CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 7.300-7.500 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 7.160. The company issued revenue guidance of $405.0B-, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $405.4 billion.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently commented on CVS shares. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on shares of CVS Health from $93.00 to $107.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday. Sanford C. Bernstein raised CVS Health from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their target price for the company from $91.00 to $94.00 in a report on Thursday, March 12th. DA Davidson boosted their price objective on CVS Health from $80.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of CVS Health from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on CVS Health from $97.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $95.92.

CVS Health Price Performance

Shares of CVS traded up $2.16 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $89.52. 3,250,315 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,466,064. CVS Health has a one year low of $58.35 and a one year high of $89.81. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $76.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $78.03. The company has a market capitalization of $114.73 billion, a PE ratio of 39.44, a PEG ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.87 and a quick ratio of 0.63.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The pharmacy operator reported $2.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.21 by $0.36. The company had revenue of $100.43 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.99 billion. CVS Health had a net margin of 0.72% and a return on equity of 11.88%. The company’s revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.25 EPS. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.300-7.500 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that CVS Health will post 7.14 earnings per share for the current year.

CVS Health Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 23rd were given a dividend of $0.665 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, April 23rd. This represents a $2.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.0%. CVS Health’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 192.75%.

Key CVS Health News

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

• Positive Sentiment: CVS reported Q1 results that beat on both EPS and revenue, raised full?year adjusted EPS guidance, and cited reserve benefits and stronger Aetna profitability as drivers — the core reason shares are trading up. CVS Raises 2026 Outlook As Shares Jump 9.8%
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple sell?side firms bumped price targets and kept buy ratings (Truist, UBS, DA Davidson, Deutsche Bank), providing near?term upside support from analysts reiterating the recovery story. Truist Positive Forecast Deutsche Bank $92 PT UBS Raises PT to $100
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlights improving MA (Medicare Advantage) payment trends and Aetna’s rising quality ratings, which support management’s path to 2028 margin targets and underpin the insurance recovery thesis. Seeking Alpha: Rapidly Improving Metrics
• Positive Sentiment: High?profile endorsement: Jim Cramer has been publicly favorable on CVS, calling the name a winner in the pharmacy/retail healthcare space — that kind of media attention can amplify buying interest. Jim Cramer’s Big Prediction About CVS
• Positive Sentiment: Operational momentum: CVS reported higher prescription volumes in Q1 and cited improving PBM/retail trends — supporting revenue growth and margin leverage as insurance costs normalize. Supermarket News: Increased Prescription Volume
• Neutral Sentiment: Strategic initiatives — expanded biosimilar formulary updates, AI pilots and community programs — could lower costs and improve care over time, but these are execution plays rather than immediate EPS drivers. CVS Bets On Biosimilars And AI
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation/structural risk: some analysts warn the PBM/pharmacy core faces structural margin pressure and that current insurance profitability could be cyclical — a reminder that upside depends on sustained improvement, not just one quarter of beats. Trefis: Transformation Facing Hard Valuation Floor

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC lifted its stake in shares of CVS Health by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC now owns 3,442 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 15,059 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $1,031,000 after acquiring an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. Beck Mack & Oliver LLC grew its holdings in CVS Health by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Beck Mack & Oliver LLC now owns 21,248 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $1,686,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Zacks Investment Management lifted its stake in shares of CVS Health by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Zacks Investment Management now owns 7,265 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $577,000 after buying an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Logan Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of CVS Health by 1.4% in the third quarter. Logan Capital Management Inc. now owns 13,448 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $1,014,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. 80.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About CVS Health

CVS Health Corporation is a diversified healthcare company that operates a large network of retail pharmacies, pharmacy benefit management services and health care solutions. Headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the company traces its roots to the early 1960s and has grown into an integrated provider of prescription drugs, over?the?counter products, clinical services and health insurance offerings. Its operating model combines retail pharmacy locations and in?store clinics with broader pharmacy and health plan capabilities.

Key business activities include CVS Pharmacy retail operations, MinuteClinic walk?in medical clinics and HealthHUB locations that offer expanded clinical services.