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CAH vs COR
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Cencora (COR) Stock Comparison
1) Key Takeaways
- CAH has shown stronger relative momentum in recent weeks, trading near a 52-week high after raising its fiscal 2027 earnings outlook.
- COR has lagged the broader market year-to-date, weighed down by revenue misses, customer losses, and lower drug list prices.
- Both companies are low-margin pharmaceutical distributors, but they are diverging on growth strategy: CAH is expanding in specialty and nuclear health, while COR is building out oncology-focused physician networks.
- COR is delivering faster absolute earnings-per-share (EPS) growth and larger buybacks, yet its share price has underperformed due to sentiment headwinds.
- CAH carries a clearer near-term earnings catalyst from tariff refunds and broad-based segment profit growth.
2) Introduction
Cardinal Health and Cencora are two of the largest pharmaceutical distributors in the United States, occupying a critical position between drug manufacturers and the pharmacies, hospitals, and physician practices that dispense medicines. Because both operate in the same sector with similar thin-margin business models, they are frequently compared by investors seeking exposure to healthcare distribution and specialty services. This stock comparison is especially relevant for traders and longer-term investors who want to understand how relative performance and market positioning are diverging between two industry peers. Evaluating recent results, growth drivers, and sentiment can help clarify which name currently offers a more consistent trend profile.
3) CAH Overview and Recent Performance
Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) is a diversified healthcare services company whose largest segment, Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions, distributes branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceuticals. It also operates Global Medical Products and Distribution and an "Other" segment spanning Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions, at-Home Solutions, and OptiFreight Logistics. In recent market activity, CAH has been a notable outperformer, trading near a 52-week high and gaining roughly 15% year-to-date, ahead of the S&P 500. The company reported full fiscal-year 2026 revenue of about $254 billion, up 14%, with non-GAAP diluted EPS of $11.26, up 37%. Management introduced fiscal 2027 EPS guidance of $12.40 to $12.60, implying 13% to 15% growth, supported by segment profit momentum, a tariff refund benefit, and a new $5 billion share-repurchase authorization. This combination of raised guidance and broad-based profit growth has driven constructive sentiment in recent weeks.
4) COR Overview and Recent Performance
Cencora, Inc. (COR), formerly AmerisourceBergen, is a global pharmaceutical sourcing and distribution company ranked among the top 10 of the Fortune 500, with more than $300 billion in annual revenue. Its U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment accounts for most of its business, complemented by an International segment and an "Other" category that has included MWI Animal Health and consulting services. In its most recent quarter, COR grew revenue about 5% to nearly $85 billion and raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $17.75 to $17.95. However, the stock has underperformed, losing roughly 9% year-to-date. Recent sentiment has been pressured by revenue shortfalls tied to manufacturer list-price reductions, the prior loss of an oncology customer, lower sales to a large mail-order customer, and lower-margin glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight-loss and diabetes drug volumes. The company has also drawn securities-law inquiries from law firms following an earlier revenue miss, adding a layer of uncertainty despite solid EPS growth.
5) Trending AI Robots
For traders who prefer a systematic approach to this kind of stock comparison, Tickeron's Trending AI Robots page offers a curated view of algorithmic strategies. Tickeron hosts hundreds of AI trading bots that monitor thousands of different tickers, yet only the strategies best suited to current market conditions earn a place in this featured section. The available bots span different trading styles, timeframes, risk profiles, and performance statistics, and each is configured around its own set of tickers and technical or fundamental signals. This variety allows users to filter for approaches aligned with their own objectives, whether short-term momentum or longer-horizon positioning. Exploring the Trending AI Robots section can help investors see how AI-driven systems are currently reading names such as these two distributors.
6) Head-to-Head Comparison
Although CAH and COR share a core distribution model, their recent market positioning has diverged in meaningful ways. On momentum, CAH holds the advantage, with its shares near a 52-week high and forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of roughly 20, reflecting investor confidence in durable profit growth. COR, by contrast, trades below its recent highs despite faster absolute EPS expansion, suggesting its multiple has been compressed by sentiment rather than fundamentals.
The two firms also differ in growth drivers. CAH is leveraging specialty distribution, nuclear medicine production, and its urology and gastroenterology physician platforms, while COR is deepening its oncology strategy through the OneOncology acquisition and management services organizations (MSOs) that support independent physician practices. Risk profiles also contrast: COR faces near-term headwinds from lost customers and manufacturer price reductions, whereas CAH is benefiting from tariff refunds and a cleaner demand backdrop. Both carry the sector-wide exposure to drug-pricing regulation and thin operating margins.
7) Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, earnings catalysts, and relative market positioning, Tickeron's AI would likely tilt toward CAH in the current environment. The stock's position near a 52-week high, its recently raised forward guidance, and the visibility provided by tariff-related benefits and segment-wide profit growth point to a more consistent uptrend. In contrast, COR offers strong underlying earnings growth and aggressive capital returns, but its pattern is currently marked by more volatility, revenue-related sentiment pressure, and outstanding legal inquiries. A probabilistic, trend-following system would therefore be more likely to favor CAH for near-term positioning, while still recognizing COR's potential as sentiment stabilizes.
8) Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is CAH is a Buy and COR is a Buy.
CAH in upward trend: 10-day moving average moved above 50-day moving average on October 13, 2026
The 10-day moving average for CAH crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 13, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 10 of 12 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 83%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 01, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on CAH as a result. In 56 of 85 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 66%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for CAH just turned positive on October 02, 2026. Looking at past instances where CAH's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 27 of 41 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 66%.
CAH moved above its 50-day moving average on October 08, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +2.55% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where CAH advanced for three days, in 264 of 396 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 67%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for CAH moved out of overbought territory on October 23, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 41 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 21 of the 41 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 51%.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 14 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where CAH declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 43%.
CAH broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 15, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for CAH entered a downward trend on October 08, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 3 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 7 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. CAH’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 12 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 25 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (-20.045) is normal, around the industry mean (12.135). CAH has a moderately high P/E Ratio (34.329) as compared to the industry average of (10.801). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.105) is also within normal values, averaging (2.016). Dividend Yield (0.008) settles around the average of (0.142) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.217) is also within normal values, averaging (4.260).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 43 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 99 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
COR in upward trend: 10-day moving average moved above 50-day moving average on October 14, 2026
The 10-day moving average for COR crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 14, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 9 of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 69%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 06, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on COR as a result. In 54 of 83 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 65%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for COR just turned positive on October 06, 2026. Looking at past instances where COR's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 36 of 53 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 68%.
COR moved above its 50-day moving average on October 08, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +3.42% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where COR advanced for three days, in 240 of 391 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 61%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for COR moved out of overbought territory on October 22, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 49 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 20 of the 49 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 41%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 33 of 72 cases where COR's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 46%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where COR declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 43%.
COR broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 14, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for COR entered a downward trend on October 09, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 13 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 24 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 34 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. COR’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 74 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 79 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (20.703) is normal, around the industry mean (12.135). P/E Ratio (24.464) is within average values for comparable stocks, (10.801). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.636) is also within normal values, averaging (2.016). Dividend Yield (0.007) settles around the average of (0.142) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.187) is also within normal values, averaging (4.260).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 95 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
CAH | COR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 32 | 23 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 25 Undervalued | 79 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 3 | 24 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 99 | 13 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 34 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 12 | 74 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 43 | 90 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
CAH's Valuation (25) in the Medical Distributors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for COR (79) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry. This means that CAH’s stock grew somewhat faster than COR’s over the last 12 months.
CAH's Profit vs Risk Rating (3) in the Medical Distributors industry is in the same range as COR (24) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry. This means that CAH’s stock grew similarly to COR’s over the last 12 months.
COR's SMR Rating (13) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is significantly better than the same rating for CAH (99) in the Medical Distributors industry. This means that COR’s stock grew significantly faster than CAH’s over the last 12 months.
CAH's Price Growth Rating (7) in the Medical Distributors industry is in the same range as COR (34) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry. This means that CAH’s stock grew similarly to COR’s over the last 12 months.
CAH's P/E Growth Rating (12) in the Medical Distributors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for COR (74) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry. This means that CAH’s stock grew somewhat faster than COR’s over the last 12 months.
| CAH | COR | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 51% | 2 days ago 41% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 46% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 65% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 68% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 44% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 2 days ago 66% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 67% | 10 days ago 61% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 43% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 47% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 36% | 2 days ago 40% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CAH’s FA Score shows that 4 FA rating(s) are green while COR’s FA Score has 3 green FA rating(s).
- CAH’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- COR’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CAH’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while COR’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CAH’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- COR’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
CAH (@Medical Distributors) experienced а -1.77% price change this week, while COR (@Medical Distributors) price change was -2.91% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical Distributors industry was -6.43%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -9.59%, and the average quarterly price growth was -25.28%.
Reported Earning Dates
CAH is expected to report earnings on Nov 05, 2026.
COR is expected to report earnings on Nov 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical Distributors (-6.43% weekly)Healthcare distribution market can be segmented into pharmaceutical product distribution services, medical device distribution services, and biopharmaceutical product distribution services. In addition to serving as intermediaries, many medical distributors also purchase and take legal ownership of pharmaceuticals and manage inventory and credit risk. According to a Deloitte report, pharmaceutical distributors’ core services of efficient product distribution, inventory management, financial risk management, and information-sharing generate $33 billion-$53 billion in value annually to the U.S. health care ecosystem. Some prominent players in the overall medical distribution industry include McKesson Corporation, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc. and Patterson Companies, Inc.
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CAH and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, CAH has been loosely correlated with MCK. These tickers have moved in lockstep 65% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if CAH jumps, then MCK could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To CAH | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAH | 100% | -2.37% | ||
| MCK - CAH | 65% Loosely correlated | -1.14% | ||
| COR - CAH | 58% Loosely correlated | -2.21% | ||
| HSIC - CAH | 12% Poorly correlated | -1.21% | ||
| AHG - CAH | 5% Poorly correlated | +2.46% | ||
| FOCL - CAH | 3% Poorly correlated | +0.48% | ||
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COR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, COR has been closely correlated with MCK. These tickers have moved in lockstep 71% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if COR jumps, then MCK could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To COR | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COR | 100% | -2.21% | ||
| MCK - COR | 71% Closely correlated | -1.14% | ||
| CAH - COR | 58% Loosely correlated | -2.37% | ||
| HSIC - COR | 13% Poorly correlated | -1.21% | ||
| YI - COR | 7% Poorly correlated | -7.17% | ||
| FOCL - COR | 7% Poorly correlated | +0.48% | ||
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