HCA
HCA Healthcare, Inc. Healthcare - Medical Care Facilities Investor Relations →
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) closed at $501.69 as of 2026-02-02, trading 63.8% above its 200-week moving average of $306.27. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 60.1% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 65, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 730 weeks of data, HCA has crossed below its 200-week moving average 6 times. On average, these episodes lasted 2 weeks. Historically, investors who bought HCA at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +103.6%.
With a market cap of $117.4 billion, HCA is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 5.2%, which is healthy. The stock trades at -19.2x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 18.2% over the past three years.
Over the past 14.1 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in HCA would have grown to $2409, compared to $645 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 25.3% vs 14.2% for the index — confirming HCA as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 1.6% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Growth of $100: HCA vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After HCA Crosses Below the Line?
Across 6 historical episodes, buying HCA when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +98.2% after 12 months (median +101.0%), compared to +32.0% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 100% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +133.5% vs +46.7% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment HCA crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
HCA has crossed below its 200-week MA 6 times with an average 1-year return of +103.6% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2012 | Feb 2012 | 1 | 6.7% | +80.5% | +2585.1% |
| Mar 2012 | Apr 2012 | 1 | 1.0% | +89.9% | +2422.7% |
| May 2012 | Jun 2012 | 3 | 2.1% | +83.5% | +2434.0% |
| Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 | 3 | 24.3% | +140.8% | +568.8% |
| May 2020 | May 2020 | 1 | 5.7% | +115.2% | +431.7% |
| Jun 2020 | Jul 2020 | 5 | 12.4% | +111.5% | +422.1% |
| Average | 2 | — | +103.6% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02