CVS Health (CVS): analysis in plain words
Is CVS Health cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
CVS Health (CVS) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in healthcare and pharma. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against CVS Health according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
CVS Health (CVS) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $79.96 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 21.0x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +7.1% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 1.2% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 3.7x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 2.91% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $102.3 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The CVS Health figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any CVS figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How CVS Health makes money
CVS Health reports three segments. Health Services, its largest by revenue, includes the CVS Caremark pharmacy benefit manager and clinics such as Oak Street Health. Health Care Benefits is Aetna health insurance, including Medicare plans. Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness runs CVS Pharmacy stores selling prescriptions and everyday goods across the U.S.
Over the last 12 months, CVS Health brought in revenue of $412.6 billion. For every 100 it sells, CVS Health keeps 13.6 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 3.9 after all operating costs (operating margin).
CVS Health against its sector
To know whether a CVS Health figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares CVS Health with the median of the 30 healthcare and pharma companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | CVS Health | healthcare and pharma median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 21.0x | 31.3x (30) |
| Revenue growth | +7.1% | +8.3% (33) |
| Net margin | 1.2% | 14.9% (33) |
| Dividend yield | 2.91% | 1.52% (33) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 3.7x | 1.6x (31) |
In short, against the typical healthcare and pharma company, CVS Health trades on a lower P/E, earns a thinner margin and pays a higher dividend yield. By size, CVS Health ranks number 20 of 28 healthcare and pharma companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for CVS Health
What works in favour of CVS Health, according to its figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Analysts expect CVS Health earnings to rise: its P/E on the next 12 months of estimated earnings is 9.4x, below the current 21.0x.
- CVS Health generates real cash: $8.1 billion of free cash flow over 12 months, 7.9% of its stock market value.
- On a P/E basis CVS Health trades cheaper than its sector: 21.0x its annual earnings, against 31.3x for the healthcare and pharma median (30 companies with data).
The main risk for CVS Health
Debt is heavy: CVS Health carries net debt equal to 3.7x its annual EBITDA. With high interest rates or a weak year, interest payments eat into what it can invest or pay out.
And, like the rest of healthcare and pharma, CVS Health is exposed to a key drug losing patent protection or a clinical trial failing, plus government pressure on prices.
Frequently asked questions about CVS Health
Is it a good time to buy CVS Health stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell CVS Health, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, CVS Health stock trades at $79.96, 28% below its 52-week high ($110.68) and 15% above its low ($69.51). Its P/E is 21.0x against a healthcare and pharma median of 31.3x, and 9.4x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With CVS Health, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does CVS Health pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, CVS Health pays $2.66 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 2.91%. It uses 70% of its profit to pay it.
Is CVS Health stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, CVS Health trades at 21.0x its last 12 months of earnings: cheaper than the healthcare and pharma median (31.3x). A high P/E alone does not make CVS Health expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are CVS Health's competitors?
On Fintols we compare CVS Health with Bristol Myers Squibb, Danaher and Gilead, which are also in healthcare and pharma. As of November 4, 2026, Bristol Myers Squibb is worth $131.2 billion and trades on a P/E of 14.2; Danaher is worth $165.2 billion and trades on a P/E of 38.9; Gilead is worth $216.4 billion. Each has a side-by-side comparison with CVS Health below.
CVS Health competitors
- Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) analysis · CVS Health vs Bristol Myers Squibb comparison
- Danaher (DHR) analysis · CVS Health vs Danaher comparison
- Gilead (GILD) analysis · CVS Health vs Gilead comparison
To understand CVS Health better
More companies like CVS Health: healthcare and pharma stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full CVS analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about CVS Health, not investment advice.