CAH vs. CL
CAH (Cardinal Health, Inc.) and CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) are both stocks. CAH operates in Medical Distribution (Healthcare), while CL operates in Household & Personal Products (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, CAH returned 14.13%/yr vs 4.67%/yr for CL. At a 0.26 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CAH vs. CL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CAH achieves a 8.15% return, which is significantly lower than CL's 14.52% return. Over the past 10 years, CAH has outperformed CL with an annualized return of 14.13%, while CL has yielded a comparatively lower 4.67% annualized return.
CAH
- 1D
- 2.25%
- 1M
- 21.14%
- YTD
- 8.15%
- 6M
- 12.07%
- 1Y
- 45.67%
- 3Y*
- 38.65%
- 5Y*
- 33.15%
- 10Y*
- 14.13%
CL
- 1D
- -0.62%
- 1M
- 2.23%
- YTD
- 14.52%
- 6M
- 17.15%
- 1Y
- -0.50%
- 3Y*
- 8.22%
- 5Y*
- 3.78%
- 10Y*
- 4.67%
CAH vs. CL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAH Cardinal Health, Inc. | 8.15% | 76.25% | 19.01% | 34.15% | 54.08% | -0.40% | 10.09% | 18.04% | -24.50% | -12.65% |
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 14.52% | -10.98% | 16.57% | 3.78% | -5.44% | 2.08% | 27.17% | 18.60% | -19.19% | 17.88% |
Correlation
The correlation between CAH and CL is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 31, 1987 | 0.26 |
Fundamentals
CAH:
$52.19B
CL:
$71.97B
CAH:
$6.55
CL:
$2.58
CAH:
33.76
CL:
34.66
CAH:
0.80
CL:
8.95
CAH:
0.21
CL:
3.48
CAH:
$250.55B
CL:
$20.80B
CAH:
$9.23B
CL:
$12.49B
CAH:
$2.79B
CL:
$3.92B
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Return for Risk
CAH vs. CL — Risk / Return Rank
CAH
CL
CAH vs. CL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) and Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CAH | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.54 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.01 | +0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.25 | -0.03 | +2.27 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.91 | -0.04 | +5.96 |
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Drawdowns
CAH vs. CL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CAH drawdown since its inception was -61.93%, which is greater than CL's maximum drawdown of -58.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAH and CL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CAH | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.93% | -58.91% | -3.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.42% | -18.64% | -1.78% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.42% | -29.05% | +8.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.80% | -29.05% | +6.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.13% | -29.05% | -17.08% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.56% | -14.36% | +10.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.94% | -11.24% | -4.70% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.75% | 11.34% | -3.59% |
Volatility
CAH vs. CL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) is 7.28%, while Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a volatility of 8.33%. This indicates that CAH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CAH | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.28% | 8.33% | -1.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.29% | 17.30% | +2.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 30.28% | 21.83% | +8.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.25% | 18.81% | +6.44% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.26% | 19.75% | +9.51% |
Dividends
CAH vs. CL - Dividend Comparison
CAH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.92%, less than CL's 2.34% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAH Cardinal Health, Inc. | 0.92% | 0.99% | 1.28% | 1.98% | 2.57% | 3.80% | 3.62% | 3.80% | 4.24% | 3.00% | 2.41% | 1.68% |
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 2.34% | 2.61% | 2.18% | 2.40% | 2.36% | 2.10% | 2.05% | 2.48% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.37% | 2.25% |
Financials
CAH vs. CL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Cardinal Health, Inc. and Colgate-Palmolive Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CAH vs. CL - Profitability Comparison
CAH - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cardinal Health, Inc. reported a gross profit of 2.50B and revenue of 60.94B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 4.1%.
CL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a gross profit of 3.23B and revenue of 5.32B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 60.6%.
CAH - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cardinal Health, Inc. reported an operating income of 509.00M and revenue of 60.94B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.8%.
CL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported an operating income of 1.16B and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.7%.
CAH - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cardinal Health, Inc. reported a net income of 399.00M and revenue of 60.94B, resulting in a net margin of 0.7%.
CL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a net income of 646.00M and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in a net margin of 12.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAH and CL have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CL has higher volatility (8.33%) compared to CAH (7.28%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAH dropped -61.93% vs CL's -58.91%.
CAH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.52 vs -0.02), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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