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CVS vs. HUM: CVS Health vs. Humana Stock Comparison

How do CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM) both belong to the Health Care Providers & Services industry, though CVS is classified under Health Care Services while HUM falls under Managed Health Care.

Company profile comparison for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
Profile ItemCVSHUM
NameCVS Health Corporation Common StockHumana Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Providers & ServicesHealth Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care ServicesManaged Health Care
Market Capitalization107.28 billion USD52.09 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CVS
HUM
GSPC
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
Total Return (1Y)11.41%75.62%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.73%-2.91%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)1.70%0.40%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CVS
HUM
GSPC
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.14%45.95%
Beta (5Y)0.600.62
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.79%-69.92%
Avg. Volume (3M)8.60M1.26M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CVS and HUM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.211.55
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.282.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 14.36% and Humana (HUM) at 6.74% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.36%

Max
47.61%
CVS
14.36%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

6.74%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
HUM
6.74%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 2.64% and Humana (HUM) at 0.81% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.64%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
CVS
2.64%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.81%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
HUM
0.81%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 2.72% and Humana (HUM) at 0.24% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.72%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
CVS
2.72%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.24%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
HUM
0.24%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
ROE (TTM)14.36%6.74%
ROA (TTM)3.11%3.24%
Net Margin (TTM)2.64%0.81%
Operating Margin (TTM)2.72%0.24%
Gross Margin (TTM)13.72%13.01%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 7.85% and Humana (HUM) at 10.11% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Humana (HUM) at -1.40% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while CVS Health (CVS) at -62.02% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.85%10.11%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.63%11.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)-62.02%-1.40%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-24.73%-23.62%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Humana (HUM) at 1.65 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while CVS Health (CVS) at 0.85 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CVS.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.85

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
CVS
0.85
Min
0.30

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.65

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
HUM
1.65
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Humana (HUM) at 0.68 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while CVS Health (CVS) at 0.93 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.93

Max
1.88
CVS
0.93
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.68

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
HUM
0.68
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.851.65
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.930.68
Net Debt / EBITDA3.49-4.10

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 3.27% and Humana (HUM) at 0.21% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.27%

CVS
3.27%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.21%

HUM
0.21%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 30.89% and Humana (HUM) at 34.54% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

30.89%

CVS
30.89%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

34.54%

HUM
34.54%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.27%0.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)30.89%34.54%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CVS Health (CVS) at 9.74 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Humana (HUM) at 42.32 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CVS, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.74

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
CVS
9.74
Min
4.21

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

42.32

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
HUM
42.32
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 0.26 and Humana (HUM) at 0.34 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.26

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
CVS
0.26
Min
0.03

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.34

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
HUM
0.34
Min
0.03
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

CVS Health (CVS) at 1.33 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Humana (HUM) at 2.77 is valued near its industry’s middle — CVS is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.33

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
CVS
1.33
Min
-1.31

HUM

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.77

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
HUM
2.77
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
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CVS Health (CVS) vs. Humana (HUM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Humana (HUM)
MetricCVSHUM
P/E Ratio (TTM)9.7442.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.260.34
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.332.77
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)11.02%6.27%