CVS Health Corp vs Viatris Inc — how do they compare? CVS Health Corp trades at $93.7 (market cap $122.36B), while Viatris Inc trades at $16.28 (market cap $18.69B). The key difference: CVS Health Corp is far larger — about 6.5× Viatris Inc's market cap, and Viatris Inc pays the higher dividend (2.95%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CVS | VTRS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $122.36B | $18.69B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $110.60 | $17.86 |
52-Week Low | $65.51 | $9.49 |
Enterprise Value | $184.71B | $30.81B |
Dividend Yield | 2.78% | 2.95% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
Viatris (VTRS) trades at $16.43, up 0.86% with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.69, exceeding expectations, with revenues rising 5% year-over-year. However, fundamental challenges persist with negative net income margin (-2.79%) and elevated P/E ratio (236.2). Recent developments include FDA approval for Gwyn Lo contraceptive patch and strategic divestitures to sharpen focus.
While Viatris shows operational improvements with consistent cash flow generation, the stock faces headwinds from profitability challenges and high valuation multiples. The mixed analyst sentiment (30.77% buy rating) reflects uncertainty about the company's turnaround trajectory. Key risks include ongoing margin pressure and competitive threats in the generic pharmaceutical space.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Formed by the combination of Mylan and Pfizer's Upjohn business in 2020, Viatris is one of the world's largest generic drug manufacturers, with a substantial off-patent branded drug portfolio. Its portfolio consists of more than 1,400 molecules with penetration across most of the developed world and in select emerging markets. The company's branded drug portfolio consists of off-patent blockbuster drugs that continue to generate strong sales, including Lipitor, Norvasc, Lyrica, Viagra, and EpiPen. While global competition has facilitated the commodification of small-molecule generic drugs, the company has demonstrated an edge over peers in its ability to manufacture complex generics (for example, generic Advair and Copaxone).
Read more on VTRS →