AstraZeneca plc vs CVS Health Corp — how do they compare? AstraZeneca plc trades at $159.37 (market cap $250.84B), while CVS Health Corp trades at $93.65 (market cap $122.36B). The key difference: AstraZeneca plc is far larger — about 2.1× CVS Health Corp's market cap, and CVS Health Corp pays the higher dividend (2.78%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AZN | CVS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $250.84B | $122.36B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $209.48 | $110.60 |
52-Week Low | $147.06 | $65.51 |
Enterprise Value | $278.12B | $184.71B |
Dividend Yield | 1.97% | 2.78% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AstraZeneca (AZN) trades at $161.42, up 0.22% today, amid bearish technical signals and merger speculation. The stock shows strong fundamentals with revenue growth to $58.74B in 2025 and net income of $10.23B, supported by a P/E of 24.16 and robust profitability margins. Recent news highlights potential talks with Bristol Myers Squibb, though a senior source denied ongoing discussions (Reuters, 2026-08-05).
The outlook is mixed: solid earnings beats and a 47.5% analyst buy rating support upside, but technical weakness and merger uncertainty pose near-term risks. Long-term growth hinges on execution amid competitive and regulatory pressures, with the stock offering value if merger rumors subside and fundamentals prevail.
CVS Health trades at $95.70, down 0.54% on the day, with a bearish technical signal and key support at $95. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating estimates with EPS of $2.58 versus $1.87 expected, and raised its full-year guidance. Revenue growth remains robust, reaching $402.07 billion in 2025, though net income margin compressed to 1.18%. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive with a consensus price target of $115.00.
The outlook for CVS is cautiously optimistic, driven by operational improvements in its Aetna segment and raised cash flow guidance. Investment opportunities include potential upside to the consensus target, but risks involve margin pressures, regulatory changes impacting pharmacy benefits in 2027, and high debt levels. The stock's current valuation at a P/E of 25.25 may limit near-term gains if earnings growth slows.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
A merger between Astra of Sweden and Zeneca Group of the United Kingdom formed AstraZeneca in 1999. The firm sells branded drugs across several major therapeutic classes, including gastrointestinal, diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, and immunology. The majority of sales come from international markets with the United States representing close to one third of its sales.
Read more on AZN →Following its acquisition of Aetna in late 2018, CVS Health now provides an even more integrated healthcare-services offering for its members. Legacy CVS combined both the largest pharmacy benefit manager, processing over 2 billion adjusted claims annually, and a sizable pharmacy operation, including nearly 10,000 retail pharmacy locations primarily in the U.S. Adding a managed-care organization with 24 million medical members gives the company a strong position in the insurance industry and should help CVS better control overall healthcare costs for its clients.
Read more on CVS →