Cardinal Health Inc vs International Business Machines Corp — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $234.16 (market cap $55.88B), while International Business Machines Corp trades at $235.38 (market cap $224.62B). The key difference: International Business Machines Corp is far larger — about 4× Cardinal Health Inc's market cap, and International Business Machines Corp pays the higher dividend (2.84%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | IBM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $55.88B | $224.62B |
Sector | Health | Technology |
52-Week High | $240.26 | $329.23 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $205.77 |
Enterprise Value | $59.91B | $281.76B |
Dividend Yield | 0.86% | 2.84% |
Volume | — | 4,481,527 |
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.
IBM trades at $234.91, down 0.59% today, with a mixed technical outlook showing bearish moving averages but bullish overall signals. Recent earnings beat expectations in two of the last three quarters, with Q3 2026 results pending. The company secured a $240 million AI deal with Together AI, boosting sentiment, but faces a securities fraud investigation following a 25% stock drop. Fundamentals are solid with revenue growth to $67.54 billion in 2025 and a net income margin of 15.52%, though cash flow turned negative.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $257.38, implying 9.6% upside, supported by AI and cloud growth. Risks include the ongoing fraud probe, competitive pressures, and high debt levels. Investors should weigh strong profitability against legal and execution uncertainties in a volatile market.
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 →International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides computer solutions. The Company offers application, technology consulting and support, process design and operations, cloud, digital workplace, and network services, as well as business resiliency, strategy, and design solutions. IBM serves clients worldwide.
Read more on IBM →