Cardinal Health (CAH) Q1 2026 Earnings
How Did CAH Stock React to Q1 2026 Earnings?
S&P 500 over the same 30 days: +0.25%.
Did CAH Beat Earnings? Q1 2026 Results
Yes. Cardinal Health reported Q1 2026 earnings of $2.55 a share on Oct 30, 2025, beating the $2.17 consensus estimate by 17.3%. Revenue was $64.0B against a $59.3B estimate.
Cardinal Health kicked off fiscal 2026 with a decisive beat on both the top and bottom lines, as the healthcare distribution giant reported first-quarter revenue of $64.01 billion, up 22.4% year-over-year and ahead of the $59.27 billion consensus by 8.00%, while non-GAAP diluted EPS of $2.55 cleared the $2.17 analyst estimate by 17.33%. The primary engine behind the outperformance was the Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment, where revenue climbed 23% to $59.20 billion and segment profit rose 26% to $667.00 million, fueled by robust brand and specialty pharmaceutical sales, positive generics program performance, and contributions from MSO platform acquisitions. The Global Medical Products and Distribution segment also turned a meaningful corner, with segment profit jumping to $46.00 million from just $8.00 million a year earlier. Management responded to the strong results by raising full-year non-GAAP EPS guidance to $9.65 to $9.85, representing 17% to 20% growth, while investors are weighing whether the stock's sharp post-earnings appreciation has pulled valuation ahead of fundamentals.
- Brand and specialty pharmaceutical sales growth from existing and new customers
- Positive generics program performance
- Contributions from MSO platform acquisitions
- Advanced Diabetes Supply acquisition contributing to at-Home Solutions growth
- Volume growth from existing customers in GMPD
- Lower share count and lower effective tax rate boosting non-GAAP EPS
- Growth across all five operating segments
“We are pleased with our strong broad-based operational and financial performance to begin fiscal 2026. This outstanding first quarter reflects our focused execution across each of our operating segments and provides a solid foundation as we carry forward. As a result, we are raising our fiscal 2026 outlook.”
Cardinal Health CEO, on the earnings call
What Was Cardinal Health's Outlook in Q1 2026?
Cardinal Health raised its fiscal year 2026 non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance to $9.65–$9.85 (up from $9.30–$9.50), representing 17%–20% growth. The company also raised its non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow outlook to $3.0–$3.5 billion (from $2.75–$3.25 billion). Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment profit growth guidance was raised to 16%–19% (from 11%–13%), and Other segment profit growth was raised to 29%–31% (from 25%–27%). Updated assumptions include interest and other expense of ~$325 million (from ~$275 million, reflecting Solaris Health financing), diluted weighted average shares of ~238 million, and capital expenditures of $600–$650 million. The company expects to complete the Solaris Health acquisition in early November.
CAH YoY Financials
| Metric | Q1 2026 | Q1 2025 | Year over year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $64.0B | $52.3B | +22.4% |
| Gross Profit | $2.3B | $1.9B | +21.9% |
| Operating Income | $668.0M | $568.0M | +17.6% |
| Net Income | $450.0M | $416.0M | +8.2% |
CAH Revenue by Segment
Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.