Leerink raises Cencora stock price target to $301, maintains Outperform

Published 05/02/2025, 20:12
Leerink raises Cencora stock price target to $301, maintains Outperform

On Wednesday, Leerink Partners adjusted their financial outlook on Cencora Inc (NYSE: COR), increasing the price target to $301 from the previous $287 while keeping an Outperform rating on the stock. The revision follows Cencora’s impressive first-quarter fiscal year 2025 results, marking another quarter of exceeding expectations and raising forecasts. According to InvestingPro data, the stock is currently trading near its 52-week high of $261.25, with a strong YTD return of 12%, and analysis suggests the stock may be slightly undervalued based on its Fair Value assessment. This performance reinforces Leerink’s optimistic stance, largely influenced by Cencora’s robust pharmaceutical distribution segment.

Cencora’s updated core guidance for U.S. Healthcare EBIT showed a near 4% rise, an indication of a strong market and the company’s potential for significant growth amid existing challenges. The company’s robust position is reflected in its InvestingPro Financial Health Score of 3.25 (rated as GREAT), with impressive revenue growth of 12.12% in the last twelve months. According to Leerink Partners, the success of Cencora’s stock is closely tied to the performance of the U.S. Healthcare sector. While there was a noted weakness in international guidance, reflected in a 75 basis points decrease in constant currency segment EBIT, this did not significantly impact the company’s overall value or its ability to surpass total company expectations.

The updated price target is now based on approximately 17 times the calendar year 2026 P/E, a shift forward from the previous target multiple of around 18 times calendar year 2025 P/E. This change in valuation multiple reflects Leerink’s continued confidence in Cencora’s business trajectory and market position.

Leerink’s analyst highlighted the negligible effect of international segment weakness on the company’s valuation, emphasizing that the overall robust results and guidance upgrades were the primary drivers of the positive outlook. With the latest financial results and guidance increases, Cencora’s stock appears poised to reflect the health of the U.S. Healthcare market, as suggested by the analyst’s remarks.

Investors and market watchers will likely keep a close eye on Cencora’s performance in the coming quarters, as the company navigates the forecasted headwinds and strives to maintain its growth momentum. With a market capitalization of $49 billion and a P/E ratio of 33.34, the raised price target by Leerink Partners signals a belief in Cencora’s ability to continue its strong performance and deliver value to its shareholders. For deeper insights into Cencora’s valuation and growth prospects, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report, available exclusively on InvestingPro, which includes detailed analysis of the company’s financial health and future potential.

In other recent news, Cencora, Inc. has been making significant moves. The company announced robust growth in its fiscal 2024 fourth quarter, with a 15% year-over-year increase in adjusted earnings and a 15% rise in consolidated revenue. Furthermore, the acquisition of Retina Consultants of America (RCA) led to an upward revision in its fiscal year 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) guidance, now anticipated to be in the range of $15.15 to $15.45.

On the analyst front, Mizuho (NYSE:MFG) Securities initiated coverage on Cencora with an Outperform rating and a price target of $280, expressing confidence in the company’s financial goals. Additionally, BofA Securities revised its price target for Cencora to $260, up from $255, while maintaining a Neutral stance on the stock.

In other company developments, two long-standing board members, Richard W. Gochnauer and Kathleen W. Hyle, announced their retirement from their positions, effective at the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders in March 2025. This will reduce the board from 13 to 11 members. These are the latest developments in Cencora, a company that continues to navigate the competitive and regulatory landscapes of the pharmaceutical distribution sector.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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