Brokerages Set Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) PT at $209.00

Shares of Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) have been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the sixteen analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and fourteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $214.0667.

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup upgraded shares of Cardinal Health from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $190.00 to $244.00 in a research report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Cardinal Health from $185.00 to $221.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of Cardinal Health from $190.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Argus lifted their price target on Cardinal Health from $189.00 to $211.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on Cardinal Health from $185.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 31st.

Cardinal Health News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Cardinal Health this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 guidance to at least $10.00 non‑GAAP EPS (up from $9.65–$9.85) and reiterated specialty momentum, underpinning near‑term earnings visibility. Cardinal Health Raises Fiscal 2026 Outlook and Highlights Strategic Progress During J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Presentation
• Positive Sentiment: Management now expects Specialty revenue to exceed $50B in FY‑2026 (roughly 16% three‑year CAGR), which supports higher margin growth and helped lift the stock. Cardinal Health Stock Jumps on Guidance Raise. Why 2026 Will Be a Good Year.
• Positive Sentiment: New ContinuCare™ Pathway (direct‑to‑patient at‑home diabetes supply solution) and a partnership with Publix signal commercial expansion beyond distribution and potential recurring revenue streams. Cardinal Health Raises Fiscal 2026 Outlook and Highlights Strategic Progress During J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Presentation
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction: the stock moved higher after the guidance and conference update, with coverage noting the rally despite a softer broader market. Why the Market Dipped But Cardinal Health (CAH) Gained Today
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment appears to be shifting more favorable as some upgrades and fair‑value revisions reflect confidence in the specialty strategy and earnings upside. Will Analyst Upgrades and Specialty Focus Change Cardinal Health’s (CAH) Healthcare Supply Chain Narrative?
• Neutral Sentiment: Full JP Morgan presentation and transcript provide more detail on execution and margin levers; useful for investors wanting the management roadmap but not new standalone news. Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) Presents at 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces (TipRanks/Zacks/Benzinga) highlight the guidance bump and strategic progress but focus on interpretation rather than new facts — useful context for positioning. Cardinal Health Raises 2026 EPS Outlook, Highlights Growth
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest rose ~23.6% in December (now ~2.6% of float), which could add volatility or downside pressure if negative catalysts emerge.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and expectations: CAH’s P/E is elevated versus some peers, so the upgraded guidance raises the bar for execution — any slip vs. the new $10+ target could trigger a pullback.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CAH. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Cardinal Health by 153.2% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,804,090 shares of the company’s stock worth $911,010,000 after purchasing an additional 3,511,579 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Cardinal Health during the second quarter valued at approximately $584,420,000. Holocene Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Cardinal Health by 141.4% during the third quarter. Holocene Advisors LP now owns 1,926,170 shares of the company’s stock valued at $302,332,000 after buying an additional 1,128,358 shares during the last quarter. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI raised its holdings in shares of Cardinal Health by 4,935.9% in the first quarter. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI now owns 946,750 shares of the company’s stock worth $130,434,000 after buying an additional 927,950 shares during the period. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its stake in shares of Cardinal Health by 109.3% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 1,584,214 shares of the company’s stock worth $248,658,000 after acquiring an additional 827,446 shares during the last quarter. 87.17% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Cardinal Health Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of CAH stock opened at $208.83 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $49.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.48, a PEG ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.65. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $204.54 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $173.77. Cardinal Health has a 52 week low of $120.72 and a 52 week high of $214.93.

Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $2.55 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.22 by $0.33. Cardinal Health had a negative return on equity of 84.37% and a net margin of 0.68%.The company had revenue of $64.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $59.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.88 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.4% on a year-over-year basis. Cardinal Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.650-9.850 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Cardinal Health will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Cardinal Health Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.5107 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Cardinal Health’s payout ratio is currently 30.77%.

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a multinational healthcare services and products company headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Tracing its roots to the early 1970s, the company has grown into a major provider of supply chain and distribution services for the healthcare sector. Cardinal Health operates across a range of service lines that support hospitals, health systems, pharmacies, physician offices and clinical laboratories.

The company’s core activities include the wholesale distribution of branded and generic pharmaceuticals, the supply and distribution of medical-surgical products, and the provision of logistics and inventory management solutions.