10 Hottest Large-Cap Stocks So Far in 2025

2. CVS Health (NYSE:CVS)

• YTD Performance: 16.6%.

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) is a pharmacy and health insurance company. Before we talk about the gains so far this year, I would like to remind you that CVS stock has mostly been a story about woes for the past three years. The stock is still down 53% from its early 2022 highs despite the recent gains.

Regardless, I do think that CVS Health is close to making a turnaround. The company has had rough financials recently and reported softness in its Health Care Benefits segment due to higher utilization and rising costs. Annual revenues have trended up (up 6% in Q3), but the bottom line has taken a significant hit.

Cautious investors have a right to be skeptical in the short term, but a chunk of the bad news might be priced in already. Many are now waiting to see if the company’s pivot toward cost-efficiency and new leadership can produce a real rebound. If not, we could see further pressure from healthcare cost inflation. That said, I’m seeing more optimism trickling in compared to the gloom that dominated last year.