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Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH), headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, operates as a healthcare services and products company. Valued at $36.6 billion by market cap, the company's services include pharmaceutical distribution, health-care product manufacturing, distribution and consulting services, drug delivery systems development, pharmaceutical packaging, automated dispensing systems manufacturing, and retail pharmacy franchising. The healthcare giant is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Thursday, Oct. 30.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect CAH to report a profit of $2.21 per share on a diluted basis, up 17.6% from $1.88 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in its last four quarterly reports.
For the full year, analysts expect CAH to report EPS of $9.45, up 14.7% from $8.24 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 12% year over year to $10.58 in fiscal 2027.
CAH stock has significantly underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 14.7% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares up 39% during this period. Similarly, it underperformed the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLV) 7.8% losses over the same time frame.
Cardinal Health's shares dropped 7.2% on Aug. 12 following its mixed Q4 earnings report. Its adjusted EPS surged 13% to $2.08, beating estimates of $2.03. However, revenue of $60.2 billion slightly missed analyst expectations, despite a marginal year over year increase, likely eroding investor confidence.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on CAH stock is bullish, with a “Strong Buy” rating overall. Out of 15 analysts covering the stock, 11 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, and four give a “Hold.” CAH’s average analyst price target is $179.80, indicating a potential upside of 15.5% from the current levels.
