Cardinal Health Inc vs Standard Lithium Ltd — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $234.2 (market cap $55.88B), while Standard Lithium Ltd trades at $2.42 (market cap $604.50M). The key difference: Cardinal Health Inc is far larger — about 92.4× Standard Lithium Ltd's market cap, and Cardinal Health Inc pays a 0.86% dividend while Standard Lithium Ltd pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | SLI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $55.88B | $604.50M |
Sector | Health | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $240.26 | $5.65 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $1.93 |
Enterprise Value | $59.91B | $467.42M |
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.
SLI trades at $2.41, down 4.74% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a neutral oscillator stance. The company reported a net loss of $48.40M in 2025, with negative ROE and ROA, but beat EPS estimates in two recent quarters. Positive news includes a $225M DOE grant and progress on its South West Arkansas lithium project, with institutional buying from Amundi (64.9% stake increase in Q1 2026 per SEC filing).
The outlook hinges on project execution, as SLI transitions to production with strong analyst support (100% buy ratings). Key risks include cash burn from negative operating cash flow and reliance on financing, but de-risking milestones and government backing offer upside if timelines are met.
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 →Standard Lithium Ltd. is a company focused on the development of lithium projects in North America, with a primary focus on extracting lithium from brine resources. Their flagship projects aim to utilize proprietary, advanced direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies to produce high-purity lithium compounds in an environmentally responsible manner. The company seeks to become a key domestic supplier to the growing electric vehicle and battery storage markets.
Read more on SLI →