Medline stock made a blockbuster debut on Wednesday with its IPO listing at $29 per share. The company raised roughly $6.26 billion and hit the public markets with an implied valuation near $50 billion, making it the year's biggest listing. The Northfield, Illinois-based medical-supplies giant, backed by Blackstone, Carlyle, and Hellman & Friedman, upsized the deal to meet robust institutional demand. Opening trades suggested the stock could gap higher on day one. But investors need to focus on some critica ...

Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH), based in Dublin, Ohio, is a worldwide healthcare services and products firm. It manages the distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies and offers logistics services to hospitals, pharmacies, and healthcare providers. The company is vital to streamlining the supply chain, thereby enhancing medication and product availability and improving patient care quality. Cardinal Health has a market capitalization of $47.04 billion, making it a “large-cap” stock. More News from ...

Core Insights - McKesson Corporation, based in Irving, Texas, is one of America's oldest businesses with a market capitalization of approximately $105.6 billion, focusing on pharmaceutical distribution, medical supply delivery, and technology solutions [1] Market Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, McKesson's stock has increased by 39.8% and by 51% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 12.3% and 12.5% in the same periods [2] - The stock has also outperformed the S&P 500 Healthcare Sector SPDR, which saw a 7.5% increase over the past 52 weeks and a 10.9% rise year-to-date [3] Financial Results - For the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, McKesson reported a revenue increase of 10.1% year-over-year, reaching $103.2 billion, aligning with analyst expectations, driven by stronger prescription volumes and broader distribution of oncology and multispecialty products [4] - Earnings per share (EPS) surged 377% annually to $8.92, surpassing expectations, and the management has raised its adjusted EPS outlook for fiscal year 2026 to a range of $38.35 to $38.85 [5] Analyst Outlook - Analysts forecast a 17% EPS growth to $38.66 on a diluted basis for the fiscal year ending in March 2026, with McKesson exceeding analyst expectations for three consecutive quarters [6] - The consensus rating among 16 analysts covering McKesson is "Strong Buy," with 13 "Strong Buy" calls and three "Hold" recommendations [6] - Following the Q2 results, Baird analyst Eric Coldwell raised McKesson's price target to $927 from $873, maintaining an "Outperform" stance, indicating confidence in the company's momentum [7]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q4 2024 was $2.7 billion, up 1.5% compared to the prior year [25] - Adjusted net income for Q4 was $43 million or $0.55 per share, compared to $54 million or $0.69 per share last year [31] - Adjusted EBITDA was $138 million, down from $170 million reported in Q4 2023 [32] - Gross profit in Q4 was $580 million, representing 21.5% of net revenue [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Patient Direct revenue grew by 5% in Q4 2024, with strong growth in sleep supplies and diabetes [27] - The Products and Health Care Services (P&HS) segment grew 0.5% overall in Q4, with same-store sales growth in medical distribution offset by lower glove pricing [26][20] - Adjusted operating income was $95 million in Q4, an increase compared to the third quarter but lower than the previous year [30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The IV fluid shortage impacted procedure volume and sales volume to distribution customers [26] - Home respiratory therapies such as NIV and oxygen declined year-over-year, but there are expectations for a return to growth in 2025 [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on optimizing its P&HS segment and leveraging its Patient Direct platform for growth [9] - Plans to acquire Rotech are underway, with expectations to close in the first half of 2025, aiming to drive long-term shareholder value [10][14] - A share repurchase program of up to $100 million has been authorized by the Board of Directors [13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the future of the Patient Direct business, citing positive demographic trends and expanding home treatment options [9] - The company anticipates mid-single-digit revenue growth for 2025, primarily driven by the Patient Direct segment [35] - Management remains focused on reducing debt and maintaining a debt-to-EBITDA leverage ratio between two and three times [38] Other Important Information - The company repaid $647 million of debt over the last two years, demonstrating strong cash flow capabilities [10][33] - A goodwill impairment charge of $305 million was recorded in Q4, primarily due to adverse financial market changes [32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about Rotech's performance - Management indicated there were no surprises in Rotech's results, consistent with expectations despite external legislative impacts [46][47] Question: Free cash flow and share repurchase strategy - The primary objective is to pay down debt, but share repurchase will be considered opportunistically if the stock remains undervalued [50] Question: Trends in Patient Direct growth - Management noted strong growth in diabetes and sleep supplies, with plans to improve performance in home respiratory categories [57][58] Question: Impact of tariffs - Tariffs are not significantly impacting the company, as most products are not sourced from high-tariff regions [72][74] Question: Capitated contract impact - The large capitated contract is not expected to have a meaningful impact on 2025 results, as current pricing is already modeled into projections [104][105] Question: Growth expectations for P&HS and Patient Direct - The majority of revenue growth is expected to come from the Patient Direct segment, with modest improvements in margins across both segments [111]