Cardinal Health Inc vs Heron Therapeutics Inc — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $232.35 (market cap $54.46B), while Heron Therapeutics Inc trades at $0.34 (market cap $64.59M). The key difference: Cardinal Health Inc is far larger — about 843.2× Heron Therapeutics Inc's market cap, and Cardinal Health Inc pays a 0.88% dividend while Heron Therapeutics Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | HRTX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $54.46B | $64.59M |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $240.26 | $1.49 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $0.32 |
Enterprise Value | $58.49B | $171.33M |
Dividend Yield | 0.88% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cardinal Health (CAH) trades at $235.3, down 0.79% on the day, but remains near its 52-week high. The stock exhibits a bullish technical signal with consistent earnings beats in recent quarters, including Q2 2026 EPS of $2.91 versus $2.42 expected. Revenue for fiscal 2025 was $222.58 billion, with net income reaching $1.56 billion. Analyst consensus is strongly positive, with 18 buys and a $266.43 price target, reflecting confidence in the company's pharmaceutical and specialty business growth.
The outlook for CAH is favorable, driven by robust earnings performance and optimistic fiscal 2027 guidance. Key opportunities include sustained demand for specialty drugs and operational efficiency gains. Risks involve high debt levels, with a debt-to-asset ratio of 16.09 in 2025, and competitive pressures in the healthcare distribution sector. Investors should weigh strong analyst support against balance sheet leverage and market volatility.
Heron Therapeutics (HRTX) trades at $0.3409, up 3.24% today, but faces bearish technical signals with 18 sell indicators versus 6 buys. The company reported Q2 2026 revenue of $37.7 million but missed earnings expectations with a $0.03 per share loss. Despite strong analyst support (94.7% buy ratings), fundamental challenges persist with negative net income margins and elevated EV/EBITDA of 34.03.
Investment outlook remains cautious due to consistent earnings misses and negative cash flow from operations. The primary opportunity lies in analyst optimism and potential product growth, while risks include ongoing profitability challenges and competitive pressures in the biotechnology 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 →Heron Therapeutics is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving patient care. It develops best-in-class medicines for pain management and cancer care to address unmet medical needs.
Read more on HRTX →