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CVS vs HUM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? CVS Health Corporation (CVS) vs. Humana Inc. (HUM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- CVS enters 2026 with strong upward momentum, having posted a roughly 70%+ gain in 2025 on a successful turnaround under new leadership.
- HUM remains constrained by Medicare Advantage (MA) cost pressures and a substantial Star Ratings headwind that weighs on near-term earnings.
- CVS benefits from diversification across retail pharmacy, a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM), health insurance, and care delivery, while HUM is concentrated in government-funded health plans.
- Tickeron AI Verdict: Based on trend consistency, relative performance, and catalysts, the AI framework currently favors CVS over HUM.
- Valuation also diverges: CVS trades at a comparatively modest forward earnings multiple, while HUM faces earnings normalization risk.
- For deeper coverage of each name, explore the CVS Major News and CVS Today's Price Move pages, along with the HUM Major News and HUM Today's Price Move pages.
- To see how automated strategies are positioned across the market, explore the Trending AI Robots page.
Introduction
Healthcare investors frequently weigh diversified, vertically integrated operators against focused managed-care franchises, and the contrast between CVS and HUM captures exactly that divide. CVS Health spans retail pharmacy, pharmacy benefit management, health insurance, and care delivery, while Humana is a pure-play leader in Medicare Advantage and senior-focused health services. This stock comparison is most relevant to investors assessing relative performance, market positioning, and risk within the healthcare sector — particularly those weighing a broad-based turnaround story against a concentrated government-funded insurance model navigating reimbursement and ratings headwinds.
CVS Overview and Recent Performance
CVS Health Corporation operates one of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains alongside the Caremark pharmacy benefits manager, the Aetna insurance unit, and a growing care delivery arm that includes Oak Street Health and Signify Health. After a difficult 2024, the company's turnaround gained traction through 2025, with shares advancing sharply and repeatedly topping earnings expectations. In recent weeks, management raised its full-year profit outlook for a fourth time and issued 2026 adjusted earnings guidance, signaling confidence in margin recovery at Aetna and continued momentum at Caremark.
Several factors have shaped sentiment. The company has exited underperforming markets, including a planned 2026 withdrawal from Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange plans, and recorded a sizable goodwill impairment tied to scaling back underperforming primary-care clinics. Investors have generally rewarded this discipline, while a relatively low forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple and a share price trading above key longer-term moving averages have supported a more constructive technical picture.
HUM Overview and Recent Performance
Humana Inc. is the second-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the United States, complemented by its CenterWell healthcare services segment spanning primary care, pharmacy, and home solutions. The company's focus on government-funded coverage gives it strong exposure to an aging U.S. population, but it also concentrates regulatory and medical-cost risk. Recent market activity has been more subdued, with the stock underperforming broader benchmarks as investors weigh persistent medical-cost utilization and reimbursement uncertainty.
In recent quarters, Humana has reported revenue growth and stable membership but has also faced margin pressure from an elevated benefit ratio and the impact of lower Star Ratings, which translate into reduced bonus payments under Medicare's quality program. Management has guided to a meaningful year-over-year earnings decline for 2026 driven by a large Stars headwind, even as it projects substantial individual Medicare Advantage membership growth. These competing forces — growth versus margin normalization — have kept the stock range-bound and shaped a more cautious near-term outlook.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron maintains a large and continuously updated library of AI-powered trading bots that collectively monitor thousands of different tickers. Because market conditions shift constantly, only a curated subset earns a place in the Trending AI Robots section — those judged best suited to the current environment. These bots vary widely in trading style, strategy, timeframe, performance history, and the set of tickers they follow, allowing users to review detailed statistics and select approaches aligned with their own objectives. For traders and investors seeking a data-driven perspective on names such as CVS and HUM, exploring the Trending AI Robots page can offer useful context on how automated strategies are currently positioned.
Head-to-Head Comparison
The clearest contrast lies in business model breadth. CVS spreads its earnings across pharmacy retail, PBM services, insurance, and care delivery, which diversifies risk but also introduces operational complexity and integration challenges. HUM is far more concentrated in Medicare Advantage, giving it a purer, easier-to-understand growth driver but leaving it more exposed to a single regulatory and reimbursement environment.
On momentum, the two names have diverged. CVS has established a consistent upward trend, supported by improving margins and repeated guidance raises. HUM, by contrast, is contending with a sizable Star Ratings headwind and an earnings reset, even while projecting meaningful membership expansion. From a sentiment standpoint, CVS's turnaround narrative has attracted analyst upgrades and price-target increases, whereas Humana's story is more dependent on whether margin initiatives can offset near-term ratings pressure. Sector exposure is another differentiator: both operate in managed care, but CVS's broader retail and PBM footprint reduces its sensitivity to any single government program.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Weighing trend consistency, relative performance, earnings momentum, and observable catalysts, Tickeron's AI framework would currently lean toward CVS over HUM. CVS's steadier uptrend, repeated upward revisions to guidance, and more balanced revenue mix present a comparatively stronger risk-reward profile under current conditions. Humana's long-term Medicare Advantage franchise remains substantial, but its near-term earnings normalization and ratings-driven headwind introduce greater uncertainty. This assessment is probabilistic rather than definitive and reflects current positioning, not a prediction of future prices.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is CVS is a Buy and HUM is a StrongBuy.
CVS in upward trend: price expected to rise as it breaks its lower Bollinger Band on November 04, 2026
CVS may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options. In 25 of 36 cases where CVS's price broke its lower Bollinger Band, its price rose further in the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 69%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The RSI Oscillator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where CVS's RSI Oscillator exited the oversold zone, 18 of 31 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 58%.
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 34 of 54 cases where CVS's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 63%.
Following a +4.82% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where CVS advanced for three days, in 223 of 336 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 66%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 173 of 253 cases where CVS Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 68%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on October 29, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on CVS as a result. In 52 of 87 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 60%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for CVS turned negative on November 02, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 51 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 33 of the 51 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 65%.
CVS moved below its 50-day moving average on November 04, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for CVS crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on November 04, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 14 of 20 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 70%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where CVS declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 61%.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 49 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: CVS's P/B Ratio (1.346) is slightly lower than the industry average of (3.520). P/E Ratio (21.950) is within average values for comparable stocks, (126.353). CVS's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.206) is slightly lower than the industry average of (0.786). CVS has a moderately high Dividend Yield (0.032) as compared to the industry average of (0.009). P/S Ratio (0.283) is also within normal values, averaging (0.569).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 58 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. CVS’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 80 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. CVS’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 84, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 81 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 97 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
HUM in upward trend: 10-day moving average broke above 50-day moving average on October 06, 2026
The 10-day moving average for HUM crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 06, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 16 of 21 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 76%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 34 of 53 cases where HUM's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 64%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on November 06, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on HUM as a result. In 54 of 78 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 69%.
Following a +3.44% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where HUM advanced for three days, in 218 of 347 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 63%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for HUM moved out of overbought territory on October 13, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 31 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 21 of the 31 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 68%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for HUM turned negative on October 26, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 50 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 31 of the 50 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 62%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where HUM declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 65%.
HUM broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 06, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 4 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. HUM’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 7 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 82 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (2.711) is normal, around the industry mean (3.520). P/E Ratio (40.612) is within average values for comparable stocks, (126.353). HUM's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.304) is slightly higher than the industry average of (0.786). Dividend Yield (0.008) settles around the average of (0.009) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.319) is also within normal values, averaging (0.569).
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 95 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. HUM’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 84, placing this stock worse than average.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 98 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
CVS | HUM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 30 | 77 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 49 Fair valued | 82 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 80 | 95 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 81 | 98 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 58 | 4 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 97 | 7 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | n/a | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
CVS's Valuation (49) in the Drugstore Chains industry is somewhat better than the same rating for HUM (82) in the Managed Health Care industry. This means that CVS’s stock grew somewhat faster than HUM’s over the last 12 months.
CVS's Profit vs Risk Rating (80) in the Drugstore Chains industry is in the same range as HUM (95) in the Managed Health Care industry. This means that CVS’s stock grew similarly to HUM’s over the last 12 months.
CVS's SMR Rating (81) in the Drugstore Chains industry is in the same range as HUM (98) in the Managed Health Care industry. This means that CVS’s stock grew similarly to HUM’s over the last 12 months.
HUM's Price Growth Rating (4) in the Managed Health Care industry is somewhat better than the same rating for CVS (58) in the Drugstore Chains industry. This means that HUM’s stock grew somewhat faster than CVS’s over the last 12 months.
HUM's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the Managed Health Care industry is significantly better than the same rating for CVS (97) in the Drugstore Chains industry. This means that HUM’s stock grew significantly faster than CVS’s over the last 12 months.
| CVS | HUM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 68% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 1 day ago 64% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 60% | 1 day ago 69% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 65% | 1 day ago 62% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 62% | 1 day ago 64% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 64% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 66% | 22 days ago 63% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 61% | 6 days ago 65% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 69% | 1 day ago 66% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | N/A |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CVS’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green while HUM’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- CVS’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- HUM’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CVS’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while HUM’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CVS’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- HUM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
CVS (@Managed Health Care) experienced а -3.68% price change this week, while HUM (@Managed Health Care) price change was +3.12% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Managed Health Care industry was +3.86%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +3.55%, and the average quarterly price growth was +10.92%.
Reported Earning Dates
CVS is expected to report earnings on Feb 17, 2027.
HUM is expected to report earnings on Feb 03, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Managed Health Care (+3.86% weekly)Managed healthcare industry focuses on providing health/medical and disability insurance plans, generally intended to reduce the cost of for-profit health care. The insurance products might be provided through employer-paid (fully or partly) insurance and benefit programs, or through Medicare/Medicaid. Some of the largest providers of managed health care include Aetna, Humana Inc., and Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare.
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CVS and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, CVS has been loosely correlated with UNH. These tickers have moved in lockstep 65% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if CVS jumps, then UNH could also see price increases.
HUM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HUM has been closely correlated with UNH. These tickers have moved in lockstep 67% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if HUM jumps, then UNH could also see price increases.