** Healthcare conglomerate CVS Health CVS.N on Thursday raised its full-year profit forecast and disclosed plans to exit Obamacare market in 2026

** Under the leadership of CEO David Joyne, CVS is navigating one of the most challenging periods in its six-decade history

** Median PT of 29 brokerages covering the stock is $74, according to data compiled by LSEG

POSITIVE SIGNS

** Leerink Partners ("outperform" PT: $83) says CVS is set for "slow and steady win" for its earnings and first-quarter results don't impact its ongoing "power recovery" or 2026 results

** J.P.Morgan ("overweight") says CVS is taking a "prudent stance" for the full year, but there seems to be early positive signs such as "slightly better than expected" demand trends in Medicare Advantage plans

** Says CVS' partnership with Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO is not reflected in the company's annual forecast and will be a "notable area to watch"

** Oppenheimer ("perform") says while the move to exit Obamacare business was a "little surprising," CVS management said it did not see a near- or long-term way to improve its position in that market

** Mizuho (outperform, PT: $76) says that a key issue for investors is CVS' exposure to increased tariffs via its retail pharmacy segment

(Reporting by Padmanabhan Ananthan)

((Padmanabhan.Ananthan@thomsonreuters.com))