CVS Health: Insurance Business Challenges Continue (Archive)

Margin-crushed benefits segment and bearish charts keep CVS unattractive despite optically cheap valuation.

CVS Health: Insurance Business Challenges Continue (Archive)

This 5-Minute Pitch was originally published on Seeking Alpha before the launch of the Hunting Alphas website. It is shared here to showcase my previous work and track record. New 5-Minute Pitches published on this site will not be disseminated anywhere else.

Elevator Pitch

  • My 'Sell' rating on CVS Health has performed well so far, as the stock is down more than 20% on a total shareholder return basis.
  • There's no end in sight for margin contraction in the healthcare benefits business, which is plagued by higher loss ratios as a result of unfavorable policy terms for the insurer.
  • Earnings expectation downgrades counter CVS' low valuation vs peers.
  • Bears dominate the long-term technical charts on CVS relative to the S&P 500.
  • A potential breakup of CVS Caremark may unlock value, but could also result in more leadership attrition in an already-troubled company.

Read the full article here.

Disclosures and Disclaimers

Past performance ≠ future results. Not investment advice. See full Disclaimer.