Cencora Inc. shares soared 5.21% in pre-market trading on Wednesday, following the release of the company's fiscal third-quarter results that surpassed analyst expectations and an upward revision to its full-year profit guidance.
The pharmaceutical distributor reported adjusted earnings of $4.48 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, a 12% increase from $4.00 a year earlier and well above the consensus estimate of $4.35. Revenue rose 5.1% to $84.75 billion, slightly exceeding the $84.32 billion analysts had forecast. The strong performance was driven by growth in its U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment, particularly from specialty medicines and GLP-1 drugs.
Looking ahead, Cencora raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share guidance to a range of $17.75 to $17.95, up from its prior outlook of $17.65 to $17.90. The company also maintained its revenue growth outlook of 4% to 6%. The positive earnings surprise and improved annual forecast fueled investor optimism, sending the stock sharply higher in the pre-market session.