NEW YORK (S&P Global Ratings) Nov. 6, 2020-- CVS Health Corp. (BBB/Stable/A-2) announced today the retirement of its longtime CEO Larry Merlo effective Feb. 1, 2021. He will remain on the company's board of directors through the next annual shareholder meeting in May 2021, and will serve as a strategic advisor through May 31, 2021. Karen Lynch, currently president of the health care segment (the Aetna business), will be taking over the CEO role and has been with Aetna since 2012. We continue to view CVS Health's management as a rating strength based on the team's breadth and depth, as well as overall solid track record of execution. We expect the likelihood of continued consistency in business and financial strategy
