CAH vs. CVS: Cardinal Health vs. CVS Health Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS) 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

Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS) both belong to the Health Care Providers & Services industry, though CAH is classified under Health Care Distributors while CVS falls under Health Care Services.

Company profile comparison for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Profile Item	CAH	CVS
Name	Cardinal Health, Inc.	CVS Health Corporation Common Stock
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 Providers & Services	Health Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Health Care Distributors	Health Care Services
Market Capitalization	62.80 billion USD	107.28 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	August 4, 1983	February 21, 1973
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAH

CVS

GSPC

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
Total Return (1Y)	35.44%	11.41%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	40.52%	12.73%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	43.73%	1.70%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CAH

CVS

GSPC

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	25.91%	34.14%
Beta (5Y)	0.49	0.60
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-20.95%	-56.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.77M	8.60M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CAH and CVS are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.20	0.21
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.90	0.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: CVS Health (CVS) earns 14.36% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Cardinal Health (CAH) has no ROE this period.

CAH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

Max: 47.61%
Q3: 14.36%
Median: 5.45%
Q1: -10.67%
Min: -47.01%
CAH: --

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.36%

Max: 47.61%
CVS: 14.36%
Q3: 14.36%
Median: 5.45%
Q1: -10.67%
Min: -47.01%

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): CAH does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; CVS is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.71% and CVS Health (CVS) at 2.64% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

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%

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.64%

Max: 29.35%
Q3: 9.33%
CVS: 2.64%
Median: 2.18%
Q1: -6.29%
Min: -28.46%

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 1.34% and CVS Health (CVS) at 2.72% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

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%

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.72%

Max: 35.43%
Q3: 14.14%
Median: 6.81%
CVS: 2.72%
Q1: -0.28%
Min: -16.29%

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
ROE (TTM)	--	14.36%
ROA (TTM)	3.72%	3.11%
Net Margin (TTM)	0.71%	2.64%
Operating Margin (TTM)	1.34%	2.72%
Gross Margin (TTM)	3.90%	13.72%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 14.23% and CVS Health (CVS) at 7.85% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Cardinal Health (CAH) at 12.09% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while CVS Health (CVS) at -62.02% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
Revenue Growth (YoY)	14.23%	7.85%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	7.44%	7.63%
EPS Growth (YoY)	12.09%	-62.02%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	93.37%	-24.73%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.89 and CVS Health (CVS) at 0.85 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.85

Max: 7.59
Q3: 4.00
Median: 1.98
Q1: 1.37
CVS: 0.85
Min: 0.30

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: CVS Health (CVS) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93 against its industry range, while Cardinal Health (CAH) reports no figure this period.

CAH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

Max: 1.88
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.58
Q1: 0.16
Min: 0.00
CAH: --

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.93

Max: 1.88
CVS: 0.93
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.58
Q1: 0.16
Min: 0.00

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): CAH does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; CVS is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.89	0.85
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	0.93
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.81	3.49

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.77% and CVS Health (CVS) at 3.27% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

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%

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.27%

CVS: 3.27%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 26.56% and CVS Health (CVS) at 30.89% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

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%

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

30.89%

CVS: 30.89%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.77%	3.27%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	26.56%	30.89%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CVS Health (CVS) at 9.74 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Cardinal Health (CAH) at 35.15 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CVS, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

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

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.74

Max: 80.41
Q3: 47.62
Median: 29.93
Q1: 21.19
CVS: 9.74
Min: 4.21

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.24 and CVS Health (CVS) at 0.26 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.26

Max: 8.80
Q3: 4.32
Median: 2.13
Q1: 1.10
CVS: 0.26
Min: 0.03

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

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 CVS Health (CVS) reports 1.33, ranking against industry peers normally.

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

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.33

Max: 11.68
Q3: 6.12
Median: 3.00
Q1: 1.73
CVS: 1.33
Min: -1.31

Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. CVS Health (CVS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and CVS Health (CVS)
Metric	CAH	CVS
P/E Ratio (TTM)	35.15	9.74
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.24	0.26
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	-20.84	1.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	7.99%	11.02%