CVS vs EHC Stock Comparison
Compare CVS and EHC across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between CVS and EHC?
EHC leads the current stock comparison as Encompass Health Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
CVS Health Corp. vs Encompass Health Corporation
EHC leads
EHC leads by 11 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Risk Resilience, but the lead has narrowed from 19 points over 30 sessions.
Competitive: 5 of 6 evidence groups support EHC, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.
CVS Health Corp.
Encompass Health Corporation
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors EHC over CVS, 62 versus 51 as of Sep 11, 2026. EHC's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and risk resilience, while CVS holds the stronger value profile. EHC also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor EHC today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader's advantage has been narrowing. EHC lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 19 to 11 points over 30 sessions.
Compare CVS Health Corp. and Encompass Health Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare CVS and EHC against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality28 vs 69EHC +41
- Value70 vs 57CVS +13
- Risk Resilience53 vs 60EHC +7
- Momentum55 vs 61EHC +6
5 of 6 evidence groups favor EHC. EHC’s edge is concentrated in quality and risk resilience; CVS keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -1
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +1
New signals
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (2.9%)
EHC's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — CVS and EHC both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
EHC (Encompass Health Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and risk resilience.
CVS (CVS Health Corp.): the counter-case, on value, valuation — but at materially higher volatility, 24.2% against 13.2%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
EHCEHC on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
CVSCVS on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
CVSCVS on the peer-relative Value factor, by 13 points.
Momentum
EHCEHC on the Momentum factor, by 6 points.
Lower downside
EHCEHC on Risk Resilience, by 7 points.
Analyst upside
EHCEHC on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | CVS | EHC | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +15.9% | +21.8% | EHC has more room |
| Target dispersion | +31% | +10.1% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 14 | 4 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor EHC. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | EHC | 51 vs 62 |
| Fundamentals | EHC | TTM ROE 6.4% vs 25%; gross margin 14.2% vs 73.1%; operating margin 2% vs 18% |
| Valuation | CVS | Value 70 vs 57 |
| Technicals | EHC | Price vs 50-day -5.6% vs 4.5%; vs 200-day 9.7% vs 12.7% |
| Risk Resilience | EHC | Risk Resilience 53 vs 60 |
| Analyst expectations | EHC | Target upside 15.9% vs 21.8% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of CVS and EHC and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 11 points.
- 5 of 6 covered evidence groups point the same way. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on EHC.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10EHC lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 19 to 11 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- EHC +11
- 51 vs 62
- 7 sessions ago
- EHC +10
- 52 vs 62
- 30 sessions ago
- EHC +19
- 44 vs 63
- 90 sessions ago
- EHC +10
- 55 vs 65
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Jul 2 when EHC moved ahead of CVS.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (15.51%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
4 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (8.47%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
EHC leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.66%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.55%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1CVS closes the Quality gap — currently 41 points behind, the largest single contributor to EHC's edge.
- 2CVS's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
- 3EHC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 8 points over 30 sessions, and a further 11-point move would eliminate EHC's advantage entirely.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
EHC leads on balance| Metric | CVS | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 5.6% | 0.7% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 0.9% | -20.9% |
| Gross margin | 14.2% | 73.1% |
| Operating margin | 2% | 18% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 6.4% | 25% |
| Debt to equity | 0.96 | 1.09 |
Performance
CVS leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | CVS | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -2% | -0.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 0.6% | -3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -2.8% | 17.1% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 25.8% | 20.3% |
| Year to date | 20.1% | 14% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 35.6% | -3.9% |
Technicals
EHC has the stronger structure| Metric | CVS | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 56.4 | 50.5 |
| ADX (14) | 24.6 | 24.4 |
| Price vs 50-day | -5.6% | 4.5% |
| Price vs 200-day | 9.7% | 12.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 24.2% | 13.2% |
Risk
EHC is the more resilient| Metric | CVS | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.16 | 0.08 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.96 | -0.12 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.17 | -0.21 |
| Max drawdown | -16.4% | -26.1% |
| Current drawdown | -13.8% | -4.7% |
| Annualized volatility | 30.8% | 28.8% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.5% | -2.3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, CVS or EHC?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, EHC is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 62 against CVS's 51. The edge comes from quality and risk resilience. CVS is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is CVS or EHC the better buy right now?
EHC carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 5 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor EHC over CVS?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. EHC leads Quality by 41 points; CVS leads Value by 13 points; EHC leads Risk Resilience by 7 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, CVS or EHC?
Analyst price targets imply +15.9% upside for CVS and +21.8% for EHC, so the Street currently favors EHC. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, CVS or EHC?
CVS is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. CVS on the peer-relative Value factor, by 13 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, CVS or EHC?
CVS on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, CVS or EHC?
EHC on the Momentum factor, by 6 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, CVS or EHC?
EHC is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. EHC on Risk Resilience, by 7 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is CVS more profitable than EHC?
EHC leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 14.2% vs 73.1%; operating margin 2% vs 18%; ttm roe 6.4% vs 25%.
Is EHC's lead over CVS getting stronger or weaker?
EHC lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 19 to 11 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-07-02, when EHC moved ahead of CVS.
What would change the CVS vs EHC verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: CVS closes the Quality gap — currently 41 points behind, the largest single contributor to EHC's edge; CVS's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; EHC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 8 points over 30 sessions, and a further 11-point move would eliminate EHC's advantage entirely.
What do the current signals say about CVS and EHC?
CVS: 2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. EHC: 4 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on CVS is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On EHC it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare CVS and EHC with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.