CVS sees strong quarter, raises outlook

COVID-19 vaccines and tests for the virus continue to boost CVS Health and the health care giant raised its annual forecast after yet another strong quarter.

The drugstore chain and pharmacy benefit manager also processed more prescriptions and added customers to its health insurance business in a better-than-expected performance.

The company said Wednesday that it administered more than 8 million COVID-19 vaccines in the first quarter. That represented a big drop from the over 20 million that it administered in the last quarter of 2021, when customers sought boosters and many children began getting shots.

CVS Health said it also administered more than six million tests in the first quarter, and its drugstores got a boost from customers buying additional test kits to take home as the omicron surge of the virus peaked at the start of the quarter.