Cardinal Health Inc vs NRG Energy Inc — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $234.16 (market cap $55.88B), while NRG Energy Inc trades at $121.17 (market cap $24.83B). The key difference: Cardinal Health Inc is far larger — about 2.3× NRG Energy Inc's market cap, and NRG Energy Inc pays the higher dividend (1.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | NRG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $55.88B | $24.83B |
Sector | Health | Utilities |
52-Week High | $240.26 | $184.03 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $117.04 |
Enterprise Value | $59.91B | $48.79B |
Dividend Yield | 0.86% | 1.61% |
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.
NRG Energy trades at $120.37, down 1.23% with a bearish technical signal. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates at $1.49 EPS versus $1.69 expected, though revenue grew 11% year-over-year. The company is advancing a 1.2 GW Texas data-center power project to capitalize on AI-driven electricity demand, supported by a 69% analyst buy rating and a $207.83 consensus price target. Cash flow from operations was $1.91B in 2025, but net income margin compressed to 2.56%.
Outlook is mixed: growth initiatives in data center power present upside, but execution risks and rising interest costs pressure margins. The stock offers a 1.6% dividend yield, yet high debt-to-asset ratio of 56.42% in 2025 warrants caution. Near-term support lies at $119, with resistance at $122.
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 →NRG Energy is one of the largest retail energy providers in the U.S., with 7 million customers, including its 2021 acquisition of Direct Energy. It also is one of the largest U.S. independent power producers, with 16 gigawatts of nuclear, coal, gas, and oil power generation capacity primarily in Texas. Since 2018, NRG has divested its 47% stake in NRG Yield, among other renewable energy and conventional generation investments. NRG exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in December 2003.
Read more on NRG →