Cardinal Health(US:CAH) ZACKS·2025-10-30 15:30Core Insights - Cardinal Health, Inc. reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.55, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.21 by 15.4%, and showing a year-over-year improvement of 35.6% [1][8] - Total revenue for the quarter reached $64 billion, marking a 22% increase year over year and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.4% [2][8] Revenue Details - Sales increased by 22% year over year to $64 billion, beating estimates [2] Segmental Analysis - Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions: Revenues rose 23% to $59.2 billion, driven by growth in branded and specialty pharmaceutical sales [3] - Pharmaceutical Profit: Totaled $667 million, up 26% from the previous year, supported by brand and specialty products [4] - Global Medical Products and Distribution: Revenues reached $3.2 billion, a 2% increase year over year, with profits rising from $8 million to $46 million [4] - Other Segment: Sales grew 38% to $1.6 billion, with profits increasing 60% to $166 million, driven by strong performance across its operating segments [5] Margin Analysis - Gross profit increased 22% year over year to $2.32 billion, with a gross margin of 3.6% [6] - Distribution, selling, general and administrative expenses rose 14% to $1.46 billion [6] - Operating income was $668 million, an 18% increase year over year, with adjusted operating income up 37.1% to $857 million [6] Financial Update - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $4.59 billion, up from $3.87 billion in the previous quarter [9] - Net cash provided by operating activities was $973 million, compared to $1.65 billion used in the same period last year [9] 2026 Outlook - Cardinal Health raised its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance, expecting adjusted EPS between $9.65 and $9.85, up from a prior outlook of $9.30-$9.50 [10] - Projected revenue growth for the Pharmaceutical segment is 11-13%, with segment profit expected to increase 16-19% [10][11] - Medical segment revenues are estimated to grow 2-4%, while the Other segment is expected to see revenue growth of 26-28% [11] Conclusion - The company reported strong first-quarter results, with broad-based profit growth across all segments, particularly in Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions [12] - The positive results led to a 10% increase in shares during pre-market trading, with a year-to-date gain of 39.1% compared to the industry’s 4.1% [13]