Cardinal Health Inc vs Costco Wholesale Corporation — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $228.2 (market cap $53.89B), while Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $926.56 (market cap $408.78B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 7.6× Cardinal Health Inc's market cap, and Cardinal Health Inc pays the higher dividend (0.89%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | COST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $53.89B | $408.78B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $239.71 | $1.09K |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $849.63 |
Enterprise Value | $58.87B | $396.92B |
Dividend Yield | 0.89% | 0.64% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cardinal Health (CAH) trades at $233.66, down 0.91% in the last session, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong analyst support. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $3.17 surpassing expectations. Revenue reached $222.58 billion in 2025, though net margins remain thin at 0.62%. Recent news highlights growth potential in medical supplies, with earnings results for fiscal 2026 due August 11.
The outlook for CAH is positive, driven by earnings momentum and sector tailwinds, but risks include high leverage with debt-to-asset ratio at 16.09% and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $248 price target, suggesting 6% upside. Investors should weigh solid operational cash flow against negative shareholder equity and investing outflows.
Costco (COST) trades at $920.54, down 0.64% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported revenue of $275.24 billion in 2025, with net income of $8.10 billion, and recently announced strong March sales growth of 11.3% year-over-year (GlobeNewsWire, 2026-04-08). Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $1,120 price target, supported by 38 buy ratings.
The stock's high P/E of 46.37 reflects premium valuation, but consistent revenue growth and membership fee increases underpin fundamentals. Risks include competitive pressures and sensitivity to consumer spending. Upside potential exists if the stock pulls back toward support levels, aligning with analyst targets.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Cardinal Health is a leading pharmaceutical wholesaler, engaged in the sourcing and distribution of branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail-order), hospitals networks, and healthcare providers. Along with AmerisourceBergen and McKesson, the three compose well over 90% of the U.S. pharmaceutical wholesale industry. Cardinal Health also supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Read more on CAH →The leading warehouse club, Costco has 815 stores worldwide (at the end of fiscal 2021), with most sales derived in the United States (72%) and Canada (14%). It sells memberships that allow customers to shop in its warehouses, which feature low prices on a limited product assortment. Costco mainly caters to individual shoppers, but roughly 20% of paid members carry business memberships. Food and sundries accounted for 40% of fiscal 2021 sales, with non-food merchandise 29%, warehouse ancillary and other businesses (such as fuel and pharmacy) nearly 17%, and fresh food 14%. Costco's warehouses average around 146,000 square feet
Read more on COST →