Seek Returns

CAH vs. ISRG: Cardinal Health vs. Intuitive Surgical Stock Comparison

How do Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) 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 Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but CAH is classified in Health Care Providers & Services while ISRG is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies.

Company profile comparison for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
Profile ItemCAHISRG
NameCardinal Health, Inc.Intuitive Surgical Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Providers & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care DistributorsHealth Care Equipment
Market Capitalization62.80 billion USD159.96 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateAugust 4, 1983June 16, 2000
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAH
ISRG
GSPC
Loading price history…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
Total Return (1Y)35.44%-17.61%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)40.52%19.20%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)43.73%4.85%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CAH
ISRG
GSPC
Loading price history…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) has an aggressive beta of 1.41, 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.

Risk profile metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.91%35.53%
Beta (5Y)0.491.41
Max Drawdown (5Y)-20.95%-49.88%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.77M2.43M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
CAH and ISRG 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 Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.20-0.62
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.90-0.83

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) earns 17.93% 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
--

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

17.93%

Max
47.61%
ISRG
17.93%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): CAH does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; ISRG is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) at 25.54% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.71%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

25.54%

Max
29.35%
ISRG
25.54%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) at 33.29% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Cardinal Health (CAH) at 1.34%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

33.29%

Max
35.43%
ISRG
33.29%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
ROE (TTM)--17.93%
ROA (TTM)3.72%11.86%
Net Margin (TTM)0.71%25.54%
Operating Margin (TTM)1.34%33.29%
Gross Margin (TTM)3.90%66.64%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) at 20.51% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Cardinal Health (CAH) at 14.23% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ISRG.

Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Cardinal Health (CAH) at 12.09% and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) at 22.59% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)14.23%20.51%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.44%17.39%
EPS Growth (YoY)12.09%22.59%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)93.37%29.19%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) at 3.33 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.

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

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.33

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
ISRG
3.33
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Neither Cardinal Health (CAH) nor Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) reports a debt-to-equity ratio value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

CAH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

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

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
ISRG
--
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): Neither stock reports debt-to-equity ratio, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.893.33
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA0.81-0.90

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) 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.

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%

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

ISRG
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) 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.

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%

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

ISRG
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cardinal Health (CAH) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.77%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.56%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Cardinal Health (CAH) at 35.15 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) at 54.75 sits in the richer quartile — ISRG needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

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

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

54.75

Max
80.41
ISRG
54.75
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Cardinal Health (CAH) at 0.24 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) at 13.82 prices above its industry range — a wide gap in sales valuation between them.

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

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

13.82

ISRG
13.82
Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): 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 Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) reports 9.82, 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

ISRG

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.82

Max
11.68
ISRG
9.82
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
Loading chart…
Cardinal Health (CAH) vs. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): 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 Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
MetricCAHISRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)35.1554.75
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.2413.82
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-20.849.82
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)7.99%2.15%