ABT vs. CAH: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ABT and CAH, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ABT | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Abbott Laboratories | Cardinal Health, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Health Care Providers & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 230.51 billion USD | 36.52 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | August 4, 1983 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ABT and CAH by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.44% | 1.82% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.29% | -0.59% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 0.49% | 20.64% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 18.36% | 39.31% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.95% | -1.46% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 17.09% | 29.32% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 5.80M | 3.13M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.66M | 2.31M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 24.22% | 23.34% |
| Beta | 0.70 | 0.73 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ABT
29.93%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 34.53%
- Q3
- 19.38%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 4.86%
- Min
- -7.58%
In the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, ABT’s Return on Equity of 29.93% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
CAH
37.17%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 26.03%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.26%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -3.62%
CAH’s Return on Equity of 37.17% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ABT
32.43%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.34%
- Q3
- 13.06%
- Median
- 9.53%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -3.87%
ABT’s Net Profit Margin of 32.43% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
CAH
0.70%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 5.93%
- Median
- 1.96%
- Q1
- 0.93%
- Min
- -6.10%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, CAH’s Net Profit Margin of 0.70% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ABT
17.34%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.44%
- Q3
- 17.80%
- Median
- 13.95%
- Q1
- 8.73%
- Min
- -3.56%
ABT’s Operating Profit Margin of 17.34% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
CAH
1.02%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.05%
- Q3
- 10.21%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 1.98%
- Min
- -4.27%
CAH’s Operating Profit Margin of 1.02% is in the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 29.93% | 37.17% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 17.41% | 3.23% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.43% | 0.70% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.34% | 1.02% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 56.20% | 3.67% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
1.82
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 3.05
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.49
- Min
- 0.86
ABT’s Current Ratio of 1.82 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
CAH
0.94
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.01
- Q3
- 1.49
- Median
- 1.30
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.17
CAH’s Current Ratio of 0.94 falls into the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
0.27
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.71
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
ABT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 is typical for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
CAH
5.65
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 5.65, CAH operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Health Care Providers & Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ABT
38.30
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 58.29
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.06
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- -28.92
ABT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 38.30 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
CAH
10.77
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.15
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -4.44
CAH’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 10.77 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.82 | 0.94 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.14 | 0.44 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.27 | 5.65 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 38.30 | 10.77 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ABT
1.73%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.05%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.71%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ABT’s Dividend Yield of 1.73% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
CAH
1.37%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.38%
- Q3
- 2.22%
- Median
- 0.55%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAH’s Dividend Yield of 1.37% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ABT
28.42%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 72.47%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ABT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.42% is within the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
CAH
31.65%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 186.69%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 26.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAH’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 31.65% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.73% | 1.37% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.42% | 31.65% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ABT
16.47
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 73.48
- Q3
- 51.69
- Median
- 34.31
- Q1
- 25.74
- Min
- 11.47
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, ABT’s P/E Ratio of 16.47 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
CAH
23.18
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 55.89
- Q3
- 30.85
- Median
- 21.17
- Q1
- 12.63
- Min
- 0.00
CAH’s P/E Ratio of 23.18 is within the middle range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ABT
5.34
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.53
- Q3
- 5.26
- Median
- 3.39
- Q1
- 2.13
- Min
- 0.00
ABT’s P/S Ratio of 5.34 is in the upper echelon for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
CAH
0.16
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 1.74
- Median
- 0.67
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, CAH’s P/S Ratio of 0.16 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
4.68
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 5.98
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 2.43
- Min
- 0.69
ABT’s P/B Ratio of 4.68 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
CAH
14.54
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.61
- Q3
- 4.32
- Median
- 2.53
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.77
At 14.54, CAH’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 16.47 | 23.18 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.34 | 0.16 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 4.68 | 14.54 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 33.99 | 8.85 |