Encompass Health Corporation EHC recently unveiled early-stage plans to build a new 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Apollo Beach, FL. This standalone facility will be located in the Waterset master-planned community and will offer advanced rehabilitation services for patients recovering from serious medical conditions, including strokes, spinal injuries, amputations, complex orthopedic cases and brain injuries.

This project marks an expansion of Encompass Health’s footprint in Florida, aligning with the company’s broader growth strategy in high-demand markets. By establishing a presence in Apollo Beach, EHC aims to bring advanced, personalized rehabilitative care closer to patients in that area, enhancing access and convenience. It also strengthens the brand’s visibility and reach in a growing community.

The specific costs of the project have not been disclosed yet. Adding more beds and facilities increases EHC’s service capacity and positions the company to capture a larger share of the post-acute care market in Florida. It also reflects confidence in the profitability of expanding into underserved, high-growth regions. The facility is likely to open in 2027.

Encompass Health boasts a massive footprint of 167 hospitals in 38 states and Puerto Rico. For 2025, the company plans to open seven de novo hospitals, adding 340 beds, and a 50-bed satellite hospital. This year, it also expects to add 100-120 beds to existing hospitals.

During its latest earnings, the company reaffirmed its plans for the 2023-2027 period, where it aims to inaugurate six to 10 de novos each year, as well as make bed additions in the range of 80-120 each year. It also expects a CAGR of 6-8% in discharges in the same time frame.

Price Performance

Shares of Encompass Health have gained 26.6% in the year-to-date period compared with the 4.2% growth of the industry.Zacks Investment Research

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Zacks Rank and Other Key Picks

Encompass Health currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Investors can look at some other top-ranked stocks in the broader Medical space, like HCA Healthcare HCA, Aveanna Healthcare AVAH and The Pennant Group PNTG, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HCA Healthcare’s 2025 bottom line suggests 15.1% year-over-year growth. It witnessed eight upward estimate revisions over the past 30 days against no movement in the opposite direction. HCA Healthcare beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with the average surprise being 7.1%.

Story Continues

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Aveanna Healthcare’s current-year bottom line is pegged at 12 cents per share, which indicates 100% growth from a year ago. During the past 60 days, it witnessed five upward estimate revisions against none in the opposite direction. The consensus mark for Aveanna Healthcare’s current year revenues predicts a 4.6% year-over-year increase.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The Pennant’s current-year earnings implies 14.9% growth from the year-ago reported figure. It beat earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 11.5%. The consensus mark for The Pennant’s current-year revenues is pegged at $846.4 million, which indicates a 21.7% year-over-year increase.

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HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA):Free Stock Analysis Report

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