Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH)
Cardinal Health is a massive middleman in the healthcare world, moving medicines and medical supplies from manufacturers to hospitals and pharmacies.
Is Cardinal Health, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Cardinal Health is a massive middleman in the healthcare world, moving medicines and medical supplies from manufacturers to hospitals and pharmacies.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Long-term aging population trends drive sustained demand for medical products.
Major structural changes to the US healthcare distribution model.
What does Cardinal Health, Inc. do?
Think of Cardinal Health as the giant logistics engine behind the American healthcare system, ensuring that everything from surgical gloves to life-saving drugs reaches the right place at the right time. It profits by taking a small slice of the massive volume of goods it distributes across the country. Their fortunes hinge on managing very thin profit margins while navigating the complex and ever-changing landscape of drug pricing and healthcare regulation.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and value, and weakest on quality.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 0.9% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 11% over the year
- !Thin profits - turns only about 1% of sales into profit
- !High P/E of 35 - big growth is already priced in
- Momentum screens high (72/100)
- Essential role in the healthcare supply chain
- Lower volatility compared to the broader market
- Consistent revenue growth from high-volume operations
- Quality screens low (9/100)
- Changes in government healthcare reimbursement policies
- Intense competition in the distribution sector
- Potential for legal or regulatory costs related to the pharmaceutical industry
What do Cardinal Health, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Cardinal Health, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Cardinal Health, Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Cardinal Health, Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 0.9% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Cardinal Health, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Cardinal Health, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-11 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-30 | $2.79 | $3.17 | Beat +14% |
| 2026-02-05 | $2.37 | $2.63 | Beat +11% |
| 2025-10-30 | $2.17 | $2.55 | Beat +18% |
| 2025-08-12 | $2.03 | $2.08 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-05-01 | $2.15 | $2.35 | Beat +9% |
| 2025-01-30 | $1.76 | $1.93 | Beat +9% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Cardinal Health, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.What are the scenarios for Cardinal Health, Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Cardinal Health, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Essential role in the healthcare supply chain
- Lower volatility compared to the broader market
- Consistent revenue growth from high-volume operations
- Extremely thin profit margins leave little room for error
- Recent decline in earnings growth
- Complex business model that is sensitive to government regulation
- Changes in government healthcare reimbursement policies
- Intense competition in the distribution sector
- Potential for legal or regulatory costs related to the pharmaceutical industry
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant, sustained improvement in net profit margins
- A major shift in how US hospitals and pharmacies source their supplies
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.