HCA Healthcare Q4 Earnings Lag Estimates, Issues FY22 Guidance

 HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: HCA) today announced financial and operating results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021.

Key fourth quarter metrics (all percentage changes compare 4Q 2021 to 4Q 2020 unless otherwise noted):

• Revenues totaled $15.064 billion

• Net income attributable to HCA Healthcare, Inc. totaled $1.814 billion, or $5.75 per diluted share

• Adjusted EBITDA totaled $3.149 billion

• Cash flows provided by operating activities totaled $2.443 billion

• Same facility admissions and same facility equivalent admissions increased 0.6 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively

"The Omicron surge started to influence our business in early December. Overall, our teams continued their tremendous response, and the effects of the pandemic’s ever-changing conditions were managed well as reflected in our fourth quarter financial results," said Sam Hazen, Chief Executive Officer of HCA Healthcare. "Across many dimensions of our business, our teams demonstrated an impressive ability to adjust quickly and effectively to three different surges during the year and deliver for our patients, our communities, and our colleagues."

Revenues in the fourth quarter of 2021 increased to $15.064 billion, from $14.293 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020. Net income attributable to HCA Healthcare, Inc. totaled $1.814 billion, or $5.75 per diluted share, compared to $1.426 billion, or $4.13 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2020. Results for the fourth quarter of 2021 include gains on sales of facilities of $563 million, or $1.33 per diluted share.

For the fourth quarter of 2021, Adjusted EBITDA totaled $3.149 billion, compared to $3.118 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. A table providing supplemental information on Adjusted EBITDA and reconciling net income attributable to HCA Healthcare, Inc. to Adjusted EBITDA is included in this release.

2022 Guidance

Today, the Company issued the following estimated guidance for 2022:

			2022 Guidance Range
Revenues			$60.0 to $62.0 billion
Net Income Attributable to HCA Healthcare, Inc.			$5.550 to $5.835 billion
Adjusted EBITDA			$12.55 to $13.05 billion
EPS (diluted)			$18.40 to $19.20 per diluted share

Capital expenditures for 2022, excluding acquisitions, are estimated to be approximately $4.2 billion, a 17% increase from $3.577 billion in 2021.

The Company’s 2022 guidance contains a number of assumptions, including, among others, the Company’s current expectations regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and excludes the impact of items such as, but not limited to, gains or losses on sales of facilities, losses on retirement of debt, legal claims costs and impairment of long-lived assets.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hca-healthcare-reports-fourth-quarter-123000572.html