S&P hikes HCA Healthcare

S&P said it raised its ratings on HCA Healthcare Inc. to BBB- from BB+ and its senior unsecured debt to BBB- from BB-.

“Healthcare's growing scale and diversity and its prudent investments have strengthened its business risk profile. This improvement in the company's business strength, combined with our increasing confidence in the company's commitment to maintain leverage between 3x-3.5x, is consistent with investment-grade credit quality,” the agency said in a press release.

Accordingly, S&P said it did not consider HCA’s recent lowering of guidance negatively because it had already estimated an earnings decline of this magnitude.

The outlook is stable.

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