Cardinal Health stock gains as fiscal 2027 EPS guidance tops long-term target

Published on 09/15/2026 at 12:49 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Cardinal Health stock closed at USD 233.53 on September 14, 2026, about 9.6% below its 52-week high after fresh guidance for fiscal 2027 EPS growth of 13% to 15%. The company also plans USD 1 billion in share repurchases, underlining confidence in cash flow.

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Cardinal Health stock (ISIN US14149Y1082) closed at USD 233.53 on the NYSE on September 14, 2026, leaving the shares about 9.6% below their 52-week high of USD 258.30 and up 13.6% year to date from a level of USD 205.62 at the start of 2026 per NYSE data summarized by MarketBeat.

Guidance lifts earnings growth outlook

Cardinal Health Inc. used its appearance at the Morgan Stanley 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on September 14, 2026, to outline fresh guidance for fiscal 2027 earnings per share growth of 13% to 15%, a range that stands above the company’s long-term EPS growth target of 12% to 14% according to Investing.com.

As Investing.com reports, management described fiscal 2026 as a ‘five for five’ year, with all five operating segments delivering strong profit and cash flow, and indicated that specialty growth reached about 25% in fiscal 2026, setting a high base for the new guidance.

According to a transcript summary from TradingView dated September 14, 2026, the 13% to 15% fiscal 2027 EPS growth range is framed as a modest but meaningful step above the 12% to 14% long-term EPS growth target, signaling that near-term performance is expected to outpace the strategic baseline.

Segment drivers and acquisition contributions

Management highlighted that earnings growth in fiscal 2027 should be driven by continued investments in specialty, pharmaceutical distribution and at-home solutions, with broad execution across the portfolio underpinning the guidance according to Investing.com.

The company noted that specialty growth, which reached about 25% in fiscal 2026, is expected to slow somewhat in fiscal 2027 as comparisons become tougher, even though specialty remains a key contributor to EPS growth according to Investing.com.

Cardinal Health also pointed to contributions from its Advanced Diabetes Supply acquisition, completed more than a year ago, and indicated that two smaller bolt-on deals, Strive Medical and AdaptHealth’s diabetes business, are expected to add about 2 percentage points to growth in fiscal 2027 for the relevant segment as outlined by Investing.com.

In addition, management said its GMPD segment dealt with a significant tariff burden in fiscal 2026 and expects most of the remaining effect to be offset by pricing actions in fiscal 2027, underscoring that regulatory and trade-related pressures remain an operational risk factor according to Investing.com.

Capital returns and upcoming earnings date

Alongside the earnings outlook, Cardinal Health plans USD 1 billion in share repurchases in fiscal 2027, reinforcing management’s confidence in the company’s cash generation capacity as highlighted by Ad-hoc-news.

According to an event calendar overview cited by Ad-hoc-news, MarketBeat estimates that the next earnings release for Cardinal Health is scheduled for October 29, 2026, giving investors a concrete date to assess how fiscal 2026 results align with the new fiscal 2027 guidance.

For investors, the quantified comparison between the 13% to 15% fiscal 2027 EPS growth guidance and the 12% to 14% long-term target is a central reference point, because it suggests that near-term earnings could run roughly 1 percentage point higher than the strategic pace at the midpoints of the ranges while still remaining within a disciplined framework.

Stock trades above its 52-week low

Per NYSE data aggregated by MarketBeat and summarized by Ad-hoc-news, Cardinal Health stock traded between an intraday low of USD 232.60 and a high of USD 237.57 on the NYSE on September 14, 2026, before settling at USD 233.53, with around 820,386 shares changing hands.

The closing price of USD 233.53 sits well above the 52-week low of USD 145.87 and about 9.6% below the 52-week high of USD 258.30, positioning the stock closer to the top of its one-year range and reflecting significant appreciation from the lower bound over the last 12 months per MarketBeat figures cited by Ad-hoc-news.

Year to date, the move from USD 205.62 at the start of 2026 to USD 233.53 on September 14, 2026 represents a gain of 13.6%, showing that Cardinal Health stock has delivered double-digit percentage appreciation so far this year even as the broader S&P 500 fell 0.5% to 7,619.98 on the same session according to figures reported by Ad-hoc-news.

Closing price and market context

Cardinal Health stock closed at USD 233.53 on the NYSE on September 14, 2026, after a modest daily gain of 0.23% compared with the previous session, leaving the shares trading comfortably within their 52-week range between USD 145.87 and USD 258.30 and giving investors a starting point for evaluating the new fiscal 2027 EPS guidance against the current valuation.