Is Universal Health Services Stock a Bargain Following Hospital Closure?

·6 min read
Is Universal Health Services Stock a Bargain Following Hospital Closure?

Universal Health Services (NYSE: UHS) may be a good find for bargain hunters after a market sell-off triggered by a sharp decrease in fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 net income. The quarterly profitability plunge to $174.8 million, down almost 27% year over year, appears to be largely the result of a one-time event: the hospital chain's decision to close its 282-bed acute care Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas this month. The company's operating expenses appear to have been growing faster than revenue across all of its acute care facilities, reaching $7.2 billion in 2022, or 94.3% of net revenues, compared with $6.4 billion, or 89.6% of net revenues, in 2021.