Universal Health Services (UHS) has touched its pre-ex close within 30 trading days in 95% of the last 19 ex-dividend events, with a median time-to-touch of 1 trading day (limit-order recovery basis). The dividend is below the typical daily price swing (signal-to-noise 0.06), meaning ordinary day-to-day noise can easily exceed the dividend itself.
Versus its sector, UHS sits roughly in line with the Healthcare sector benchmark of 100%. The sector median time-to-touch is 1 trading day, matching the peer pace.
Historical base rates are not predictions; transaction costs, slippage, and ordinary-income tax on short holding periods can materially reduce realized profit. The next ex-dividend date is estimated at Sep 7, 2026 (±2 days), based on the historical pattern; the company has not yet declared a dividend.
- Touch rate (30d)
- 95%-5pp vs sector
- Median days-to-touch
- 1din line with sector
- Signal-to-noise
- 0.06-0.10 vs sector
Recovery engine
TL;DR over the most recent 19 events.
| Metric | Value | vs sector |
|---|---|---|
| 30-day touch rate | 95% | -5pp vs sector |
| Median days-to-touch | 1d | in line with sector |
| Signal-to-noise (div / ATR) | 0.06 | -0.10 vs sector |
| Avg gap on ex-date | -1.03% | -0.70pp vs sector |
| Win rate at MOC exit | 35% | — |
| Median drawdown during hold | -5.54% | -1.14pp vs sector |
| Best / worst touch (days) | 1 / 3 | — |
Next ex-dividend
Estimated from historical pattern ±2 days.
| Dividend | $0.20 |
| Per-event yield | 0.10% |
| Annualized yield | 0.56% |
| Previously paid | Mar 2, 2026 ($0.20) |
| Last record date | Mar 2, 2026 |
| Last payment date | Mar 16, 2026 |
UHS Dividend Capture History — Last 20 Ex-Dividend Events
Per-event gap on ex-date, the pre-ex close used as the touch target, trading days to first intraday high at or above that level, plus 5/30-day touch flags, drawdown and 5-day P&L for Universal Health Services (UHS). For a stricter close-at-bell exit timeline, use the simulator below (MOC mode). td = trading days from ex-date.
| Recovered 5d | Recovered 30d | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | $0.20 | -1.39% | $206.10 | 1 | yes | yes | -11.97% | -7.46% | |
| Q4 | $0.20 | -0.53% | $243.63 | 1 | yes | yes | -9.72% | -7.10% | |
| Q3 | $0.20 | -0.69% | $181.58 | 1 | yes | yes | -0.82% | +2.78% | |
| Q2 | $0.20 | -0.27% | $190.35 | 3 | yes | yes | -11.40% | -6.50% | |
| Q1 | $0.20 | 0.43% | $175.25 | 1 | yes | yes | -7.33% | -0.29% | |
| Q4 | $0.20 | 1.14% | $201.06 | 1 | yes | yes | -8.73% | -4.56% | |
| Q3 | $0.20 | -0.29% | $237.97 | 1 | yes | yes | -5.98% | -5.08% | |
| Q2 | $0.20 | -0.70% | $189.80 | 3 | yes | yes | -4.53% | -0.35% | |
| Q1 | $0.20 | 0.87% | $161.73 | 1 | yes | yes | -0.01% | +9.98% | |
| Q4 | $0.20 | -0.33% | $135.75 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.51% | -0.88% | |
| Q3 | $0.20 | -0.08% | $135.00 | 1 | yes | yes | -6.67% | -2.44% | |
| Q2 | $0.20 | -0.76% | $131.36 | 1 | yes | yes | -2.46% | +4.82% | |
| Q1 | $0.20 | -12.07% | $146.04 | >30 | no | no | -20.99% | -16.04% | |
| Q4 | $0.20 | -0.16% | $130.55 | 1 | yes | yes | -3.79% | -1.71% | |
| Q3 | $0.20 | 0.44% | $99.81 | 1 | yes | yes | -5.12% | +1.63% | |
| Q2 | $0.20 | -0.37% | $124.96 | 1 | yes | yes | -12.91% | -1.99% | |
| Q1 | $0.20 | -3.00% | $144.82 | 2 | yes | yes | -3.83% | +4.00% | |
| Q4 | $0.20 | -1.22% | $121.27 | 2 | yes | yes | -4.16% | +6.06% | |
| Q3 | $0.20 | -0.53% | $156.02 | 1 | yes | yes | -5.97% | -4.54% | |
| Q2 | $0.20 | 0.50% | $159.63 | 1 | yes | yes | -2.59% | +0.15% |
- -7.46%
- -7.10%
- +2.78%
- -6.50%
- -0.29%
- -4.56%
- -5.08%
- -0.35%
- +9.98%
- -0.88%
- -2.44%
- +4.82%
- -16.04%
- -1.71%
- +1.63%
- -1.99%
- +4.00%
- +6.06%
- -4.54%
- +0.15%
UHS Pre-Ex Touch Time Distribution
First trading session whose intraday high reached the pre-ex close within the 30-day measurement window. td = trading days from ex-date.
| Touch window | Distribution | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1 day | 15 | 75% | |
| 2–3 days | 4 | 20% | |
| 4–5 days | 0 | 0% | |
| 6–10 days | 0 | 0% | |
| 11–30 days | 0 | 0% | |
| 30+ | 1 | 5% |
UHS Dividend Capture Calculator — After-Tax Yield
Pre-filled with UHS's next expected dividend and recent close. Adjust tax rate, holding period and slippage to estimate after-tax capture yield.
U.S. ordinary-income rate (22-37%) applies on holds shorter than 61 days. Hold longer to qualify for the 0/15/20% qualified-dividend rate.
- Gross dividend
- $40.00
- After-tax dividend
- $26.00
- Slippage round-trip
- -$41.22
- Net if price returns to pre-ex
- $-15.22
- Required recovery to break even
- 0.04%
- Per-event after-tax yield
- -0.04%
- Annual if all succeed
- ~-1.9%
UHS Dividend Capture Backtest Simulator
Replay every historical UHS ex-dividend with two exit strategies: a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close, or hold for N days and exit at MOC. Pick the window and quarter filter that matches your plan.
Sell back at the pre-ex close on the first intraday touch within the window. If it never touches, exit at MOC after the window expires (stop-loss).
Figures are gross — before tax, commissions, and slippage. Percents are per-event return on capital at entry (pre-ex close).
Cumulative P&L (equity curve)
Vertical axis: cumulative sum of per-event % (same units as the headline cumulative). Hover dots for exact values.
Per-event P&L distribution
20 trades in this sample · bar height ∝ count in each bucket (gross % per event).
Scenario P&L by event · UHS (20)
Scenario P&L — updates with exit mode, window, and quarter. History adds gap, touch, drawdown, and a fixed P&L 5d % (MOC). Same per-row % as that column only for MOC + 5d on the same rows. Oldest → newest, gross pre-ex close basis.
| Ex-date | P&L |
|---|---|
| +0.13% | |
| +0.13% | |
| +0.16% | |
| +0.14% | |
| +0.16% | |
| +0.20% | |
| +0.15% | |
| -16.04% | |
| +0.15% | |
| +0.15% | |
| +0.15% | |
| +0.12% | |
| +0.11% | |
| +0.08% | |
| +0.10% | |
| +0.11% | |
| +0.11% | |
| +0.11% | |
| +0.08% | |
| +0.10% |
Results are illustrative only and are not financial advice. Capture simulations use historical prices and simplified costs and tax assumptions. Actual fills, borrow fees, and market rules vary. Consult a qualified advisor before trading.