Cencora

(New York Stock Exchange)
Bullish +65

Cencora stock enters fiscal 2027 with specialty-led growth outlook

πŸ“ˆ Cencora reported fourth-quarter revenue of $88.4 billion, a 5.5% increase from the prior-year quarter.

πŸ’° Adjusted diluted earnings per share surged 21.4% to $4.66 in the fourth quarter, excluding acquisition and restructuring costs.

πŸš€ Management forecasts fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS growth of 8% to 10%, reaching $19.40 to $19.75 per share.

πŸ”¬ Specialty pharmaceutical and provider services are designated as the core growth driver with projected revenue expansion of 9% to 14%.

πŸ’΅ The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.66, representing a 10% increase from the previous quarter.

πŸ“‰ Cencora plans approximately $1.25 billion in additional share repurchases for fiscal 2027 alongside $3.5 billion in adjusted free cash flow.

🀝 The company expects to close the MWI Animal Health merger with Covetrus by March 31, 2027.

πŸ’Ό Cencora intends to complete the sale of its Profarma stake during the first fiscal quarter of 2027.

Bullish Signals
  • Cencora reported a significant 21.4% increase in adjusted diluted earnings per share to $4.66 for the fourth quarter, driven by higher gross profit and the OneOncology acquisition.
  • The company raised its quarterly dividend by 10% to $0.66 per share and plans substantial additional share repurchases of approximately $1.25 billion for fiscal 2027.
  • Management projects strong growth in its specialty pharmaceutical segment, expecting revenue to expand 9% to 14% and operating income to grow 18% to 21% in fiscal 2027.
  • Full-year fiscal results showed robust performance with revenue rising 5.0% to $337.4 billion and adjusted operating income growing 14.0% to $4.8 billion.
Risk Factors
  • The fourth-quarter GAAP earnings were impacted by the absence of a $723.9 million goodwill impairment charge recorded in the prior-year period, which artificially inflated the current quarter's comparison.
Full Analysis
Cencora Inc. reported strong fourth-quarter results for the period ended September 30, 2026, with revenue rising 5.5% to $88.4 billion and adjusted diluted earnings per share increasing 21.4% to $4.66. The company also posted full-year fiscal figures showing a 5.0% revenue increase to $337.4 billion and a 12.3% rise in adjusted EPS to $17.97, driven by higher gross profit and the contribution from its OneOncology acquisition. Looking ahead to fiscal 2027, management forecasts adjusted diluted earnings per share growth of 8% to 10%, with revenue expected to expand 3% to 5%. The company has adopted a new reporting structure that highlights specialty pharmaceutical and provider services as the primary growth engine, projecting this segment to deliver 9% to 14% revenue growth and 18% to 21% operating income growth. In addition to its earnings outlook, Cencora announced a quarterly dividend increase of 10% to $0.66 per share and plans approximately $1.25 billion in additional share repurchases for fiscal 2027. The company also anticipates closing the MWI Animal Health merger with Covetrus by March 31, 2027, and completing the sale of its Profarma stake in the first fiscal quarter.