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.

CVS Health Stock Down 1.6%

CVS opened at $80.67 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $103.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 58.46, a PEG ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 0.60. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $76.40 and its 200 day simple moving average is $77.96. CVS Health has a 52 week low of $58.35 and a 52 week high of $85.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The pharmacy operator reported $2.57 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.21 by $0.36. CVS Health had a net margin of 0.44% and a return on equity of 11.31%. The firm had revenue of $100.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.300-7.500 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that CVS Health will post 7.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CVS Health Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 23rd were paid a dividend of $0.665 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, April 23rd. This represents a $2.66 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.3%. CVS Health’s dividend payout ratio is presently 192.75%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on CVS shares. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded CVS Health from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $91.00 to $94.00 in a report on Thursday, March 12th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of CVS Health in a research report on Friday, March 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on CVS Health from $95.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, HSBC increased their target price on CVS Health from $83.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, CVS Health presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $94.61.

Key Stories Impacting CVS Health

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat and guidance raise — CVS reported adjusted EPS $2.57 (vs. $2.21 est.), revenue $100.4B (vs. $94.97B est.), and raised full-year GAAP and adjusted EPS and cash-flow guidance, signaling better-than-expected operating leverage. PR Newswire Reuters
• Positive Sentiment: Insurance turnaround lifting results — Management attributed much of the improvement to Aetna’s better margins and tighter medical-cost controls, reducing a prior earnings overhang for the company. CNBC
• Positive Sentiment: Biosimilar formulary moves support margin and client-savings goals — CVS Caremark will prefer interchangeable biosimilars over select reference biologics starting July 1, expected to cut pharmacy spend and improve gross margins for PBM clients and CVS. PR Newswire – Biosimilars
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst price-target tweak — HSBC raised its CVS price target to $85 while keeping a Hold rating, a modest endorsement but not a change to consensus sentiment. MarketScreener
• Neutral Sentiment: Strategic VC investment — CVS Health Ventures invested in Fathom to accelerate autonomous coding capabilities; strategic but not immediately material to near-term revenue. Yahoo (investment note)
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive media/TV commentary — Jim Cramer suggested CVS could deliver a strong quarter ahead of results, a sentiment tailwind but not a fundamental driver. InsiderMonkey
• Negative Sentiment: Partnership/strategy scrutiny — An opinion piece flagged potential trade-offs from CVS’s affiliation with Mass General Brigham around access vs. cost; these debates can create regulatory or reputational noise for care-expansion plans. Boston Globe

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CVS Health

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Swiss RE Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of CVS Health in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its holdings in CVS Health by 407.2% in the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 350 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 281 shares during the period. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in CVS Health during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in CVS Health during the fourth quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, Prosperity Bancshares Inc purchased a new stake in CVS Health during the fourth quarter worth approximately $43,000. 80.66% of the stock is currently 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.