Market closed · After hours · 6:26 PM ET
Last update: Oct 8, 2026, 6:24 PM ET
Cardinal Health, Inc.
$238.96▲ 2.93% today
After Hours

Why Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) stock moved

Updated Oct 8, 2026

Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) shares rose 2.9% to $238.96 as of October 8, 2026, a moderate gain from the prior close of $232.16. BestStocks flagged the session as a major change for CAH. The move is tied to company news. Below, we break down what changed for CAH, why it matters for investors, how the stock reacted, and the catalysts on the calendar.

What happened

Company News

CAH rose 2.9% in its latest session, moving from $232.16 to $238.96.

NewsLow confidence
Rel. volume
0.7×
Below Avg
Vs peers
—
No comparable peers
Market cap
$56.0B
New York Stock Exchange
Analyst target
$273
+14.3% vs price
Price chart
Sep 8 – Oct 8
NENNFNNEFV$220$230$241Sep 8Sep 16Sep 23Oct 1Oct 8
E earnings
F filing
A analyst
V/N other
click a marker to highlight
Change events — click to jump to details

What it means for Cardinal Health, Inc. investors

For Cardinal Health, Inc. investors, the recent signals are mixed, leaving the near-term picture neutral / mixed. On the constructive side: Material positive event; Positive 2.9% session move. Weighing against that: Cardinal Health fell 2.01% to $227.85 on light volume (0.69x average), likely driven by lingering concerns over IRA pricing pressures on pharmaceutical revenues; New SEC filing — review for material disclosures. Wall Street's consensus price target sits at $273.22, implying +14.3% upside from $238.96. BestStocks rates the overall signal quality low (46/100). With earnings roughly 28 days out, the next report is the most likely near-term test of the move.

CAH price reaction

CAH last traded at $238.96, up $6.80 (+2.93%) from the previous close of $232.16. The session traded on 0.7× average volume (below avg), so participation was unremarkable. Over the past month the stock has ranged between $220.22 and $240.49, and it currently sits about 92% of the way up that band.

Bullish and bearish analyst opinions on Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH)

The consensus analyst price target on Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) is $273.22, 14.3% above the recent $238.96. Over the past 90 days analysts logged 0 upgrades, 13 maintains, and 0 downgrades. Here is how the bullish and bearish cases on CAH line up.

The bullish case

  • Wall Street's consensus price target of $273.22 implies +14.3% upside from $238.96.
  • The Street's most bullish target is $292.00 (+22.2%).
  • Material positive event.
  • Positive 2.9% session move.
  • Positive price momentum.

The bearish case

  • Cardinal Health fell 2.01% to $227.85 on light volume (0.69x average), likely driven by lingering concerns over IRA pricing pressures on pharmaceutical revenues.
  • Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) moved -2.88% from $227.09 to $220.54 on 2026-07-22.
Bull vs bear balanceNeutral / Mixed
BearishNeutralBullish

Weighing both sides, BestStocks' composite read of recent signals is roughly balanced, as the bull-versus-bear meter above shows. This is an educational summary of the bull and bear case, not investment advice.

Analyst price targets and ratings are FMP consensus figures as of Oct 8, 2026; other aggregators may differ. High and low targets show the range of estimates, not forecasts.

Analyst expectations
Consensus target: $273+14.3%
= 13 maintains
TD Cowen maintained Buy · 2026-08-13
SEC filings watch
8-K2026-10-01
Material event — review for impact
high
DEF 14A2026-09-21
Annual proxy — exec compensation & governance
low
10-K2026-08-11
Annual financial report
high
8-K2026-08-11
Material event — review for impact
high
Peer context
CAH+2.9%

Previous notable changes for CAH

Material / Earnings2026-10-08+2.9%
Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) moved +3.01% to $238.96 on 2026-10-08 after the company projected pharma profit growth and efficiency gains that would offset fiscal 2027 revenue headwinds.
News2026-10-06+0.1%
CAH projects pharma profit growth and efficiency gains offsetting fiscal 2027 revenue headwinds.
News2026-10-05+2.1%
MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB Buys 106,709 Shares of Cardinal Health, Inc. $CAH
Filings2026-10-01+3.4%
Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) filed a new 8-K on October 1, 2026. The filing does not disclose specific material events in the audit.
Upcoming catalysts & outlook
Next earnings
2026-11-05 (est.)
in 28 days
10-K Annual Report (est.)
2027-08-11
Medium impact
Thesis shift
Neutral / Mixed
bullish signal
Risk level
Medium
from change events

Frequently asked questions about CAH

Why did Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) stock move?

CAH rose 2.9% to $238.96. No single company-specific catalyst was confirmed during the move window, and it looks technical.

How much did CAH stock rise?

CAH gained 2.93% ($6.80) versus the prior close of $232.16, last trading at $238.96 on 0.7× average volume.

When is Cardinal Health, Inc.'s next earnings date?

CAH's next earnings report is estimated for 2026-11-05 — about 28 days away.

What is the analyst price target for CAH?

The consensus analyst price target for CAH is $273.22, about 14.3% above the current $238.96. Over the past 90 days, analysts recorded 0 upgrades, 13 maintains, and 0 downgrades.

How BestStocks tracks CAH

This page is generated automatically by BestStocks' change-detection system after company news was detected and verified against independent data sources. It draws on 20 tracked change events for CAH, cross-checked against the data sources listed below. Price, volume, and market-capitalization figures are the live intraday quote as of October 8, 2026 and refresh as new information is detected; for companies with multiple share classes, market-cap figures can differ by data source. Analyst price targets and ratings are FMP consensus. This is an educational summary of what changed and why — not personalized investment advice.

Data sources
FMP real-time & historical price dataCompany news feedsSEC EDGAR filingsFMP earnings & estimatesAnalyst ratings & price targets (FMP)Earnings calendar (FMP)
Educational research tool — not personalized investment advice. Data may be delayed.