Can HCA's Gene Therapy Milestone Drive Long-Term Growth?

HCA Healthcare, Inc. HCA is expanding its presence in advanced medicine after researchers from its Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program published encouraging findings in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that the CRISPR gene-editing therapy, exa-cel, successfully treated children aged 5 to 11 with severe sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. It is the first published clinical study of the therapy in this young patient group.

The study delivered encouraging results. All eligible children with beta thalassemia became transfusion-independent for at least 12 months. Children with sickle cell disease remained free of severe pain crises over the same period. The findings suggest that treating these inherited blood disorders earlier in life could help prevent years of disease-related complications. HCA is now expanding access to FDA-approved gene-editing therapies through specialized pediatric programs across its network.

The announcement supports HCA's broader strategy of combining clinical care with medical research. During its first-quarter 2026 earnings call, management highlighted continued investment in the HCA Healthcare Research Institute and the Sarah Cannon Research Institute to expand specialized care, improve patient outcomes and advance clinical research. Backed by first-quarter revenues of $19.1 billion, up 4.3% year over year, HCA continues investing in advanced treatment programs while maintaining solid operational performance.

The study is unlikely to have a material impact on HCA's near-term earnings. However, it reinforces the company's growing role in advanced specialty care and highlights the strength of its clinical research platform. Expanding access to complex gene-editing therapies could further strengthen HCA's position in advanced specialty care, enhance its research capabilities, and support long-term growth as demand for innovative treatments continues to rise.

HCA’s Stock Price Performance

Shares of HCA Healthcare have gained 3.1% over the past 12 months compared with the industry’s 9.6% growth.

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HCA’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

HCA currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Medical space are Surgery Partners, Inc. SGRY, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, Tenet Healthcare Corporation THC and BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. BTSG, both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Surgery Partners’ 2026 earnings is pegged at 25 cents per share, which has witnessed one upward revision in the past 30 days, with no movement in the opposite direction. The consensus estimate for SGRY’s 2026 revenues is pinned at $3.41 billion, implying 3% year-over-year growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tenet Healthcare’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $17.61 per share, implying 4.9% year-over-year growth. THC beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 20.6%. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pinned at $22.02 billion, implying 3.3% year-over-year growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BrightSpring Health’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $1.67 per share, indicating a 66.7% year-over-year increase. BTSG beat earnings estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 14.6%. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pinned at $15.05 billion, implying 16.6% year-over-year growth.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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