HCA Holdings Sees Q2 Earnings Above Estimates As Admissions Rise -Update

(RTTNews) - Healthcare services provider HCA Holdings, Inc. (HCA) Tuesday said it expects to report higher earnings for its second quarter ended June 30, 2013, which is also above analysts' consensus estimates. The forecast reflects increase in admissions during the period.

The company also reaffirmed its previously issued guidance ranges for 2013.

The company noted that its same facility admissions for the second quarter grew 1.3 percent, and same facility equivalent admissions were up 1.1 percent. Same facility revenue per equivalent admission is expected to increase around 2.9 percent from last year.

For the second quarter, the company expects earnings of about $0.91 per share, higher than $0.85 per share reported in the second quarter of 2012. HCA anticipates revenues for the second quarter to be about $8.450 billion, up from $8.112 billion reported in the prior year.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report earnings of $0.78 per share for the quarter, on revenues of $8.43 billion. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Pre-tax income is expected to be approximately $806 million, compared to $699 million in the year-ago period.

Further, the company sees adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, for the recent second quarter to be around $1.689 billion, an increase from $1.569 billion in the prior-year quarter.

The company also reaffirmed its previously issued full-year 2013 guidance range for adjusted earnings of $3.00 to $3.30 per share and revenues of $33.50 billion to $34.50 billion. Analysts expect the company to report earnings of $3.12 per share and revenues of $33.97 billion for fiscal 2013.

The firm expects to report its complete financial results for the second quarter of 2013 on, or about, August 1. HCA is currently trading at $38.67, up $1.46, or 3.91 percent, on a volume of 3.22 million shares on the NYSE.