Cencora Raises Fiscal 2026 Earnings Outlook Amid Share Buybacks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 22 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Earnings Outlook Raised: Cencora has raised its adjusted diluted earnings per share forecast for fiscal 2026 to a range of $17.70 to $17.90, up from the previous $17.65 to $17.90, indicating strong confidence in future performance.
- New Buyback Program: The company announced a new share repurchase program authorized by its board to buy back an additional $2.0 billion worth of common stock, further enhancing investor confidence in its growth prospects.
- Remaining Buyback Balance: Cencora has $382 million remaining under its existing buyback program authorized in May 2024, providing the company with flexibility to navigate market fluctuations.
- Positive Market Reaction: Shares of Cencora spiked in premarket trading, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's earnings outlook and buyback plans, which may drive further stock price appreciation.
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Analyst Views on COR
Wall Street analysts forecast COR stock price to rise
9 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 267.710
Low
400.00
Averages
415.38
High
440.00
Current: 267.710
Low
400.00
Averages
415.38
High
440.00
About COR
Cencora, Inc. is a global pharmaceutical sourcing and distribution services company. The Company helps both healthcare providers and pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers improve patient access to products and enhance patient care. The Company operates through two segments: U.S. Healthcare Solutions and International Healthcare Solutions. The U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment distributes a comprehensive offering of brand-name, specialty brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to a variety of healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, long-term care and alternate site pharmacies, and other customers. The International Healthcare Solutions segment consists of businesses that focus on international pharmaceutical wholesale and related service operations and global commercialization services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Charles Schwab CEO Richard A. Wurster Buys Shares Amid Market Gains
- CEO Stock Purchase: Charles Schwab's CEO Richard A. Wurster purchased 21,959 shares of SCHW at $84.23 each on Thursday, totaling an investment of $1.85 million, indicating strong confidence in the company's future prospects.
- Positive Market Reaction: Wurster's buy was up about 3.0% at the day's trading high, with SCHW reaching $86.78, reflecting positive sentiment in the market and further bolstering investor confidence.
- Director's Purchase: On the same day, Director Dermot Mark Durcan bought 4,000 shares of Cencora at $266.26 each for a total of $1.07 million, marking his first purchase in the past year, which signals optimism about the company's outlook.
- Cencora Stock Performance: Durcan's purchase has him up about 2.3% at today's trading high, with Cencora trading up approximately 0.6%, indicating a favorable market outlook for the company's future performance.
See More
Cencora Under Investigation as Stock Plummets 17.4%
- Disappointing Financial Results: Cencora reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $78.3 billion, missing consensus estimates by $2.68 billion, which led to a downward revision of full-year revenue growth guidance from 7%-9% to 4%-6%, indicating significant growth challenges for the company.
- Impact of Pricing Strategy: Management revealed that manufactured price reductions resulted in a $2 billion revenue headwind for the quarter, directly affecting profitability and potentially raising investor concerns about the company's future performance.
- Stock Price Volatility: Following the earnings report, Cencora's stock plummeted by $53.16, a 17.4% decline, closing at $252.74 per share, reflecting the market's strong reaction to the company's financial health.
- Legal Investigation Initiated: Pomerantz LLP is investigating Cencora and its executives for potential securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, which could further undermine investor confidence and exacerbate stock price fluctuations.
See More
Cencora Appoints New CFO and Reaffirms Earnings Guidance
- Executive Transition: Cencora announced that Eva Boratto will become Executive Vice President and CFO effective June 29, 2026, succeeding retiring James Cleary, who will remain in an advisory role until the end of 2026 to ensure a smooth transition.
- Experienced Leadership: Boratto brings extensive public company executive experience, having served as CFO of Bath & Body Works, and her financial and operational expertise in the healthcare and consumer sectors is expected to provide strategic financial leadership for Cencora.
- Earnings Guidance Reaffirmed: Cencora reaffirmed its adjusted diluted EPS guidance range for fiscal year 2026 at $17.70 to $17.90, aligning with the consensus estimate of $17.75, reflecting the company's confidence in its future performance.
- Long-Term Growth Targets: The company also reiterated its long-term adjusted operating income growth target of 7% to 10% and adjusted diluted EPS growth target of 10% to 14%, indicating a positive outlook for Cencora's financial performance going forward.
See More
Cencora Appoints New CFO to Drive Growth
- Executive Appointment: Cencora, Inc. announced the appointment of Eva Boratto as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective June 29, 2026, succeeding retiring James Cleary, who will serve in an advisory role until the end of 2026, ensuring stability and continuity during the transition period.
- Financial Guidance Reaffirmed: Cencora reaffirmed its adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance range for fiscal year 2026 at $17.70 to $17.90, demonstrating confidence in future financial performance, while updating from a previous range of $17.65 to $17.90, indicating improved profitability.
- Long-term Growth Targets: The company also reiterated its long-term adjusted operating income growth target of 7% to 10% and adjusted diluted earnings per share growth target of 10% to 14%, reflecting Cencora's positive outlook on future market opportunities and aiming to drive business expansion through sustained financial health.
- Transformation Leadership Experience: Boratto's successful leadership as CFO at Bath & Body Works, Inc., where she played a key role in the company's multi-year transformation strategy, is expected to bring fresh perspectives and momentum to Cencora's financial strategy, aiding the company in achieving sustainable growth in the competitive pharmaceutical industry.
See More
Cencora Under Investigation as Stock Plummets 17.4%
- Disappointing Financial Results: Cencora reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $78.3 billion, missing consensus estimates by $2.68 billion, which led to a downward revision of its full-year revenue growth guidance to 4% to 6%.
- Impact of Pricing Strategy: Management disclosed during the earnings call that manufactured price reductions resulted in a $2 billion revenue headwind for the quarter, indicating significant challenges in the company's pricing strategy that could affect future profitability.
- Stock Price Volatility: Following the earnings report, Cencora's stock price fell by $53.16, or 17.4%, closing at $252.74 per share, reflecting market concerns regarding the company's financial health.
- Legal Investigation Initiated: Pomerantz LLP is investigating whether Cencora and its executives engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, which could further damage the company's reputation and shareholder confidence.
See More
Cencora Raises Fiscal 2026 Earnings Outlook Amid Share Buybacks
- Earnings Outlook Raised: Cencora has raised its adjusted diluted earnings per share forecast for fiscal 2026 to a range of $17.70 to $17.90, up from the previous $17.65 to $17.90, indicating strong confidence in future performance.
- New Buyback Program: The company announced a new share repurchase program authorized by its board to buy back an additional $2.0 billion worth of common stock, further enhancing investor confidence in its growth prospects.
- Remaining Buyback Balance: Cencora has $382 million remaining under its existing buyback program authorized in May 2024, providing the company with flexibility to navigate market fluctuations.
- Positive Market Reaction: Shares of Cencora spiked in premarket trading, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's earnings outlook and buyback plans, which may drive further stock price appreciation.
See More
Charles Schwab CEO Richard A. Wurster Buys Shares Amid Market Gains
- CEO Stock Purchase: Charles Schwab's CEO Richard A. Wurster purchased 21,959 shares of SCHW at $84.23 each on Thursday, totaling an investment of $1.85 million, indicating strong confidence in the company's future prospects.
- Positive Market Reaction: Wurster's buy was up about 3.0% at the day's trading high, with SCHW reaching $86.78, reflecting positive sentiment in the market and further bolstering investor confidence.
- Director's Purchase: On the same day, Director Dermot Mark Durcan bought 4,000 shares of Cencora at $266.26 each for a total of $1.07 million, marking his first purchase in the past year, which signals optimism about the company's outlook.
- Cencora Stock Performance: Durcan's purchase has him up about 2.3% at today's trading high, with Cencora trading up approximately 0.6%, indicating a favorable market outlook for the company's future performance.
See More
Cencora Under Investigation as Stock Plummets 17.4%
- Disappointing Financial Results: Cencora reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $78.3 billion, missing consensus estimates by $2.68 billion, which led to a downward revision of full-year revenue growth guidance from 7%-9% to 4%-6%, indicating significant growth challenges for the company.
- Impact of Pricing Strategy: Management revealed that manufactured price reductions resulted in a $2 billion revenue headwind for the quarter, directly affecting profitability and potentially raising investor concerns about the company's future performance.
- Stock Price Volatility: Following the earnings report, Cencora's stock plummeted by $53.16, a 17.4% decline, closing at $252.74 per share, reflecting the market's strong reaction to the company's financial health.
- Legal Investigation Initiated: Pomerantz LLP is investigating Cencora and its executives for potential securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, which could further undermine investor confidence and exacerbate stock price fluctuations.
See More
Cencora Appoints New CFO and Reaffirms Earnings Guidance
- Executive Transition: Cencora announced that Eva Boratto will become Executive Vice President and CFO effective June 29, 2026, succeeding retiring James Cleary, who will remain in an advisory role until the end of 2026 to ensure a smooth transition.
- Experienced Leadership: Boratto brings extensive public company executive experience, having served as CFO of Bath & Body Works, and her financial and operational expertise in the healthcare and consumer sectors is expected to provide strategic financial leadership for Cencora.
- Earnings Guidance Reaffirmed: Cencora reaffirmed its adjusted diluted EPS guidance range for fiscal year 2026 at $17.70 to $17.90, aligning with the consensus estimate of $17.75, reflecting the company's confidence in its future performance.
- Long-Term Growth Targets: The company also reiterated its long-term adjusted operating income growth target of 7% to 10% and adjusted diluted EPS growth target of 10% to 14%, indicating a positive outlook for Cencora's financial performance going forward.
See More
Cencora Appoints New CFO to Drive Growth
- Executive Appointment: Cencora, Inc. announced the appointment of Eva Boratto as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective June 29, 2026, succeeding retiring James Cleary, who will serve in an advisory role until the end of 2026, ensuring stability and continuity during the transition period.
- Financial Guidance Reaffirmed: Cencora reaffirmed its adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance range for fiscal year 2026 at $17.70 to $17.90, demonstrating confidence in future financial performance, while updating from a previous range of $17.65 to $17.90, indicating improved profitability.
- Long-term Growth Targets: The company also reiterated its long-term adjusted operating income growth target of 7% to 10% and adjusted diluted earnings per share growth target of 10% to 14%, reflecting Cencora's positive outlook on future market opportunities and aiming to drive business expansion through sustained financial health.
- Transformation Leadership Experience: Boratto's successful leadership as CFO at Bath & Body Works, Inc., where she played a key role in the company's multi-year transformation strategy, is expected to bring fresh perspectives and momentum to Cencora's financial strategy, aiding the company in achieving sustainable growth in the competitive pharmaceutical industry.
See More
Cencora Under Investigation as Stock Plummets 17.4%
- Disappointing Financial Results: Cencora reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $78.3 billion, missing consensus estimates by $2.68 billion, which led to a downward revision of its full-year revenue growth guidance to 4% to 6%.
- Impact of Pricing Strategy: Management disclosed during the earnings call that manufactured price reductions resulted in a $2 billion revenue headwind for the quarter, indicating significant challenges in the company's pricing strategy that could affect future profitability.
- Stock Price Volatility: Following the earnings report, Cencora's stock price fell by $53.16, or 17.4%, closing at $252.74 per share, reflecting market concerns regarding the company's financial health.
- Legal Investigation Initiated: Pomerantz LLP is investigating whether Cencora and its executives engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, which could further damage the company's reputation and shareholder confidence.
See More
Cencora Raises Fiscal 2026 Earnings Outlook Amid Share Buybacks
- Earnings Outlook Raised: Cencora has raised its adjusted diluted earnings per share forecast for fiscal 2026 to a range of $17.70 to $17.90, up from the previous $17.65 to $17.90, indicating strong confidence in future performance.
- New Buyback Program: The company announced a new share repurchase program authorized by its board to buy back an additional $2.0 billion worth of common stock, further enhancing investor confidence in its growth prospects.
- Remaining Buyback Balance: Cencora has $382 million remaining under its existing buyback program authorized in May 2024, providing the company with flexibility to navigate market fluctuations.
- Positive Market Reaction: Shares of Cencora spiked in premarket trading, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's earnings outlook and buyback plans, which may drive further stock price appreciation.
See More
