Third Quarter Year-over-year Highlights:

• Net revenues increased 3.5% to $46.2 billion
• GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations of $1.26
• Adjusted EPS of $1.50

Year-to-date Highlights:

• Generated cash flow from operations of $8.1 billion; free cash flow of $7.0 billion

2017 Guidance:

• Narrowed and raised the mid-point of the range for full year GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations to $4.98 to $5.02 from $4.92 to $5.02
• Narrowed and raised the mid-point of the range for full year Adjusted EPS to $5.87 to $5.91from $5.83 to $5.93
• Provided fourth quarter GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations of $1.75 to $1.79
• Provided fourth quarter Adjusted EPS of $1.88 to $1.92
• Confirmed full year cash flow from operations of $7.7 to $8.6 billion; free cash flow of $6.0 to $6.4 billion

CVS Health Corporation (NYSE: CVS) today announced operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017.

President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Merlo stated, "The solid third quarter results we posted today keep us well on track to achieve our full-year targets. While operating profit in the Retail/LTC Segment was impacted by the devastating hurricanes, operating profit in the Pharmacy Services Segment was in line with expectations. At the same time, we continued to deliver substantial free cash flow and return significant value to our shareholders through dividends and share repurchases."

Mr. Merlo continued, "Given our performance year-to-date and our confidence in our expectations for the remainder of this year, we are narrowing and raising the midpoint of our Adjusted EPS guidance for 2017. We remain committed to returning to healthy levels of earnings growth for the total enterprise, and the actions we have taken thus far this year, including our expanded partnerships and new PBM offerings, set us on the right track for growth."

Revenues

Net revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2017 increased 3.5%, or $1.6 billion, to approximately $46.2 billion, up from $44.6 billion in the three months ended September 30, 2016.

Revenues in the Pharmacy Services Segment increased 8.1% to approximately $32.9 billion in the three months ended September 30, 2017. This increase was primarily driven by growth in pharmacy network claim volume, brand inflation and specialty pharmacy volume, partially offset by increased price compression and generic dispensing. Pharmacy network claims processed during the three months ended September 30, 2017 increased 8.3% on a 30-day equivalent basis, to 374.2 million, compared to 345.7 million in the prior year. The increase in pharmacy network claim volume was primarily due to an increase in net new business. On a 30-day equivalent basis, mail choice claims processed during the three months ended September 30, 2017 increased 6.1% to 66.9 million, compared to 63.0 million in the prior year. The increase in mail choice claim volume was primarily driven by continued adoption of our Maintenance Choice® offerings and an increase in specialty pharmacy claims.

Revenues in the Retail/LTC Segment decreased 2.7% to approximately $19.6 billion in the three months ended September 30, 2017. The decrease was largely driven by a 3.2% decrease in same store sales, an increase in the generic dispensing rate and continued reimbursement pressure.

Pharmacy same store sales decreased 3.4% in the three months ended September 30, 2017 and were negatively impacted by approximately 435 basis points due to recent generic introductions. On a 30-day equivalent basis, same store prescription volumes increased 0.3% in the three months ended September 30, 2017. The previously-announced restricted networks that exclude CVS Pharmacy had a negative impact of approximately 420 basis points on same store prescription volumes.

Front store same store sales declined 2.8% in the three months ended September 30, 2017. Front store same store sales were negatively impacted by softer customer traffic and efforts to rationalize promotional strategies, partially offset by an increase in basket size.

For the three months ended September 30, 2017, the generic dispensing rate increased approximately 100 basis points to 87.0% in our Pharmacy Services Segment and increased approximately 140 basis points to 87.2% in our Retail/LTC Segment, compared to the same quarter in the prior year.

Operating Profit

Consolidated operating profit for the three months ended September 30, 2017, decreased $325 million, or 11.5%, to $2.5 billion. The decline was primarily driven by the previously-announced restricted networks that exclude CVS Pharmacy and continued reimbursement pressure in the Retail/LTC Segment, price compression in the Pharmacy Services Segment, and as expected, the timing of Medicare Part D profits between the third and fourth quarter of 2017. In addition, the Company incurred $55 million in expenses in the three months ended September 30, 2017, predominately in the Retail/LTC Segment, for the three major hurricanes that hit the southern United States and Puerto Rico. These decreases were partially offset by lower acquisition-related integration expenses of $59 million.

Net Income and Earnings Per Share

Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2017 decreased $256 million or 16.6%, to $1.3 billion. The decrease was due to the $325 million decrease in operating profit plus $187 million of losses on pension settlements included in other expense, partially offset by the absence of a $101 million loss on early extinguishment of debt that affected the prior year.

GAAP earnings per diluted share from continuing operations ("GAAP diluted EPS") for the three months ended September 30, 2017 was $1.26, compared to $1.43 in the third quarter of the prior year. Adjusted earnings per share ("Adjusted EPS") for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, was $1.50 and $1.64, respectively. Further detail is shown in the Adjusted Earnings Per Share reconciliation later in this release.

Guidance

The Company narrowed and raised the mid-point of the range for full year GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations to $4.98 to $5.02 from $4.92 to $5.02. The Company narrowed and raised the mid-point of the range for full year Adjusted EPS to $5.87 to $5.91, including the charges due to hurricanes, from $5.83 to $5.93.

In the fourth quarter, the Company expects to deliver GAAP diluted EPS of $1.75 to $1.79 and Adjusted EPS of $1.88 to $1.92.

The Company confirmed its 2017 cash flow from operations guidance of $7.7 to $8.6 billion and free cash flow guidance of $6.0 to $6.4 billion. These 2017 guidance estimates assume the completion of $5.0 billion in share repurchases.

Real Estate Program

During the three months ended September 30, 2017, the Company opened 56 new retail locations, closed five retail locations and relocated five retail locations. As of September 30, 2017, the Company operated 9,751 retail locations, including pharmacies in Target stores, in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Brazil.

The Company closed 68 retail stores and took a charge of $211 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2017. As previously disclosed, the Company expects to close a cumulative total of 70 retail stores during the year ending December 31, 2017 and expects the cumulative charges to total approximately $220 million. The charges are primarily associated with the remaining noncancelable lease obligations of the stores.

About the Company

CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,700 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 90 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.