Rakuten Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS – Free Report) by 10.5% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 208,478 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 19,807 shares during the period. Rakuten Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in CVS Health were worth $21,594,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CVS. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of CVS Health in the second quarter worth $12,747,462,000. Norges Bank bought a new stake in CVS Health during the fourth quarter worth about $1,666,265,000. Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in CVS Health by 148.0% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 23,188,670 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $2,398,868,000 after buying an additional 13,836,701 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in CVS Health by 193.2% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 18,564,392 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $1,473,270,000 after buying an additional 12,233,675 shares during the period. Finally, Pzena Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of CVS Health in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,217,558,000. 80.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of research analysts recently issued reports on CVS shares. Wall Street Zen raised shares of CVS Health from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of CVS Health in a report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on CVS Health from $107.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Bank of America boosted their target price on CVS Health from $100.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Argus increased their target price on shares of CVS Health from $104.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $107.17.
Trending Headlines about CVS Health
Here are the key news stories impacting CVS Health this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Pharmacy momentum supports the turnaround case. Rising prescription volumes, gains associated with Rite Aid and improving pharmacy profitability could provide support for CVS’s second-half outlook. This adds to the company’s recent earnings momentum, including revenue growth and an earnings beat in its latest reported quarter. How CVS’ Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness Is Positioned for H2 2026
- Positive Sentiment: Updated flu vaccines are now available nationwide. CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic are offering the 2026–2027 vaccines, while expanded testing and treatment services may increase seasonal customer traffic. A company survey found that more than 60% of consumers are likely to get a flu shot, though the earnings effect is likely to be seasonal and modest. CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic Now Offering Updated Flu Vaccines Nationwide
- Positive Sentiment: Value-focused coverage is reinforcing rebound expectations. Zacks characterizes CVS as a potential long-term value stock, while Trefis notes that the company’s historical drawdowns have often eventually recovered. These are sentiment and valuation arguments rather than new financial guidance, but they may attract investors seeking a healthcare turnaround at a relatively reasonable valuation. Why CVS Health Is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
- Neutral Sentiment: ACA insurer exits create both opportunity and uncertainty. Cigna, Molina and other carriers are leaving Obamacare exchanges in 2027. The disruption could create enrollment opportunities for Aetna, CVS’s insurance business, but also highlights regulatory, pricing and membership risks across the sector. All the Insurers Exiting ACA Obamacare Exchanges for 2027
- Negative Sentiment: Political pressure on vertically integrated healthcare companies remains a risk. Mark Cuban’s support for breaking up “big medicine” adds to scrutiny of insurers, pharmacy benefit managers and large healthcare platforms. No specific policy action against CVS was announced, but potential structural or regulatory changes could weigh on sentiment. Mark Cuban Backs Plan to Break Up Big Medicine
CVS Health Trading Up 0.2%
CVS opened at $93.15 on Friday. CVS Health Corporation has a twelve month low of $69.51 and a twelve month high of $110.68. The company has a fifty day moving average of $101.42 and a 200-day moving average of $89.46. The stock has a market cap of $119.14 billion, a PE ratio of 24.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a quick ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.
CVS Health (NYSE:CVS – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The pharmacy operator reported $2.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.71. The firm had revenue of $106.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $100.03 billion. CVS Health had a return on equity of 13.12% and a net margin of 1.18%.The company’s revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.81 earnings per share. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.900-8.100 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that CVS Health Corporation will post 8.02 EPS for the current year.
CVS Health Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 23rd were issued a dividend of $0.665 per share. This represents a $2.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 23rd. CVS Health’s payout ratio is currently 70.37%.
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.
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