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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: About a year about, I purchased CVS as a hedge against a downturn in the US health care. Since then CVS price dropped nearly 20 since then....first attributed to Amazon purchasing a grocer retailer, then recovered somewhat but then declined because of the news of three large parties, including Amazon planning to get into the health care sector to reduce costs to consumers. Seems CVS is out of favour...and could be so for sometime. Question - do I hold or do I let it go and focus on another US stock and what names would you suggest?
Read Answer Asked by Tom on February 01, 2018
Q: The future of Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) remains unclear to me even after I worked my way through financials, analysts’ comments, analytics and commentaries in the more serious financial journals. CVS and ESRX appear to have been hit hard this year by the mere possibility being whispered ---- that Amazon might enter the pharmacy markets. Amazon might well do that just as they might start their own delivery service to compete with FedEx and UPS.

But surely even mighty Amazon cannot drink ALL the water in ALL the oceans.... or can they? The latter might well be confirmation bias in my reptilian brain.

I had largish positions in CVS and in ESRX. Whereas I had previously decided to ride things out, I have now trimmed at largish losses. I have reviewed past questions here on both CVS and ESRX, including my own past questions.
1. Do you care to update your answers in view of the seemingly unstoppable powerhouse that is Amazon?
2. What would you suggest a risk-tolerant (but not completely imprudent) investor do on each of CVS and ESRX?
3. Sell all and hide under the bed? Buy AMZN with the proceeds? Just PRAY?
4. I spent many hours ploughing through detailed reports on each of CVS and ESRX. Yet I am just as undecided after these reviews as I was before. Almost all analyses that I read say that both CVS and ESRX are under valued; that each is either a buy or a strong buy. I grant that the latter could have been confirmation bias in my reptilian brain.
5. What are YOUR insightful thoughts on the PBM business model in view of (a) possible Amazon threat (with reasons if you would please)
6. Since US Gov policy changes would make significant impact on all PBMs, although you might prefer not to incorporate the current instability in US politics into your own equations, I think in this case, please if you can make an exception and incorporate the political landscape into your comments, that would be very helpful.
7. I would be thankful for your substantive response on each of CVS and ESRX separately as their businesses have significant differences.


Read Answer Asked by Adam on October 23, 2017
Q: I currently hold CVS and am down 21%. In a response today to a question about WBA, you indicate that a switch from WBA to HD would be okay given the structural change being brought about by AMZN on the purchase of Whole Foods. While the person asking the question had a good gain on WBA, would your response be the same for my position in CVS?......thanks....Tom
Read Answer Asked by Tom on June 19, 2017
Q: Hi 5iResearch Team,

I have a full position on CVS for just over a year the stock has not been doing great over this period of time. I understand from a piece on BNN that Amazon is looking at getting into the pharmacy business.

If indeed that comes to past, I imagine it would impact negatively on pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreen, etc. So I am contemplating of liquidating my position on CVS. Your comments and thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Harry
Read Answer Asked by Harry on May 23, 2017
Q: RE: Health care exposure

Hello, I need to add into the healthcare sector to have proper portfolio diversification.

I sold my CRX shares a while back, and today I am looking buying some CVS and MCK shares.

I might buy GUD in the future but right now I want to buy bigger cap companies.

May I have your opinion on these two companies for LONG term BUY and HOLD strategy?

Thank you very much and have a GREAT day!

Stephane



Read Answer Asked by Stephane on April 20, 2017
Q: for a RRSP account, sector issues aside. I am asking for guidance regarding Exxon and CVS

My investor personality is buying blue chip dividend paying companies at a fair price;
A. present yield relative to historical yield
B. present P/E ratio relative to the companies historical P/E ratio
C. company I basically understand (this is not my day job.) i.e. how they make profit doesn't seem to be going into extinction
D. company I don't expect to go away anytime soon.
E. company with expectation of growth

do either Exxon or CVS fit my investor personality ?
if so which would you think is "better" value today relative to future growth potential ?
or would you recommend something else ??

thanks

Ernie
Read Answer Asked by Ernest on March 17, 2017
Q: Hello 5i,
I don't have much healthcare exposure right now but I'm thinking about getting back in. I noticed the resent many reasonably priced options in Canada - CRH and GUD seem like the go to names but each have massive P/E ratios.
As a result, I was thinking about buying a US retail pharma stock like CVS or just buying the XLV instead. I like CVS as it is kinda like "owning the race track instead of the the race car". Am I hitting the mark with this analogy or am I missing something? Some Bio tech names appear quite cheap due to pricing/political risk etc. But I also would never know which one to buy. Do you see any issues with the CVS in general? Would you recommend just buying the XLV instead? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Scott on February 23, 2017
Q: Good day,

I know that your focus is not the US but the landscape is changing with the election so perhaps you could just be a sounding board. I have a large position in JNJ (for growing yield and broad diversification), a full position in EXE (for yield), and a 3% position in CRH (for growth). JNJ trades at a premium, justly so. I was thinking of swapping these holdings except maybe EXE for CVS, NVO and DHR. DHR is now focused since its spin off of Fortive and has been a long-term outperformer (it is devices and consumables). NVO (drugs) and CVS (broad healthcare) are great growth stocks that are beaten down compared to JNJ and together offer comparable yields. What would be your thoughts?

Thanks!

Derek
Read Answer Asked by Derek on October 07, 2016
Q: Hi Peter & team: Greetings! with reference to Tamara's question regarding who will be next US president, I hold the 3 US stock with total of some 10% gain (that is all I have in US$ and it is about 4% of my portfolio) should I hold or sell? Some money managers still recommend it. SIS I have some 30% gain and it is only less than 2% of my portfolio and you still favour it, should I take some profit? Honestly taking profit is difficult as it increases my total income and I may face a clawback of OAS. Please feel free to take my credit points as I have lots of it! Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by LOUISA on October 04, 2016
Q: Hi; I know US stocks are not your focus but I wanted to ask your opinion on CVS. It seems like a great, stable US franchise not unlike Shoppers in Canada. It trades at a historically low valuation and below the broader market multiple. It pays a dividend. It seems like a great long term buy and hold for my RRSP. Is there something I'm missing?
Read Answer Asked by Uthaman on September 19, 2016