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In 1995, Cardinal Health bought Medicine Shoppe International, America's largest retail pharmacy franchise network.
It was Cardinal's first step beyond its core drug distribution business.
Linking Cardinal's established wholesale operations with direct consumer sales through Medicine Shoppe's pharmacy locations.
In 1994, Cardinal Health bought Pyxis Corporation for $867 million to enter the hospital technology market.
Pyxis had developed automated medication carts that helped hospitals reduce errors in drug dispensing.
This purchase converted Cardinal from a distributor into a complete medication management provider, combining its existing supply network with new safety technology.
Cardinal Health bought Owen Healthcare in 1997, gaining the nation's second-largest pharmacy management service provider.
Owen's expertise in pharmacy operations complemented Cardinal's existing distribution networ
In 1999, Cardinal Health bought Allegiance Healthcare, which made medical supplies in Chicago—specializing in wound care, surgical equipment, and infection prevention products.
Allegiance had split off from Baxter International to become an independent company.
The acquisition let Cardinal Health manufacture branded medical supplies while strengthening its hospital distribution network.
Cardinal Health acquired Bindley Western Industries in 2001 for $2.1 billion.
As America's fourth-largest drug wholesaler, Bindley Western supplied hospitals, pharmacies, and manufacturers across the Midwest.
The acquisition positioned Cardinal Health alongside McKesson and AmerisourceBergen as one of the three dominant U.S. pharmaceutical distributors.
In 2006, Cardinal Health paid $40.1 million for ParMed Pharmaceuticals, a Niagara Falls-based distributor of medications to hospitals and pharmacies.
This acquisition gave Cardinal Health direct distribution capacity in Upstate New York, expanding beyond its Ohio headquarters.
Cardinal Health acquired VIASYS Healthcare for $1.5 billion in 2007.
VIASYS, based in Pennsylvania, manufactured respiratory care equipment for hospitals.
Cardinal Health acquired Healthcare Solutions Holding for $517 million in 2010 to strengthen its specialty drug distribution business.
Healthcare Solutions, based in Illinois, handled distribution and support for rare disease medications and genomic therapies.
The acquisition let Cardinal Health expand its cold-chain storage capabilities and logistics services for temperature-sensitive drugs.
It also enhanced Cardinal's ability to help biotech companies and specialty pharmacies manage complex medications.
In 2010, Cardinal Health acquired Kinray, a New York-based pharmaceutical wholesaler, to strengthen its independent pharmacy business.
Kinray, founded in 1954, had become the largest private drug distributor serving independent pharmacies in the United States.
The acquisition boosted Cardinal Health's independent pharmacy market share by 40 percent.
In 2012, Cardinal Health bought 70% of Chinese drug distributor Yong Yu for $470 million.
It was Cardinal's first significant entry into China's expanding healthcare sector.
Five years later, Cardinal sold its Yong Yu stake to a Chinese company for $1.2 billion.
In 2014, Cardinal Health and CVS split ownership of Red Oak Sourcing, creating the largest generic drug buying operation in the US.
The venture buys generic medications in bulk from global suppliers and distributes them across America.
Red Oak combines Cardinal Health's pharmaceutical supply chain with CVS's 9,000+ retail pharmacies.
Cardinal Health bought Cordis, a catheter and stent manufacturer, from Johnson & Johnson for $1.94 billion in 2015.
The purchase marked Cardinal's first major step into medical devices, expanding beyond its core drug distribution business.
Six years later, Cardinal sold Cordis after failing to make the acquisition profitable.
In 2017, Cardinal Health bought Medtronic's patient care division for $6.1 billion, acquiring medical equipment for home recovery, vascular treatment, and nutritional support.
This purchase—Cardinal's largest—expanded the company beyond drug distribution into direct patient care equipment.
The deal gave Cardinal the tools to serve patients recovering at home and those with mobility challenges.
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