Just as soon as January ended with major gains for for-profit hospitals, the first week of February took them all away.
All five of the major publicly traded acute-care hospital operators trended downward last week. Each company lost at least 2.6 percent of their share value.
King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services lost the most. Its shares dropped more than 4 percent to $78.64, the lowest point since November. Despite a positive fourth-quarter and year-end earnings report last Tuesday, Nashville, Tenn.-based Hospital Corporation of America's shares fell almost 3.9 percent.
• Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.): $40.02 per share (down 3.36 percent)
• Hospital Corporation of America (Nashville, Tenn.): $48.33 per share (down 3.86 percent)
• LifePoint Hospitals (Brentwood, Tenn.): $51.62 per share (down 2.62 percent)
• Tenet Healthcare Corp. (Dallas): $44.79 per share (down 2.65 percent)
• Universal Health Services (King of Prussia, Pa.): $78.64 per share (down 4.12 percent)
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