Cardinal Health Inc vs Estee Lauder Companies Inc — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $237.61 (market cap $55.88B), while Estee Lauder Companies Inc trades at $88.3 (market cap $31.76B). The key difference: Cardinal Health Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Estee Lauder Companies Inc pays the higher dividend (1.59%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | EL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $55.88B | $31.76B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $240.26 | $119.61 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $67.23 |
Enterprise Value | $59.91B | $37.93B |
Dividend Yield | 0.86% | 1.59% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cardinal Health (CAH) trades at $236.87, down 0.13% on the day, near its 52-week high. The stock shows strong momentum with four consecutive quarterly EPS beats, including Q2 2026 EPS of $2.91 versus $2.42 expected. Technical indicators are bullish overall, with moving averages supporting upward trends. Revenue reached $222.58 billion in 2025, with net income margin improving to 0.67%.
Outlook remains positive driven by robust pharmaceutical demand and optimistic FY2027 guidance. Key risks include high debt levels and thin profit margins. Analysts maintain a bullish consensus with a $266.43 price target, representing 12.5% upside. The stock presents a growth opportunity but requires monitoring of margin pressures and cash flow volatility.
EL trades at $88.56, up 1.57% today, with a bullish technical trend and strong recent earnings beats. The stock shows robust gross margins of 74.71% but faces profitability challenges with a negative net income margin. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $91.67 price target, while recent news highlights new product launches and institutional accumulation.
Outlook remains cautiously optimistic given earnings momentum and brand strength, but high valuation multiples and inconsistent cash flow pose risks. Investors should weigh growth potential against margin pressures and macroeconomic sensitivity in the beauty sector.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Estee Lauder is the world leader in the global prestige beauty market, participating across skincare (56% of fiscal 2022 sales), makeup (26%), fragrance (14%), and haircare (4%) categories, with popular brands such as Estee Lauder, Clinique, MAC, La Mer, Jo Malone, Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Too Faced, Origins, Dr. Jart+, and The Ordinary. The firm operates in 150 countries, with 26% of fiscal 2022 revenue stemming from the Americas, 43% from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and 31% from Asia-Pacific. The company sells its products through department stores, travel retail, multi-brand specialty beauty stores, brand-dedicated freestanding stores, e-commerce, salons/spas, and perfumeries.
Read more on EL →