Cencora (NYSE:COR – Get Free Report) and Ardent Health (NYSE:ARDT – Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, risk, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation and dividends.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Cencora and Ardent Health”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Cencora | $321.33 billion | 0.19 | $1.55 billion | $13.04 | 23.75 |
| Ardent Health | $6.43 billion | 0.23 | $135.81 million | $0.95 | 10.71 |
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings for Cencora and Ardent Health, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Cencora | 0 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 2.73 |
| Ardent Health | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 2.36 |
Cencora presently has a consensus price target of $367.75, indicating a potential upside of 18.73%. Ardent Health has a consensus price target of $14.21, indicating a potential upside of 39.61%. Given Ardent Health’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Ardent Health is more favorable than Cencora.
Risk & Volatility
Cencora has a beta of 0.58, meaning that its stock price is 42% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Ardent Health has a beta of 0.76, meaning that its stock price is 24% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares Cencora and Ardent Health’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Cencora | 0.78% | 135.20% | 4.20% |
| Ardent Health | 2.09% | 13.85% | 4.48% |
Institutional and Insider Ownership
97.5% of Cencora shares are held by institutional investors. 0.4% of Cencora shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.9% of Ardent Health shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
Cencora beats Ardent Health on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Cencora
Cencora, Inc. sources and distributes pharmaceutical products. The company's U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment distributes pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and alternate site pharmacies, and other customers; provides pharmacy management, staffing, and other consulting services; supply management software to retail and institutional healthcare providers; packaging solutions to various institutional and retail healthcare providers; clinical trial support, product post-approval, and commercialization support services; data analytics, outcomes research, and additional services for biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturers; pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, micro feed ingredients, and other products to the companion animal and production animal markets; and sales force services to manufacturers. This segment also distributes plasma and other blood products, injectable pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other specialty products; and provides other services to physicians who specialize in various disease states, such as oncology, as well as to other healthcare providers, including hospitals and dialysis clinics. Its International Healthcare Solutions segment offers international pharmaceutical wholesale and related service, and global commercialization services; distributes pharmaceuticals, other healthcare products, and related services to pharmacies, doctors, health centers, and hospitals primarily in Europe; and provides specialty transportation and logistics services for the biopharmaceutical industry. The company was formerly known as AmerisourceBergen Corporation and changed its name to Cencora, Inc. in August 2023. Cencora, Inc. was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
About Ardent Health
Ardent Health Partners, Inc. owns and operates a network of hospitals and clinics that provides a range of healthcare services in the United States. It operates acute care hospitals, including rehabilitation hospitals and surgical hospitals. The company was founded in 2001 and is based in Brentwood, Tennessee. Ardent Health Partners, Inc. is a subsidiary of EGI-AM Investments, L.L.C.
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