Cardinal Health (CAH) vs Cencora (COR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Cardinal Health (CAH) has outperformed Cencora (COR) over the past year, gaining 48.2% versus a gain of 2.8%. Over five years, CAH leads with a +378.3% price change compared with +164.7% for COR. Cencora is the larger company by market cap ($60.54 billion vs $53.76 billion), about 1.1 times the size, while Cardinal Health is growing revenue faster (+14.2% vs +9.3%).
On valuation, Cencora trades at a lower forward P/E (16.0x vs 16.5x for Cardinal Health). Cardinal Health offers the higher dividend yield (0.88% vs 0.74%). Cardinal Health converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 0.7% versus 0.5%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CAH | COR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $232.16 | $317.25 |
| Market cap | $53.76B | $60.54B |
| 1-day change | -0.55% | +0.28% |
| YTD return | +12.97% | -6.07% |
| 1-year return | +48.20% | +2.77% |
| 5-year return | +378.29% | +164.68% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 32.29 | 23.55 |
| Forward P/E | 16.52 | 16.02 |
| EPS (TTM) | $7.19 | $13.47 |
| Dividend yield | 0.88% | 0.74% |
| Annual dividend | $2.05 | $2.35 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $254.25B | $321.33B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +14.23% | +9.31% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.71B | $1.55B |
| Gross margin | 3.84% | 3.57% |
| Operating margin | 1.03% | 0.82% |
| Net margin | 0.67% | 0.48% |
| 52-week high | $258.30 | $377.54 |
| 52-week low | $151.87 | $244.82 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -10.12% | -15.97% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +16.44% | +16.39% |
| Average volume | 1.93M | 1.34M |
| Shares outstanding | 231.56M | 190.83M |
| Employees | 58,788 | 47,000 |
| Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| Industry | Other Pharmaceuticals | Other Pharmaceuticals |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- CAH has outperformed COR by 45.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Cardinal Health trades at a higher earnings multiple (32.3x vs 23.6x trailing P/E).
About Cardinal Health
CAH stock →Cardinal Health, Inc. operates as a healthcare services and products company in the United States and internationally.
Health Care · Other Pharmaceuticals · 58,788 employees
About Cencora
COR stock →Cencora, Inc. sources and distributes pharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally.
Health Care · Other Pharmaceuticals · 47,000 employees
CAH vs COR FAQ
Which is bigger, Cardinal Health or Cencora?
Cencora (COR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $60.54B compared with $53.76B for Cardinal Health (CAH).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CAH or COR?
CAH returned +48.20% over the past 12 months, compared with +2.77% for COR (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CAH or COR?
COR has the lower trailing P/E at 23.6, versus 32.3 for CAH. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Cardinal Health or Cencora?
Cardinal Health has the higher yield at 0.88%, compared with 0.74% for Cencora.
Are Cardinal Health and Cencora in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Other Pharmaceuticals industry within the Health Care sector.