CAH
Cardinal Health Inc. Healthcare - Distribution Investor Relations →
Cardinal Health Inc. (CAH) closed at $207.83 as of 2026-03-20, trading 85.2% above its 200-week moving average of $112.23. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 94.8% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 56, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.6x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.94 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2176 weeks of data, CAH has crossed below its 200-week moving average 25 times. On average, these episodes lasted 21 weeks. Historically, investors who bought CAH at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +16.8%.
With a market cap of $48.9 billion, CAH is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 11.1%, which is notably high. The stock trades at -17.0x book value.
CAH is a Dividend Aristocrat, having increased its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years. The current yield is 98.00%. The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 12.6% over the past three years.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in CAH would have grown to $6991, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 13.6% vs 10.4% for the index — confirming CAH as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -12.8% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: CAH vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After CAH Crosses Below the Line?
Across 19 historical episodes, buying CAH when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +20.6% after 12 months (median +4.0%), compared to +7.1% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 58% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +28.8% vs +11.9% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment CAH crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
CAH has crossed below its 200-week MA 25 times with an average 1-year return of +16.8% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1984 | Sep 1984 | 6 | 7.2% | +16.1% | +30706.8% |
| Oct 1984 | Jan 1985 | 15 | 22.4% | +17.5% | +33409.1% |
| Sep 1985 | Sep 1985 | 3 | 1.6% | +17.2% | +29744.1% |
| Oct 1986 | Nov 1986 | 5 | 9.7% | -2.9% | +28839.7% |
| Dec 1986 | Dec 1986 | 3 | 4.0% | -34.5% | +27186.0% |
| Oct 1987 | Jun 1988 | 37 | 36.9% | +19.0% | +26102.0% |
| Oct 1999 | Nov 1999 | 4 | 13.2% | +120.7% | +1528.8% |
| Dec 1999 | Jan 2000 | 4 | 11.8% | +97.3% | +1367.0% |
| Jan 2000 | Apr 2000 | 12 | 21.4% | +104.8% | +1319.2% |
| Jul 2002 | Jul 2002 | 3 | 1.7% | +24.1% | +778.6% |
| Mar 2003 | Mar 2003 | 2 | 10.1% | +21.0% | +723.4% |
| Apr 2003 | May 2003 | 2 | 4.9% | +34.1% | +755.1% |
| Jul 2003 | Aug 2003 | 1 | 2.9% | -20.5% | +717.7% |
| Aug 2003 | Nov 2003 | 12 | 4.3% | -22.9% | +693.1% |
| Dec 2003 | Jan 2004 | 3 | 1.8% | -2.4% | +668.3% |
| Jun 2004 | Sep 2005 | 63 | 38.6% | +12.6% | +785.0% |
| Sep 2007 | Oct 2007 | 1 | 0.2% | -19.6% | +623.1% |
| Nov 2007 | Nov 2010 | 156 | 53.5% | -32.9% | +651.5% |
| Oct 2016 | Nov 2016 | 2 | 6.3% | -5.9% | +302.6% |
| Apr 2017 | May 2017 | 6 | 0.9% | -12.0% | +270.5% |
| Jul 2017 | Feb 2020 | 131 | 35.6% | -24.9% | +286.2% |
| Feb 2020 | Jul 2020 | 21 | 24.2% | +2.8% | +367.8% |
| Aug 2020 | Nov 2020 | 16 | 13.8% | +0.5% | +354.8% |
| Oct 2021 | Nov 2021 | 4 | 2.8% | +45.0% | +369.1% |
| Nov 2021 | Dec 2021 | 4 | 3.8% | +66.0% | +371.7% |
| Average | 21 | — | +16.8% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CAH below its 200-week moving average?
No. Cardinal Health Inc. (CAH) is currently 85.2% above its 200-week moving average of $112.23. It would need to fall to $112.23 to cross below the line.
What is CAH's 200-week moving average price?
Cardinal Health Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $112.23 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when CAH drops below its 200-week moving average?
CAH has crossed below its 200-week moving average 25 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +16.8%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 21 weeks on average.
Is CAH a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about CAH as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 56. Free cash flow yield is 11.1%. Price-to-book is -17.0x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does CAH compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in CAH would have grown to $6991, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 13.6% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. CAH has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does CAH pay a dividend?
Yes. Cardinal Health Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 98.00%. It is also a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning it has raised its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20