Report
Valens Research

CVS - Embedded Expectations Analysis - 2021 12 10

CVS Health (CVS) currently trades below corporate but around historical averages relative to Uniform earnings, with a 15.2x Uniform P/E (Fwd. V/E').

At these levels, markets are pricing in expectations for Uniform ROA to fade 17%, accompanied by 3% Uniform asset growth.

Meanwhile, analysts expect Uniform ROA to sustain 23%-24% levels through 2022, accompanied by 2% Uniform asset growth.

That said, given the firm's potential capabilities post-Aetna acquisition, there is fundamental potential for stronger-than-priced-in performance.

If the company can execute on its strategy, it could drive Uniform ROA to 26% with 3% Uniform asset growth going forward, which would imply a stock price closer to $168, representing approximately 85% equity upside for the firm.

However, the firm's most recent earnings call suggests management may have concerns about guidance, margins, and debt reduction.
Underlying
CVS Health Corporation

CVS Health is a health company. The company's segments are: Pharmacy Services, which provides a range of pharmacy benefit management solutions, including plan design offerings and administration, formulary management, and retail pharmacy network management services; Retail/Long-Term Care (LTC), which sells prescription drugs and general merchandise, including over-the-counter drugs, provides health care services through its MinuteClinic? walk-in medical clinics and conducts LTC pharmacy operations; and Health Care Benefits, which provides a range of voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans.

Provider
Valens Research
Valens Research

In 2009, just as the dust was settling from the last major equity and credit market crises, we launched a boutique research firm with the intention of breaking Wall Street’s biases and broken incentives:

  • GAAP and IFRS have failed to provide rules for reliable financial statement reporting
  • Stock analyst recommendations are not grounded in disciplined financial analysis
  • Credit agencies have been set up to grossly fail in their responsibilities to investors and the public markets
  • Utter lack of willingness of major research firms to employ the the most advanced forensic analysis available

We sought to provide investors and company analysts with a source of information that changed all that.
Many years later, our business model remains because little has changed on Wall Street.

  • Corporate credit ratings remain years behind the fundamental underpinnings of company performance
  • Stock analysts continue to make recommendations with deeply inherent biases
  • Research firms have failed to break down the walls between credit, equity, and macroeconomic research
  • The governing accounting bodies have created more leeway for mis-estimates and mis-classifications as financials have become unwieldy and overwhelming

The integrity of Valens Research is founded in our disciplined processes and analytics. No “star” analysts. No corporate advisory relationships. No-nonsense opinions and recommendations.

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Valens Research

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