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COR vs. MCK: Cencora vs. McKesson Stock Comparison

How do Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK) 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

Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK) are both classified in the Health Care Distributors sub-industry within the broader Health Care Providers & Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
Profile ItemCORMCK
NameCencora Inc.McKesson Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Providers & ServicesHealth Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care DistributorsHealth Care Distributors
Market Capitalization63.65 billion USD122.48 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 4, 1995November 10, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

COR
MCK
GSPC
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK), 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 Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
Total Return (1Y)-3.53%25.40%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)21.62%32.67%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.10%37.84%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

COR
MCK
GSPC
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK), 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 Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)31.90%31.71%
Beta (5Y)0.560.26
Max Drawdown (5Y)-32.44%-27.17%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.29M822.69K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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COR and MCK 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 Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.240.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.301.15

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Cencora (COR) earns 129.01% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; McKesson (MCK) has no ROE this period.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

129.01%

COR
129.01%
Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
MCK
--
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): MCK does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; COR is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Cencora (COR) at 1.03% and McKesson (MCK) at 1.12% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.03%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
COR
1.03%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.12%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
MCK
1.12%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Cencora (COR) at 1.27% and McKesson (MCK) at 1.48% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.27%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
COR
1.27%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.48%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
MCK
1.48%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
ROE (TTM)129.01%--
ROA (TTM)3.57%4.72%
Net Margin (TTM)1.03%1.12%
Operating Margin (TTM)1.27%1.48%
Gross Margin (TTM)4.09%3.65%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: McKesson (MCK) reports revenue growth of 12.36%, ranked against its industry; Cencora (COR) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both companies show strong earnings momentum, but Cencora (COR) at 125.50% is the standout with EPS growth above its industry range; McKesson (MCK) at 49.22% also sits in the top quartile.

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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
Revenue Growth (YoY)--12.36%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)--13.39%
EPS Growth (YoY)125.50%49.22%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)28.15%15.31%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Cencora (COR) at 0.94 and McKesson (MCK) at 0.90 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.94

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
COR
0.94
Min
0.30

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.90

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
MCK
0.90
Min
0.30
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): 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: Cencora (COR) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 3.06 against its industry range, while McKesson (MCK) reports no figure this period.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.06

COR
3.06
Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
MCK
--
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): MCK does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; COR is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.940.90
Debt / Equity (MRQ)3.06--
Net Debt / EBITDA1.120.64

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Cencora (COR) at 0.71% and McKesson (MCK) at 0.32% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.71%

COR
0.71%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.32%

MCK
0.32%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Cencora (COR) at 17.45% and McKesson (MCK) at 8.77% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

17.45%

COR
17.45%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

8.77%

MCK
8.77%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.71%0.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)17.45%8.77%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Cencora (COR) at 18.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while McKesson (MCK) at 27.36 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for COR, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

18.58

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
COR
18.58
Min
4.21

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

27.36

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
MCK
27.36
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Cencora (COR) at 0.19 and McKesson (MCK) at 0.29 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.19

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
COR
0.19
Min
0.03

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.29

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
MCK
0.29
Min
0.03
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

McKesson (MCK) reports a negative P/B ratio of -30.85, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Cencora (COR) reports 17.29, ranking against industry peers normally.

COR

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

17.29

COR
17.29
Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31

MCK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

-30.85

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
MCK
-30.85
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Cencora (COR) vs. McKesson (MCK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Cencora (COR) and McKesson (MCK)
MetricCORMCK
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.5827.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.190.29
P/B Ratio (MRQ)17.29-30.85
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.81%6.04%