ALGN vs. CAH: Align vs. Cardinal Health Stock Comparison
How do Align (ALGN) and Cardinal Health (CAH) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Align (ALGN) and Cardinal Health (CAH) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but ALGN is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies while CAH is classified in Health Care Providers & Services.
| Profile Item | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Align Technology Inc. | Cardinal Health, Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Health Care Equipment & Services | Health Care Equipment & Services |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Health Care Providers & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Health Care Supplies | Health Care Distributors |
| Market Capitalization | 11.70 billion USD | 62.80 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 30, 2001 | August 4, 1983 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 27.43% | 35.44% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -2.84% | 40.52% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -24.73% | 43.73% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Align (ALGN) has an aggressive beta of 1.67, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Cardinal Health (CAH) is defensive at 0.49 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 40.49% | 25.91% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.67 | 0.49 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -82.44% | -20.95% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 942.14K | 1.77M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.57 | 1.20 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.89 | 1.90 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Align (ALGN) earns 11.91% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Cardinal Health (CAH) has no ROE this period.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
11.91%
- Max
- 47.61%
- Q3
- 14.36%
- ALGN
- 11.91%
- Median
- 5.45%
- Q1
- -10.67%
- Min
- -47.01%
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 47.61%
- Q3
- 14.36%
- Median
- 5.45%
- Q1
- -10.67%
- Min
- -47.01%
- CAH
- --
Net Margin (TTM)
Align (ALGN) at 11.83% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.71%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
11.83%
- Max
- 29.35%
- ALGN
- 11.83%
- Q3
- 9.33%
- Median
- 2.18%
- Q1
- -6.29%
- Min
- -28.46%
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.71%
- Max
- 29.35%
- Q3
- 9.33%
- Median
- 2.18%
- CAH
- 0.71%
- Q1
- -6.29%
- Min
- -28.46%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Align (ALGN) at 20.13% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Cardinal Health (CAH) at 1.34%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
20.13%
- Max
- 35.43%
- ALGN
- 20.13%
- Q3
- 14.14%
- Median
- 6.81%
- Q1
- -0.28%
- Min
- -16.29%
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
1.34%
- Max
- 35.43%
- Q3
- 14.14%
- Median
- 6.81%
- CAH
- 1.34%
- Q1
- -0.28%
- Min
- -16.29%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 11.91% | -- |
| ROA (TTM) | 8.01% | 3.72% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 11.83% | 0.71% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 20.13% | 1.34% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 71.53% | 3.90% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Cardinal Health (CAH) at 14.23% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Align (ALGN) at 0.90% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.
EPS Growth
Both Align (ALGN) at 0.53% and Cardinal Health (CAH) at 12.09% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 0.90% | 14.23% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 2.61% | 7.44% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 0.53% | 12.09% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 7.02% | 93.37% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Align (ALGN) at 1.43 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.89 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CAH.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
1.43
- Max
- 7.59
- Q3
- 4.00
- Median
- 1.98
- ALGN
- 1.43
- Q1
- 1.37
- Min
- 0.30
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.89
- Max
- 7.59
- Q3
- 4.00
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.37
- CAH
- 0.89
- Min
- 0.30
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Align (ALGN) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03 against its industry range, while Cardinal Health (CAH) reports no figure this period.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.03
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 0.91
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.16
- ALGN
- 0.03
- Min
- 0.00
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 0.91
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.00
- CAH
- --
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.43 | 0.89 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.03 | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -1.04 | 0.81 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Align (ALGN) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Cardinal Health (CAH) reports a yield of 0.77%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.00%
- ALGN
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.77%
- CAH
- 0.77%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Align (ALGN) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Cardinal Health (CAH) reports a payout of 26.56%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.00%
- ALGN
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
26.56%
- CAH
- 26.56%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.77% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 26.56% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Align (ALGN) at 24.20 and Cardinal Health (CAH) at 35.15 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
24.20
- Max
- 80.41
- Q3
- 47.62
- Median
- 29.93
- ALGN
- 24.20
- Q1
- 21.19
- Min
- 4.21
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
35.15
- Max
- 80.41
- Q3
- 47.62
- CAH
- 35.15
- Median
- 29.93
- Q1
- 21.19
- Min
- 4.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.24 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Align (ALGN) at 2.81 prices around its industry’s middle — CAH costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
2.81
- Max
- 8.80
- Q3
- 4.32
- ALGN
- 2.81
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.03
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.24
- Max
- 8.80
- Q3
- 4.32
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.10
- CAH
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.03
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Cardinal Health (CAH) reports a negative P/B ratio of -20.84, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Align (ALGN) reports 2.73, ranking against industry peers normally.
ALGN
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
2.73
- Max
- 11.68
- Q3
- 6.12
- Median
- 3.00
- ALGN
- 2.73
- Q1
- 1.73
- Min
- -1.31
CAH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
-20.84
- Max
- 11.68
- Q3
- 6.12
- Median
- 3.00
- Q1
- 1.73
- Min
- -1.31
- CAH
- -20.84
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ALGN | CAH |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 24.20 | 35.15 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 2.81 | 0.24 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.73 | -20.84 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 4.90% | 7.99% |