HCA HealthcareHCA +1.22%91 Interest Coverage is 4.90 as of Mar. 2026, which is 3% above its 10-year median of 4.78. GuruFocus rates HCA with a GF Score™ of 91/100 and a GF Value™ of $451.66 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 453 Healthcare Providers & Services companies, HCA Healthcare ranks worse than 61.15% on this metric.
Interest Coverage is a ratio that determines how easily a company can pay interest expenses on outstanding debt. It is calculated by dividing a company's
Operating Income
by its Interest Expense. HCA Healthcare's
Operating Income
for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $2,863 Mil. HCA Healthcare's Interest Expense for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $-584 Mil.
HCA Healthcare's interest coverage for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 4.90.
The higher the ratio, the stronger the company's financial strength is.
The historical rank and industry rank for HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage or its related term are showing as below:
HCA'
s Interest Coverage Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.58 Med: 4.78 Max: 6.18
Current: 5.24
HCA's Interest Coverage is ranked worse than 61.15% of 453
companies
in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry
Industry Median: 7.98
vs HCA: 5.24
Ben Graham requires that a company has a minimum interest coverage of 5 with the companies he invested. If the interest coverage is less than 2, the company is burdened by debt. Any business slow or recession may drag the company into a situation where it cannot pay the interest on its debt.
Interest Coverage is an important factor when GuruFocus ranks a company's overage Financial Strength .
HCA Healthcare Interest Coverage Related Terms
HCA Healthcare Interest Coverage Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Note: For Interest Coverage, "No debt" indicates no long-term debt. An indication of "No Debt" does not necessarily mean that the company has no long-term debt obligations; it could be due to missing data in the quarterly or annual report. Use caution when interpreting this information.
HCA vs THC, DVA, EHC: Interest Coverage Comparison
For the Medical Care Facilities subindustry, HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage, along with its competitors' market caps and Interest Coverage data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
HCA Healthcare Interest Coverage vs Healthcare Providers & Services Industry
For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry and Healthcare sector, HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage falls into.
Interest Coverage is a ratio that determines how easily a company can pay interest expenses on outstanding debt. It is calculated by dividing a company's Operating Income (EBIT) by its Interest Expense:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
HCA Healthcare (HCA) has a Interest Coverage of 4.90 as of Mar. 2026. Interest Coverage measures a company's capability to pay interest expenses on its debt. View historical data on HCA Healthcare and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 4.78. Over the past decade, HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage has ranged from 3.58 to 6.18. According to the industry distribution chart, HCA Healthcare ranks #277 out of 453 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, placing it in the top 61.1%.
Is HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage too high?
HCA Healthcare's current Interest Coverage of 4.90 is near median its 10-year median of 4.78. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.58 to a high of 6.18. The Healthcare Providers & Services industry median Interest Coverage is 7.98. HCA Healthcare's value of 4.90 is 38.6% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, HCA Healthcare ranks #277 out of 453 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, HCA Healthcare has a GF Score™ of 91/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does HCA Healthcare's Interest Coverage compare to THC and DVA?
According to the Healthcare Providers & Services industry distribution chart, HCA Healthcare ranks #277 out of 453 companies for Interest Coverage. This places HCA Healthcare in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Interest Coverage is 7.98. HCA Healthcare's value of 4.90 is 38.6% below this benchmark. Historically, HCA Healthcare's own Interest Coverage has ranged from 3.58 to 6.18 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 4.78 vs. the industry median of 7.98, HCA Healthcare has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Interest Coverage for a Healthcare Providers & Services company?
The median Interest Coverage among Healthcare Providers & Services companies is 7.98, based on 453 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Interest Coverage significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Interest Coverage should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. HCA Healthcare's current Interest Coverage of 4.90 is 38.6% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Interest Coverage mean?
A high Interest Coverage can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Interest Coverage measures a company's capability to pay interest expenses on its debt. View historical data on HCA Healthcare and its competitors. For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, the median Interest Coverage is 7.98 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. HCA Healthcare's current Interest Coverage is 4.90, which is near median its own 10-year median of 4.78. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is HCA Healthcare stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, HCA Healthcare (HCA) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $451.66, compared to a current price of $391.68 — trading 13.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Interest Coverage is 4.90, which is near median its 10-year median of 4.78 and 38.6% below the Healthcare Providers & Services industry median of 7.98. HCA Healthcare's overall GF Score™ is 91/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Interest Coverage calculated?
Interest Coverage is calculated from a company's financial statements. For HCA Healthcare (HCA), the current Interest Coverage is 4.90 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is HCA Healthcare (HCA) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, HCA Healthcare stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $391.68 is trading 13.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of $451.66.
GuruFocus considers HCA Healthcare to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for HCA:
Interest Coverage: 4.90 (near median its 10-year median of 4.78)
GF Value™: $451.66 vs. price of $391.68 (13.3% below fair value)
Industry Position: 38.6% below the Healthcare Providers & Services median (#277 of 453)
No single metric tells the full story. See the HCA stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the United States. As of December 2025, the firm owned and operated 190 hospitals and over 2,500 outpatient facillities across 19 states and a small foothold in the United Kingdom.
91GF Score
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