Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Shares of this drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits manager have returned +11.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.2% change. The Zacks Medical Services industry, to which CVS Health belongs, has gained 5.4% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, CVS Health is expected to post earnings of $1.62 per share, indicating a change of +1.3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $8.02 points to a change of +18.8% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $8.51 indicates a change of +6.1% from what CVS Health is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for CVS Health.

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of CVS Health, the consensus sales estimate of $105.04 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +2.1%. The $418.17 billion and $429.25 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +4% and +2.6%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryCVS Health reported revenues of $106.1 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.3%. EPS of $2.58 for the same period compares with $1.81 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $100.18 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +5.91%. The EPS surprise was +37.97%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

CVS Health is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about CVS Health. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. increased its position in CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS – Free Report) by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 260,592 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock after buying an additional 6,402 shares during the quarter. CVS Health comprises approximately 1.0% of Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P.’s holdings, making the stock its 21st largest position. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P.’s holdings in CVS Health were worth $22,330,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of CVS Health by 41.8% during the 2nd quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 356 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. HBW Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of CVS Health by 3.5% in the third quarter. HBW Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,408 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $292,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Apella Capital LLC increased its position in CVS Health by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Apella Capital LLC now owns 6,940 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $724,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the period. Wellington Altus USA Inc. increased its position in CVS Health by 13.3% during the second quarter. Wellington Altus USA Inc. now owns 1,025 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $106,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the period. Finally, CoreCap Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of CVS Health by 4.2% during the second quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 3,481 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $360,000 after buying an additional 139 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.66% of the company’s stock.

CVS Health Stock Down 1.2% Shares of NYSE:CVS opened at $93.62 on Thursday. CVS Health Corporation has a 52 week low of $69.51 and a 52 week high of $110.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.87. The company has a market capitalization of $119.74 billion, a PE ratio of 24.77, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $91.68 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $93.63.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The pharmacy operator reported $2.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.71. The company had revenue of $106.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $100.03 billion. CVS Health had a net margin of 1.18% and a return on equity of 13.12%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.81 earnings per share. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.900-8.100 EPS. Analysts forecast that CVS Health Corporation will post 8.02 earnings per share for the current year. CVS Health Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 22nd will be paid a $0.6650 dividend. This represents a $2.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 22nd. CVS Health’s payout ratio is presently 70.37%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on CVS. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of CVS Health from $106.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of CVS Health from $107.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. BMO Capital Markets set a $112.00 price target on CVS Health in a research note on Wednesday, September 9th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $112.00 target price on shares of CVS Health in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded CVS Health from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, October 9th. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $107.80.

View Our Latest Analysis on CVS Health

More CVS Health News Here are the key news stories impacting CVS Health this week:

Positive Sentiment: CVS is expanding access through smaller, pharmacy-focused store formats in underserved communities. The strategy is intended to align locations with prescription demand, improve operating efficiency and support pharmacy growth. How Small Pharmacy Expansion Will Impact CVS Health Investors Positive Sentiment: MinuteClinic opened three new Massachusetts locations, including the first in Boston, broadening CVS’s retail healthcare footprint and potentially increasing patient traffic and service revenue. MinuteClinic Opens Three New Retail Medical Clinics Positive Sentiment: CVS is seeking to capture customers from Walgreens and Rite Aid as competitors close stores. The opportunity could support prescription volumes and strengthen CVS’s local market share. CVS Targets Former Walgreens and Rite Aid Customers Positive Sentiment: Aetna is streamlining prior authorizations, reporting that more than 95% of eligible requests are approved within 24 hours. Faster approvals may improve member experience and reduce administrative friction, although the direct financial effect is not yet quantified. How CVS Aetna Is Reducing Administrative Burden CVS Health Profile (Free Report)

CVS Health Corporation (NYSE: CVS) is a diversified health care company that provides pharmacy, insurance and health services in the United States. Its businesses serve consumers, employers, health plans and health care providers through pharmacies, benefit programs, insurance coverage and clinical care services.

The company’s Pharmacy Services segment, led by CVS Caremark, manages prescription drug benefits for employers, insurers and government programs. CVS Pharmacy operates retail pharmacies and health-focused stores that dispense prescriptions and offer over-the-counter products, health and wellness merchandise, immunizations and related services.

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CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) closed at $93.45 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.37% move from the prior day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.58%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.69%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.05%.

The stock of drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits manager has risen by 8.78% in the past month, leading the Medical sector's gain of 3.5% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.97%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of CVS Health in its forthcoming earnings report. The company is scheduled to release its earnings on November 4, 2026. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $1.62, indicating a 1.25% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $105.04 billion, reflecting a 2.11% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

CVS's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $8.02 per share and revenue of $418.17 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +18.81% and +4.01%, respectively.

It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for CVS Health. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. At present, CVS Health boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, CVS Health is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 11.81. This valuation marks a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 17.64.

One should further note that CVS currently holds a PEG ratio of 0.88. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. CVS's industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.76 as of yesterday's close.

The Medical Services industry is part of the Medical sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 164, finds itself in the bottom 34% echelons of all 250+ industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

To follow CVS in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.

Key Takeaways CVS Aetna has the fewest services requiring prior authorization, about half as many as its nearest rival.CVS Aetna approves 77% of electronic prior authorizations in real time, targeting more than 80% by year-end.CVS expanded bundled cancer authorizations to all cancer types for eligible Medicaid members on Sept. 1. CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) is working to make health care easier to navigate. The company’s insurance arm, Aetna, has the fewest medical services subject to prior authorization, about half as many as its nearest competitor. More than 95% of all eligible prior authorizations are approved within 24 hours, with many approved instantly. Aetna currently approves 77% of electronic prior authorizations in real time and expects to exceed 80% by year-end.

Administrative burden remains a significant challenge for healthcare providers. In Aetna's latest survey, 74% of respondents identified it as the top challenge facing clinical staff. Prior authorization management alone accounted for the biggest administrative burden for 31% of respondents. By streamlining approvals, Aetna aims to give clinicians more time to focus on patient care.

Aetna introduced bundled prior authorizations last year to cover multiple tests and treatments under a single request. The program started with lung, breast and prostate cancer screenings and interventions. It later expanded to certain musculoskeletal procedures, including X-rays, knee arthroplasty surgical procedures, anti-nausea and non-opioid pain medications, inpatient admission, infection control and durable medical equipment. The insurer has also started bundling authorizations for in vitro fertilization (IVF)-related prescriptions and medical procedures.

As of Sept. 1, Aetna expanded bundled prior authorizations to all cancer types for members in eligible Medicaid states. Nearly 25% of eligible members received a bundled authorization during the initial rollout, allowing services to be approved in advance and helping speed access to care. The bundles combine medical oncology, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy where appropriate, and/or radiation oncology with advanced imaging, such as MRI and CT scans, in a single request submitted through one portal.

Aetna plans to extend the program across all lines of business in 2027, with Medicare and Commercial members expected to become eligible in the first half of the year.

Updates From CVS PeersHumana (HUM - Free Report) has entered into a new joint venture agreement with funds and accounts managed by HPS Investment Partners, part of BlackRock, to manage and operate nearly 150 existing CenterWell Senior Primary Care clinics. The clinics currently operate under joint ventures owned by funds affiliated with WCAS and CenterWell. Under the new arrangement, BlackRock will hold a majority stake, while CenterWell will retain a minority interest. The venture will replace the existing partnerships that helped scale CenterWell into the nation’s largest senior-focused value-based primary care provider over the past seven years. The new structure is expected to give Humana access to additional growth capital and improve its financial flexibility.

The Cigna Group (CI - Free Report) announced a collaboration with OpenAI to enhance outcomes for patients with complex health conditions. The partnership will bring OpenAI’s frontier reasoning capabilities into clinical workflows and customer experiences across The Cigna Group ecosystem to deliver more personalized support. The initial focus will be cancer care, with new capabilities designed to identify emerging patient needs earlier, personalize assistance and strengthen care coordination throughout treatment. The collaboration is expected to expand over time, creating a broader range of health intelligence capabilities for patients with various medical conditions.

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What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.82% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

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Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) Headquartered in Woonsocket, RI, CVS Health Corporation (formerly known as CVS Caremark Corporation) is a health solutions company with integrated offerings across the entire spectrum of pharmacy care. On Sep 3, 2014, CVS Caremark Corporation announced a change of its corporate name to CVS Health to reflect its broader healthcare commitment. In 2018, CVS Health acquired insurance giant Aetna for $70-billion.

CVS is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 11.54; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2026, one analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $8.02 per share. CVS boasts an average earnings surprise of +20.5%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, CVS should be on investors' short list.

New research study will explore the realities and opportunities of midlife and inform an upcoming documentary

, /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health®(NYSE: CVS) today announced a new collaboration with The Midlife Collective, a media company and community platform dedicated to changing the cultural conversation around women and aging. As part of the collaboration, the two organizations will conduct a research study designed to better understand the physical, emotional, social and life experiences of women in midlife. Findings from the study will help inform The Midlife Collective's upcoming documentary, Her Second Act, which will highlight the transformative possibilities of midlife and challenge outdated narratives about aging.

CVS Health and The Midlife Collective teaming up on a research study that will explore the realities and opportunities of women's midlife health journeys and inform an upcoming documentary. The research will explore the realities women face during this stage of life, while identifying opportunities to better support their health, wellbeing and overall quality of life. By bringing together clinical expertise, original research and storytelling, CVS Health and The Midlife Collective hope to inspire broader conversations about what it means to thrive during a woman's midlife journey. 

Seventy-five million women in the U.S. are currently in some stage of perimenopause, menopause or post-menopause. Approximately two million women transition into menopause each year, and 8-10 million women experience menopausal symptoms in any given year. This transition typically occurs when women are in their late 40s or 50s and is characterized by a significant decrease in estrogen levels. 

"For too long, conversations about midlife have been centered around symptoms and limitations," said Dr. Joanne Armstrong, vice president, chief medical officer of women's health, CVS Health. "But midlife can also be a time of growth, reinvention and possibility. Through the work with The Midlife Collective, we will pair rigorous clinical research with powerful storytelling, elevate women's voices, better understand their needs and bring greater awareness and education to this important stage of their health journey."

The study will build on a growing recognition that midlife encompasses far more than menopause alone. Research will examine a range of experiences, including health, identity, caregiving, relationships, career transitions, financial wellbeing and personal fulfillment. The findings are expected to provide new insights into how women navigate this phase of life and where additional support may be needed. 

Her Second Act, currently in development, co-directed by Abby Epstein and Constance Zimmer and produced by Julie Flakstad, seeks to challenge the cultural narrative around women and aging by highlighting stories of recalibration, resilience and discovery. Through interviews, emerging science, expert perspectives, personal and celebrity stories, the documentary aims to help women reimagine midlife as one of the most profound chapters yet. 

"After years of listening to women's midlife experiences, one thing is clear: the story we've been told is blatantly wrong," said Constance Zimmer, Emmy-nominated actress, co-founder of The Midlife Collective. "We aim to highlight the complexity and possibility of midlife so women feel seen and understood. Through our collaboration with CVS Health, we're pairing storytelling with research to deepen understanding and shape a more accurate and inspiring narrative for future generations."

This collaboration is part of CVS Health's commitment to supporting women at every stage of life through access to care, education and evidence-based resources. CVS Health develops customized programs and solutions across its lines of business that support every stage of a woman's health journey, including midlife.

CVS Pharmacy®pharmacists provide medication guidance and help customers select menopause products and supplements available at approximately 7,000 locations nationwide. MinuteClinic® also works with the Menopause Society to train providers in evidence-based menopause care and expand access to support.

Aetna® supports women in midlife through virtual care, behavioral health services, education, peer groups and coaching. The CVS Weight Management program complements these services with personalized nutrition coaching and weight-loss medication options, including GLP-1s.

In 2025, CVS Health became the first U.S. company to earn the Menopause Friendly Accreditation from MiDOViA, setting a new standard for workplace midlife health support. The accreditation recognizes CVS Health's commitment to supporting colleagues and the people it serves with aligned benefits, educational resources and peer support services to help them navigate through menopause and their healthy aging journeys.

About CVS Health
CVS Health® is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

About The Midlife Collective
The Midlife Collective is a media company and community platform dedicated to creating a more honest, joyful and expansive vision of midlife for women. Through storytelling, live events, community experiences and creative projects, the organization is working to change the cultural conversation around aging and help women embrace the opportunities of life's next chapter. Her Second Act, currently in development, is its flagship documentary exploring the profound shifts in identity, purpose, relationships and empowerment that define midlife.

Media contact
Amy Thibault
401-318-2865
[email protected] 

SOURCE CVS Health

Key Takeaways CVS is advancing Aetna's turnaround, with first-half 2026 adjusted operating income up more than $2 billion.Alignment Healthcare grew membership 31.5% to 294,100, while higher medical needs pressure its outlook.CVS trades at a forward P/E of 10.41 versus ALHC's 25.43, with rising 2026 earnings estimates. The global Medicare Advantage (“MA”) market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 10.1% through 2026-2034, according to a Market Reports World analysis. It is the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. health insurance industry, with more than 34.1 million beneficiaries in 2025, representing 54% of all Medicare-eligible individuals. The market is also evolving, with recent trends pointing to a shift toward specialization, digital integration and expanded benefits. CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) and Alignment Healthcare (ALHC - Free Report) are two established names competing in this space.

CVS Health offers MA plans through its Health Care Benefits segment, led by Aetna. For the third consecutive year, Aetna ranked among the highest-performing large, publicly traded MA organizations in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2027 Star Ratings, with more than 69% of its members enrolled in plans rated 4 Stars or higher.

Alignment Healthcare also earned strong ratings. Six of its seven eligible contracts received 4 Stars or higher, including three rated 4.5 Stars. These contracts cover Arizona, California, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas, reflecting the company’s focus on coordinated, culturally responsive care. Its California H3815 HMO contract received a 3.5-Star Rating for 2027.

Both stocks have posted sharply different returns over the past year. CVS Health has risen 9.9%, while Alignment Healthcare has plummeted 50.8%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Let’s dive deeper to see which company offers the stronger investment outlook today.

The Case for CVSCVS Health is working to restore Aetna’s target margins through a multi-year effort focused on disciplined pricing, medical cost management, clinical programs and operational changes. Progress was evident in the first half of 2026, when Health Care Benefits adjusted operating income rose by more than $2 billion from a year earlier. Medicare results also exceeded expectations, supported by disciplined pricing and better control of medical costs.

Operational initiatives are also supporting this effort. Aetna’s Claims Assist Manager aims to reduce processing time by more than 20% for complex claims requiring manual review. Its Aetna Clinical Collaboration program is expanding to strengthen coordination with providers. On Sept. 1, Aetna broadened prior authorization bundles to include all cancer types for members in eligible Medicaid states. The company plans to extend the program to all lines of business in 2027. During the initial rollout, nearly 25% of eligible members received a bundled prior authorization, meaning their services were approved in advance to help accelerate access to care.

Health Services is benefiting from pharmacy drug mix, brand inflation, purchasing economics and a gradual recovery in Health Care Delivery. CVS Health is also investing in technology to improve provider connectivity and data sharing, using AI and analytics capable of analyzing more than one billion pages of clinical records. Caremark continues to take formulary actions aimed at making GLP-1 weight-loss drugs available at lower costs. CVS Specialty’s adherence rate remains above 90%, ahead of the 80% industry standard.

The company’s Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness business continues to benefit from higher prescription volumes, aided by the Rite Aid prescription file acquisitions and better underlying pharmacy economics.

The Case for ALHCAlignment Healthcare continues to benefit from the structural growth of the MA market while consistently gaining market share. In the second quarter of 2026, total membership rose 31.5% year over year to about 294,100, supported by new additions and high retention. The Alignment Health Plan also announced its 2027 MA portfolio, aiming to expand into 10 new counties across California, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas, adding major provider organizations and introducing new plan options designed to deliver more coordinated, culturally connected care. 

Technology investments are improving efficiency and targeting clinical interventions. Second-quarter adjusted selling, general & administrative (SG&A) expenses declined to 8.6% of revenues, down 20 basis points (bps) year over year. The ratio improved 40 bps in the first half and more than 300 bps in three years despite investments in claims processing, clinical systems and scalable back-office workflows. The latest AVA (Alignment’s Virtual Application) stratification model identifies the 10% of members expected to account for nearly 70% of hospital admissions over the next 30 days, helping Care Anywhere teams target high-risk members.

The 2026 mix remains weighted toward members with complex medical needs. Inpatient admissions improved sequentially to the mid-150s per 1,000 members, but new members have more acute needs than a year earlier. Alignment expects a seasonally higher third-quarter medical benefit ratio (MBR) due to this mix, a flatter Part D cost slope and additional Care Anywhere investment.

The V28 risk model affects revenue development and final sweep economics. Alignment Healthcare books new-member revenues at paid Monthly Member Revenues until final reconciliation, limiting forecast risk but delaying recognition. The second-quarter final sweep benefit was about $6 million, or roughly 40 bps of adjusted MBR. The per-member benefit was lower than a year earlier, partly because of V28 and the risk-sharing mix.

How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for CVS & ALHC?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CVS Health’s 2026 EPS implies year-over-year growth of 18.8% to $8.02. Estimates have jumped 1.8% in the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Meanwhile, the consensus mark for Alignment Healthcare’s 2026 EPS stands at 14 cents compared to breakeven results a year ago. The estimate has dropped 17.6% in the past seven days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CVS & ALHC’s ValuationBased on the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, CVS Health shares currently trade at 10.41, while Alignment Healthcare shares trade at 25.43.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ConclusionBoth CVS’ Aetna and Alignment Healthcare earned strong CMS Star Ratings for 2027, reflecting strong clinical outcomes. CVS is making progress in its Aetna turnaround while benefiting from continued growth in Health Services and Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness. Meanwhile, ALHC is growing membership and improving efficiency, but higher medical needs among newer members and a lower final-sweep benefit per member remain as key factors to watch.

In terms of price performance, CVS has outpaced ALHC over the past 12 months. CVS Health also holds the valuation edge, with its shares trading at a substantially lower forward P/E than ALHC. CVS has also benefited from upward revisions to its 2026 earnings estimates, unlike ALHC. Given these factors, existing CVS shareholders may want to retain their positions for potential long-term gains. Meanwhile, ALHC investors may want to reassess their stake.

CVS carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), while ALHC has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The U.S. government alleged that CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, weren't valid or weren't issued in the usual course of professional practice.

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

CVS Health currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.32, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 25 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.32 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 25 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 20 are Strong Buy and two are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 80% and 8% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for CVS

Check price target & stock forecast for CVS Health here>>>

While the ABR calls for buying CVS Health, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.

Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.

This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABRIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

There is also a key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank when it comes to freshness. When you look at the ABR, it may not be up-to-date. Nonetheless, since brokerage analysts constantly revise their earnings estimates to reflect changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in predicting future stock prices.

Is CVS Worth Investing In?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for CVS Health, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $8.02.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for CVS Health. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for CVS Health.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into CVS Health Corporation ("CVS" or the "Company") (NYSE: CVS).

On August 2, 2023, the Company announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, disclosing that it was revising its diluted earnings-per-share ("EPS") guidance range to $6.53 to $6.75 from $6.90 to $7.12 and that operating income "decreased $1.4 billion, or 30.7%, in the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the prior year primarily due to declines in the Health Care Benefits segment[.]"

Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period in violation of federal securities laws, which remains ongoing.

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether CVS' officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to its shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. 

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of CVS shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-833-538-3606 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cvs/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, and a representative office in Luxembourg.

TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action Services

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
[email protected]
1-833-538-3606
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

, /PRNewswire/ -- Aetna®, a CVS Health® company (NYSE: CVS), announced today that more than 69 percent of its Medicare Advantage (MA) members are in 2027 plans rated 4 stars or higher (out of 5 stars) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These results position Aetna as one of the highest-performing large, publicly traded Medicare Advantage organizations in the Star Ratings program for the third consecutive year and highlight strong performance across various clinical quality, preventive care and member experience measures.

"For years, Aetna has been a leader in Star Ratings, and this year's results highlight our distinction in the market," said Steve Nelson, President of Aetna. "We continue to strengthen our business through an unwavering focus on the fundamentals and disciplined execution, and we are encouraged by our performance in areas like clinical quality and operational excellence. This focus gives us confidence in our ability to achieve our goal of returning to appropriate margins while at the same time driving continuous improvement and delivering even better experiences and outcomes for the members who count on us."

Outstanding clinical quality performance
Our 2027 Star Ratings results demonstrate excellence across several key clinical quality measures.

Aetna achieved an outstanding score on Plan All-Cause Readmissions (4.77* out of 5 stars), showcasing the strength of our care coordination programs, provider partnerships and focus on helping members successfully transition between care settings. Keeping members out of the hospital is one of the most important indicators of health care quality. Our high-performing scores on Care for Older Adults Medication Review (5.00*) and Care for Older Adults Functional Status Assessment (4.03*) demonstrate the support we provide members in managing their health and maintaining their independence. Reinforcing our commitment to early detection and preventive care, we earned strong scores on preventive screening measures, including Colorectal Cancer Screening (4.19*) and Breast Cancer Screening (4.07*). Delivering a high-quality member experience
Aetna also delivered exceptional results on measures related to member experience and the quality of our customer support.

Low rates of Complaints about the Drug Plan (4.29*) demonstrate members' confidence in our service and commitment to resolving issues quickly and effectively. Strong performance on Customer Service (4.04*), Getting Needed Care (3.89*) and Getting Needed Prescription Drugs (4.07*) further highlight our focus on making health care easier to access and navigate. Aetna earned a high score on Rating of Health Care Quality (4.22*), indicating the positive experiences members had with their health care providers and the broader care experience supported by Aetna. In addition, we demonstrated operational excellence through outstanding performance in service and administrative measures, including Call Center Foreign Language Interpreter and Teletypewriter Availability (4.99*), Reviewing Appeals Decisions (4.08*), Plan Makes Timely Decisions About Appeals (4.01*) and Drug Price Accuracy (4.01*). These results underscore our commitment to providing accurate information, fair processes, timely decisions and accessible support for every member. 

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. The Star Ratings are posted at Medicare.gov. Visit AetnaMedicare.com to learn more about the 2027 Aetna Medicare plans. Or call 1-844-588-0041 (TTY: 711), 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026. A licensed agent may answer your call.

NOTE: Information in this release is based on 2027 Star Ratings data published by CMS on October 8, 2026, and MA and MAPD enrollment as of September 2026. Individual plan ratings may vary.

*FOR STAR RATING MEASURE SCORES: All scores are based on a rating scale of five stars.

About CVS Health
 CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

About Aetna
Aetna, a CVS Health business, serves an estimated 37 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, visit Aetna.com.

Aetna Medicare is a HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our SNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. 

To send a complaint to Aetna, call the Plan or the number on your member ID card. To send a complaint to Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week. If your complaint involves a broker or agent, be sure to include the name of the person when filing your grievance.

©2026 Aetna Inc. 

Media contact
Phil Blando
[email protected] 

Investor contact
Larry McGrath 
800-201-0938 
[email protected] 

Y0001_9425651a_2027_M

SOURCE CVS Health

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

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What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

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Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

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Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.86% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

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To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

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Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) Headquartered in Woonsocket, RI, CVS Health Corporation (formerly known as CVS Caremark Corporation) is a health solutions company with integrated offerings across the entire spectrum of pharmacy care. On Sep 3, 2014, CVS Caremark Corporation announced a change of its corporate name to CVS Health to reflect its broader healthcare commitment. In 2018, CVS Health acquired insurance giant Aetna for $70-billion.

CVS is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. CVS has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 18.8% for the current fiscal year.

For fiscal 2026, four analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.20 to $8.02 per share. CVS boasts an average earnings surprise of +20.5%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, CVS should be on investors' short list.

In the closing of the recent trading day, CVS Health (CVS) stood at $87.95, denoting a +1.76% move from the preceding trading day.

Pharmacy-focused sites are opening in select communities to help increase access to pharmacy care

, /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) today unveiled its first pharmacy-focused CVS Pharmacy® in the Boston area. The new pharmacy, located at 32 Warren Street in Roxbury, will help bridge gaps in pharmacy care, and make it easier for community members to access medications, immunizations and other health care services provided by pharmacists.

CVS Pharmacy celebrates new pharmacy-focused location on Warren Street in Roxbury, MA.

CVS Pharmacy celebrates new pharmacy-focused location on Warren Street in Roxbury, MA. Nearly 20 pharmacy-focused pharmacy locations will open in select communities across the country in 2026, increasing access to vital pharmacy care. Each site will feature a full-service pharmacy with a customized selection of over-the-counter products available for purchase. Patients who would like to purchase items that are not offered at the pharmacy-focused locations can order additional items with free delivery to their home.

 With footprints averaging around 3,000 square feet, the pharmacy-focused locations will help ensure patients have access to prescription medications and the trusted advice and counsel of their neighborhood CVS pharmacist. 

"We are reimagining how pharmacy care is delivered by creating locations designed around the needs of the communities we serve," said Sid Tenneti, Senior Vice President and Interim President, Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness, CVS Health. "This new Roxbury pharmacy expands access to medications, immunizations and trusted pharmacist expertise, while reinforcing our commitment to helping people achieve better health in their own neighborhoods."

 The new Roxbury pharmacy also offers a safe medication disposal bin for patients wanting to safely dispose of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications, and is also a safe needle collection site, giving community members a convenient place to safely dispose of used sharps.

Multiple pharmacy formats to meet community health needs
The new pharmacy-focused locations are just one component of the company's work to reinvent pharmacy. By adopting a customized approach focused on the diverse needs of the communities they serve, CVS Pharmacy has worked to strategically realign its retail footprint over the last few years. The new pharmacies will help the company better support its patients in those communities, ensuring its footprint is the right size and scale, and addressing shifts in the pharmacy industry. 

These smaller neighborhood pharmacies join several other formats already in place across the country. They include CVS Pharmacy's traditional full-service front store and pharmacy locations, store-in-store pharmacies, such as those inside Target and Schnucks grocery stores, CVS Pharmacy stores that feature a MinuteClinic retail medical clinic, and side-by-side CVS Pharmacy and Oak Street Health care centers. 

The company has opened pharmacy-focused locations in Birmingham, AL, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, and Washington, D.C. The company also plans to open more than 40 new CVS Pharmacy locations this year, including traditional stores and pharmacies in Target. 

Importance of one-on-one interactions with pharmacists
The 2025 CVS Health® Rx Report highlighted that 80% of patients prefer face-to-face pharmacy care, and nearly half (48%) would switch pharmacies if limited to digital-only options. The overwhelming majority of pharmacy professionals (97%) also say in-person interactions remain vital. 

"Being able to speak with a pharmacist one-on-one, having questions answered and getting advice and counsel when needed is crucial to helping patients maintain and achieve their best health," said Marco Mares, Pharmacy Manager, CVS Pharmacy. "Our new Roxbury pharmacy is excited to welcome residents, build new relationships and serve the community's pharmacy care needs."

Whether a patient prefers the convenience of prescription delivery or prefers to visit their local pharmacy in-person, CVS Pharmacy is ensuring patients have multiple care options to choose from, depending on their individual needs. 

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

Media contacts 
Amy Thibault
401-318-2865 
[email protected]  

Roslyn Guarino
781-974-3962
[email protected] 

SOURCE CVS Health

Key Takeaways CVS Health raised Health Care Benefits' full-year adjusted operating income outlook above $5 billion.CVS saw Medicare lead core performance, supported by strong medical cost management and pricing.CVS Health said Medicaid and Commercial results met expectations and affirmed reserve adequacy. CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) raised its full-year outlook for the Health Care Benefits segment after reporting stronger underlying performance in the first half of the year. The company now expects adjusted operating income in the range of $5.03-$5.37 billion, more than $1 billion above its earlier guidance.Full-year medical benefit ratio (MBR), which tracks medical costs as a share of premiums, is expected to be 89.8%, plus or minus 25 basis points. Management said the forecast takes a prudent view of medical cost trends in the second half.

Strength in the Government business helped lift Health Care Benefits revenues more than 3% year over year to above $37 billion in the second quarter of 2026. As of the quarter end, medical membership stood at approximately 26 million, unchanged sequentially but down about 700,000 from the prior-year quarter. The year-over-year decline largely reflected CVS Health’s exit from the Individual exchange business, while growth in commercial fee-based membership provided a partial offset.

As of the quarter end, adjusted operating income was approximately $2.4 billion, while the MBR stood at 87.4%. Both improved meaningfully year over year, reflecting continued progress in the segment’s margin recovery. The results included changes in the individual exchange risk adjustment position related to the 2025 plan year and favorable prior-year development, which together contributed approximately $500 million, or 140 bps, to the quarter’s MBR.

Core performance exceeded expectations even after excluding these items, led primarily by Medicare. The business continued to see pockets of favorability from strong medical cost management and disciplined pricing. Medicaid and Commercial results were in line with expectations, while CVS maintained its confidence in the adequacy of its reserves.

CVS Peers UpdateCardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) has entered into a binding Letter of Intent to extend its existing distribution agreement with CVS Health through June 30, 2032. As part of the renewal, the company reaffirmed its fiscal 2027 non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) growth guidance of 13% to 15%, or $12.40 to $12.60, along with its long-term non-GAAP EPS growth outlook of 12% to 14%. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2027, Cardinal Health posted revenues of $63.7 billion, an increase of 6%, driven by strong demand in its Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment, along with contributions from its three growth businesses.

UnitedHealthcare (UNH - Free Report) introduced its 2027 Medicare Advantage plans, aimed at providing greater affordability, simplicity and a more connected care experience for a growing and increasingly diverse beneficiary population. More than 94% of Medicare-eligible individuals nationwide will have access to a UnitedHealthcare Medicare plan, while all members will receive $0 primary care visits, $0 preventive care services and $0 Tier 1 prescription drug copays in 2027.

CVS’ Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesOver the past six months, CVS Health shares have gained 11.3% compared with the industry’s 12.4% rise.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CVS shares are trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 10.36 compared with the 16.09 industry average. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

In the past 60 days, estimates for the company’s 2026 and 2027 earnings have increased 7.5% and 1.4%, respectively.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CVS currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Park National Corp OH reduced its stake in CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS – Free Report) by 4.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 132,587 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock after selling 6,031 shares during the quarter. Park National Corp OH’s holdings in CVS Health were worth $11,361,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Kilter Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of CVS Health in the second quarter worth about $27,000. Sankala Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of CVS Health in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 344.8% during the 1st quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 387 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. J.Safra Asset Management Corp bought a new stake in shares of CVS Health during the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in CVS Health by 201.0% in the 2nd quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC now owns 292 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.66% of the company’s stock.

CVS Health Trading Up 0.9% NYSE CVS traded up $0.79 during trading on Monday, hitting $87.25. The stock had a trading volume of 3,572,879 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,245,941. The stock has a market capitalization of $111.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.03, a P/E/G ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 0.60. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $94.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $92.01. CVS Health Corporation has a one year low of $69.51 and a one year high of $110.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.87.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The pharmacy operator reported $2.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.87 by $0.71. The company had revenue of $106.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $100.03 billion. CVS Health had a return on equity of 13.12% and a net margin of 1.18%.CVS Health’s revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.81 EPS. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.900-8.100 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that CVS Health Corporation will post 8.02 earnings per share for the current year. CVS Health Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 22nd will be given a dividend of $0.6650 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 22nd. This represents a $2.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. CVS Health’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 70.37%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have issued reports on CVS shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of CVS Health from $111.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of CVS Health in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $112.00 price objective on shares of CVS Health in a research note on Wednesday, September 9th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating on shares of CVS Health in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on shares of CVS Health from $100.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $107.24.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on CVS Health

About CVS Health (Free Report)

CVS Health Corp. is an integrated health care company that provides pharmacy, insurance and health services primarily in the United States. Its operations are designed to connect consumers, health plans, health care providers and pharmacy services across multiple points of care.

The company’s major businesses include CVS Pharmacy retail locations, prescription fulfillment and consumer health products; CVS Caremark, a pharmacy benefit management business; and Aetna, which offers health insurance products and related services for employers, individuals, government programs and other organizations.

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If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) . This company, which is in the Zacks Medical Services industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.

This drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits manager has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 27.13%.

For the last reported quarter, CVS Health came out with earnings of $2.58 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.87 per share, representing a surprise of 37.97%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $2.21 per share and it actually produced earnings of $2.57 per share, delivering a surprise of 16.29%.

Price and EPS Surprise

For CVS Health, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.

Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

CVS Health has an Earnings ESP of +0.79% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner.

When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss.

Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.

Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Earnings are arguably the most important single number on a company's quarterly financial report. Wall Street clearly dives into all of the other metrics and management's input, but the EPS figure helps cut through all the noise.

We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.

The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly earnings expectations can be profitable, but it's no simple task. Here at Zacks, our Earnings ESP filter helps make things easier.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP, or Expected Surprise Prediction, aims to find earnings surprises by focusing on the most recent analyst revisions. The basic premise is that if an analyst reevaluates their earnings estimate ahead of an earnings release, it means they likely have new information that could possibly be more accurate.

The core of the ESP model is comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, where the resulting percentage difference between the two equals the Expected Surprise Prediction. The Zacks Rank is also factored into the ESP metric to better help find companies that appear poised to top their next bottom-line consensus estimate, which will hopefully help lift the stock price.

When we join a positive earnings ESP with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or stronger, stocks posted a positive bottom-line surprise 70% of the time. Plus, this system saw investors produce roughly 28% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Stocks with a ranking of #3 (Hold), or 60% of all stocks covered by the Zacks Rank, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with rankings of #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy), or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market; Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider CVS Health?The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) earns a #3 (Hold) 30 days from its next quarterly earnings release on November 4, 2026, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $1.63 a share.

CVS Health's Earnings ESP sits at +0.79%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $1.63 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.62. CVS is also part of a large group of stocks that boast a positive ESP. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

CVS is one of just a large database of Medical stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Solventum (SOLV - Free Report) .

Solventum is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on November 5, 2026. SOLV's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $1.39 a share 31 days from its next earnings release.

Solventum's Earnings ESP figure currently stands at +2.81% after taking the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.35.

Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, CVS and SOLV could potentially post earnings beats in their next reports.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

Plans designed to provide member value and access to care: $0 copays on Tier 1 drugs and covered vaccines at in-network pharmacies* $0 copays for annual physicals, colonoscopies and mammograms at in-network providers $0 copays for annual Healthy Home Visit from a licensed Signify Health clinician Dental, vision and hearing benefits A continued focus on affordability, quality care and preserving the benefits that matter most to members through an expanded HMO portfolio and market-leading coverage of generic drugs Targeted care for high-needs members with chronic conditions and those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid Award-winning guidance and support for our members delivered through our dedicated service teams and market-leading digital tools , /PRNewswire/ -- Aetna®, a CVS Health® company (NYSE: CVS), today announced our 2027 Medicare products with choices designed to support older adults with a wide range of health needs, providing reliable benefits that enable affordability and access to quality care. We are expanding the availability of our Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans, growing our High Value Provider Incentive Program, and continuing to focus on care navigation and support.

For 2027, we will offer Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans in 41 states plus Washington, D.C., accessible by 57 million Medicare-eligible beneficiaries.* Our other offerings include Medicare Advantage-only plans, the SilverScript® Choice prescription drug plan, and Medicare Supplement and ancillary products, which can include things like dental, vision, hearing and indemnity coverage, to cover a wide range of member needs.

"The right Medicare coverage protects your health and your peace of mind," said Jeff Fernandez, president of Aetna Medicare. "Our 2027 plans put our members and their experience at the center, offering benefits and services they can trust to support their health needs and help them live their healthiest lives."

Access to affordable, high-quality care

Aetna Medicare Advantage plans are designed to deliver value for our members, making health care easier to access. Our plans are backed by strong provider networks to support quality care for our members. Highlights for 2027 include:

Maintaining affordable essential benefits: All plans have $0 copays for Tier 1 drugs at preferred pharmacies* and include dental, vision and hearing benefits plus a SilverSneakers® basic fitness membership.* In every county where Aetna Medicare Advantage plans are available, we will offer at least one plan with a $0 monthly plan premium and low or no copays for primary care visits and at least one plan with an over-the-counter allowance.  $0 cost-shares on preventive services: We offer critical in-network services at no additional cost to the member, including $0 copays for annual physicals, colonoscopies, mammograms, and routine eye and hearing exams. Most plans have $0 copays for primary care visits and many have $0 copays for labs.* Aetna Medicare Extra Benefits Card: The Extra Benefits Card is available on select plans and is powered by CVS Flex Benefits™. It offers a simplified experience with one card for all card-based benefit allowances. Eligible members can use their allowance on certain services and products at participating retail stores, including CVS® stores. Expanded High Value Provider Incentive Program: Entering its fourth year, the Aetna High Value Provider Incentive Program continues to grow, expanding into two new states for 2027. Eligible members who select a provider from the Aetna network of high-value primary care providers (PCPs) experienced in caring for Medicare members will receive additional funds on their Aetna Medicare Extra Benefits Card and, on certain plans, lower out-of-pocket costs for select services. Access to lower-cost HMO plans: This year, Aetna is giving renewed focus to HMO products within our portfolio because of the value they offer members. As part of that, we are expanding our Prime HMO plan offerings in select markets, giving members access to a network of local, trusted health care providers at a lower cost. Helping members stay healthy

At Aetna, we know our members' health needs can go beyond the doctor's office and hospital. Leveraging the power of CVS Health and teaming up with local and national service providers, our 2027 Medicare Advantage plans include supplemental benefits and programs designed to help members stay healthy and independent, such as:

Dental, vision and hearing: All our plans include dental, eyewear and hearing aid benefits with $0 routine dental, hearing and eye exams in network. SilverSneakers: We continue to offer a SilverSneakers basic fitness membership to all individual MA members at no additional cost.* Through SilverSneakers, members have access to thousands of gyms, exercise programs at community centers and parks, and other resources, including mental enrichment, nutrition workshops and well-being classes. Healthy Home Visit through Signify Health®: All MA plans offer an annual Healthy Home Visit from a licensed Signify Health physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant at no additional cost. From the comfort of their home, members can receive a comprehensive health assessment and evaluation of their home environment to identify fall risks, social support and clinical needs. Findings from the assessment are shared with the member and their primary care provider, helping to improve care coordination and keep members healthy. Aetna Resources For Living® (RFL®): RFL supports members' physical and emotional well-being needs, such as offering resources to address loneliness and connecting members with community resources including local transportation, housing and food programs, and caregiver support programs.* Over-the-counter (OTC) benefit: Many Aetna plans include an OTC benefit powered by CVS Flex Benefits. It provides an allowance to purchase certain health and wellness products like toothbrushes, cold and flu medication, and pain relievers at participating retail stores, online or by phone. Care for those with special needs

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 90% of adults age 65 and older have at least one chronic condition, and many face social and financial challenges that impact their health. Our Special Needs Plans come with support from a dedicated care team to help coordinate care for members and create a more seamless experience for them.

Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs): In 2027, Aetna will expand C-SNP availability to six new states for a total of 25 states where they are available. These plans are for members with a qualifying chronic condition, such as diabetes mellitus, chronic heart failure and certain cardiovascular disorders, and focus on care coordination. C-SNPs also include targeted benefits to help with members' health needs, such as $0 copays for primary care visits and certain specialist visits related to eligible chronic conditions. Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs): These plans are for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, offering coordinated coverage across both programs.    All C-SNP and D-SNP members get a monthly allowance on an Extra Benefits Card for certain over-the-counter (OTC) products. Those with a qualifying chronic condition who meet all other eligibility requirements can use the monthly allowance to help pay for additional everyday expenses, including certain healthy groceries, personal care products, transportation and utilities.

Prescription drug coverage

We provide options for individuals to access their medication at a price that's right for them. For 2027, we will continue to offer prescription drug coverage through our stand-alone SilverScript prescription drug plan (PDP) and as part of our integrated Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans — all backed by CVS Health. Changes and highlights include: 

$0 dollar coverage across Medicare Advantage plan types: MAPD: All Aetna MAPD plans have $0 Tier 1 drug copays at preferred pharmacies. D-SNP: All Aetna D-SNPs feature $0 Tier 1 drug copays, and many have $0 Tier 1 and Tier 2 drug copays for up to a 100-day supply at in-network pharmacies.* Low Income Subsidy (LIS) copays will apply for remaining generic and brand formulary drugs. C-SNP:  These plans use a custom drug list that offers targeted generic drugs with a $0 Tier 1 drug copay to help members manage their chronic conditions.*   $0 copay on covered vaccines: Many vaccines will be available to members with a $0 copay at in-network pharmacies.* Pharmacy network: Members will have access to a broad pharmacy network, including CVS®, Walgreens, Walmart and grocers such as Kroger, Albertsons and H-E-B. Stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) coverage: Our SilverScript Choice plan offers prescription drug coverage with reduced cost-sharing, including $0 Tier 1 drug copays.* Innovation for a smoother member experience

Navigating the health care system can be complex. Aetna combines award-winning digital tools and portals with personalized support that provides clear guidance, simplifies complex information and acts as partner in health, helping members navigate their health care with greater confidence.

Aetna Clinical Collaboration: We continue to expand the Aetna Clinical Collaboration program. This brings Aetna nurses* together with hospital staff to help Medicare Advantage members get the care and support they need to remain healthy when they return home from the hospital or make the transition into a skilled nursing facility.     Useful digital tools: We're using technology to deliver a better member experience. For example, we've added conversational AI to the award-winning Aetna HealthSM app, providing AI-powered navigation using plain language to help members understand and access their health benefits. We've also introduced Aetna Care Paths, which is available to Medicare Advantage members through the Aetna Health app and uses AI to clarify benefits and procedures and offer personalized care guidance for certain conditions. Enhancements to prior authorization: We're simplifying the care experience through enhancements to prior authorization by making the process faster, more transparent and easier to navigate. We're proud that more than 95% of eligible prior authorizations are approved within 24 hours and 82% are processed in real time. *While only your doctor can diagnose, prescribe or give medical advice, the care management nurses can provide information on a variety of health topics.

Visit AetnaMedicare.com to learn more about our 2027 Aetna Medicare plans. Or call 1-844-588-0041 (TTY: 711), 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026. A licensed agent may answer your call.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

About Aetna

Aetna, a CVS Health business, serves an estimated 37 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, visit Aetna.com.

The Aetna C-SNP is available to Medicare members who have at least one of the qualifying chronic conditions. To ensure a successful enrollment process, we'll confirm with your healthcare provider that you have one of these eligible conditions. If verification of eligible condition is not received, involuntary disenrollment will occur.

Aetna Medicare is a HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our D-SNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. The formulary/or pharmacy network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary. The Aetna Medicare pharmacy network includes limited lower cost, preferred pharmacies in Suburban Arizona, Urban Kansas, Urban Missouri, Rural Michigan, Rural Nebraska, Rural North Dakota, Suburban West Virginia and Suburban Puerto Rico. The lower costs advertised in our plan materials for these pharmacies may not be available at the pharmacy you use. For up-to-date information about our network pharmacies, including whether there are any lower-cost preferred pharmacies in your area, members please call the number on your ID card, non-members please call 1-833-278-3928 (TTY: 711) or consult the online pharmacy directory. Other pharmacies and providers are available in our network. Participating health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change.    {Multiple condition disclaimer (Extra Supports Wallet only, non HHP (multiple conditions))} The benefit(s) mentioned are part of special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill (SSBCI). SSBCI conditions include but are not limited to: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and chronic lung disorders. Eligibility is determined by whether you have a chronic condition associated with the benefit(s). Standards and conditions vary for each benefit. Contact us to confirm the specific SSBCI condition requirements for the benefit(s) for this plan and determine your eligibility. {C-SNP (ESW and ESW + HVP (CHF, diabetes, cardio disorders))} The benefit(s) mentioned are part of special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill (SSBCI). SSBCI conditions include certain cardiovascular disorders, congestive heart failure, and diabetes. Eligibility is determined by whether you have a chronic condition associated with the benefit(s). Standards and conditions vary for each benefit. Contact us to confirm the specific SSBCI condition requirements for the benefit(s) for this plan and determine your eligibility.

To send a complaint to Aetna, call the Plan or the number on your member ID card. To send a complaint to Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week. If your complaint involves a broker or agent, be sure to include the name of the person when filing your grievance.

SilverScript is a Prescription Drug Plan with a Medicare contract marketed through Aetna Medicare. Enrollment in SilverScript depends on contract renewal. 

SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. ©<2026> Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Resources For Living® is the brand name used for products and services offered through the Aetna® group of subsidiary companies.

Aetna, CVS Pharmacy, CVS Caremark and Signify Health are part of the CVS Health family of companies.

*FOR $0 TIER 1 COPAYS: General enrollment MAPD plans and select C-SNPs have $0 copays on Tier 1 drugs at preferred pharmacies.

*FOR MAPD PLAN NUMBERS: This number includes the Aetna joint venture in Minnesota (with Allina Health). 

*FOR SILVERSNEAKERS MEMBERSHIP: SilverSneakers is not available for Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) members.

*FOR $0 PCP AND LAB COPAYS: For 2027, 97% of all Aetna MAPD plans have a $0 copay for PCP visits and 70% have $0 copays for labs. 

*FOR RFL RESOURCES: RFL is not available for members with Aetna Part D (prescription-only) plans, Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) or Medicare Supplement plans.  

*FOR 100-DAY SUPPLY: Not all medications are dispensable in a 100-day supply due to unbreakable package sizing (e.g., inhalers), or as a result of being a controlled substance.

*FOR VACCINE COVERAGE: Adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will be available to members with a $0 copay at in-network pharmacies.  

©2026 Aetna Inc.  

Y0001_9333750_2027_M

Media contact 

Phil Blando
[email protected] 

Investor contact 

Larry McGrath 
800-201-0938 
[email protected] 

SOURCE CVS Health

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) has announced that its board of directors has approved a quarterly dividend of sixty-six and one-half cents ($0.665 cents) per share on the Common Stock of the Corporation.

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NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (“KSF”), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into CVS Health Corporation (“CVS” or the “Company”) (NYSE: CVS).

On August 2, 2023, the Company announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, disclosing that it was revising its diluted earnings-per-share ("EPS") guidance range to $6.53 to $6.75 from $6.90 to $7.12 and that operating income "decreased $1.4 billion, or 30.7%, in the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the prior year primarily due to declines in the Health Care Benefits segment[.]"

Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period in violation of federal securities laws, which remains ongoing.

KSF’s investigation is focusing on whether CVS’ officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to its shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of CVS shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-833-538-3606 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cvs/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation’s premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, and a representative office in Luxembourg.

TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action Services

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

More News From Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

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Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm to discuss their rights and options at no cost or obligation. We would handle any matter on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses.

Shareholders should contact the firm immediately as there may be limited time to enforce your rights. 

, /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of CVS Health Corporation (NYSE: CVS) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.

If you currently own CVS stock and are a long-term shareholder, you may be able to seek corporate governance reforms, the return of funds back to the company, a court-approved financial incentive award, or other relief and benefits. Please click here to learn more about your legal rights and options or contact Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or [email protected] or [email protected].

Why Your Participation Matters:

Shareholder involvement can help improve a company's policies, practices, and oversight mechanisms to create a more transparent, accountable, and effectively managed organization, which can enhance shareholder value.

Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Halper Sadeh LLC

One World Trade Center

85th Floor

New York, NY 10007

Daniel Sadeh, Esq.

Zachary Halper, Esq.

(212) 763-0060

[email protected]

[email protected] 

https://www.halpersadeh.com

SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP

The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

CVS Health currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.32, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 25 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.32 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 25 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 20 are Strong Buy and two are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 80% and 8% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for CVS

Check price target & stock forecast for CVS Health here>>>

The ABR suggests buying CVS Health, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.

In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABRAlthough both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1--5, they are different measures altogether.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Is CVS a Good Investment?Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for CVS Health, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $8.02.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for CVS Health. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for CVS Health.

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) Headquartered in Woonsocket, RI, CVS Health Corporation (formerly known as CVS Caremark Corporation) is a health solutions company with integrated offerings across the entire spectrum of pharmacy care. On Sep 3, 2014, CVS Caremark Corporation announced a change of its corporate name to CVS Health to reflect its broader healthcare commitment. In 2018, CVS Health acquired insurance giant Aetna for $70-billion.

CVS is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 10.7; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2026, 12 analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.56 to $8.02 per share. CVS boasts an average earnings surprise of +20.5%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, CVS should be on investors' short list.

CVS Pharmacy® and MinuteClinic® offer MMR vaccinations to help protect eligible patients and communities

, /PRNewswire/ -- Following the Tennessee Department of Health's recent confirmation of nine measles cases in the state, CVS Health® (NYSE:CVS) is reminding Tennesseans that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is available at CVS Pharmacy® and MinuteClinic® locations statewide for eligible patients.

Amid measles outbreak, MMR vaccine available at CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations in Tennessee. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles is a disease that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Common symptoms of measles include fever, which may exceed 104°F, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed by a red, blotchy rash. Symptoms can appear seven to 14 days after exposure but may take up to 21 days.

Measles is highly contagious. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected. An infected person can spread measles to others even before knowing they have the disease—from four days before developing the measles rash through four days afterward. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles.

The MMR vaccine may provide some protection if given within the first three days (72 hours) after exposure to measles. It is also important for anyone who has not been vaccinated to receive the MMR vaccine to help protect against measles (also mumps and rubella) during future measles exposure. Measles can be prevented with measles-containing vaccines. The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine, typically administered at 12 to 15 months of age and again at 4 to 6 years of age.

Patients ages 3 and older can receive the MMR vaccine at any of the 134 CVS Pharmacy locations in Tennessee. At MinuteClinic, nurse practitioners and physician associates can provide the recommended second vaccination to children 4 to 6 years old. The first dose, if planned to be given during the recommended age of 12 to 15 months old, cannot be administered at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic.

People are considered immune to measles if they have received two MMR vaccines or were born before 1957. Measles booster vaccines are also available for certain groups, including college students, international travelers and health care personnel. Individuals in these populations should consult a health care professional to determine whether they need an additional dose. Pharmacy and MinuteClinic staff can assist patients in determining whether the vaccine is covered by their insurance plan.

While walk-ins are accepted at CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic, patients are encouraged to schedule a vaccination appointment at CVS.com or via the CVS Health app in advance to ensure vaccine availability. Vaccination appointments at MinuteClinic can also be scheduled by visiting MinuteClinic.com.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

Media contact
Amy Thibault
401-318-2865
[email protected] 

SOURCE CVS Health