What to Know About the Latest Sale From Cardinal Health's Chief Accounting Officer
Key Points
The sale involved 2,302 shares at $237.39 per share, resulting in a transaction value of $546,500.
All shares were held directly; no indirect ownership through entities or trusts was disclosed in the filing.
The disposition occurred following a period where the stock delivered a 58% return over the 12 months ending August 19.
Mary C. Scherer, the chief accounting officer of the firm, sold 2,302 shares of Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) on August 19, according to an SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summary
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Shares sold | 2,302 |
| Transaction value | $546,500 |
| Post-transaction shares (directly held) | 2,811 |
| Post-transaction value | $660,163.35 |
Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($237.39); post-transaction value based on the August 19 market close ($234.85).
Key questions
- What is the current scale of equity ownership for the Chief Accounting Officer following this sale?
Scherer retains direct ownership of 2,811 shares, which represents a tiny 0.001% stake in the company. - How does the transaction price compare to the trade-date market close?
The shares were sold at a weighted-average price of $237.39, while the common stock ended the August 19 session at $234.85. - What are the fundamental metrics for the company over the most recent trailing 12-month period?
The company reported $254.2 billion in revenue and $1.7 billion in net income for the trailing 12 months as of the transaction date. - What is the primary operational structure of the company?
It functions as a healthcare services provider through two primary segments, Pharmaceutical and Medical, serving hospitals, pharmacies, and clinical laboratories.
Company Overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Share Price (as of market close 2026-08-19) | $234.85 |
| Market Capitalization | $55.0 billion |
| Revenue (TTM) | $254.2 billion |
| Net Income (TTM) | $1.7 billion |
Company Snapshot
- Cardinal Health operates as a global, integrated healthcare services and products provider, delivering pharmaceutical distribution, medical-surgical products, and healthcare solutions across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and international markets.
- The company generates revenue through its two core operating divisions--Pharmaceutical and Medical--which provide distribution, sourcing, and specialty services to healthcare providers, with a business model centered on supply chain optimization and value-added services.
- Cardinal Health serves a diverse customer base, including hospitals, healthcare networks, pharmacies, outpatient surgical centers, clinical laboratories, physician practices, and patients receiving home care services.
Cardinal Health is one of the largest healthcare services and products companies globally, with a presence spanning multiple continents and serving tens of thousands of employees. The company maintains a competitive advantage through its extensive distribution infrastructure, integrated service offerings, and deep relationships with healthcare providers across multiple care settings. With TTM revenue of $254.2 billion and a market capitalization of $55.0 billion, Cardinal Health represents a critical intermediary in the global healthcare supply chain.
What this transaction means for investors
Scherer owns about $660,000 of Cardinal stock after this trade, and her 2,811 remaining shares are down from 3,495 before the Aug. 4 award, roughly a 20% cut. Several other Cardinal Health executives sold this week, but her August performance grant seems to sit several rungs below others. That said, she's still getting awards each year, so her incentives are still clearly tied to company performance.
Meanwhile, one notable accounting note from the firm's latest release is that Cardinal, like many other companies recently, booked a tariff-related windfall this past quarter; the firm saw a $100 million net operating benefit in its medical segment from tariff refunds, recognized on the expectation of collecting roughly $200 million. The refund added $0.31 to fourth-quarter EPS of $2.91, or about 15 of the 40 percentage points of growth. At the same time, the tariffs that replaced the ones being refunded are still costing the company money, so the benefit is one-time, even while the drag isn't. Long-term investors might want to keep an eye on how that ultimately plays out.
Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.