LIVE
CVS
CVS Health Corporation · Healthcare / Pharmacy
$98.32
+4.40% this month
VERSUS
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WBA
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. · Healthcare / Pharmacy
$11.98
+3.01% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
CVS
4
WBA
1
Comparison scoreboard
CVS LEADS 4/5AI Score
CVS ✓40.0
WBA 23.3
1Y Return
CVS ✓+46.55%
WBA +31.60%
Fwd P/E
CVS 12.18
WBA ✓8.15
Target Up.
CVS ✓+2.49%
WBA +1.12%
Op. Margin
CVS ✓4.12%
WBA 0.74%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
CVS vs WBA Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
CVS and WBA are both pharmacy-based healthcare companies taking very different paths. CVS has executed an integrated insurance-PBM-pharmacy strategy with Aetna and Oak Street Health acquisitions creating a diversified healthcare platform. Walgreens has struggled — cutting its dividend, closing stores, restructuring VillageMD, and evaluating strategic alternatives under significant financial pressure. CVS is the stronger financial position; Walgreens is the potential deep value or special situation investment if a take-private materializes.
CVS vs WBA — CVS Health (the vertically integrated pharmacy-PBM-insurance healthcare company with Aetna, Caremark, and Oak Street Health primary care under a multi-channel healthcare platform strategy) versus Walgreens Boots Alliance (the pharmacy retail chain facing significant restructuring including dividend cuts, store closures, VillageMD primary care losses, and evaluation of strategic alternatives including potential take-private).
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
CVS holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. CVS has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+46.55% vs +31.60%), though WBA trades at the lower forward P/E (8.15x vs 12.18x). On fundamentals, WBA is growing revenue faster (7.20%), while CVS maintains the higher operating margin (4.12%) — a classic growth-versus-profitability split. Analyst consensus implies similar upside for both: +2.49% for CVS and +1.12% for WBA.
Normalized 1Y performance
CVS
WBA
Recent returns
CVS
WBA
Analyst price targets & sentiment
CVS
Price target range
analyst mean$104.50
current price$98.32
+2.5% upside to analyst mean
WBA · 12 analysts
Price target range
analyst low$10.00
analyst high$19.21
analyst mean$12.11
current price$11.98
+1.1% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
CVS may suit investors who:
- →see CVS's vertical integration (Aetna insurance + Caremark PBM + pharmacy + Oak Street primary care) as the future of healthcare delivery — connecting care touchpoints creates coordination and cost advantages
- →value CVS Caremark's PBM scale as a durable competitive position in pharmaceutical benefit management serving millions of US members
- →prefer CVS's stronger financial position and dividend sustainability vs Walgreens's dividend cut and restructuring uncertainty
- →are comfortable with PBM regulatory risk, Aetna insurance margin pressure, and high debt from the Aetna acquisition limiting financial flexibility
WBA may suit investors who:
- →see Walgreens as a deep value turnaround situation — the store closure program and VillageMD restructuring could right-size the cost structure to enable financial recovery
- →believe strategic alternatives (take-private by private equity) could unlock value at a premium to the depressed current stock price
- →value Boots UK's brand strength as a European consumer health asset that may be separable and worth significant value in a strategic transaction
- →are comfortable with ongoing financial stress, dividend cut risk, VillageMD restructuring complexity, and uncertain timeline to operational stability
Performance & AI score
| Metric | CVS | WBA |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 40.0 | 23.3 |
| AI rank | #1103 | #3641 |
| Latest close | $98.32 | $11.98 |
| 1M return | +4.40% | +3.01% |
| 6M return | +26.25% | +6.68% |
| 1Y return | +46.55% | +31.60% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | CVS | WBA |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $14.71K (+47.1%) started 2025-06-18 | $13.73K (+37.3%) started 2024-08-29 |
| 5Y ago | $15.29K (+52.9%) started 2021-06-21 | $5.28K (-47.2%) started 2020-08-31 |
| 10Y ago | $18.85K (+88.5%) started 2016-06-20 | $3.13K (-68.7%) started 2015-08-31 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | CVS | WBA |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $130.09B | $0 |
| Trailing P/E | 44.72 | N/A |
| Forward P/E | 12.18 | 8.15 |
| Price/Sales | N/A | 0.06 |
| EV/Revenue | 0.48 | 0.26 |
| Analyst target | $104.50 | $12.11 |
| Target upside | +2.49% | +1.12% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | CVS | WBA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 6.10% | 7.20% |
| Earnings growth | 63.10% | N/A |
| EPS growth | +63.10% | N/A |
| FCF margin | +1.28% | +2.93% |
| Operating margin | 4.12% | 0.74% |
| Profit margin | 0.72% | -4.07% |
| ROIC proxy | 3.75% | -69.58% |
| Return on equity | 3.75% | -69.58% |
| Dividend yield | 2.61% | 8.35% |
| Beta | 0.62 | 0.77 |
| Debt/equity | 100.91 | 409.88 |
| Current ratio | 0.87 | 0.60 |
| Quick ratio | 0.61 | 0.15 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
CVS max drawdown16.44%
WBA max drawdown27.61%
CVS max wkly drop10.23%
WBA max wkly drop15.54%
5Y risk snapshot
CVS max drawdown56.79%
WBA max drawdown82.41%
CVS max wkly drop20.15%
WBA max wkly drop29.12%
10Y risk snapshot
CVS max drawdown56.79%
WBA max drawdown87.80%
CVS max wkly drop20.15%
WBA max wkly drop29.12%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | CVS | WBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +47.10% | +33.45% |
| CAGR | +47.18% | +33.54% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.26 | 0.71 | |
| Max drawdown | 16.44% | 27.61% | |
| Max daily drop | 14.15% | 10.30% | |
| Max wkly drop | 10.23% | 15.54% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +33.24% | -59.84% |
| CAGR | +5.92% | -16.70% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.19 | -0.38 | |
| Max drawdown | 56.79% | 82.41% | |
| Max daily drop | 16.84% | 22.16% | |
| Max wkly drop | 20.15% | 29.12% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +38.28% | -79.94% |
| CAGR | +3.30% | -14.85% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.11 | -0.41 | |
| Max drawdown | 56.79% | 87.80% | |
| Max daily drop | 16.84% | 22.16% | |
| Max wkly drop | 20.15% | 29.12% |
Business comparison
| Category | CVS | WBA |
|---|---|---|
| Company | CVS Health Corporation | Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | N/A | Pharmaceutical Retailers |
| Core business | CVS Health is a diversified healthcare company operating CVS Pharmacy retail stores, CVS Caremark (pharmacy benefit management, the largest PBM in the US), Aetna (health insurance, acquired 2018 for $69B), and CVS MinuteClinic/HealthHUB (primary care clinics inside pharmacies). CVS's integrated model connects insurance (Aetna), PBM (Caremark), and pharmacy (CVS) to create a vertically integrated healthcare delivery company. CVS acquired Oak Street Health (primary care clinics) in 2023 and Signify Health (home health, risk assessment) to expand beyond pharmacy into primary care delivery. | Walgreens Boots Alliance operates Walgreens (US pharmacy), Boots (UK pharmacy), and a global wholesale pharmacy business. Walgreens has invested in primary care through the VillageMD partnership — co-locating primary care physician offices inside Walgreens locations. However, VillageMD has struggled with profitability, and Walgreens has been scaling back its healthcare services investment amid financial pressure. Walgreens cut its dividend significantly in 2024 — a major signal of financial stress. Walgreens is evaluating strategic alternatives including potential take-private transactions. |
| Investor focus | Investors focus on CVS's Aetna insurance margin performance, Caremark PBM contract wins and losses, Oak Street Health integration progress, HealthHUB primary care clinic scale, and dividend sustainability from FCF. | Investors focus on Walgreens's turnaround timeline, VillageMD restructuring, dividend status (significantly cut in 2024), store count optimization (closing hundreds of underperforming stores), and potential strategic transactions. |
CVS strengths
- →Vertically integrated healthcare model: owning insurance (Aetna), PBM (Caremark), and pharmacy creates coordinated care benefits and data advantages — patients covered by Aetna fill prescriptions at CVS with Caremark managing benefits
- →Caremark PBM scale: CVS Caremark is the largest US PBM managing prescription benefits for millions of Americans — the PBM generates high-margin fee revenues from formulary management and pharmaceutical rebates
- →Oak Street Health primary care expansion: acquiring Oak Street provides CVS primary care physician practices in underserved communities — extending CVS from a pharmacy to a primary care access point for Medicare Advantage patients
WBA strengths
- →Retail pharmacy coverage: Walgreens operates 8,700+ US locations — one of the broadest retail pharmacy networks, providing convenience-based medication access across urban and suburban markets
- →Boots UK brand recognition: Boots is one of the UK's most trusted pharmacy and beauty retail brands — providing international diversification and a strong European consumer health franchise
- →Strategic alternatives optionality: Walgreens's depressed stock price has attracted private equity interest — if a take-private transaction materializes at a premium, current holders could benefit from the strategic event
Risks to watch — CVS
- →PBM business model under scrutiny: PBMs (pharmacy benefit managers) face regulatory and legal pressure for transparency — potential rebate reform or legislation could significantly affect Caremark's business model
- →Aetna commercial insurance margin pressure: health insurance medical loss ratios have been elevated across the industry — Aetna's commercial and Medicare Advantage margins face utilization headwinds
- →Debt load from Aetna acquisition: CVS took on $40B+ in debt for the Aetna deal — high leverage limits financial flexibility and increases interest expense burden
Risks to watch — WBA
- →Dividend cut in 2024 reflecting financial stress: Walgreens cut its quarterly dividend significantly in early 2024 — a major reversal for what was previously a Dividend Aristocrat, reflecting cash flow pressure
- →Significant store closure program: Walgreens announced closing 1,200+ underperforming stores — a large restructuring creating transition costs and potential customer disruption
- →VillageMD losses require restructuring: Walgreens's primary care investment through VillageMD has not achieved profitability targets — requiring capital reallocation and partnership restructuring
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