On Thursday, TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating on shares of Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) but increased the stock's price target to $116 from $109. This adjustment follows the company's fourth-quarter results, which provided an optimistic outlook, especially for its Pharmaceutical segment.
Cardinal Health's recent financial disclosures have shown promise, particularly in the Pharmaceutical division, where profits are expected to grow by approximately 7% year-over-year, excluding contributions from OptumRx.
This growth is attributed to several strategic moves by the company, including new contracts with Publix and a significant health system, expansions with BioPlus and ELV, and the formation of a biosimilar sourcing joint venture named Averon.
These developments are anticipated to drive robust growth for Cardinal Health in fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The analyst from TD Cowen noted that management appears to have a clear view of reaching their gross margin percentage dollar (GMPD) profit target of $175 million by fiscal year 2025.
Cardinal Health's recent performance and future outlook suggest that the company is on a trajectory of solid growth, underpinned by strategic partnerships and expansions. The raised price target reflects the firm's confidence in Cardinal Health's ability to achieve its financial goals in the coming years.
In other recent news, Cardinal Health saw a promising uptick in its fiscal performance. The company reported a 29% increase in earnings per share (EPS) for its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024, accompanied by a 12% rise in fourth-quarter revenue to $59.9 billion.
The fiscal year 2024 revenue also climbed by 11% to $227 billion, with the pharmaceutical and specialty solutions segment significantly contributing to this growth. In response to these figures, Mizuho increased the price target for Cardinal Health to $110, maintaining a Neutral rating on the shares.
Looking ahead, Cardinal Health revised its fiscal year 2025 guidance upwards, projecting an EPS between $7.55 and $7.70. Despite expected challenges such as insulin pricing changes and slow biosimilar market penetration, the company is confident in its strategic progress and ability to capitalize on growth opportunities. Key partnerships, like the Averon joint venture with CVS Health (NYSE:CVS), are expected to drive future growth.
These recent developments reflect the resilience and recovery of Cardinal Health in key business segments, and the company's strategic investments and partnerships are expected to fuel future growth. Notably, the company plans to generate at least $500 million in cash over the next two years and has increased its share repurchase expectation to $750 million for FY2025.
InvestingPro Insights
Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) has been the subject of recent analyst attention, and the insights from InvestingPro further illuminate the company's position. One notable InvestingPro Tip is that management has been actively repurchasing shares, which could be a sign of confidence in the company's future and often serves to increase earnings per share. Moreover, Cardinal Health has a track record of raising its dividend for an impressive 36 consecutive years, which underscores its commitment to returning value to shareholders and suggests a certain level of financial stability.
On the data front, Cardinal Health boasts a significant market capitalization of $26.25 billion, which speaks to its prominence in the healthcare sector. The company also shows a strong return over the last week, with a 7.52% price total return, and an even more impressive 1 Month Price Total Return of 13.46%, reflecting recent positive market sentiment. These metrics, coupled with a fair value estimation by InvestingPro at $131.3, which is above the current price, may indicate potential undervaluation.
For investors seeking additional insights and metrics, there are 18 more InvestingPro Tips available, offering a comprehensive analysis of Cardinal Health's financial health and market position. These tips can be accessed through InvestingPro's platform at https://www.investing.com/pro/CAH.
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