CVS Health Corp. ( CVS ) posted stronger-than-expected first quarter earnings Wednesday, and boosted the mid-point of its full-year profit forecast, as the healthcare benefits manager's $69 billion purchase of Aetna begins to influence its bottom line and offset a slowdown in retail sales growth. CVS said adjusted earnings for the three months ending in March came in at $1.62 per share, rising 9.5% from the same period last year and beating the Street consensus forecast by 11 cents. Group revenues, CVS said, surged 34.8% to $61.6 billion and comfortably topped analysts' of $60.39 billion. CVS also raised and narrowed the range of its full-year earnings guidance, and now sees 2019 adjusted operating income in the region of $15 billion to $15.2 billion. It also confirmed its cash-flow guidance of $9.8 billion to $10.3 billion. "We generated strong first quarter results, providing positive momentum to start the year.