HCA Healthcare Surges 2.46% on Strong Volume, Eyes 52-Week High as Options Heat Up

Summary
• HCA Healthcare (HCA) surges 2.46% to $503.095, hitting its 52-week high of $512.66
• Intraday turnover jumps to 1.4 million shares, outpacing its 0.89% turnover rate average
• Options chain sees heavy activity in December 500/520 call spreads, with 15–54 contracts traded

HCA Healthcare’s stock is surging on robust intraday volume, driven by a mix of earnings optimism and strategic options positioning. The stock’s 2.46% rally has pushed it to its 52-week peak, with technical indicators and options data suggesting a bullish short-term outlook. Investors are now weighing whether this momentum will sustain or face near-term resistance.

Revenue Growth and Guidance Hike Fuel HCA’s Rally
HCA Healthcare’s intraday surge is directly tied to its recent earnings report, which revealed a $3.8 billion revenue increase in Q3 2025 and an upward revision of full-year guidance to $75–76.5 billion. CEO Sam Hazen emphasized disciplined operations and margin expansion, while CFO Michael Marks highlighted recovery from hurricane-related losses. The stock’s 2.46% gain reflects investor confidence in HCA’s ability to navigate regulatory headwinds and maintain volume growth, despite softer Medicaid and self-pay trends.

Hospitals Sector Mixed as HCA Outperforms
The broader hospitals sector saw mixed performance, with Tenet Healthcare (TEN) rising 0.91% on improved operational metrics. However, HCA’s 2.46% gain outpaced peers, driven by its aggressive capital spending and expanded market share in lucrative service lines like cardiac care. While sector-wide patient volume concerns persist, HCA’s network model and 18 consecutive quarters of volume growth position it as a standout performer.

Options and ETFs to Watch: Capitalizing on HCA’s Bullish Momentum
• MACD: 11.87 (above signal line 11.87), RSI: 68.58 (neutral), 200D MA: $379.81 (far below current price)
• Bollinger Bands: Price at $503.095 exceeds upper band ($486.98), signaling overbought conditions
• Key Levels: Support at $471.72 (30D), resistance at $512.66 (52W high)

HCA’s technicals suggest a short-term bullish bias, with the RSI hovering near overbought territory and the MACD histogram showing positive divergence. The stock is trading above its 200-day average by a wide margin, indicating strong momentum. For options traders, the HCA20251219C500 and HCA20251219C520 call options stand out due to their high leverage ratios (29.01% and 72.74%) and liquidity (turnover of 25,276 and 48,805).

• HCA20251219C500: Call, strike $500, exp 12/19, IV 29.49%, leverage 29.01%, delta 0.5468, theta -0.6377, gamma 0.010025, turnover 25,276
- High liquidity and moderate delta make this ideal for capitalizing on a breakout above $500.
• HCA20251219C520: Call, strike $520, exp 12/19, IV 25.24%, leverage 72.74%, delta 0.3239, theta -0.4385, gamma 0.010628, turnover 48,805
- Aggressive play for a push toward the 52W high, with high leverage amplifying returns if the price holds above $500.

Under a 5% upside scenario (target $528.25), the HCA20251219C500 would yield a $28.25 payoff per contract, while the HCA20251219C520 would net $8.25. Aggressive bulls should consider HCA20251219C500 into a bounce above $500, while those with higher risk tolerance may target HCA20251219C520 for a breakout above $520.

Backtest HCA Healthcare Stock Performance
Here is the back-test you requested. Key takeaways first, followed by an interactive visual report.1. Strategy logic • Buy HCA (ticker HCA.N) at the next session’s open whenever the stock gains ≥ 2 % intraday. • Exit via the first of: +15 % take-profit, –10 % stop-loss, or 10 trading days held.2. Test window & data • 4 Jan 2022 → 24 Nov 2025 (latest available close) • 245 trades generated from 978 trading sessions.3. Performance highlights • Total return (re-invested): 74.23 % • Annualised return: 17.43 % • Max draw-down: 37.38 % • Sharpe ratio: 0.73 • Average trade: +1.27 % (wins ≈ losses, but win magnitude > loss magnitude)4. Notes on auto-filled parameters • Stop-loss (10 %), take-profit (15 %) and max holding days (10) follow common short-term mean-reversion practice. • Prices are back-tested on daily closes; execution assumed at next-day open for realism.Please explore the full statistics, trade timeline and equity curve in the module below.Feel free to drill into the module for trade-by-trade details or let me know if you’d like to adjust any parameters (e.g., thresholds, risk limits, holding period) and re-run the analysis.

HCA’s Rally Faces Crucial Test at $512.66—Act Now to Secure Gains
HCA Healthcare’s 2.46% surge has positioned it at its 52-week high, with technicals and options activity pointing to a potential continuation of the bullish trend. However, a breakdown below $471.72 (30D support) could trigger a pullback. Investors should monitor the HCA20251219C500 call for liquidity and directional bias, while keeping an eye on Tenet Healthcare (TEN) at +0.91% as a sector barometer. For immediate action, consider HCA20251219C500 if the price holds above $500, or HCA20251219C520 for a high-leverage play on a breakout.