Operating Expenses

Total Operating Expenses

HCA Healthcare Total Operating Expenses decreased by 0.1% to $16.82B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 5.2%, from $15.99B to $16.82B. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Total Operating Expenses shows an upward trend with a 7.7% CAGR. This increase may warrant attention — for this metric, lower values are generally preferred.

Analysis

StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Expenses
CategoryEfficiency
SignalLower is better
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ1 2016
Last reportedQ1 2026Apr 29, 2026

How to read this metric

An increase faster than revenue growth suggests declining operating margins, while slower growth indicates effective cost control.

Detailed definition

Total operating expenses represent the sum of all costs incurred to operate the business, excluding the cost of goods so...

Peer comparison

Used to calculate operating margin; peers in the healthcare sector monitor this closely to manage profitability against R&D requirements.

Metric ID: total_operating_expenses

Historical Data

20 periods
 Q2 '21Q3 '21Q4 '21Q1 '22Q2 '22Q3 '22Q4 '22Q1 '23Q2 '23Q3 '23Q4 '23Q1 '24Q2 '24Q3 '24Q4 '24Q1 '25Q2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25Q1 '26
Value$12.32B$12.12B$12.48B$13.13B$13.06B$13.27B$12.20B$13.67B$14.05B$14.58B$14.96B$15.09B$15.26B$15.58B$16.15B$15.99B$16.19B$16.74B$16.84B$16.82B
QoQ Change-1.6%+3.0%+5.2%-0.5%+1.6%-8.1%+12.1%+2.8%+3.8%+2.6%+0.9%+1.1%+2.1%+3.7%-1.0%+1.2%+3.4%+0.6%-0.1%
YoY Change+6.0%+9.5%-2.3%+4.1%+7.6%+9.9%+22.7%+10.4%+8.6%+6.8%+8.0%+6.0%+6.1%+7.5%+4.3%+5.2%
Range$12.12B$16.84B
CAGR+6.8%
Avg YoY Growth+7.5%
Median YoY Growth+7.2%

Total Operating Expenses at Other Companies

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HCA Healthcare's total operating expenses?
HCA Healthcare (HCA) reported total operating expenses of $16.82B in Q1 2026.
How has HCA Healthcare's total operating expenses changed year-over-year?
HCA Healthcare's total operating expenses increased by 5.2% year-over-year, from $15.99B to $16.82B.
What is the long-term trend for HCA Healthcare's total operating expenses?
Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), HCA Healthcare's total operating expenses has grown at a 7.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $48.92B to $65.77B.
What does total operating expenses mean?
The total cost of running the business, including all non-production expenses.