Stock analysis · Bull Rankings model

CAH analysis

Cardinal Health, Inc.Medical Distribution. Scored on the same transparent model behind the daily rankings.

CAH
Cardinal Health, Inc. · Medical Distribution
FCF$4.5bB
Rev+14.2%B+
D/E
P/E31.7xB
PEG1.20B+
63.3Score
$229.51$53.4B
1Y Target$270.94Analyst consensus · 16 analysts
5Y Target$396.68Compound horizon
10Y Target$588.45Long-dated conviction
FCF$4.5bTTM
B
FCF $4.5b — solid, comfortably covers operations and capital return
Rev+14.2%TTM YoY
B+
Revenue +14.2% — above sector median, healthy trajectory
D/E
D/E data unavailable — neutral default
P/E31.7x
B
P/E 31.7 — near the Healthcare median (≈60th pctile)
PEG1.20
B+
PEG 1.20 — near fair value, classic Lynch benchmark (1.0)

Forward price target — the 1-year figure is the analyst consensus where the stock is covered; the 5- and 10-year figures compound our earnings estimate from there. The DCF below is a separate cross-check on intrinsic value (what it's worth today), not another target.

Quality-growth score · 63.3
Quality50.1
Growth84.4
Value60.1
Why this score
  • Buying back stock
Entry · Margin of safety
52-week rangeNear 52-week high
11% off the 12-month high
vs DCF fair value61% belowest. fair value ~$591
What the price assumes: free cash flow compounding at ~-12% a year for the next decade — vs the ~14% a year our model projects from current growth and analyst estimates.
Quality signals · context only
Gross profitability17% · C+gross profit ÷ total assets (Novy-Marx)

Model-generatedGenerated by the Bull Rankings model from this company's reported fundamentals, and checked against the figures shown above.

Why now
Medical Distribution · market cap $53.4b. 11% off the 52-week high of $258.30. Revenue growing +14%, comfortably above the S&P median. 16 sell-side analysts rate this a Strong Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $270.94 (implying +18% upside).
Moat
Free cash flow runs well ahead of reported net income — non-cash charges (depreciation, intangible amortization) are holding down GAAP earnings while cash generation stays strong. $53.4b market cap gives the company enough scale to absorb fixed costs that subscale competitors can't, without yet being so large that growth has to come from acquisition.
Risk
Trailing P/E 32x sits well above the S&P median (~20x) — multiple compression is a real risk if revenue growth decelerates. Net margin 0.7% is thin — operating leverage cuts both ways; input-cost inflation or pricing pressure hits the bottom line first. ROE -59% is below the long-run sustainable threshold of ~10% — capital efficiency would need to improve for the equity base to compound at the market rate.
Horizon
1-3 yr $270.94 (16-analyst consensus) — fundamentals + valuation re-rating. 5 yr $396.68 at ~12% CAGR — compounding case rests on the competitive position widening. 10 yr $588.45 if current growth sustains into durable earnings power.
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.

CAH vs the Top Picks average

PillarCAHBook avgDiff
Quality0.500.84-0.34
Growth0.840.84in line
Value0.600.78-0.18

Averaged across the 30 names in today's Top Picks (mean score 81.5). A name can beat these averages and still be absent from the book — it also applies concentration limits.

Trend
+13.6 over 47 daily scores
From 49.7 (Jun 22) → 63.3 (now)

One point per daily model run. The range autoscales, so a flat-looking line can still hide 1–2 point moves — read the From → To values for the actual range.

Analyst estimate revisions

30-day change+16.9%
90-day change+17.5%
Forward EPS estimate$14.07

Over the last 90 days, what analysts expect CAH to earn is materially higher (+17.5%). The estimate is derived from price and forward P/E captured at the same instant, so a moving share price does not move this number — only a changed forecast does.

A rising estimate means expectations are improving, not that the price has failed to keep up — and estimates get cut as readily as they get raised. It is not part of the Bull Rankings score. Biggest movers across the market →

Shares to buy
8
Position size
$1,836
3.7% of portfolio
Stop price
$172.13
25% below $229.51
$ at risk if stopped
$459.02
budget $500.00 · 1% of portfolio

Math only — share count is floor(portfolio × risk% ÷ (price × stop%)). Doesn't account for commissions, slippage, gap risk, or position-correlation across your book. Inputs persist locally; never sent to the server. Not investment advice.

Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH): score, valuation & FAQ

Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) is a Medical Distribution company that scores 63.3 out of 100 on the Bull Rankings quality-growth model — a middling reading. The score blends three pillars — quality (durable returns, healthy margins, low leverage), growth (revenue and earnings), and value (valuation versus sector peers) — into one number, refreshed daily; it is a screen, not a buy recommendation.

Its strongest graded signals are Rev (B+) and PEG (B+). On valuation, CAH sits about 61% below our discounted-cash-flow fair value (a margin of safety) — the current price implies roughly -12% annual free-cash-flow growth over the next decade.

Is CAH a good stock to buy?

Bull Rankings scores CAH 63.3 out of 100 on its quality-growth model, which is a middling reading. That is driven by Rev (B+) and PEG (B+). A score is a quantitative screen of Cardinal Health, Inc.'s fundamentals, not personalised financial advice — weigh it against your own time horizon and risk tolerance, and read the risk factors below before acting.

Why does CAH score 63.3 on Bull Rankings?

The quality-growth score blends three pillars — quality (returns on capital, margins, leverage, earnings quality), growth (revenue and earnings expansion), and value (valuation versus sector peers). CAH earns its highest marks on Rev (B+) and PEG (B+). Each pillar is graded against sector-aware thresholds, then combined into the single 0–100 score.

Is CAH overvalued or undervalued?

Based on $229.51, CAH sits about 61% below our discounted-cash-flow fair value (a margin of safety) — the current price implies roughly -12% annual free-cash-flow growth over the next decade. It trades at a 31.7x P/E (graded B). Discounted-cash-flow estimates are sensitive to growth and discount-rate assumptions, so treat this as a cross-check, not a price target.

What are the main risks of investing in CAH?

Trailing P/E 32x sits well above the S&P median (~20x) — multiple compression is a real risk if revenue growth decelerates. Net margin 0.7% is thin — operating leverage cuts both ways; input-cost inflation or pricing pressure hits the bottom line first. ROE -59% is below the long-run sustainable threshold of ~10% — capital efficiency would need to improve for the equity base to compound at the market rate.

New to these metrics? The guides explain free cash flow, how the score works, and more in the learn hub — or run another name through the screener.

Bull Rankings is an automated fundamentals screen for research and education. It is not investment advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Do your own research and consider consulting a licensed financial advisor.

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