Cardinal Health Inc vs Banco Santander SA — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $236.13 (market cap $55.88B), while Banco Santander SA trades at $14.83 (market cap $211.63B). The key difference: Banco Santander SA is far larger — about 3.8× Cardinal Health Inc's market cap, and Banco Santander SA pays the higher dividend (1.89%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | SAN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $55.88B | $211.63B |
Sector | Health | Financials |
52-Week High | $240.26 | $14.71 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $9.37 |
Enterprise Value | $59.91B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.86% | 1.89% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cardinal Health (CAH) trades at $237.18, up 0.33% on the day, near its 52-week high. The stock shows bullish technical signals with consistent earnings beats, including Q2 2026 EPS of $2.91 versus $2.42 expected. Revenue reached $222.58 billion in 2025, with net income margin improving to 0.67%. Positive sentiment is driven by strong Q4 2026 results and optimistic fiscal 2027 guidance highlighted by Reuters on August 11, 2026.
Outlook remains favorable with analyst consensus price target of $266.43 implying 12% upside. Key opportunities include pharmaceutical segment strength and dividend payments, while risks involve high debt levels and thin profit margins. The bullish analyst stance (54.55% buy ratings) supports growth potential, but investors should monitor cash flow volatility and competitive pressures.
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $14.69, showing minimal daily movement with a slight decline of 0.07%. The stock maintains a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages, while oscillators indicate neutral momentum. Fundamentally, the company reported strong profitability with a 26.25% net income margin and record quarterly profits in Q2 2026. Recent developments include Federal Reserve approval for the $12 billion Webster Bank acquisition, positioning Santander for strategic expansion.
The outlook remains positive with analyst consensus favoring Buy ratings (64%) and the company achieving Spain's most valuable listed company status. Key risks include volatile cash flow trends with negative operating cash flow in 2024-2025 and restructuring charges from recent acquisitions. Revenue growth is projected to reach $61.9B in 2026, supporting continued investor confidence despite near-term earnings volatility.
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 →Santander's focus is on retail and commercial banking. Latin America is geographically the largest operation, with Brazil by far the largest. Its continental European business is still mainly Iberian. Santander's U.K. presence is the result of the acquisition of building society Abbey. In the U.S., Santander operates a vehicle finance business and a regional bank focused on the Northeastern states.
Read more on SAN →