CVS Health expects to add approximately 60 stores in 2026, increasing its store base for the first time in several years after a period of net reductions.

Citing company representative Amy Thibault, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the planned openings will cover several types of locations, including full-format CVS stores, CVS outlets operating inside Target stores and pharmacy-only units.

Thibault added that a small number of closures are still anticipated this year, with most linked to expiring leases or store relocations to different sites.

The company was quoted as saying: “While we regularly review our footprint, we’ve completed work to optimise our retail footprint to best serve the needs of our patients and customers.”

CVS has been cutting back its retail footprint in recent years.

The group, which also includes health insurer Aetna and pharmacy benefit manager Caremark, has sought to lift the performance of its retail pharmacy business by reducing store count and renegotiating terms with insurers.

WSJ previously reported that CVS expected to close 270 locations in 2025, after setting out a plan in 2021 to reduce store density.

That would follow roughly 800 net closures across the preceding three years, according to the publication.

The publication has also said that leading US pharmacy chains, including CVS, have been dealing with intensifying competition from discount retailers and increased theft.

Those pressures have contributed to cost-cutting and widespread store shutdowns across the sector.

CVS has looked to counter some of these issues by testing different store formats, including pharmacy-only locations.

The company opened around a dozen such sites last year.

These smaller branches are less than half the size of a standard CVS and concentrate on health-focused items such as over-the-counter cough and pain medicines, while carrying far fewer general consumer products than traditional stores, according to a previous WSJ report.