Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) shares surged 9.44% in pre-market trading on Thursday following the release of its impressive first-quarter fiscal 2026 results. The healthcare services company significantly outperformed analyst expectations and raised its full-year outlook, signaling strong momentum in its core businesses.

The company reported a 22% year-over-year increase in revenue to $64 billion, substantially beating the consensus estimate of $59.35 billion. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) came in at $2.55, surpassing the expected $2.19 and marking a 36% increase from the same period last year. This robust performance was primarily driven by the strength of Cardinal Health's Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment, which saw a 23% revenue growth and a 26% profit increase.

In light of these strong results, Cardinal Health raised its fiscal year 2026 non-GAAP EPS guidance to a range of $9.65 to $9.85, up from the previous forecast and above the FactSet estimate of $9.44. The company also increased its fiscal year 2026 non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow outlook to $3.0 to $3.5 billion. Adding to investor optimism, Cardinal Health initiated a $375 million accelerated share repurchase program in Q1 and announced the anticipated completion of its Solaris Health acquisition in early November, further solidifying its growth strategy and market position.