Cencora (NYSE:COR) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.13 EPS

Cencora (NYSE:COR) released its earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $4.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.35 by $0.13, FiscalAI reports. Cencora had a return on equity of 135.20% and a net margin of 0.78%.The business had revenue of $84.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $84.31 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.00 earnings per share. Cencora’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Cencora’s conference call:

• Fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $17.75–$17.95 from $17.70–$17.90, supported by strong year-to-date execution and $1 billion of share repurchases.
• Third-quarter adjusted operating income increased 17% and adjusted EPS rose 12%; U.S. Healthcare Solutions benefited from strong specialty utilization and better-than-expected performance at OneOncology and RCA.
• International Healthcare Solutions operating income grew 21% as European distribution, World Courier, and European 3PL delivered strong results, while MWI Animal Health also performed ahead of expectations.
• Management highlighted continued long-term opportunities in Part B biosimilars, MSO expansion, clinical-trial services, AI-enabled demand forecasting, and specialty logistics, while emphasizing that OneOncology’s integration and platform expansion remain in relatively early stages.
• Higher debt from the OneOncology acquisition lifted quarterly net interest expense by $59 million year over year, and management expects the potential MWI-Covetrus transaction to create an estimated $0.35 fiscal 2027 EPS headwind if it closes around midyear; stronger-dollar effects are also reducing international revenue growth.

Cencora Stock Performance

NYSE:COR traded up $11.32 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $317.60. 1,320,245 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,529,634. Cencora has a one year low of $244.82 and a one year high of $377.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $61.79 billion, a PE ratio of 24.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.57. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $290.71 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $314.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.40, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.95.

Cencora declared that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, May 21st that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 3.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on COR. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Cencora from $429.00 to $331.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 11th. William Blair began coverage on shares of Cencora in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. They set a “market perform” rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley set a $342.00 price target on Cencora in a report on Friday, May 8th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on Cencora from $420.00 to $339.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Cencora from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Cencora has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $367.75.

Cencora News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Cencora this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings beat expectations: Adjusted diluted EPS rose 12% year over year to $4.48, exceeding analyst estimates of approximately $4.35–$4.37. Revenue increased 5.1% to $84.8 billion, broadly ahead of consensus in some estimates. Cencora Reports Fiscal 2026 Third Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Fiscal 2026 EPS guidance was raised: Cencora now expects adjusted EPS of $17.75 to $17.95, up from $17.70 to $17.90, signaling management confidence in continued earnings momentum. Its annual sales forecast was maintained. Cencora lifts annual profit view on strong demand for specialty medicines
• Positive Sentiment: Specialty-healthcare growth supported results: Strong demand for specialty medicines, including oncology products, along with growth in U.S. Healthcare Solutions, OneOncology and international operations, helped offset other headwinds. Cencora also repurchased approximately $1 billion of stock during the quarter, supporting per-share earnings and capital-return sentiment. Cencora Sees Specialty Growth Continue While GLP-1 Mix Weighs on Margins
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst valuation remains supportive but mixed: Recent price targets have a median of $344.50, above the stock’s referenced trading level, but targets range widely, reflecting differing views on margins, growth and valuation. Why Cencora Stock Is Up Today
• Negative Sentiment: Margins face pressure from GLP-1 drug mix: Management indicated that the growing mix of lower-margin GLP-1 products is weighing on profitability, partially tempering the otherwise strong earnings report. GLP-1 Mix Weighs on Margins
• Negative Sentiment: FTC scrutiny adds execution risk: The Federal Trade Commission is taking a closer look at Cencora’s proposed Covetrus animal-health merger, creating potential uncertainty around the transaction’s timing or approval. FTC Scrutiny of Cencora-Covetrus Merger

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Lauren M. Tyler acquired 550 shares of Cencora stock in a transaction on Monday, June 22nd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $270.23 per share, for a total transaction of $148,626.50. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 4,359 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,177,932.57. This represents a 14.44% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.38% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Cencora during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Cencora in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Cencora during the 3rd quarter valued at about $74,000. DV Equities LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cencora during the 4th quarter valued at about $91,000. Finally, Greenline Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Cencora during the fourth quarter worth approximately $109,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.52% of the company’s stock.

Cencora Company Profile

Cencora (NYSE:COR) is a global healthcare services and pharmaceutical distribution company that provides end-to-end solutions across the pharmaceutical supply chain. The company’s core activities include wholesale drug distribution, specialty drug distribution, and the operation of specialty pharmacies, complemented by logistics, cold-chain management and other fulfillment services designed to support complex and temperature-sensitive therapies.

Beyond physical distribution, Cencora offers a range of commercial and patient-focused services for pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers.