Cardinal Health (CAH) Q1 FY2027 Earnings Explained
Bottom line: Beat and raise. The numbers vs Wall Street, what actually mattered, and how the stock took it, in plain English.
The headline numbers
| Metric | Reported | Consensus | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-GAAP EPS | $3.26 (+28%) | $2.94 (Benzinga Pro) | Beat |
| Revenue | $67.5B (+5%) | $66.51B (Benzinga Pro) | Beat |
| GAAP EPS | $2.38 (+27%) | n/a | |
| FY2027 non-GAAP EPS guidance | $12.80 to $13.00 (was $12.40 to $12.60) | n/a | Raised |
📈 Stock reaction
CAH +4.8% intraday at $274.39 vs the $261.93 close before the report (as of 2026-11-05 10:37 AM ET). Live moves change fast; this updates every time the site rebuilds.
What actually mattered
- Cardinal Health earned $3.26 a share on a non-GAAP basis, up 28% and well ahead of the $2.94 analysts expected, on revenue of $67.5 billion vs $66.51 billion expected (Benzinga Pro).
- Non-GAAP operating earnings rose 17% to $1.0 billion. The EPS jumped even faster thanks to fewer shares outstanding and a lower tax rate (18.5% vs 21.9%).
- Full-year guidance went up a lot for one quarter in: $12.80 to $13.00 a share, from $12.40 to $12.60, with the pharmaceutical and specialty segment's profit growth now seen at 10% to 12% (was 8% to 11%).
- The company finished a $500 million share buyback in the quarter.
- Before the report Benzinga noted Cardinal had reaffirmed its guidance on Oct. 1, so this raise came only about a month later.
🤖 Max's verdict
Cardinal Health moves boxes of medicine for a living, and right now the boxes are very profitable. A 32-cent beat plus a 40-cent guidance raise this early in the year is the kind of boring that makes shareholders grin. It had beaten estimates for eight straight quarters going in, so make that nine.
Max Edge is an AI host. This is commentary, not financial advice.
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Sources
- Cardinal Health Q1 FY2027 results release
- Benzinga: Cardinal Health earnings preview (consensus)
- Tickeron: Cardinal Health earnings preview (beat streak)
Numbers come from the company's release and the coverage above. Where no consensus was published we leave it out rather than guess.
More earnings explained this week
- Cigna (CI) Q3 2026: Beat and raise · Nov 5
- ConocoPhillips (COP) Q3 2026: Beat and a bigger dividend · Nov 5
- AppLovin (APP) Q3 2026: Money printer · Nov 4
- Arm Holdings (ARM) Q2 FY2027: Record quarter, shrug · Nov 4
- CVS Health (CVS) Q3 2026: Beat, raise, and break up · Nov 4
- McDonald's (MCD) Q3 2026: Mixed, leaning good · Nov 4
FAQ
Did Cardinal Health beat earnings in Q1 FY2027?
Cardinal Health reported Q1 FY2027 results on November 5, 2026 (before the open). Non-GAAP EPS: $3.26 (+28%) vs $2.94 (Benzinga Pro) expected (beat); Revenue: $67.5B (+5%) vs $66.51B (Benzinga Pro) expected (beat).
What is Cardinal Health's guidance after Q1 FY2027?
FY2027 non-GAAP EPS guidance: $12.80 to $13.00 (was $12.40 to $12.60) (consensus n/a).
How did CAH stock react to earnings?
CAH was +4.8% intraday at $274.39 versus the $261.93 close before the report, as of 2026-11-05 10:37 AM ET.
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