OMI vs CAH

For growth investors, Cardinal Health, Inc.

(CAH) is the stronger pick with -1. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -74. 2% for Owens & Minor, Inc. (OMI). Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) offers the better valuation at 29. 7x trailing P/E (18. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) a "Buy" — based on 33 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On forward P/E, Owens & Minor, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 2. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Cardinal Health, Inc.

(CAH) delivered a total return of +256. 4%, compared to -93. 3% for Owens & Minor, Inc. (OMI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CAH returned +174. 5% versus OMI's -86. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cardinal Health, Inc.

(CAH) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 03β versus Owens & Minor, Inc. 's 1. 44β — meaning OMI is approximately 4160% more volatile than CAH relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Cardinal Health, Inc.

(CAH) is pulling ahead at -1. 9% versus -74. 2% for Owens & Minor, Inc. (OMI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Cardinal Health, Inc. grew EPS 87. 0% year-over-year, compared to -201. 1% for Owens & Minor, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CAH leads at 7. 1% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Cardinal Health, Inc.

(CAH) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 7% net margin versus -39. 8% for Owens & Minor, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CAH leads at 1. 0% versus 1. 0% for OMI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CAH leads at 3. 7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Owens & Minor, Inc.

(OMI) trades at 2. 3x forward P/E versus 18. 5x for Cardinal Health, Inc. — 16. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for OMI: 78. 6% to $4. 00.

In this comparison, CAH (1.

1% yield) pays a dividend. OMI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Cardinal Health, Inc.

(CAH) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 03), 1. 1% yield, +174. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CAH: +174. 5%, OMI: -86. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

CAH pays a dividend while OMI does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.