HCA Healthcare misses quarterly profit estimates on hurricane impact

(Reuters) -HCA Healthcare missed Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit on Friday after being hit by delays in medical procedures due to Hurricane Helene, sending its shares down about 10% in premarket trading.

The company incurred additional expenses in the third quarter, experiencing a loss of revenue estimated at $50 million, owing to the impact of Hurricane Helene on some of its facilities in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

HCA (NYSE:HCA) also closed five hospitals in Florida earlier this month, in preparation for Hurricane Milton, and transferred about 400 patients from hospitals throughout the state to mandatory evacuation zones.

The largest for-profit hospital operator in the United States reported third-quarter profit of $4.88 per share. Analysts on average were expecting a profit of $4.97 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.