DaVita stock falls 5.6 percent as rally cools despite upbeat 2026 EPS guidance
Published on 09/18/2026 at 19:11 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
DaVita Inc. stock (ISIN US23804L1035) closed at USD 183.09 on the New York Stock Exchange on September 17, 2026, down 5.56 percent from the previous close of USD 193.86 and roughly 26 percent below its 52-week high of USD 247.49 reached on August 3, 2026, putting a sudden brake on its recent rally according to Weiss Ratings.
Sharp pullback after strong short-term gains
As Weiss Ratings reported on September 17, 2026, DaVita stock fell 5.56 percent on that day, shedding USD 10.77 from the prior close of USD 193.86 and moving below its 50-day moving average while trading close to its 200-day moving average around USD 186.53.
In the same analysis, Weiss Ratings highlighted that DaVita had surged 10.06 percent between September 1 and September 16, 2026, including a single-day gain of 4.28 percent on September 14, 2026, illustrating how the latest drop represents a partial give-back of a strong short-term run.
Guidance for 2026 EPS remains above consensus
According to Weiss Ratings, DaVita is guiding for fiscal year 2026 earnings per share in a range of USD 14.10 to USD 15.20, which sits above the sell-side analyst consensus of USD 14.57 EPS for the same period.
Separate analyst overviews from MarketBeat on September 18, 2026, confirm that DaVita has set its fiscal year 2026 guidance at USD 14.10 to USD 15.20 EPS and that the average analyst forecast stands at USD 14.57 EPS, underscoring that management’s target range is above the current consensus expectation.
Recent quarterly figures beat expectations and support the story
DaVita’s latest reported quarterly figures added fundamental support to the stock’s earlier rally: in its most recently released quarter, covering the three months ended in the current fiscal year, the company reported earnings per share of USD 4.02 compared with analyst expectations of USD 3.88, delivering a beat of USD 0.14 per share according to MarketBeat.
In the same quarterly report summary, MarketBeat states that DaVita generated revenue of USD 3.55 billion in that quarter, up 5.2 percent compared with the same period a year earlier and above analysts’ expectations of USD 3.50 billion, while posting a net margin of 6.05 percent.
Analyst stance: Moderate Buy with upside to targets
Analyst sentiment remains supportive despite the latest share-price setback. As of September 18, 2026, data compiled by MarketBeat show that seven research firms currently covering DaVita have assigned the shares an average recommendation of Moderate Buy, with four rating the stock Buy and three rating it Hold.
On the same date, MarketBeat reports that the consensus analyst price target for DaVita shares is USD 233.43, implying substantial potential upside from the recent closing level of USD 183.09 if the company delivers on its 2026 guidance and the market aligns with that target.
Institutional interest and options activity
Institutional investors continue to play a significant role in DaVita’s shareholder base. According to a filing summary highlighted by MarketBeat on September 18, 2026, Bank of America Corp DE acquired 651,999 DaVita shares in the second quarter, a position worth about USD 145.06 million and representing roughly 1.02 percent of the company, contributing to an overall institutional ownership level of about 90.12 percent.
In addition, recent derivatives data cited by MarketBeat on September 18, 2026, note that DaVita has been the target of unusually high options trading in recent sessions, reflecting elevated positioning by short-term traders around the stock’s latest moves and its 2026 EPS guidance.
Sector context and recent performance within the S&P 500
DaVita, classified in the medical care facilities industry, has seen a strong year-to-date performance even after the latest slide. A movers overview from Trefis on September 18, 2026, lists DaVita among the biggest one-day losers in the S&P 500 with a 1-day return of negative 5.6 percent but still shows a robust year-to-date return of 61.2 percent.
Broader market summaries from outlets such as The Economic Times on September 18, 2026, likewise rank DaVita among the top daily losers in the S&P 500 with a price of USD 183.09 and a decline of 5.56 percent, indicating that the pullback was notable in the wider index context.
Stock level and market capitalization
At the closing price of USD 183.09 on September 17, 2026, DaVita’s market capitalization stood at approximately USD 12.36 billion according to Weiss Ratings, placing the company solidly in the mid-cap segment of the S&P 500.
A separate industry overview from Yahoo Finance on September 18, 2026, also lists DaVita with a market cap of around USD 11.68 billion and a price of USD 183.09, reinforcing that the pullback still leaves the stock at a level consistent with a sizable, established healthcare operator.
DaVita stock after the slide: what matters for investors
For investors, the key takeaway from the recent move is that DaVita stock, despite a one-day drop of more than 5 percent and a level roughly one quarter below its 52-week high, still rests on guidance that targets 2026 EPS between USD 14.10 and USD 15.20, above the USD 14.57 consensus, and on the back of a recent quarter where EPS of USD 4.02 beat expectations by USD 0.14 and revenue of USD 3.55 billion grew 5.2 percent year over year according to MarketBeat.
DaVita share price and trading venue
DaVita stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DVA. The reference price for the current assessment is the NYSE closing price of USD 183.09 on September 17, 2026, in USD, which is about 26 percent below the 52-week high of USD 247.49 and reflects a one-day decline of 5.56 percent compared with the prior close of USD 193.86, based on data from Weiss Ratings.
DaVita stock facts
- Company: DaVita Inc.
- ISIN: US23804L1035
- Ticker: DVA
- Trading venue: NYSE
- Price (as of September 17, 2026): 183.09 USD
- Market capitalization: 12.36 billion USD (as of September 17, 2026)
- Sector / Industry: Healthcare / Medical care facilities
- Index membership: S&P 500
