Cardinal Health, Inc.: EPS $3.26 vs $2.94 expected; revenue $67.5B vs $66.7B
Key Facts
Q1 FY2027 results
| Metric | Actual | Estimate | Surprise | Year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPS (USD) | 3.26 | 2.94 | +10.9% | 2.55 |
| Revenue (USD bn) | 67.50 | 66.67 | +1.2% | 64.01 |
Recent reports: actual vs estimate
| Reported | Period | EPS (USD) | Estimate | Surprise | Revenue (USD bn) | Estimate | Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | Q1 FY2027 | 3.26 | 2.94 | +10.9% | 67.50 | 66.67 | +1.2% |
| Aug 11, 2026 | Q4 FY2026 | 2.91 | 2.42 | +20.2% | 63.67 | 65.15 | −2.3% |
| Apr 30, 2026 | Q3 FY2026 | 3.17 | 2.79 | +13.6% | 60.94 | 62.10 | −1.9% |
| Feb 5, 2026 | Q2 FY2026 | 2.63 | 2.34 | +12.4% | 65.63 | 65.08 | +0.8% |
| Oct 30, 2025 | Q1 FY2026 | 2.55 | 2.18 | +17.0% | 64.01 | 59.24 | +8.1% |
| Aug 12, 2025 | Q4 FY2025 | 2.08 | 2.04 | +2.0% | 60.16 | 60.89 | −1.2% |
| May 1, 2025 | Q3 FY2025 | 2.35 | 2.17 | +8.3% | 54.88 | 55.39 | −0.9% |
| Jan 30, 2025 | Q2 FY2025 | 1.93 | 1.74 | +10.9% | 55.26 | 55.02 | +0.4% |
Source: Figures from the EL7 database. Estimates are the analyst consensus carried by our data vendor (FMP), not official figures.
Cardinal Health, Inc. results: EPS $3.26 vs $2.94 expected; revenue $67.5B vs $66.7B. The results cover the company's Q1 FY2027. EPS came in above analysts' estimate by 10.9%; revenue above the estimate by 1.2%.
Revenue was up 5.5% from $64.0 billion a year earlier (Q1 FY2026). EPS was up 27.8% from $2.55 a year earlier. On its record, EPS topped analysts' estimates in 7 of 7 earlier comparable reports.
What the results mean
According to the company's results release, management raised its financial outlook.
Cardinal Health, Inc.'s results reflect strength in Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions, driven by growth in branded and specialty pharmaceutical sales to existing customers. Positive generics program performance also supported segment profit, highlighting the role of product mix alongside sales growth in supporting profitability.
In Global Medical Products and Distribution, growth in Cardinal Health Brand offset declining distribution revenue, leaving overall revenue broadly stable. Distribution and currency pressures nevertheless weighed on segment profit, showing that stable sales did not prevent weaker profitability.
Growth extended across nuclear and precision health solutions, home care and logistics services. Management attributed performance to focused investments, operational discipline and business diversification, while earnings per share also benefited from a lower share count and effective tax rate; its improvement therefore combines operating growth with financial factors.
What to watch on the earnings call: Continued specialty pharmaceutical sales growth among existing customers, the generics program's contribution to profitability, and the causes of distribution and currency pressures in medical products. Also relevant are details of the binding letter of intent to renew pharmaceutical distribution agreements with the major customer, growth drivers in home care, nuclear health and logistics, and the durability of the share-count and tax contributions to earnings per share.
For the full analysis of Cardinal Health, Inc. stock — valuation, scores and financial statements — see the stock page linked with this story.