HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) — Earnings Call X-Ray
Our AI read all 38 of HCA's earnings calls (2016–2025) and answered the same battery of questions about each one. Every past call is free; the newest quarter unlocks with a free account.
Previous Call Grade
C
Q1 2025
Calls Analyzed
38
2016–2025
Avg Candor
7/9
evasion 2.8/9
Call-by-call analysis
🔒 Q2 2025 earnings call
2025-07-25
NEWEST
Guidance: ■■■■■Demand: ■■■■■■
Margins: ■■■■Backlog: ■■■■
■ analysts, ■■ questionsexpected move ±■■%
Management ■■■■■■ guidance against ■■■■■■■■ demand and ■■■■■■■ margins. The delivery was ■■■■■■■■ and ■■■■ in specifics, with ■■■ questions left hanging.
🔒 The Q2 2025 call grade is ready
The full 37-point AI read of HCA's newest earnings call — grade, expected move, and every question answered — is free with an account.
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C
Q1 2025 earnings call
2025-04-25
Management held guidance steady against steady demand and expanding margins. The delivery was rich in specifics.
Guidance: maintainedDemand: stableMargins: expandingPricing: stableHeadcount: growingCapex: increasing 18 analysts · 20 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition✓ Skeptic reassured⚑ Question left hanging✓ Guidance underwritable✓ Resolves doubts
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
YES Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?
B
Q4 2024 earnings call
2025-01-24
Management held guidance steady against steady demand. The delivery was unusually candid, rich in specifics.
Guidance: maintainedDemand: stableMargins: stablePricing: raisingHeadcount: growingCapex: increasing 17 analysts · 20 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition✓ Skeptic reassured✓ Guidance underwritable✓ Resolves doubts⚑ Reads rehearsedCFO dominates
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
YES Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
NO Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
YES Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
YES Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
YES Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?
C+
Q3 2024 earnings call
2024-10-25
Management held guidance steady against accelerating demand and expanding margins. The delivery was unusually candid, rich in specifics.
Guidance: maintainedDemand: acceleratingMargins: expandingPricing: stableCapex: decreasing 18 analysts · 20 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition✓ Skeptic reassured✓ Guidance underwritable✓ Resolves doubtsCFO dominates
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
YES Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
NO Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
YES Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?
B+
Q2 2024 earnings call
2024-07-23
Management raised guidance against accelerating demand and expanding margins. The delivery was unusually candid, rich in specifics.
Guidance: raisedDemand: acceleratingMargins: expandingPricing: stableHeadcount: growingCapex: increasing 16 analysts · 26 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition✓ Skeptic reassured✓ Guidance underwritable✓ Resolves doubts
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
YES Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
NO Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?
B
Q1 2024 earnings call
2024-04-26
Management held guidance steady against accelerating demand. The delivery was unusually candid, rich in specifics, relaxed under questioning.
Guidance: maintainedDemand: acceleratingMargins: stablePricing: raisingHeadcount: growingCapex: increasing 16 analysts · 18 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition✓ Skeptic reassured✓ Guidance underwritable✓ Resolves doubts
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
YES Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
NO Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?
C+
Q4 2023 earnings call
2024-01-30
Management held guidance steady against accelerating demand and expanding margins. The delivery was unusually candid, rich in specifics.
Guidance: maintainedDemand: acceleratingMargins: expandingPricing: stableHeadcount: growingCapex: increasing 16 analysts · 16 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition✓ Skeptic reassured✓ Guidance underwritable✓ Resolves doubts⚑ Reads rehearsed
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
YES Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
NO Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
YES Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?
D
Q3 2023 earnings call
2023-10-24
Management lowered guidance against accelerating demand and contracting margins. The delivery was unusually candid, rich in specifics.
Guidance: loweredDemand: acceleratingMargins: contractingPricing: stableHeadcount: growingCapex: increasing 17 analysts · 17 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition⚑ Question left hanging✓ Guidance underwritableDirection beats results
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
NO Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
NO Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
YES Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?
Earlier calls
| Call | Date | Grade | Guidance | Demand | Margins | Candor | Evasion |
|---|
| Q2 2023 |
2023-07-27 |
B+ |
raised | accelerating | stable |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q1 2023 |
2023-04-21 |
A |
raised | accelerating | expanding |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q4 2022 |
2023-01-27 |
B |
none | stable | stable |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q3 2022 |
2022-10-21 |
C+ |
maintained | stable | stable |
7/9 |
4/9 |
| Q2 2022 |
2022-07-22 |
C+ |
maintained | mixed | stable |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q1 2022 |
2022-04-22 |
D |
lowered | stable | contracting |
8/9 |
3/9 |
| Q4 2021 |
2022-01-27 |
C+ |
maintained | stable | contracting |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q3 2021 |
2021-10-22 |
B |
raised | accelerating | expanding |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q2 2021 |
2021-07-20 |
B+ |
raised | accelerating | expanding |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q1 2021 |
2021-04-22 |
A |
raised | accelerating | expanding |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q4 2020 |
2021-02-02 |
B+ |
maintained | mixed | stable |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q3 2020 |
2020-10-26 |
D |
maintained | mixed | expanding |
7/9 |
4/9 |
| Q2 2020 |
2020-07-22 |
D |
withdrawn | mixed | expanding |
7/9 |
4/9 |
| Q1 2020 |
2020-04-21 |
D |
withdrawn | mixed | contracting |
7/9 |
4/9 |
| Q4 2019 |
2020-01-28 |
B+ |
maintained | accelerating | expanding |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q3 2019 |
2019-10-29 |
A |
raised | accelerating | expanding |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q2 2019 |
2019-07-30 |
B+ |
raised | stable | contracting |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q1 2019 |
2019-04-30 |
B+ |
raised | stable | expanding |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q3 2018 |
2018-10-30 |
A |
raised | stable | expanding |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q2 2018 |
2018-07-25 |
B+ |
raised | accelerating | stable |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q1 2018 |
2018-05-01 |
B |
maintained | accelerating | stable |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q4 2017 |
2018-01-30 |
B+ |
maintained | accelerating | stable |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q3 2017 |
2017-10-31 |
D |
lowered | slowing | contracting |
6/9 |
3/9 |
| Q2 2017 |
2017-07-25 |
C |
lowered | mixed | contracting |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q1 2017 |
2017-05-02 |
B |
maintained | slowing | stable |
7/9 |
2/9 |
| Q4 2016 |
2017-01-31 |
C+ |
maintained | stable | stable |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q3 2016 |
2016-10-27 |
C+ |
maintained | slowing | expanding |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q2 2016 |
2016-07-28 |
C |
lowered | slowing | stable |
7/9 |
3/9 |
| Q1 2016 |
2016-05-03 |
A |
raised | stable | stable |
8/9 |
2/9 |
| Q4 2015 |
2016-01-28 |
B+ |
maintained | stable | expanding |
7/9 |
2/9 |
Research question bank — earlier calls
During our 1,600-question research program, batches of experimental hypotheses were tested directly against some of HCA's earlier calls. The YES answers — the rare hits — are shown; click any question to see every company that matched it. Full list: the question bank.
D
Q1 2022 earnings call
2022-04-22
2 more research questions answered NO
How to read this page
The grade is a transparent composite of call quality — candor, specificity, low evasion, low stress, whether the call resolves more doubts than it creates, and the guidance action — not a buy or sell signal. The expected move is a volatility estimate from the one signal that survived our out-of-sample tests: how a stock's own reaction and pre-call volatility predict the size (not direction) of its next move. Full detail, including everything that failed: methodology.
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methodology.