CVS Health beats profit estimates, raises full-year forecast

[May 01, 2019]  (Reuters) - CVS Health Corp beat estimates for quarterly earnings on Wednesday and raised its full-year adjusted profit forecast as it benefits from its $69 billion purchase of health insurer Aetna, sending its shares up 5 percent.

The company's upbeat outlook could allay some concerns about reimbursement pressures on the sector, particularly after rival Walgreens Boots Alliance last month spooked investors by cutting its full-year profit forecast.

Revenue at CVS's pharmacy benefit management unit rose 3.1 percent to $33.56 billion, aided by higher prices of brand name drugs and also on increased pharmacy claims.

The drugstore chain operator and pharmacy benefits manager said it earned $1.62 per share excluding items, beating analysts' average estimate of $1.50 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

CVS said it now expects adjusted profit per share of $6.75 to $6.90 for the full year, compared with its prior forecast of $6.68 to $6.88.

The company's net income attributable to the company rose to $1.42 billion, or $1.09 per share, from $998 million, or $0.98 per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 34.8 percent to $61.65 billion.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

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