Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based Cencora, Inc. (COR) sources and distributes pharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally. Valued at a market cap of $65 billion, the company distributes generic and injectable pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to acute care hospitals and health systems, and more.
Shares of Cencora have lagged behind the broader market over the past year, surging 11.7% compared to the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 19.9% surge. Moreover, in 2026, the stock has fallen by nearly 4.4%, also underperforming SPX’s 12.9% gain.
Zooming in further, the State Street Healthcare Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) has risen 27.5% over the past year, outperforming the stock. In 2026, XLV has surged 8% and outpaced the stock.
On Aug. 5, COR stock rose 3.6% following the release of its Q3 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the quarter amounted to $84.8 billion and missed the Street’s estimates. However, its adjusted EPS came in at $4.48 and topped Wall Street’s forecasts. Cencora expects full-year earnings in the range of $17.75 to $17.95 per share.
For the current year, which ends in September, analysts expect COR’s EPS to rise 11.5% to $17.84 on a diluted basis. The company surpassed the consensus estimate in three of the last four quarters, while missing on one occasion.
Among the 14 analysts covering COR stock, the consensus is a “Strong Buy.” That’s based on 11 “Strong Buy” ratings and three “Holds.”
The configuration has remained more or less unchanged over the past three months.
On Aug. 7, Morgan Stanley analyst Erin Wright maintained a “Buy” rating for COR stock and raised its price target from $342 to $346.
COR’s mean price target of $362.62 offers an upside of 12.9% compared to the current market price. Its Street-high target of $430 implies a robust 33.9% upside from current levels.
On the date of publication, Aritra Gangopadhyay did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.