COR Cencora, Inc. - Fundamental Analysis
At a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
AI Analysis
Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms
Key Strengths
Key Risks
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
Cencora's valuation multiples are outliers in the healthcare sector—P/E 45.47 vs. average 36.87—despite slower revenue growth (5.9% vs 10.5%) and weaker profitability, making it appear overvalued on both earnings and book value bases.
- Forward P/E of 22.12 is more reasonable and suggests earnings growth expectations are priced in
- Price/Sales of 0.22 is low, typical for a high-volume, low-margin distributor
- Current P/E of 45.47 is unjustifiably high given subpar revenue growth and margins
- Price/Book of 40.17 is extreme and suggests asset-light model or accounting anomalies
While long-term earnings growth and price momentum (1Y +50.2%) are strong, the recent Q/Q EPS decline and subpar revenue growth relative to peers like MCK (+10.1%) suggest future acceleration is not guaranteed.
- Year-over-year EPS growth of +15.0% indicates underlying earnings power
- Analyst target price of $382.07 implies 5.6% upside, suggesting continued confidence in forward trajectory
- Q/Q EPS declined -4.0%, signaling potential near-term softness
- Revenue growth of 5.9% lags peer average of 10.5%, limiting top-line momentum
Cencora has delivered impressive earnings predictability and shareholder returns over the past five years (+271.1%), but its profitability metrics have not improved meaningfully, with gross and operating margins remaining thin across cycles.
- Exceptional earnings consistency: 22 of 25 quarters beat estimates, with multiple double-digit surprises
- 5-year share price return of +271.1% reflects strong investor confidence and execution
- Profit margins have remained stubbornly low despite revenue scale, indicating structural cost or pricing challenges
- ROA of 3.26% is weak despite high ROE, suggesting leverage-driven returns rather than operational efficiency
Cencora’s financial health is a major concern—its Debt/Equity ratio is more than triple the sector average (4.38 vs 1.18), and its liquidity ratios are below 1.0, suggesting potential strain in meeting obligations, unlike healthier peers like CI (0.81) or BMY (2.74).
- Operating cash flow and free cash flow data unavailable, but dividend payout ratio of 27.64% suggests some cash generation capacity
- ROIC not available, but ROE of 123.75% indicates capital is being leveraged aggressively
- Debt/Equity ratio of 4.38 is dangerously high, especially in a rate-sensitive sector
- Current and Quick Ratios of 0.90 and 0.51 indicate inadequate short-term liquidity, increasing default risk
The dividend appears safe with a low payout ratio, but the lack of yield history and weak cash flow transparency limits confidence in long-term growth potential, especially amid high leverage.
- Dividend payout ratio of 27.64% is conservative and sustainable given earnings coverage
- Current yield of 0.66% provides modest income with room for growth
- Lack of 5-year average yield data limits visibility into dividend growth history
- Dividend policy may be constrained by high debt and low cash flow visibility
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for COR and closest competitors.
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
COR
Cencora, Inc.
Primary
|
+271.1% | +143.6% | +50.2% | +25.1% | +13.4% | +0.5% |
|
CI
The Cigna Group
Peer
|
+34.3% | -6.9% | -15.2% | -15.2% | -8.5% | +1.9% |
|
IDXX
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
Peer
|
+51.5% | +58.8% | +62.9% | +33.2% | +7.9% | -2.6% |
|
BDX
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Peer
|
-11.8% | -8.6% | -13.2% | +11.3% | +3.4% | +8.6% |
|
ZTS
Zoetis Inc.
Peer
|
-23.5% | -16.7% | -29.9% | -25.4% | -14.7% | +0.5% |
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
Healthcare Sector Comparison
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
COR
Cencora, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $70.85B | 45.47 | 123.8% | 0.5% | $361.94 | |
|
CI
The Cigna Group
|
BULLISH | $72.36B | 11.93 | 15.5% | 2.3% | $269.66 | |
|
IDXX
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
|
BULLISH | $56.01B | 54.63 | 64.6% | 24.7% | $689.93 | |
|
BDX
Becton, Dickinson and Company
|
BULLISH | $55.33B | 33.23 | 6.5% | 7.7% | $193.04 | |
|
ZTS
Zoetis Inc.
|
BULLISH | $53.39B | 20.34 | 49.9% | 28.2% | $120.82 |
Recent Insider Trading
Insider buy and sell transactions from the last 6 months
| Date | Insider | Position | Transaction | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-07 | BATTAGLIA SILVANA | Officer | Stock Award | 2,349 | - |
| 2025-11-07 | CAMPBELL ELIZABETH S | Officer | Stock Award | 3,853 | - |
| 2025-11-07 | CLEARY JAMES F. JR. | Chief Financial Officer | Stock Award | 5,390 | - |
| 2025-11-07 | MAUCH ROBERT P JR | Chief Executive Officer | Stock Award | 8,280 | - |
| 2025-11-07 | KRIKORIAN LAZARUS | Officer | Stock Award | 2,831 | - |
| 2025-10-31 | VERMA PAWAN | Officer | Option Exercise | 8,537 | $2,883,884 |
| 2025-10-31 | BAUMANN WERNER | Director | Stock Award | 108 | $36,483 |
| 2025-10-31 | NALLY DENNIS M | Director | Stock Award | 104 | $35,132 |
| 2025-10-31 | TYLER LAUREN M. | Director | Stock Award | 89 | $30,065 |
| 2025-10-20 | MAUCH ROBERT P JR | Chief Executive Officer | Sale | 5,097 | $1,665,700 |
| 2025-10-20 | MAUCH ROBERT P JR | Chief Executive Officer | Option Exercise | 3,763 | $323,957 |
| 2025-10-01 | CAMPBELL ELIZABETH S | Officer | Sale | 1,886 | $590,846 |
| 2025-09-18 | MAUCH ROBERT P JR | Chief Executive Officer | Sale | 5,097 | $1,478,130 |
| 2025-09-18 | MAUCH ROBERT P JR | Chief Executive Officer | Option Exercise | 3,763 | $323,957 |
| 2025-09-16 | COLLIS STEVEN H | Officer and Director | Sale | 31,350 | $9,087,142 |
Wall Street Analysts
Professional analyst ratings and price targets