Franklin Resources Inc. Sells 453,717 Shares of CVS Health Corporation $CVS

Franklin Resources Inc. decreased its position in shares of CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) by 5.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,200,896 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock after selling 453,717 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in CVS Health were worth $542,876,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of CVS Health during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,358,698,000. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in CVS Health by 15.3% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 23,532,479 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $1,623,270,000 after buying an additional 3,118,626 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its stake in CVS Health by 24.5% in the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 11,469,250 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $864,667,000 after buying an additional 2,253,531 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in CVS Health by 1.7% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 120,399,131 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $8,305,132,000 after acquiring an additional 2,063,737 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 153.0% during the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 3,105,827 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $214,240,000 after acquiring an additional 1,878,217 shares in the last quarter. 80.66% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on CVS. UBS Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of CVS Health in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of CVS Health from $93.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Wolfe Research lowered their price target on shares of CVS Health from $100.00 to $97.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Argus cut their price target on shares of CVS Health from $91.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Bank of America decreased their price objective on CVS Health from $100.00 to $95.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Nineteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $94.91.

More CVS Health News

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

• Positive Sentiment: CVS announced a new AI?powered health platform aimed at personalized care and virtual services — a strategic push that could boost member engagement, cross?sell and longer?term margin improvement. CVS to launch new AI-powered health platform
• Positive Sentiment: The CVS Health Foundation is investing $2.24M to launch a Health Zone in Columbus to expand community?based care — a reputational and community?health play that supports retention and local partnerships. CVS Health Foundation Invests $2.24 Million to Expand Community?Based Care Through Health Impact Ohio
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage on CVS using “agentic twins” (AI agents) to develop consumer tech highlights continued investment in digital capabilities that could improve patient experience and lower service costs over time. A look at how CVS is leaning on ‘agentic twins’ in developing consumer tech
• Neutral Sentiment: Health?care sector weakness is a headwind today; the NYSE Health Care Index is down, which can pressure CVS even absent company?specific news. Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Lower Late Afternoon
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market rotation into energy stocks is noted (energy index higher), which can reallocate flows away from defensive healthcare names. Sector Update: Energy Stocks Higher Late Afternoon
• Neutral Sentiment: A head?to?head comparison piece with Sotera Health appears informational rather than price?moving. Head-To-Head Comparison: Sotera Health (NASDAQ:SHC) and CVS Health (NYSE:CVS)
• Negative Sentiment: CVS’s Aetna unit will pay $117.7M to settle False Claims Act allegations about inflated Medicare Advantage coding — a material fine that signals regulatory scrutiny of MA practices and could increase compliance costs. CVS Health’s Aetna to Pay $117.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations
• Negative Sentiment: An FDA?related recall involving MediHoney and some CVS wound care products over sterility concerns raises product liability and inventory/distribution disruption risks for store?brand items. FDA announces recall for MediHoney and CVS Wound Care Products Due to Sterility Concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Legislative friction (Tennessee Fair Rx Act debate) highlights state?level political risk around drug pricing and retail clinic operations that could lead to regulatory costs or business model constraints. Here’s what the ‘Fair Rx’ Act does and does not do amid the battle between Tennessee legislators and CVS Health

CVS Health Stock Down 0.8%

Shares of NYSE CVS opened at $75.74 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $78.31 and its 200 day moving average is $77.72. CVS Health Corporation has a 52 week low of $58.35 and a 52 week high of $85.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. The company has a market cap of $96.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.88, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.49.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The pharmacy operator reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.00 by $0.09. CVS Health had a net margin of 0.44% and a return on equity of 11.31%. The business had revenue of $105.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $103.67 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.19 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.2% compared to the same quarter last year. CVS Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.940-6.140 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that CVS Health Corporation will post 5.89 earnings per share for the current year.

CVS Health Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, January 22nd were paid a $0.665 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 22nd. This represents a $2.66 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. CVS Health’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 192.75%.

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.