CVS Health (CVS) to Release Earnings on Wednesday

Key Points

• Q1 2026 results due Wed May 6 before market open: Analysts expect $2.21 EPS and about $94.98B revenue, and CVS has set FY2026 guidance of $5.94–$6.14 EPS.
• CVS topped last quarter's estimates (EPS $1.09 vs. $1.00; revenue $105.69B) and pays a quarterly dividend of $0.665 (annualized $2.66, 3.3% yield) despite a high payout ratio of 192.75%.
• Market sentiment is broadly constructive—unusual call buying ahead of earnings, optimism around Medicare Advantage tailwinds and loyalty/AI initiatives—and analysts' consensus is a Moderate Buy with a $95.05 average price target.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS - Get Free Report) is expected to be releasing its Q1 2026 results before the market opens on Wednesday, May 6th. Analysts expect CVS Health to post earnings of $2.21 per share and revenue of $94.9783 billion for the quarter. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.940-6.140 EPS. Interested persons are encouraged to explore the company's upcoming Q1 2026 earning overview page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 8:00 AM ET.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The pharmacy operator reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.00 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $105.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $103.67 billion. CVS Health had a return on equity of 11.31% and a net margin of 0.44%.The business's revenue was up 8.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.19 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect CVS Health to post $7 EPS for the current fiscal year and $8 EPS for the next fiscal year.

CVS Health Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:CVS opened at $81.07 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The business's 50 day moving average price is $76.08 and its 200-day moving average price is $77.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $103.90 billion, a PE ratio of 58.75, a P/E/G ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 0.51. CVS Health has a 1 year low of $58.35 and a 1 year high of $85.15.

CVS Health Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 23rd will be paid a dividend of $0.665 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 23rd. This represents a $2.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. CVS Health's payout ratio is 192.75%.

CVS Health News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Heavy bullish options flow ahead of earnings: unusually large call buying has been reported (28,507 calls traded, ~44% above average), suggesting some investors are positioning for an upside into CVS’s May earnings. Unusual Call Option Activity in CVS Ahead of Its Earnings Shows Investors are Bullish
• Positive Sentiment: Renewed optimism around earnings outlook and Medicare Advantage tailwinds: coverage notes link recent guidance reiteration/raise, Aetna margin recovery plans and a favorable CMS MA payment update as drivers supporting sentiment. CVS rises as investors focus on earnings outlook and Medicare Advantage tailwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Loyalty program revamp could boost retail & pharmacy margins: CVS announced a two‑tiered benefits redesign for its loyalty program, which can increase customer retention and spend per visit if adoption is strong. CVS revamps loyalty program with two-tiered benefits
• Positive Sentiment: Operational/tech recognition: CVS won Gold (Enterprise AI) and Silver (Customer Experience AI) at the 2026 Stevie Awards — a signal the company’s AI investments are producing production‑grade results that may improve efficiency and CX. CVS Health Wins Gold in Enterprise AI, and Silver in Customer Experience AI at 2026 Stevie®
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/earnings previews lean constructive: sector stories and screens (Zacks/Yahoo) list CVS among names expected to beat Q1 estimates, adding to the positive narrative into results season. Should You Invest in the iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF)?
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth and CVS standardize prior‑authorization rules — could reduce friction for members/providers but impact to near‑term revenue/margins is uncertain. UnitedHealth, CVS standardize prior authorization rules
• Neutral Sentiment: Executive hire: CVS named a former Sutter Health executive as its new security chief — operational governance move with limited immediate market impact. CVS taps former Sutter Health executive as security chief
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry/competitor context: coverage on Cardinal Health and healthcare ETFs offers broader sector signals but no direct company catalyst. William Blair Initiates Cardinal Health at Outperform
• Negative Sentiment: Large institutional portfolio moves noted in filings: some big managers trimmed CVS positions substantially in recent quarters (listed in institutional activity summaries), which could be a headwind if selling continues. CVS rises as investors focus on earnings outlook and Medicare Advantage tailwinds

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CVS Health

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of CVS. Sei Investments Co. increased its holdings in CVS Health by 17.4% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 905,715 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock worth $62,474,000 after purchasing an additional 134,535 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its holdings in CVS Health by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,121,377 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock worth $77,353,000 after purchasing an additional 13,329 shares during the period. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its holdings in CVS Health by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 585,073 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock worth $40,358,000 after purchasing an additional 7,588 shares during the period. HUB Investment Partners LLC increased its holdings in CVS Health by 25.0% during the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 15,063 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock worth $1,039,000 after purchasing an additional 3,011 shares during the period. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its holdings in CVS Health by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,609,404 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock worth $111,017,000 after purchasing an additional 119,439 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.66% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have weighed in on CVS. Wolfe Research lowered their price objective on CVS Health from $100.00 to $97.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein raised CVS Health from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $91.00 to $94.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Bank of America lowered their price objective on CVS Health from $100.00 to $95.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on CVS Health from $95.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on CVS Health from $101.00 to $99.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. Twenty research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $95.05.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.