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Shutterstock Bowing to pressure? Nearly two months after CVS Health ( CVS ) cut its annual guidance for the third quarter in a row, reports have surfaced that the healthcare services provider is exploring options to create shareholder value, including its potential breakup . The news, which comes in the wake of major investor Glenview Capital Management pushing for changes, sent CVS shares up about 2% premarket on Tuesday. Strategic review: CVS is reportedly weighing options to turn around its business, including splitting its drugstore chain and its insurance business Aetna, and potentially housing its pharmacy benefits manager unit Caremark in either company after the potential split.
However, discussions with financial advisers are ongoing, and no plans have been finalized. Meanwhile, CVS will also lay off 2,900 employees , under 1% of its workforce, to further cut costs. The move will impact corporate roles, and won't affect front-line jobs in stores, pharmacies and distribution centers.
Backdrop: The strategic review follows a reported meeting between top investor Glenview and CVS' leadership on Monday. The hedge fund, which owns about 1% of CVS’ outstanding shares, sought to discuss potential fixes to improve the company's operations. CVS said it "maintains a regular dialogue with the investment community as part of our robust shareholder and analyst engagement program," and declined to comment on any specific discussions.
SA commentary: Investing Group Leader Edmund Ingham believes it's unlikely that a meeting with Glenview will be met with enthusiasm by CVS management, as internal plans are unlikely to dovetail with Glenview's strategy. "In terms of breaking up the business , it is difficult to see what CVS could jettison, as finding a buyer for the retail stores could be tricky - if you don't believe me, look at the current share price of Walgreens Boots Alliance ( WBA ) for guidance on how retail pharmacy store chains are performing." ( 35 comments ) Easy does it Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has indicated that policymakers are not in a hurry to cut rates quickly.
"We will do what it takes in terms of the speed with which we move," he said at the National Association for Business Economics annual meeting. "If the economy evolves broadly as expected, policy will move over time toward a more neutral stance. But we are not on any preset course.
" Powell noted that there are two employment reports and an inflation reading ahead of the November meeting. He signaled two more cuts this year if the economy evolves as expected. ( 27 comments ) Legal win A shareholder lawsuit alleging that Tesla ( TSLA ) overstated the efficacy and safety of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving technologies, misleading investors, has been dismissed without prejudice .
A district judge said shareholders failed to show that Tesla and CEO Elon Musk should be liable for promising fully autonomous, hands-free driving functionality, among other assurances. In another legal news, Amazon ( AMZN ) won partial dismissal of an antitrust lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission, after the company said the regulator showed no evidence of harm to consumers. ( 3 comments ) Strike begins Dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts have gone on strike , their first walkout since 1977, blocking shipments at all ports from Maine to Texas that handle about half of America's ocean shipping.
The International Longshoremen's Association and port employers remain deadlocked on wages and protections related to automation. The ILA also claimed that the shippers "are gouging their customers that result in increased costs to American consumers." The Conference Board, a business think tank, said a weeklong strike could cost the U.
S. economy $3.78B, or $540M per day.
( 12 comments ) Today's Markets In Asia, Japan +1.9% . Hong Kong closed.
China closed. India flat. In Europe, at midday, London +0.
5% . Paris flat. Frankfurt +0.
4% . Futures at 7:00, Dow -0.2% .
S&P +0.1% . Nasdaq +0.
3% . Crude -0.5% to $67.
83. Gold +0.5% to $2,671.
70. Bitcoin +0.7% to $63,943.
Ten-year Treasu ry Yield -4 bps to 3.75%. Today's Economic Calendar 09:45 AM PMI Manufacturing Final 10:00 AM ISM Manufacturing Index 10:00 AM Construction Spending 10:00 AM Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey 11:00 AM Treasury Buyback Announcement (Preliminary) 11:00 AM Fed's Bostic Speech 06:15 PM A Conversation with Federal Reserve Presidents Companies reporting earnings today » What else is happening.
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