Why are CVS closing stores?

Asked by: Zelma Lynch  |  Last update: April 16, 2025
Score: 5/5 (51 votes)

Within the last year, the company has also cut about 5,000 jobs, per The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper reported that when it spoke to a CVS spokesperson, they said the effort to pare down has been made “based on [the company's] evaluation of changes in population, consumer buying patterns and future health needs."

Why is CVS having trouble?

Over the last few years, CVS has struggled with declining profit margins at its retail pharmacies, as well as rising costs of patient care through its insurance unit Aetna, which generates around a third of the company's revenue. So far, CVS has cut its 2024 earnings forecast for three straight quarters.

Why are all the pharmacy stores closing?

Changing consumer trends and market dynamics are leading to hundreds of pharmacy store closures in the U.S. Brick-and-mortar locations are losing to mail-order and digital options, according to a J.D. Power study of pharmacy customers.

What stores are closing in 2024 in the USA?

Retail closures were up 69% in 2024 when compared to last year, according to Coresight data reviewed by Newsweek.
  • Advance Auto Parts. ...
  • American Freight. ...
  • Big Lots. ...
  • Buybuy Baby. ...
  • CVS. ...
  • Denny's. ...
  • Family Dollar. ...
  • JOANN Inc.

What is the real reason Walgreens is closing?

Walgreens is closing more locations. Walgreens is closing approximately 1,200 locations as the drug store chain struggles to contend with online competitors and declining prescription drug payments. By 2027, about one in seven Walgreens currently open will close its doors.

Why Walgreens And CVS Are Shutting Down Thousands Of Stores

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Is CVS going out of business in 2024 in the USA?

According to USA Today, CVS plans to close 300 stores in 2024. This includes standalone stores and some locations within Target stores. Since 2022, CVS has already closed about 600 stores so in total it will have permanently closed 900 stores, which represents 10 percent of its holdings.

Is CVS in financial trouble?

Financial pressures have forced CVS to lower its earnings outlook three times this year. In a cost-cutting move, the company recently laid off approximately 2,900 employees and announced plans to reduce expenses by $2 billion.

Is Walgreens going out of business in 2024?

The thinning of Walgreens locations has been in the works. Walgreens said in October 2024 it planned to close about 1,200 underperforming stores across the U.S. as a strategy to offset declining profits resulting from low drug reimbursement rates and sluggish retail sales.

Why are all these stores closing?

He said Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid have seen some of the highest store closure rates in retail this year because, in general, the U.S. has too much retail space. That, combined with the rise of online shopping, is forcing these retailers to downsize, Swartz said.

Is Target closing stores in 2025?

Target is no stranger to adjusting its store footprint, and in 2025, it plans to close a few underperforming locations.

Is CVS shutting down?

CVS plans to close hundreds of stores

CVS announced in 2022 that it had a goal of closing around 900 locations between 2022 and 2024, with around 300 closures per year. The company has already closed around 600 stores and planned to conclude the closing of the additional 300 locations at the end of November.

Why did Target get rid of their pharmacy?

Target's overall profit margins were low, compounded by costly operational issues and the aftermath of shutting down its Canadian operations, which resulted in a $2.5 billion loss. It became evident that Target's pharmacy division was not a cash cow and needed to be cut from the corporate roster.

Why are CVS Walgreens in trouble?

The simplest part of the problem is scale. CVS and Walgreens grew massive nationwide footprints of more than 9,000 and 8,000 stores, respectively. They gobbled up mom-and-pop shops and signed long-term leases for prime locations on street corners.

What is the CVS controversy?

The government alleges that by knowingly filling unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances, CVS violated the CSA and, where CVS sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs, also violated the FCA. The complaint alleges that CVS's actions helped to fuel the opioid crisis.

Which is better, Walgreens or CVS?

What's Better: CVS or Walgreens? When comparing CVS vs. Walgreens, customer reviews indicate that Walgreens is the better pharmacy. However, other factors, such as cost and rewards programs, give CVS a competitive edge, putting it slightly ahead of Walgreens in these areas.

Is CVS changing its name?

It also announced it would change its corporate name to CVS Health to reflect "its broader health care commitment" and a desire to change the future health of Americans, although all retail stores would continue to be called "CVS/pharmacy", unless they did not contain a pharmacy, in which case they are just signed CVS.

Is Walmart shutting down in 2024?

Walmart is shuttering 11 US locations in 2024. See the list. Walmart has announced closures for 11 locations across six states in 2024 so far.

Is Dollar Tree going out of business?

Dollar Tree on Wednesday said it plans to close nearly 1,000 stores over the next several years, after disclosing significant losses in its latest earnings report. The discount store chain lost $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter, down sharply from earnings of $452.2 million a year ago.

Why are Starbucks closing?

The company has encountered recent difficulties, however, including lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on its operations, worker strikes and decreased foot traffic in some of its locations, which have put pressure on its finances and contributed to the closure of more than 60 stores in 2024.

Is CVS in trouble?

A CVS pharmacy shopping cart in Pinole, California, on July 18, 2023. The US Department of Justice announced a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing pharmacy chain CVS of filling illegal opioid prescriptions and billing federal health insurance programs, contributing to a nationwide epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose.

Who is buying out Walgreens?

Walgreens is reportedly exploring selling itself to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. It might be the right decision for the company, some experts say.

What stores are going out of business in 2024?

Retail closures were up 69% in 2024 when compared to last year, according to Coresight data reviewed by Newsweek.
  • Advance Auto Parts. ...
  • American Freight. ...
  • Big Lots. ...
  • Buybuy Baby. ...
  • CVS. ...
  • Denny's. ...
  • Family Dollar. ...
  • JOANN Inc.

Why are so many CVS closing?

The newspaper reported that when it spoke to a CVS spokesperson, they said the effort to pare down has been made “based on [the company's] evaluation of changes in population, consumer buying patterns and future health needs."

Who is CVS merging with?

Merger announcement

CVS-Aetna announced their proposed merger on Dec. 3, 2017. The CVS-Aetna deal is the biggest health care merger in U.S. history. The AMA immediately began analyzing the merger's likely impact on competition.

Why is CVS falling?

For CVS, it's been a tough three years to navigate, as rising medical expenses, the COVID pandemic, and staffing issues have all weighed on its operations. The company hasn't been able to find much stability in its operations, and even now has struggled with forecasting.