Compared to Estimates, Cardinal (CAH) Q3 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

For the quarter ended March 2024, Cardinal Health (CAH) reported revenue of $54.91 billion, up 8.8% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.08, compared to $1.74 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.63% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $55.82 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.95, the EPS surprise was +6.67%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Cardinal performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Revenue- Pharmaceutical: $50.65 billion compared to the $51.89 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +8.2% year over year.

• Revenue- Medical: $3.11 billion versus $3.61 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -15.5% change.

• Revenue- Corporate: -$20 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of -$2.73 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +233.3%.

• Segment profit- Medical: $20 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $103.19 million.

• Segment profit- Pharmaceutical: $580 million versus $606.65 million estimated by four analysts on average.

View all Key Company Metrics for Cardinal here>>>

Shares of Cardinal have returned -7.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -4.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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