HCA Holdings Inc Stock Sell Recommendation Reiterated (HCA)

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- HCA Holdings (NYSE:HCA) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a sell with a ratings score of D+ . The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its feeble growth in its earnings per share, deteriorating net income, weak operating cash flow and poor profit margins.

• EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass

Highlights from the ratings report include:

• HCA HOLDINGS INC has exprienced a steep decline in earnings per share in the most recent quarter in comparison to its performance from the same quarter a year ago. Earnings per share have declined over the last two years. We anticipate that this should continue in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, HCA HOLDINGS INC reported lower earnings of $3.49 versus $5.31 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 8.9% in earnings ($3.18 versus $3.49).
• The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Health Care Providers & Services industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 83.8% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $1,935.00 million to $314.00 million.
• Net operating cash flow has declined marginally to $1,263.00 million or 8.94% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing to the industry average, the firm's growth rate is much lower.
• The gross profit margin for HCA HOLDINGS INC is rather low; currently it is at 18.00%. It has decreased from the same quarter the previous year. Regardless of the weak results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 3.72% is above that of the industry average.
• Compared to its closing price of one year ago, HCA's share price has jumped by 46.79%, exceeding the performance of the broader market during that same time frame. Regarding the future course of this stock, we feel that the risks involved in investing in HCA do not compensate for any future upside potential, despite the fact that it has seen nice gains over the past 12 months.

HCA Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides health care services in the United States. HCA has a market cap of $16.26 billion and is part of the health care sector and health services industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 10.5, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 22.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

You can view the full HCA Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

It's Official: Action Alerts PLUS beats the S&P 500 with Dividends Reinvested! Cramer and Link were up 16.72% in 2012. Were you? See what they are trading for 14-days FREE

For more information on HCA Holdings Inc click any of the following:

• HCA Holdings Inc Stock Price

• HCA Holdings Inc Analyst Ratings

• HCA Holdings Inc Key Stats & Profile

• HCA Holdings Inc Earnings

• HCA Holdings Inc Ratio Comparison

• HCA Holdings Inc Growth Rates

• HCA Holdings Inc Balance Sheet

• HCA Holdings Inc Cash Flow

• HCA Holdings Inc Income Statement