HCA (NYSE: HCA) today announced Jack O. Bovender, Jr., Chairman and CEO,
purchased 500,000 shares of HCA common stock through the exercise of
employee stock options granted to him in 1997 at the then market price
of $26.80 per share and, subsequently, sold such shares in open market
transactions on February 2, 2005, at an average price of $44.70 per
share. Mr. Bovender estimates that his after-tax net proceeds as a
result of this option exercise and subsequent sales will be
approximately $5.8 million.
Mr. Bovender has advised the Company that he is taking this action for
estate planning purposes. The options which were exercised were
scheduled to expire on their 10-year anniversary in 2007. Upon the
completion of this transaction, Mr. Bovender continues to own
approximately 2.1 million HCA shares, including employee stock options
and restricted shares. This is the first exercise of options or sale of
HCA stock by Mr. Bovender since his return to the Company in 1997.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding HCA's business
which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that
involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and
uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those
contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the
Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal
year.
Investors, Mark Kimbrough, +1-615-344-2688, or
Media, Jeff Prescott, +1-615-344-5708
both of HCA