Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a Fortune 14 American multinational healthcare services and products company that plays a critical role in the healthcare supply chain, serving more than 100,000 locations across over 30 countries. Founded in 1971 by Robert D. Walter as a small food wholesaler in Columbus, Ohio, the company transformed itself into one of the world's largest pharmaceutical and medical product distributors, generating $226.8 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2024. Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health employs approximately 50,000 people dedicated to improving the lives of people every day through their distribution, manufacturing, and healthcare solutions.

The company operates through two major business segments: Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions, and Global Medical Products and Distribution. The Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, and specialty pharmaceuticals to retail pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare facilities nationwide. The Medical segment manufactures and distributes medical, surgical, and laboratory products including surgical gloves, gowns, fluid management products, and exam gloves to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, and other healthcare providers. Cardinal Health also operates one of the largest networks of nuclear pharmacies in the United States, manufacturing and delivering radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic procedures.

Cardinal Health's evolution from a $4.4 million food wholesaler to a Fortune 14 healthcare giant reflects decades of strategic acquisitions and organic growth. The company went public on NASDAQ in 1983, made transformative acquisitions including Allegiance Healthcare in 1999 for $5.4 billion and the Cordis medical devices division in 2015 (later divested in 2021), and continuously adapted to meet the changing needs of the healthcare industry. Under CEO Jason Hollar's leadership since 2022, Cardinal Health has achieved record financial performance through operational excellence, strategic focus, and commitment to simplification.

As a vital link in the healthcare ecosystem, Cardinal Health's mission is to deliver products and solutions that improve the lives of people every day. The company's scale and reach are remarkable: they provide medical products to over 75% of hospitals in the United States, can reach 98% of hospital beds within eight hours through their Lab Distribution network, and serve more than 90% of health systems and 20,000 specialty physician practices nationwide. Despite facing significant challenges including ongoing opioid-related litigation with settlements totaling billions of dollars, Cardinal Health remains committed to being healthcare's most trusted partner through innovation, integrity, and unwavering focus on patient care and safety.