Cardinal Health (LTS:0HTG) Owner Earnings per Share (TTM): 15.32 (As of Mar. 2026) — 36% Above Median

Author: Vera Yuan Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Reviewed by: Charlie Tian Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Founder & CEO of GuruFocus
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.

LTS:0HTG Cardinal Health Inc LTS:0HTG
81 GF Score
Price $227.41
GF Value $141.42
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 6 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Cardinal Health Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)?

Cardinal Health LTS:0HTG +1.84% 81 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 15.32 as of Mar. 2026, which is 36% above its 10-year median of 11.23. GuruFocus rates LTS:0HTG with a GF Score™ of 81/100 and a GF Value™ of $141.42 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 66 Medical Distribution companies, Cardinal Health ranks worse than 59.09% on this metric.

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

Cardinal Health's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $15.32. It's Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio for today is 14.84.


The historical rank and industry rank for Cardinal Health's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) or its related term are showing as below:

LTS:0HTG' s Price-to-Owner-Earnings Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.45   Med: 11.23   Max: 54.02
Current: 14.84


During the past 13 years, the highest Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio of Cardinal Health was 54.02. The lowest was 3.45. And the median was 11.23.


LTS:0HTG's Price-to-Owner-Earnings is ranked worse than
59.09% of 66 companies
in the Medical Distribution industry
Industry Median: 11.815 vs LTS:0HTG: 14.84

Cardinal Health's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $1.69. Its Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $6.54. It's PE Ratio (TTM) ratio for today is 34.77.

Cardinal Health's EPS without NRI for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $3.17. Its EPS without NRI for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $10.43. It's PE Ratio without NRI ratio for today is 21.80.


Be Aware

Assumption: Companies usually do not report maintenance capital expenditures and growth capital expenditures separately. Here we use estimated numbers and average them over 5 years. The method to estimate maintenance capital expenditures can be found in above part 4.

Note: GuruFocus' Change In Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.


Cardinal Health Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Related Terms


Cardinal Health Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Cardinal Health's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Cardinal Health Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Chart

Cardinal Health Annual Data
Trend Jun16 Jun17 Jun18 Jun19 Jun20 Jun21 Jun22 Jun23 Jun24 Jun25
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 4.67 2.48 4.55 11.20 6.09

Cardinal Health Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 10.42 6.09 16.80 21.40 15.25

LTS:0HTG vs COR, HSIC, MCK: Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Comparison

For the Medical Distribution subindustry, Cardinal Health's Price-to-Owner-Earnings, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Owner-Earnings data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Cardinal Health Price-to-Owner-Earnings vs Medical Distribution Industry

For the Medical Distribution industry and Healthcare sector, Cardinal Health's Price-to-Owner-Earnings distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Cardinal Health's Price-to-Owner-Earnings falls into.


LTS:0HTG
81GF Score
Cardinal Health Inc LTS:0HTG
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Cardinal Health Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume. (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

To make it simple, then you will have:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) = (Net Income + Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization + Change In Deferred Tax - 5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure + Change In Working Capital) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)

Cardinal Health's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation:

TTM / Last Quarter Average of Last 20 Quarters
Net Income 1,555
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization 924
Change In Deferred Tax 0
5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure 392
Change In Working Capital 1,539
Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) 236

1. Start with "Net Income" from income statement. Cardinal Health's Net Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $1,555 Mil.

2. "Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization" is from cashflow statement. Cardinal Health's Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $924 Mil. This needs to be added back because company does not actually need to pay cash for it. It is a non-cash item.

3. Other non-cash charges usually include "Stock Based Compensation" and "Change In Deferred Tax":
However, to be conservative, GuruFocus will not add Stock Based Compensation back to net income. Cardinal Health's Change In Deferred Tax for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $0 Mil.

4. Average maintenance capital expenditure over a business/industry cycle: 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $392 Mil

It is usually best to take a long-term average of maintenance capital expenditure. Ideally this would be as long as 10 years and include at least one economic downturn. However, since many companies do not have as long as 10-year history, here GuruFocus uses the latest 5 years data to do the calculation. To smooth out unusual years but reflect recent developments, we take an average of the 5 year maintenance capital expenditure.

The following shows how to get maintenance capital expenditure.

First, calculate the revenue change regarding to the previous quarter. If the revenue decreased from the previous quarter, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
Second, if the revenue increased from the previous quarter, then calculate the percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue.
Growth Capital Expenditure = Percentage of Property, Plant and Equipment as of corresponding Revenue * Revenue Increase
Third, calculate Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was negative, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was positive, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
Fourth, get the average of the 5 years maintenance capital expenditure.

Cardinal Health's 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $392 Mil

5. "Change In Working Capital" is from cashflow statement. Cardinal Health's Change In Working Capital for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $1,539 Mil.
Note: GuruFocus' Change in Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And sometimes it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.

6. Cardinal Health's Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) for the months ended in Mar. 2026 was 236.000 Mil.

Cardinal Health's Onwer Earnings Per Share for Mar. 2026 is calculated as:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=( Net Income+Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization+Change In Deferred Tax
=( 1555 +924+0
-5Y Avg of Maintenance CAPEX+Change In Working Capital )/Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
-392.28735825693+1539)/236.000
=15.32

Price-to-Owner-Earnings=Current Price/Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=227.41/15.32
=14.84

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

What does a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 15.32 mean?
Cardinal Health (LTS:0HTG) has a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 15.32 as of Mar. 2026. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on Cardinal Health. This is 36% above median its historical median of 11.23. Over the past decade, Cardinal Health's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 3.45 to 54.02. According to the industry distribution chart, Cardinal Health ranks #39 out of 66 companies in the Medical Distribution industry, placing it in the top 59.1%.
Is Cardinal Health's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) too high?
Cardinal Health's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 15.32 is 36% above median its 10-year median of 11.23. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.45 to a high of 54.02. The Medical Distribution industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 11.82. Cardinal Health's value of 15.32 is 29.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Cardinal Health ranks #39 out of 66 companies in the Medical Distribution industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Cardinal Health has a GF Score™ of 81/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Cardinal Health's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) compare to COR and HSIC?
According to the Medical Distribution industry distribution chart, Cardinal Health ranks #39 out of 66 companies for Owner Earnings per Share (TTM). This places Cardinal Health in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 11.82. Cardinal Health's value of 15.32 is 29.7% above this benchmark. Historically, Cardinal Health's own Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 3.45 to 54.02 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 11.23 vs. the industry median of 11.82, Cardinal Health has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) for a Medical Distribution company?
The median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) among Medical Distribution companies is 11.82, based on 66 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Cardinal Health's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 15.32 is 29.7% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) mean?
A high Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on Cardinal Health. For the Medical Distribution industry, the median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 11.82 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Cardinal Health's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 15.32, which is 36% above median its own 10-year median of 11.23. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Cardinal Health stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Cardinal Health (LTS:0HTG) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $141.42, compared to a current price of $227.41 — trading 60.8% above its estimated fair value. The current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 15.32, which is 36% above median its 10-year median of 11.23 and 29.7% above the Medical Distribution industry median of 11.82. Cardinal Health's overall GF Score™ is 81/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) calculated?
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Cardinal Health (LTS:0HTG), the current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 15.32 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Cardinal Health (LTS:0HTG) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Cardinal Health stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $227.41 is trading 60.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of $141.42. GuruFocus considers Cardinal Health to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for LTS:0HTG:

  • Owner Earnings per Share (TTM): 15.32 (36% above median its 10-year median of 11.23)
  • GF Value™: $141.42 vs. price of $227.41 (60.8% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 81/100 with 6 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 29.7% above the Medical Distribution median (#39 of 66)

No single metric tells the full story. See the LTS:0HTG stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Cardinal Health Business Description

Address 7000 Cardinal Place, Dublin, OH, USA, 43017
Cardinal Health is one of three leading pharmaceutical wholesalers in the US, engaged in sourcing and distributing of branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail order), hospital networks, and healthcare providers. Cardinal, Cencora, and McKesson hold well over 90% of the US pharmaceutical wholesale industry. Cardinal Health also supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia.
81GF Score

Get the complete analysis for LTS:0HTG

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$227.41
Price
$141.42
GF Value