CVS Health Corporation $CVS Stock Holdings Lessened by North Dakota State Investment Board

North Dakota State Investment Board cut its stake in shares of CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) by 12.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 44,476 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock after selling 6,352 shares during the period. North Dakota State Investment Board’s holdings in CVS Health were worth $3,811,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Handelsbanken Fonder AB raised its holdings in CVS Health by 83.6% during the 2nd quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 1,089,694 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $112,729,000 after buying an additional 496,124 shares during the period. BNP Paribas lifted its stake in CVS Health by 105.2% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas now owns 49,971 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $5,154,000 after buying an additional 25,617 shares in the last quarter. Nykredit A S purchased a new stake in CVS Health during the second quarter valued at about $209,813,000. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of CVS Health in the second quarter worth about $49,622,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in shares of CVS Health by 148.0% in 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 during the period. 80.66% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on CVS shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $111.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating on shares of CVS Health in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of CVS Health from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 19th. HSBC reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $103.00 price objective on shares of CVS Health in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $112.00 price objective on shares of CVS Health in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. Twenty research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $107.80.

CVS Health Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of CVS Health stock opened at $89.99 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $91.36 and a 200 day moving average price of $88.67. The company has a market cap of $115.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.81, a P/E/G ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. CVS Health Corporation has a 1 year low of $69.51 and a 1 year high of $110.68.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The pharmacy operator reported $2.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.71. CVS Health had a return on equity of 13.12% and a net margin of 1.18%. The company had revenue of $106.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $100.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.81 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.900-8.100 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that CVS Health Corporation will post 8.02 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CVS Health Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, October 22nd will be issued a dividend of $0.6650 per share. This represents a $2.66 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 22nd. CVS Health’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 70.37%.

CVS Health News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: A bullish preview upgraded CVS to “buy” with a $115 price target, citing accelerating earnings, higher guidance, improved margins, lower leverage, strong free cash flow and a sustainable dividend. CVS previously reported quarterly revenue growth of 7.3% and EPS well above consensus. CVS Q3 Preview: Accelerating Growth, Near 3% Yield, Meaningful Upside Long-Term
• Positive Sentiment: CVS is reportedly piloting a program that expands pharmacists’ role in chronic-care management. If successful, the initiative could improve patient engagement, support care outcomes and create additional healthcare-service revenue opportunities. CVS Health is reportedly piloting pharmacists in chronic health management
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ average recommendation remains equivalent to “buy,” but the reports caution that consensus ratings can be overly optimistic and should not be viewed as a standalone investment signal. Brokers Suggest Investing in CVS Health
• Negative Sentiment: CVS and its Aetna unit sued to challenge Medicare Advantage star ratings that could reduce payments by approximately $2 billion. The litigation highlights potentially material pressure on the company’s government-benefits business and creates uncertainty around future earnings. CVS sues to prevent $2B Medicare Advantage star ratings hit
• Negative Sentiment: The University of Kentucky sued CVS, alleging RICO violations and claiming the university is owed $41 million. The case adds another legal overhang and could raise costs or reputational concerns if the allegations gain traction. UK sues CVS, accuses the pharmacy of RICO
• Negative Sentiment: Pharmacy workers in Rhode Island rallied over staffing and contract issues, signaling continued labor and operating challenges across CVS’s retail footprint. CVS workers in Rhode Island rally over staffing

CVS Health Profile

CVS Health Corporation (NYSE: CVS) is a diversified health care company that provides pharmacy, insurance and health services in the United States. Its businesses serve consumers, employers, health plans and health care providers through pharmacies, benefit programs, insurance coverage and clinical care services.

The company’s Pharmacy Services segment, led by CVS Caremark, manages prescription drug benefits for employers, insurers and government programs. CVS Pharmacy operates retail pharmacies and health-focused stores that dispense prescriptions and offer over-the-counter products, health and wellness merchandise, immunizations and related services.