Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) is a major American healthcare services and medical products company headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. The company has a market cap of $44.8 billion and operates in two segments: Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions, and Global Medical Products and Distribution.
Over the past 52 weeks, CAH stock has surged 20.7%, trailing the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which has returned 30.3%. In 2026, the stock has dipped 9.8%, while the index has gained 7.2%.
Narrowing the focus, CAH has outperformed the State Street Healthcare Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLV) 6.9% rise over the past 52 weeks.
On Apr. 30, Cardinal Health released its FY2026 Q3 earnings, and its shares popped 1.2% in the next trading session. Revenue rose 11% year over year to $60.9 billion, while adjusted EPS jumped 34.9% to $3.17, comfortably beating Wall Street expectations. The Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment remained the key growth engine, with sales climbing 11.3% to $56.1 billion.
The company also raised its full-year FY2026 outlook again, projecting adjusted EPS of $10.70 to $10.80 and higher free cash flow guidance, reflecting confidence in continued momentum across specialty drugs, biosimilars, and growth businesses.
For the fiscal year ending in June 2026, analysts expect CAH to report an 30.6% year-over-year growth in adjusted EPS to $10.76. The company has a strong earnings surprise history. It has surpassed the Street’s bottom-line estimates in each of the past four quarters.
CAH has a consensus “Strong Buy” rating overall. Of the 17 analysts covering the stock, opinions include 15 “Strong Buys” and two “Holds.”
Analyst sentiment has grown increasingly bullish, as the number of “Strong Buy” recommendations has risen from 14 a month ago.
On May 4, JPMorgan analyst Lisa Gill maintained a “Neutral” rating on CAH and lowered the price target to $215 from $243.
CAH’s mean price target of $242.38 indicates a 30.8% premium to the current market prices. Its Street-high target of $275 suggests a robust 49.2% upside potential from current price levels.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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