Franklin Resources Inc. Trims Stock Position in CVS Health Corporation $CVS

Franklin Resources Inc. reduced its stake in shares of CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) by 47.8% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 3,762,062 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock after selling 3,438,834 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in CVS Health were worth $298,557,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of CVS Health by 407.2% during the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new stake in shares of CVS Health during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of CVS Health by 93.7% during the 4th quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 370 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 179 shares in the last quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of CVS Health during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, MidAtlantic Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of CVS Health during the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Institutional investors own 80.66% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other CVS Health news, Director Larry Robbins sold 1,983,538 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.45, for a total transaction of $187,345,164.10. Following the transaction, the director owned 6,213,261 shares in the company, valued at approximately $586,842,501.45. This represents a 24.20% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Tilak Mandadi sold 69,551 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 10,133 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $907,714.14. The trade was a 87.28% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 3,441,551 shares of company stock worth $323,703,977 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.85% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $88.00 to $92.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, DA Davidson boosted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $80.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, CVS Health has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $100.68.

CVS Health Price Performance

CVS opened at $96.97 on Wednesday. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $123.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.72, a P/E/G ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 0.62. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $85.19 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $80.32. CVS Health Corporation has a 52-week low of $58.50 and a 52-week high of $98.43.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) last posted 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 business had revenue of $100.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $94.99 billion. CVS Health had a net margin of 0.72% and a return on equity of 11.88%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.25 EPS. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.300-7.500 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that CVS Health Corporation will post 7.44 EPS for the current year.

CVS Health Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 23rd were paid a dividend of $0.665 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, April 23rd. This represents a $2.66 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. CVS Health’s dividend payout ratio is currently 117.18%.

CVS Health News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target on CVS to $115 from $100 and reiterated a buy rating, signaling confidence that the shares can still move higher. UBS adjusts price target on CVS Health to $115 from $100, maintains buy rating
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to highlight growth initiatives, including expanded GLP-1 access, new AI and patient-care programs, and a new CFO appointment for its health care delivery business, all of which suggest ongoing investment in operational execution. CVS Health valuation check as GLP-1 access expands and PBM scrutiny intensifies
• Positive Sentiment: CVS also received recognition for technology that improves medication safety and patient care, reinforcing its push to position itself as a broader health services company rather than only a pharmacy chain. CVS Health recognized for technology that improves medication safety and patient care

CVS Health 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.