Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has revised its rating outlook for King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services to positive from stable.
S&P has also affirmed a "BB" corporate credit rating for the for-profit hospital operator. The outlook revision results from increasing confidence in UHS' commitment to keeping debt leverage below 3x, despite the company's shift in the last few years to a more aggressive financial strategy, according to a news release.
UHS owns and/or operates 24 acute-care hospitals and 193 behavioral health centers. Last week, the hospital operator reported its net profit declined by 0.1 percent in the second quarter of 2014, from $151.8 million in the second quarter of 2013 to $151.7 million this year. For the first six months of 2014, UHS reported $289.75 million in net income, up nearly 7 percent from $271.65 million during the first six months of 2013.