HCA Healthcare, Inc. Debt Disclosure
NOTE 8 — DEBT
A summary of our debt at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, including related interest rates at December 31, 2025, follows (dollars in millions):
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
||
Short-term borrowings: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Commercial paper (average life of 18 days, weighted average rate of 4.3%) |
|
$ |
2,207 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
Long-term debt: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Senior secured term loan facility |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
1,238 |
|
Other senior secured debt (effective interest rate of 4.6%) |
|
|
1,021 |
|
|
|
1,046 |
|
Senior unsecured credit facilities |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Senior unsecured notes payable through 2095 (effective interest rate of 5.1%) |
|
|
43,700 |
|
|
|
41,116 |
|
Debt issuance costs and discounts |
|
|
(436 |
) |
|
|
(369 |
) |
Total long-term debt (average life of 11.9 years, rates averaging 5.1%) |
|
|
44,285 |
|
|
|
43,031 |
|
Total debt |
|
|
46,492 |
|
|
|
43,031 |
|
Less amounts due within one year |
|
|
4,889 |
|
|
|
4,698 |
|
|
|
$ |
41,603 |
|
|
$ |
38,333 |
|
2025 Financing Activities
We issued $5.250 billion aggregate principal amount of senior notes comprised of (i) $700 million aggregate principal amount of 5.000% senior notes due 2028, (ii) $300 million aggregate principal amount of floating rate senior notes due 2028, (iii) $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.250% senior notes due 2030, (iv) $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.500% senior notes due 2032, (v) $1.500 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.750% senior notes due 2035 and (vi) $1.250 billion aggregate principal amount of 6.200% senior notes due 2055. We used the net proceeds to repay borrowings under the senior unsecured credit facility and for general corporate purposes.
We also issued $3.250 billion aggregate principal amount of senior notes comprised of (i) $500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.300% senior notes due 2030, (ii) $1.000 billion aggregate principal amount of 4.600% senior notes due 2032, (iii) $1.000 billion aggregate principal amount of 4.900% senior notes due 2035 and (iv) $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.700% senior notes due 2055. We used the net proceeds to repay borrowings under the commercial paper program and for general corporate purposes.
We repaid at maturity all $2.600 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.375% senior notes, all $1.400 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.25% senior notes, $291 million aggregate principal amount of 7.69% senior notes and $125 million aggregate principal amount of 7.58% medium-term notes. We also redeemed all $1.500 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.875% senior notes due 2026.
Senior Unsecured Credit Facility And Other Senior Secured Debt
During 2025, we entered into a new credit agreement that provides for $8.000 billion of senior unsecured revolving credit commitments with a term of five years (“senior unsecured credit facility”). Borrowings under the senior unsecured credit facility bear interest at a rate equal to the Secured Overnight plus 1.125% , a 0.10% credit spread adjustment, as the unsecured credit facility was amended on that date to remove the credit spread adjustment). We terminated our $4.500 billion senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility, our $3.500 billion senior secured revolving cash flow credit facility and our senior secured term loan facility of $1.238 billion. Finance leases and other secured debt totaled $1.021 billion at December 31, 2025.
NOTE 8 — DEBT (continued)
Commercial Paper Program
During 2025, we established a commercial paper program under which we may issue unsecured commercial paper notes from time to time up to a maximum aggregate face or principal amount of $4.000 billion outstanding at any time. Amounts available under the program may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed from time to time. The maturities of the commercial paper notes borrowings may vary, but will not exceed 397 days from the date of issue, and the proceeds from the program will be used for general corporate purposes. In connection with the commercial paper program, we intend to maintain a minimum available borrowing capacity under our $8.000 billion senior unsecured credit facility equal to the aggregate amount outstanding under the commercial paper program. At December 31, 2025, we had $2.207 billion of commercial paper outstanding, and there were no borrowings outstanding under our senior unsecured credit facility.
Senior Unsecured Notes
Senior unsecured notes consist of (i) $43.250 billion aggregate principal amount of senior notes with maturities ranging from 2026 to 2064 and (ii) an aggregate principal amount of $450 million debentures with maturities ranging from 2027 to 2095.
General Debt Information
Maturities of long-term debt in years 2027 through 2030 are $2.547 billion, $3.645 billion, $3.577 billion and $4.021 billion, respectively.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 10, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2020 | Feb 19, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 20, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 21, 2019 | |
| 2016 | Feb 22, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 26, 2016 | |
About Debt Disclosures
Debt disclosures detail a company's borrowing structure — the types of instruments, interest rates, maturity schedule, and covenant restrictions that define its financial obligations and flexibility. This section is essential for assessing refinancing risk, interest rate exposure, and the margin of safety against financial distress.
Key signals: the maturity schedule reveals concentration risk — large maturities within 1-2 years during tight credit markets can force dilutive refinancing or asset sales. Compare the fair value of debt against carrying amount to gauge whether the market views the company's credit risk differently than the balance sheet suggests. Watch covenant compliance disclosures for tightening cushions, especially leverage and interest coverage ratios. Variable-rate debt exposure quantifies sensitivity to interest rate changes. Secured versus unsecured mix affects recovery rates and future borrowing capacity. Compare net debt-to-EBITDA against industry peers and covenant limits to assess financial health.