Exclusive: CVS explores options including potential break-up, sources say

[BumRushDaShow]

4. There has been a lot of "consolidation" in this market over the decades

including the "buy or get bought" mentality, as well as diversifying the portfolio (like CVS apparently did taking over Aetna).

So for CVS, they envisioned themselves as a "one stop shop", being a "health insurer" that directed their preferred provider prescriptions to their own pharmacies, and even offered health services like "urgent care" at some locations.

Rite Aid (which I use), is a PA-based chain that expanded itself probably more than they should have, including buying a bunch of smaller chains in MI, as well as bigger ones like Eckerd (which itself had taken over Thrift Drug, a PA-based chain).

I do think the whole newer business model with mail order drug fulfillment, has been getting to them though. The pandemic really triggered the use of more and more interactions online versus in a retail outlet. And with supermarkets doing pharmacy duties too, that put more pressure on those pharmacy chains.