Cardinal Health Inc vs Yum! Brands, Inc. — how do they compare? Cardinal Health Inc trades at $229.55 (market cap $53.89B), while Yum! Brands, Inc. trades at $154.37 (market cap $43.60B). The key difference: Cardinal Health Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Yum! Brands, Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.9%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAH | YUM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $53.89B | $43.60B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $239.71 | $168.16 |
52-Week Low | $146.04 | $138.21 |
Enterprise Value | $58.87B | $54.86B |
Dividend Yield | 0.89% | 1.9% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cardinal Health (CAH) trades at $233.66, down 0.91% in the last session, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong analyst support. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $3.17 surpassing expectations. Revenue reached $222.58 billion in 2025, though net margins remain thin at 0.62%. Recent news highlights growth potential in medical supplies, with earnings results for fiscal 2026 due August 11.
The outlook for CAH is positive, driven by earnings momentum and sector tailwinds, but risks include high leverage with debt-to-asset ratio at 16.09% and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $248 price target, suggesting 6% upside. Investors should weigh solid operational cash flow against negative shareholder equity and investing outflows.
YUM Brands trades at $161.69, down 1.13% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and key resistance at $163. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $1.50, beating expectations, while revenue grew to $8.21B in 2025. Recent news includes a Taco Bell health investigation and the $2.7B Pizza Hut sale, which may streamline operations.
YUM's outlook is supported by strong cash flow and margin stability, but high debt and competitive pressures pose risks. Analysts maintain a $174.60 price target with a mixed buy/hold consensus. The stock offers growth potential post-Pizza Hut divestiture, though investor sentiment is cautious amid near-term headwinds.
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 →Yum Brands is a U.S.-based restaurant operator featuring a portfolio of four brands: KFC (26,930 global units), Pizza Hut (18,380 units), Taco Bell (7,790 units), and The Habit Burger (310 units) at year-end 2021. With $58 billion in 2021 systemwide sales, the firm is the second-largest restaurant company in the world, behind McDonald's ($112.5 billion) but ahead of Restaurant Brands International ($36 billion) and Starbucks ($25 billion). Yum is 98% franchised, with the largest franchisee, Yum China, created via a 2016 spinoff transaction (after which Yum China agreed to pay 3% royalties to Yum Brands in perpetuity). Yum is the newest evolution of Tricon Brands, formerly a division of PepsiCo, and generates the bulk of its revenue from franchise royalties and marketing contributions.
Read more on YUM →