Markets struggled yesterday after a “hotter” than expected inflation reading – meaning it was higher than most economists surveyed to come up with this nonsense predicted. CVS Health Corp. (CVS) bucked the trend...but should you buy it? Here’s my take, says Keith Fitz-Gerald, editor of 5 With Fitz.
News flash on inflation: Economists, as the old joke goes, are notoriously so unreliable that they make weather forecasters look good. You and I don’t need a fancy-pants survey to tell us that inflation continues to wreak havoc, especially when it comes to things like eggs, many groceries, medicine, insurance, education, and so on.
(Editor’s Note: Keith Fitz-Gerald is speaking at the 2025 MoneyShow/TradersEXPO Las Vegas, which runs Feb. 17-19. Click HERE to register)
I can’t speak for our wallets. But this is a totally fixable problem from an investing standpoint if you're buying companies that are increasing margins, boosting profits, and have higher returns to scale than the rate at which inflation is robbing us blind.
CVS Health Corp. (CVS)
By the way, my friend and mentor, the super-sharp Dr. Mark Mobius, penned a fascinating book you should read on the subject, The Inflation Myth and the Wonderful World of Deflation.
As for CVS, its shares jumped faster than a caffeinated kangaroo on the heels of a double, meaning a top- and bottom-line beat. Strong guidance helps, of course. But should you buy it?
That depends on how you see the company’s future. CVS is trying to move on from a downright terrible 2024 that saw management cut forecasts several times, the closure of more than 1,100 stores, a change in CEOs, and rising costs related to the company's Medicare Advantage business, a privately run version of the Fed’s Medicaid primarily for those 65+.
I think there’s bigger fish to fry, but that’s just me.
