Cencora Inc. (COR) shares surged 5.06% in Wednesday's trading session following the release of its fiscal second-quarter earnings report, which exceeded analyst expectations. The pharmaceutical distributor reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.42, significantly outperforming the consensus estimate of $4.11.

For the quarter ended March 31, Cencora posted revenue of $75.45 billion, up 10.3% year-over-year, although slightly below the anticipated $75.68 billion. The company's net income rose to $717.4 million, or $3.68 per share, compared to $420.8 million, or $2.09 per share, in the same period last year. In light of its strong performance, Cencora raised its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $15.70 to $15.95, up from the previous forecast of $15.30 to $15.60, surpassing the average analyst expectation of $15.46.

The robust results were primarily driven by strong demand for specialty medicines and weight-loss drugs in the U.S. market. Cencora's U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment, its largest revenue-generating unit, saw an 11.4% increase in sales, reaching $68.3 billion. The company highlighted the growing popularity of GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss, such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, as key contributors to its performance. Despite lower margins on these products due to higher storage and transportation costs, the increased volume has positively impacted Cencora's overall financial results.