Is Cardinal Health Stock Outperforming the Nasdaq?

Core Insights - Cardinal Health, Inc. is a significant player in the healthcare services and products sector, with a market capitalization of $47.04 billion, focusing on the distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies [1] Stock Performance - Cardinal Health's shares reached a 52-week high of $214.93 on November 26 but have since declined by 7.9% from that peak [2] - The stock has experienced a 31.2% increase over the past three months, outperforming the Nasdaq Composite index, which gained 7.8% during the same period [2] - Over the past 52 weeks, Cardinal Health's stock has gained 62.9%, and 28.9% over the past six months, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 19.5% and 20.3%, respectively [3] Financial Performance - For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Cardinal Health reported revenues of $64.01 billion, a 22% year-over-year increase, surpassing Wall Street's expectation of $59.05 billion [4] - The company's non-GAAP EPS rose by 36% year-over-year to $2.55, exceeding the analysts' estimate of $2.21 [4] - Cardinal Health raised its fiscal 2026 non-GAAP EPS outlook from a range of $9.30-$9.50 to $9.65-$9.85, indicating projected growth of 17%-20% [5] Strategic Developments - The stock rose 15.4% intraday on October 30 following the strong quarterly results and updated outlook [5] - Cardinal Health completed the acquisition of urology MSO Solaris Health, adding over 750 providers to its multi-specialty MSO platform [5] Competitive Positioning - Compared to Cencora, Inc., which gained 40.2% over the past 52 weeks and 18.8% over the past six months, Cardinal Health has demonstrated superior performance [6]