CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) Raised to "Buy" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded CVS Health to “Buy” from “Hold,” adding to a broadly positive analyst backdrop. Across the Street, 21 analysts now rate CVS a Buy versus 3 Holds, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $105.38.
• CVS shares were down 2.4% on the day even after the upgrade, opening at $107.96. The stock has traded between a 52-week low of $58.50 and a high of $110.68, and recently sat above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Recent fundamentals were solid: CVS reported Q1 earnings of $2.57 per share, beating estimates, and revenue of $100.43 billion, also above expectations. The company reiterated FY2026 EPS guidance of 7.30 to 7.50, while insider selling and a lawsuit over alleged 340B pricing practices add some caution.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued on Thursday.

CVS has been the subject of several other reports. Mizuho lifted their price target on CVS Health from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, June 8th. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and set a $113.00 price target on shares of CVS Health in a report on Monday, June 1st. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of CVS Health from $108.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on CVS Health from $106.00 to $111.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of CVS Health from $101.00 to $111.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, CVS Health presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $105.38.

CVS Health Stock Down 2.4%

Shares of CVS stock opened at $107.96 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.87. The business's fifty day moving average is $99.78 and its 200-day moving average is $85.78. CVS Health has a 1 year low of $58.50 and a 1 year high of $110.68. The stock has a market cap of $137.75 billion, a PE ratio of 47.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.61.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The pharmacy operator reported $2.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.21 by $0.36. CVS Health had a net margin of 0.72% and a return on equity of 11.88%. The firm had revenue of $100.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.99 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.25 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.300-7.500 EPS. Equities analysts expect that CVS Health will post 7.46 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other CVS Health news, EVP Tilak Mandadi sold 69,551 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.58, for a total transaction of $6,230,378.58. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,133 shares in the company, valued at approximately $907,714.14. The trade was a 87.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Larry Robbins sold 370,462 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.45, for a total value of $34,619,673.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,824,799 shares in the company, valued at $450,877,466.55. This represents a 7.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 3,441,551 shares of company stock valued at $323,703,977. 0.85% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Trust Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of CVS Health by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 14,171 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock valued at $1,466,000 after purchasing an additional 149 shares in the last quarter. Walker Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of CVS Health in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $207,000. Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of CVS Health during the second quarter worth $253,000. Annex Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 5.7% in the 2nd quarter. Annex Advisory Services LLC now owns 6,867 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock valued at $710,000 after purchasing an additional 368 shares during the period. Finally, Tema ETFs LLC raised its position in CVS Health by 10.5% in the 2nd quarter. Tema ETFs LLC now owns 22,903 shares of the pharmacy operator's stock valued at $2,369,000 after buying an additional 2,175 shares during the last quarter. 80.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More CVS Health News

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

• Positive Sentiment: CVS is expanding its pharmacy offering to include select pet prescriptions nationwide, a move that could drive incremental foot traffic and sales. Pet medications now available at CVS Pharmacy®
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary noted improving execution and a better payer margin outlook, which can reinforce confidence in CVS’s earnings trajectory. CVS Health Corporation (CVS) Rose on Improving Execution and Payer Margin Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: CVS also highlighted ongoing community health investments in Massachusetts, underscoring its broader social and healthcare footprint, though the immediate stock impact appears limited. CVS Health Helping to Strengthen Communities Across Massachusetts
• Negative Sentiment: Henry Ford Health’s lawsuit alleging a 340B pricing scheme creates legal and reimbursement uncertainty, which could pressure sentiment around CVS’s pharmacy operations. Henry Ford Health sues CVS over alleged $29 million pricing scheme

CVS Health Company Profile

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.

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