Cardinal Health Inc vs Palo Alto Networks Inc — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $234.16 (market cap $55.88B), while Palo Alto Networks Inc trades at $387.01 (market cap $312.80B). The key difference: Palo Alto Networks Inc is far larger — about 5.6× Cardinal Health Inc's market cap, and Cardinal Health Inc pays a 0.86% dividend while Palo Alto Networks Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | PANW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $55.88B | $312.80B |
Sector | Health | Technology |
52-Week High | $240.26 | $385.04 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $141.67 |
Enterprise Value | $59.91B | $311.76B |
Dividend Yield | 0.86% | — |
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.
Palo Alto Networks (PANW) trades at $386.64, up 0.42% today, nearing its 52-week high with strong bullish technical signals. Recent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $0.85 versus $0.793 expected, and robust revenue growth to $9.22B in 2025 highlight fundamental strength. Positive sentiment is driven by AI cybersecurity demand, as noted in recent news, though valuation ratios like P/E of 333.74 remain elevated.
Outlook is optimistic due to cybersecurity tailwinds and AI innovation, but risks include high valuation, integration costs from acquisitions, and regulatory scrutiny, such as China's cybersecurity review. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $344.94 price target, suggesting potential downside from current levels amid growth execution risks.
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 →Palo Alto Networks is a pure-play cybersecurity vendor that sells security appliances, subscriptions, and support into enterprises, government entities, and service providers. The company's product portfolio includes firewall appliances, virtual firewalls, endpoint protection, cloud security, and cybersecurity analytics. The Santa Clara, California, firm was established in 2005 and sells its products worldwide.
Read more on PANW →