CVS rises as investors focus on earnings outlook and Medicare Advantage tailwinds

CVS Health Corporation (CVS) is up 3.7% today. Here is some analysis on what might have caused this price movement.

Analysis: The move appears tied to renewed optimism around CVS’s medium-term earnings outlook after the company laid out stronger profit targets and reiterated a 2026 earnings range. Sentiment in the managed-care complex has also been supported by a more favorable-than-feared Medicare Advantage payment update for 2027, which can help the earnings backdrop for CVS’s Aetna unit.

Details:

CVS raised its 2025 adjusted EPS outlook and initiated 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $7.00 to $7.20, alongside a mid-teens adjusted EPS CAGR target through 2028.

The company also highlighted strategy initiatives spanning Aetna margin recovery, PBM/client retention priorities, and efforts to improve profitability in its health care delivery business.

In its February 10, 2026 results materials, CVS reiterated its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance range of $7.00 to $7.20 and discussed cash generation as a key support for execution.

CMS finalized the CY 2027 Medicare Advantage/Part D rate announcement with a projected net average payment increase of 2.48% (over $13 billion), a broader positive read-through for MA-focused insurers.

Sources:

CVS Health Investor Relations, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CVS Health (earnings materials)

Disclaimer: This price movement analysis was generated with the help of AI. Please double-check the information provided for mistakes.

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$CVS Hedge Fund Activity

We have seen 832 institutional investors add shares of $CVS stock to their portfolio, and 924 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.

Here are some of the largest recent moves:

UBS AM, A DISTINCT BUSINESS UNIT OF UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC removed 23,387,155 shares (-73.8%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $1,856,004,620
WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT GROUP LLP added 12,233,675 shares (+193.2%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $970,864,448
DODGE & COX removed 10,666,598 shares (-14.6%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $846,501,217
DZ BANK AG DEUTSCHE ZENTRAL GENOSSENSCHAFTS BANK, FRANKFURT AM MAIN added 8,355,230 shares (+822.1%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $663,071,052
JPMORGAN CHASE & CO removed 4,072,568 shares (-11.5%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $323,198,996
MARSHALL WACE, LLP removed 3,649,256 shares (-99.6%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $289,604,956
FRANKLIN RESOURCES INC removed 3,438,834 shares (-47.8%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $272,905,866

To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard. You can access data on hedge funds moves and 13F filings through the Quiver Quantitative API.

$CVS Government Contracts

We have seen $7,273,230 of award payments to $CVS over the last year.

Here are some of the awards which we have have seen pay out the most over the last year:

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICS EVALUATION AND RESEARCH (CBER) REQUIREMENT FOR BIOLOGICS EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY (BES...: $5,476,406
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICS EVALUATION AND RESEARCH (CBER) REQUIREMENT FOR BIOLOGICS EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY (BES...: $1,381,573
PHARMACY REPACKAGING: $200,000
CVS GIFT CARDS: $11,250

To track government contracts to publicy traded companies, check out Quiver Quantitative's government contracts dashboard.

$CVS Congressional Stock Trading

Members of Congress have traded $CVS stock 5 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 2 have been purchases and 3 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $CVS stock by members of Congress over the last 6 months:

SENATOR JOHN BOOZMAN purchased up to $15,000 on 01/29.
REPRESENTATIVE DWIGHT EVANS sold up to $15,000 on 11/21.
REPRESENTATIVE LISA C. MCCLAIN has traded it 3 times. They made 1 purchase worth up to $15,000 on 10/30 and 2 sales worth up to $30,000 on 10/31, 10/30.

To track congressional stock trading, check out Quiver Quantitative's congressional trading dashboard. You can access data on congressional stock trades through the Quiver Quantitative API.

$CVS Analyst Ratings

Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $CVS in the last several months. We have seen 7 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.

Here are some recent analyst ratings:

UBS issued a "Buy" rating on 12/10/2025
Barclays issued a "Overweight" rating on 12/10/2025
Mizuho issued a "Outperform" rating on 12/10/2025
Truist Securities issued a "Buy" rating on 12/10/2025
Piper Sandler issued a "Overweight" rating on 12/10/2025
Wells Fargo issued a "Overweight" rating on 11/13/2025
TD Cowen issued a "Buy" rating on 11/03/2025

To track analyst ratings and price targets for $CVS, check out Quiver Quantitative's $CVS forecast page.

$CVS Price Targets

Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $CVS recently. We have seen 13 analysts offer price targets for $CVS in the last 6 months, with a median target of $95.0.

Here are some recent targets:

Michael Ha from Baird set a target price of $94.0 on 04/15/2026
Jessica Tassan from Piper Sandler set a target price of $99.0 on 03/31/2026
Lance Wilkes from Bernstein set a target price of $94.0 on 03/12/2026
Steve Silver from Argus Research set a target price of $90.0 on 01/28/2026
Michael Cherny from B of A Securities set a target price of $95.0 on 01/27/2026
Lisa Gill from JP Morgan set a target price of $101.0 on 12/17/2025
Ann Hynes from Mizuho set a target price of $95.0 on 12/10/2025

This article is not financial advice. See Quiver Quantitative's disclaimers for more information. Note that there may be inaccuracies due to mistakes in ticker-mapping, and other anomalies.