What Happened?
Shares of healthcare distributor Cencora (NYSE: COR) jumped 7.1% in the afternoon session after the company reported first-quarter results that beat profit expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
For the quarter, Cencora posted an adjusted earnings per share of $4.08, which was ahead of analyst estimates of $4.04. However, revenue of $85.93 billion came in slightly below the consensus forecast of $86.03 billion. The main driver for the stock appeared to be the company's improved outlook for the fiscal year 2026. Cencora raised its guidance for consolidated revenue growth to a range of 7% to 9%. It also lifted its forecast for consolidated operating income growth to a range of 11.5% to 13.5%. The company stated the updated guidance reflected its performance and the recent completion of its acquisition of OneOncology.
Is now the time to buy Cencora? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
What Is The Market Telling Us
Cencora’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 2 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 5 months ago when the stock gained 4.5% on the news that peer company McKesson raised its long-term earnings growth outlook, boosting investor sentiment across the pharmaceutical distribution sector. The move appeared to be driven by positive developments from rival pharmaceutical distributor McKesson. During its Investor Day event, McKesson announced an increase in its long-term Adjusted Earnings per Diluted Share growth target to a range of 13% to 16%, up from a previous estimate of 12% to 14%. This optimistic forecast from a major industry player seemed to lift investor confidence for the entire sector, suggesting favorable business conditions that could also benefit Cencora.
Cencora is up 4.3% since the beginning of the year, and at $353.35 per share, it is trading close to its 52-week high of $374.75 from November 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Cencora’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $3,221.
Microsoft, Alphabet, Coca-Cola, Monster Beverage—all began as under-the-radar growth stories riding a massive trend. We’ve identified the next one: a profitable AI semiconductor play Wall Street is still overlooking.Go here for access to our full report, it’s free.
