1 percent against 20.3 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Depreciation and interest costs rose: Depreciation and amortization was $911 million and interest expense was $572 million, against $856 million and $528 million a year earlier. Source

“I want to thank our colleagues for their outstanding work, their dedication to our patients, and their unyielding commitment to our mission,”

Sam Hazen, Chief Executive Officer of HCA Healthcare

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Quarter operating cash flow was lower: Operating cash flow was $2.359 billion against $2.559 billion, affected by about $1.3 billion of estimated tax payments deferred under IRS relief for Tennessee taxpayers. Source
  • Full-year operating cash flow rose: Net cash provided by operating activities was $12.636 billion for 2025, against $10.514 billion for 2024. Source
  • Year-end cash and debt position: At December 31, 2025, cash was $1.040 billion, total debt was $46.492 billion, and total assets were $60.720 billion. Source

Capital spending and acquisitions

  • Quarter capital expenditures $1.489 billion: Capital expenditures excluding acquisitions were $1.489 billion in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Full-year property purchases $4.944 billion: Purchases of property and equipment were $4.944 billion for 2025, against $4.875 billion in 2024. Source
  • Acquisitions and facility sales in 2025: Acquisitions of hospitals and health care entities totaled $397 million, against $266 million, and sales of hospitals and health care entities brought in $269 million. Source

Shareholder returns

  • Fourth quarter buybacks of $2.558 billion: The company repurchased 5.432 million shares for $2.558 billion in the fourth quarter. Source
  • New $10 billion repurchase authorization: The board authorized an additional program of up to $10 billion, with no time limit, which may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Source
  • Full-year repurchases $10.067 billion: Repurchases of common stock totaled $10.067 billion in 2025, against $6.042 billion in 2024. Source
  • Quarterly dividend set at $0.78: The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.78 per share, up from $0.72 in the previous release. Source

Network and facility footprint

  • Freestanding surgery centers fell to 121: Freestanding outpatient surgery centers numbered 121, against 124 a year earlier; licensed beds rose to 50,436. Source
  • Endoscopy centers rose to 31: Freestanding endoscopy centers numbered 31 at December 31, 2025, against 26 a year earlier. Source
  • Weighted beds in service increased: Weighted average beds in service were 42,985 for the quarter, against 42,705 a year earlier. Source

People and leadership

  • Colleagues thanked for their work: Chief Executive Officer Sam Hazen thanked colleagues for their work, dedication to patients and commitment to the mission. Source
  • Investment in people and clinical care: Management said investments in network expansion, workforce development and advancing clinical capabilities strengthened the system. Source
  • 2025 consistent with prior quarters: Management described 2025 performance as consistent with previous quarters. Source

Coming up, as management said on 27 January 2026

  • 2026 annual stockholders meeting: The 2026 annual stockholders' meeting will be held virtually on April 23, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. Source
  • Dividend payment scheduled: The $0.78 quarterly dividend is scheduled for payment on March 31, 2026, to holders of record on March 17, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Same facility admissions Source2.4 percent increase
Same facility equivalent admissions Source2.5 percent increase
Same facility emergency room visits Source0.5 percent increase
Same facility inpatient surgery cases Sourceflat (0.0 percent change)
Same facility outpatient surgery cases Sourcedeclined 0.5 percent
Same facility revenue per equivalent admission Source2.9 percent increase
Reported admissions Source576,839 (up 3.2 percent)
Reported emergency room visits Source2,511,009 (up 0.5 percent)

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Guidance rests on assumptions about health care policy, including exchange effects of administrative reforms and expiring enhanced premium tax credits. Source
  • External: Guidance assumes general business conditions, including inflation and trade policy effects such as tariffs, plus anticipated results from resiliency initiatives. Source
  • Demand: Guidance assumes volume growth and a mostly stable operating environment, with payer mix as a stated assumption. Source
  • Regulatory: Guidance excludes possible future approvals that could affect reimbursement under certain state Medicaid directed and supplemental payments. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.