CAT vs. CAH
CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) and CAH (Cardinal Health, Inc.) are both stocks. CAT operates in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery (Industrials), while CAH operates in Medical Distribution (Healthcare). Over the past 10 years, CAT returned 31.08%/yr vs 14.13%/yr for CAH. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CAT vs. CAH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CAT achieves a 57.36% return, which is significantly higher than CAH's 8.15% return. Over the past 10 years, CAT has outperformed CAH with an annualized return of 31.08%, while CAH has yielded a comparatively lower 14.13% annualized return.
CAT
- 1D
- 4.84%
- 1M
- -1.59%
- YTD
- 57.36%
- 6M
- 44.09%
- 1Y
- 149.86%
- 3Y*
- 58.05%
- 5Y*
- 34.78%
- 10Y*
- 31.08%
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%
CAT vs. CAH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 57.36% | 60.30% | 24.66% | 25.95% | 18.60% | 15.95% | 26.97% | 19.51% | -17.56% | 75.03% |
CAH Cardinal Health, Inc. | 8.15% | 76.25% | 19.01% | 34.15% | 54.08% | -0.40% | 10.09% | 18.04% | -24.50% | -12.65% |
Correlation
The correlation between CAT and CAH is 0.02, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 31, 1987 | 0.25 |
Over the past year, the correlation between CAT and CAH has dropped to 0.02 - well below their long-term average of 0.25, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
CAT:
$418.12B
CAH:
$52.19B
CAT:
$20.07
CAH:
$6.55
CAT:
44.72
CAH:
33.76
CAT:
2.96
CAH:
0.80
CAT:
5.95
CAH:
0.21
CAT:
$70.76B
CAH:
$250.55B
CAT:
$23.01B
CAH:
$9.23B
CAT:
$15.31B
CAH:
$2.79B
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Return for Risk
CAT vs. CAH — Risk / Return Rank
CAT
CAH
CAT vs. CAH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH). 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.
| CAT | CAH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.77 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.49 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.63 | 1.33 | +0.30 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 10.86 | 2.25 | +8.62 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 35.61 | 5.91 | +29.70 |
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Drawdowns
CAT vs. CAH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CAT drawdown since its inception was -73.43%, which is greater than CAH's maximum drawdown of -61.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAT and CAH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CAT | CAH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -73.43% | -61.93% | -11.50% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.88% | -20.42% | +6.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.05% | -20.42% | -13.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.05% | -22.80% | -11.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.36% | -46.13% | +2.77% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.56% | -3.56% | -1.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.73% | -15.94% | -3.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.23% | 7.75% | -3.52% |
Volatility
CAT vs. CAH - Volatility Comparison
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has a higher volatility of 13.12% compared to Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) at 7.28%. This indicates that CAT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CAH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CAT | CAH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 13.12% | 7.28% | +5.84% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 28.52% | 20.29% | +8.23% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 35.18% | 30.28% | +4.90% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.79% | 25.25% | +5.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.98% | 29.26% | +1.72% |
Dividends
CAT vs. CAH - Dividend Comparison
CAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.67%, less than CAH's 0.92% 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% |
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 0.67% | 1.02% | 1.49% | 1.69% | 1.93% | 2.07% | 2.26% | 2.56% | 2.58% | 1.97% | 3.32% | 4.33% |
Financials
CAT vs. CAH - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Caterpillar Inc. and Cardinal Health, Inc.. 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
CAT vs. CAH - Profitability Comparison
CAT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a gross profit of 6.11B and revenue of 17.42B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.1%.
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%.
CAT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported an operating income of 3.09B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.7%.
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%.
CAT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a net income of 2.55B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in a net margin of 14.6%.
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%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAT and CAH have a correlation of 0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CAT has higher volatility (13.12%) compared to CAH (7.28%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAT dropped -73.43% vs CAH's -61.93%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.29 vs 1.52), 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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