Universal Health Services, Inc. Reports 2016 Third Quarter Financial Results And Narrows 2016 Full Year Earnings Guidance

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS) announced today that its reported net income attributable to UHS was $151.9 million, or $1.54 per diluted share, during the third quarter of 2016 as compared to $150.3 million, or $1.48 per diluted share, during the comparable quarter of 2015.  Net revenues increased 8.2% to $2.41 billion during the third quarter of 2016 as compared to $2.23 billion during the third quarter of 2015.

For the three-month period ended September 30, 2016, our adjusted net income attributable to UHS per diluted share, as calculated on the attached Schedule of Non-GAAP Supplemental Consolidated Statements of Income Information ("Supplemental Schedule"), increased to $1.60 per diluted share, as compared to $1.53 per diluted share during the third quarter of 2015.  As reflected on the Supplemental Schedule, included in our reported results during the third quarters of 2016 and 2015, are net unfavorable after-tax impacts of $.06 per diluted share and $.05 per diluted share, respectively, related to the incentive income and depreciation and amortization expense recorded in connection with the implementation of electronic health records ("EHR") applications at our acute care hospitals. 

Consolidated Results of Operations, As Reported and As Adjusted  – Nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015:

Reported net income attributable to UHS was $528.2 million, or $5.36 per diluted share, during the first nine months of 2016 as compared to $506.8 million, or $5.02 per diluted share, during the comparable period of 2015.  Net revenues increased 8.4% to $7.29 billion during the first nine months of 2016 as compared to $6.73 billion during the comparable period of 2015.

For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016, our adjusted net income attributable to UHS per diluted share, as calculated on the Supplemental Schedule, increased to $5.52 per diluted share, as compared to $5.16 per diluted share during the comparable period of 2015.  As reflected on the Supplemental Schedule, included in our reported results during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, are net unfavorable after-tax impacts of $.16 per diluted share and $.14 per diluted share, respectively, related to the incentive income and depreciation and amortization expense recorded in connection with the implementation of EHR applications at our acute care hospitals. 

Acute Care Services – Three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015:

During the third quarter of 2016, at our acute care hospitals owned during both periods ("same facility basis"), adjusted admissions (adjusted for outpatient activity) increased 4.6% and adjusted patient days increased 3.8%, as compared to the third quarter of 2015. Net revenues from our acute care services increased 9.0% during the third quarter of 2016 as compared to the third quarter of the prior year. At these facilities, net revenue per adjusted admission increased 3.2% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased 4.0% during the third quarter of 2016 as compared to the comparable quarter of 2015. On a same facility basis, the operating margin generated from our acute care services was 14.7% during the third quarter of 2016 as compared to 15.3% during the third quarter of 2015. We define operating margin as net revenues less salaries, wages and benefits, other operating expenses and supplies expense, divided by net revenues (excluding the impact of EHR and other items, if applicable, as indicated on the Supplemental Schedules).

During the first nine months of 2016, at our acute care hospitals on a same facility basis, adjusted admissions increased 5.4% and adjusted patient days increased 3.3%, as compared to the first nine months of 2015. Net revenues from our acute care services increased 9.5% during the first nine months of 2016 as compared to the comparable period of the prior year. At these facilities, net revenue per adjusted admission increased 2.5% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased 4.6% during the first nine months of 2016 as compared to the comparable period of 2015. On a same facility basis, the operating margin generated from our acute care services was 17.9% during the first nine months of 2016 as compared to 18.3% during the comparable period of 2015.

We provide care to patients who meet certain financial or economic criteria without charge or at amounts substantially less than our established rates. Because we do not pursue collection of amounts determined to qualify as charity care, they are not reported in net revenues or in accounts receivable, net. Our acute care hospitals provided charity care and uninsured discounts, based on gross charges, amounting to approximately $370 million and $322 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $1.06 billion and $872 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The provision for doubtful accounts at our acute care hospitals amounted to approximately $173 million and $185 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $492 million and $459 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.         

Behavioral Health Care Services – Three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015:

During the third quarter of 2016, at our behavioral health care facilities on a same facility basis, adjusted admissions increased 1.3% while adjusted patient days increased 1.1% as compared to the third quarter of 2015. At these facilities, net revenue per adjusted admission increased 1.2% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased 1.5% during the third quarter of 2016 as compared to the comparable quarter in 2015. On a same facility basis, our behavioral health services' net revenues increased 2.7% during the third quarter of 2016, as compared to the third quarter of 2015, and the operating margins were 26.0% and 27.4% during the third quarters of 2016 and 2015, respectively.   

During the first nine months of 2016, at our behavioral health care facilities on a same facility basis, adjusted admissions increased 0.7% while adjusted patient days increased 0.9% as compared to the comparable period of 2015. At these facilities, net revenue per adjusted admission increased 1.9% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased 1.7% during the first nine months of 2016 as compared to the comparable period in 2015. On a same facility basis, our behavioral health services' net revenues increased 2.7% during the first nine months of 2016, as compared to the comparable period of 2015, and the operating margins were 27.3% and 28.1% during the first nine months of 2016 and 2015, respectively.

2016 Full Year Earnings Guidance Range:

Based upon the operating trends and financial results experienced during the first nine months of 2016, as calculated below, we are narrowing our estimated range of adjusted net income attributable to UHS for the year ended December 31, 2016 to $7.16 to $7.43 per diluted share from the previously provided range of $7.12 to $7.58 per diluted share. This guidance, which excludes the expected EHR impact for the year, increases the lower end of the previously provided range by approximately 1% and decreases the upper end of the range by approximately 2%.     

This guidance range also excludes the impact of future items, if applicable, that are nonrecurring or non-operational in nature including items such as, but not limited to, gains on sales of assets and businesses, costs related to extinguishment of debt, reserves for settlements, legal judgments and lawsuits, impairments of long-lived assets, impact of share repurchases and other material amounts that may be reflected in our financial statements that relate to prior periods. It is also subject to certain conditions including those as set forth below in General Information, Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors and Non-GAAP Financial Measures.

Share Repurchase Program:

In February of 2016, our Board of Directors authorized a $400 million increase to our stock repurchase program, which increased the aggregate authorization to $800 million from the previous $400 million authorization approved during the third quarter of 2014.  Pursuant to this program, we may purchase shares of our Class B Common Stock, from time to time as conditions allow, on the open market or in negotiated private transactions. 

In conjunction with this program, during the third quarter of 2016, we have repurchased 458,410 shares at an aggregate cost of $56.6 million (approximately $124 per share).  During the first nine months of 2016, we have repurchased approximately 2.0 million shares at an aggregate cost of $238.1 million (approximately $117 per share). Since inception of the program through September 30, 2016, we have repurchased approximately 3.9 million shares at an aggregate cost of approximately $462.3 million (approximately $118 per share). 

Conference call information:

We will hold a conference call for investors and analysts at 9:00 a.m. eastern time on October 27, 2016. The dial-in number is 1-877-648-7971. 

A live broadcast of the conference call will be available on our website at www.uhsinc.com.  A replay of the call will be available following the conclusion of the live call and will be available for one full year.

General Information, Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors and Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

Universal Health Services, Inc. ("UHS") is one of the nation's largest hospital companies operating through its subsidiaries acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities and ambulatory centers located throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  It acts as the advisor to Universal Health Realty Income Trust, a real estate investment trust (NYSE:UHT).  For additional information on the Company, visit our web site: http://www.uhsinc.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current management expectations.  Numerous factors, including those disclosed herein, those related to healthcare industry trends and those detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (as set forth in Item 1A-Risk Factors and in Item 7-Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and in Item 2-Forward Looking Statements and Risk Factors in our Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2016), may cause the results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements.  Many of the factors that will determine our future results are beyond our capability to control or predict. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and therefore actual results may differ materially.  Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements which reflect management's view only as of the date hereof.  We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

We believe that operating income, operating margin, adjusted net income attributable to UHS, adjusted net income attributable to UHS per diluted share and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), which are non-GAAP financial measures ("GAAP" is Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States of America), are helpful to our investors as measures of our operating performance. In addition, we believe that, when applicable, comparing and discussing our financial results based on these measures, as calculated, is helpful to our investors since it neutralizes the effect in each year of material items related to the implementation of EHR applications at our acute care hospitals and other items that are nonrecurring or non-operational in nature including, but not limited to, costs related to extinguishment of debt, gains on sales of assets and businesses, reserves for settlements, legal judgments and lawsuits, impairments of long-lived assets and other amounts that may be reflected in the current or prior year financial statements that relate to prior periods.  To obtain a complete understanding of our financial performance these measures should be examined in connection with net income, determined in accordance with GAAP, as presented in the condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in this report or in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including our Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and our Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2016. Since the items included or excluded from these measures are significant components in understanding and assessing financial performance under GAAP, these measures should not be considered to be alternatives to net income as a measure of our operating performance or profitability. Since these measures, as presented, are not determined in accordance with GAAP and are thus susceptible to varying calculations, they may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. Investors are encouraged to use GAAP measures when evaluating our financial performance.

Our acute care hospitals are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payments upon implementation of the EHR application, once they have demonstrated meaningful use of certified EHR technology for the applicable stage or have completed attestations to their adoption or implementation of certified EHR technology.  However, there may be timing differences in the recognition of the incentive income and expenses recorded in connection with the implementation of the EHR application which may cause material period-to-period changes in our future results of operations. Pursuant to regulations, hospitals that did not qualify as a meaningful user of EHR by 2015 are subject to a reduced market basket update to the inpatient prospective payment system standardized amount in 2015 and each subsequent fiscal year. We believe that all of our acute care hospitals have met the applicable meaningful use criteria and therefore are not subject to a reduced market basked update to the inpatient prospective payment standardized amount. Under the HITECH Act, hospitals must continue to meet the applicable meaningful use criteria in each fiscal year or they will be subject to a market basket update reduction in a subsequent fiscal year.