In the latest trading session, DaVita HealthCare (DVA) closed at $169.90, marking a +0.86% move from the previous day. This move outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.53%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.93%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 0.22%.

Shares of the kidney dialysis provider have appreciated by 8.64% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Medical sector's gain of 1.49% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.69%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of DaVita HealthCare in its upcoming release. In that report, analysts expect DaVita HealthCare to post earnings of $2.21 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 18.18%. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $3.25 billion, reflecting a 3.47% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for DaVita HealthCare. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. Right now, DaVita HealthCare possesses a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Valuation is also important, so investors should note that DaVita HealthCare has a Forward P/E ratio of 14.99 right now. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 22.05.

It is also worth noting that DVA currently has a PEG ratio of 0.82. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The average PEG ratio for the Medical - Outpatient and Home Healthcare industry stood at 1.95 at the close of the market yesterday.

The Medical - Outpatient and Home Healthcare industry is part of the Medical sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 82, placing it within the top 33% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.

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