Cardinal Health
CAH
#465
Rank
โ‚น4.678 T
Marketcap
โ‚น19,692
Share price
1.73%
Change (1 day)
78.39%
Change (1 year)
Cardinal Health, Inc. is an American multinational health care services company specialized in the distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical products. The company also manufactures medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel, and fluid management products.

Cardinal Health - 10-Q quarterly report FY


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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 10-Q

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


For The Quarter Ended December 31, 1998 Commission File Number 0-12591



CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


OHIO 31-0958666
(State or other jurisdiction (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization) Identification No.)



5555 GLENDON COURT, DUBLIN, OHIO 43016
(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(614) 717-5000
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)











Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.


Yes X No
--- ---


The number of Registrant's Common Shares outstanding at the close of
business on February 4, 1999 was as follows:

Common Shares, without par value: 272,056,928
-----------------
2


CARDINAL HEALTH, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES


Index *

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Page No.
--------
<S> <C> <C>
Part I. Financial Information:
---------------------

Item 1. Financial Statements:

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the Three and Six Months
Ended December 31, 1998 and 1997 ................................................ 3

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 1998 and
June 30, 1998 ................................................................... 4

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended
December 31, 1998 and 1997....................................................... 5

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements ............................ 6

Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations
and Financial Condition.......................................................... 8

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk....................... 12


Part II. Other Information:
------------------

Item 1. Legal Proceedings................................................................ 13

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.............................. 13

Item 5. Other Information................................................................ 14

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K................................................. 14
</TABLE>

* Items not listed are inapplicable.
3


PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
CARDINAL HEALTH, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
(UNAUDITED)
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
THREE MONTHS ENDED SIX MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1998 1997 1998 1997
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Revenue:
Operating revenue $ 4,062,702 $ 3,277,748 $ 7,913,717 $ 6,300,157
Bulk deliveries to customer warehouses 999,813 750,590 1,781,493 1,431,745
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Total revenue 5,062,515 4,028,338 9,695,210 7,731,902

Cost of products sold:
Operating cost of products sold 3,701,325 2,978,705 7,231,233 5,723,468
Cost of products sold - bulk deliveries 999,813 750,590 1,781,493 1,431,745
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Total cost of products sold 4,701,138 3,729,295 9,012,726 7,155,213

Gross margin 361,377 299,043 682,484 576,689

Selling, general and administrative expenses 188,093 160,337 366,308 320,660

Merger-related costs (3,095) (3,189) (37,465) (5,372)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Operating earnings 170,189 135,517 278,711 250,657

Other income (expense):
Interest expense (9,527) (7,211) (18,240) (14,454)
Other, net (2,383) 660 71 3,232
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Earnings before income taxes 158,279 128,966 260,542 239,435

Provision for income taxes 58,572 48,526 103,009 89,673
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Net earnings $ 99,707 $ 80,440 $ 157,533 $ 149,762
=========== =========== =========== ===========

Earnings per Common Share:
Basic $ 0.50 $ 0.40 $ 0.79 $ 0.75
Diluted $ 0.49 $ 0.40 $ 0.77 $ 0.74

Weighted average number of Common Shares outstanding:

Basic 200,836 199,388 200,655 198,996
Diluted 204,209 203,154 204,086 202,673

Cash dividends declared per Common Share $ 0.025 $ 0.0167 $ 0.05 $ 0.0333
</TABLE>


See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
4


CARDINAL HEALTH, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(UNAUDITED)
(IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DECEMBER 31, JUNE 30,
1998 1998
----------- -----------

<S> <C> <C>
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and equivalents $ 236,543 $ 338,263
Trade receivables, net 1,105,931 989,583
Current portion of net investment in sales-type leases 103,343 75,450
Merchandise inventories 2,443,375 1,964,382
Prepaid expenses and other 148,272 137,417
----------- -----------

Total current assets 4,037,464 3,505,095
----------- -----------

Property and equipment, at cost 1,168,941 1,046,405
Accumulated depreciation and amortization (399,015) (347,468)
----------- -----------
Property and equipment, net 769,926 698,937

Other assets:
Net investment in sales-type leases, less current
portion 322,232 195,013
Goodwill and other intangibles 277,801 285,571
Other 100,567 98,490
----------- -----------

Total $ 5,507,990 $ 4,783,106
=========== ===========

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Notes payable, banks $ 106,371 $ 24,653
Current portion of long-term obligations 10,407 7,294
Accounts payable 1,918,800 1,714,108
Other accrued liabilities 239,413 247,661
----------- -----------

Total current liabilities 2,274,991 1,993,716
----------- -----------

Long-term obligations, less current portion 642,813 441,170
Deferred income taxes and other liabilities 371,307 324,145

Shareholders' equity:
Common Shares, without par value 976,250 944,833
Retained earnings 1,279,838 1,122,230
Common Shares in treasury, at cost (10,629) (9,469)
Cumulative foreign currency adjustment (21,050) (28,034)
Other (5,530) (5,485)
----------- -----------

Total shareholders' equity 2,218,879 2,024,075
----------- -----------

Total $ 5,507,990 $ 4,783,106
=========== ===========
</TABLE>


See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
5


CARDINAL HEALTH, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
(IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

SIX MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,
1998 1997
--------- ---------

<S> <C> <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net earnings $ 157,533 $ 149,762
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization 49,752 45,336
Provision for bad debts 5,119 5,856
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Increase in trade receivables (116,058) (103,736)
Increase in merchandise inventories (476,602) (510,438)
Increase in net investment in sales-type leases (155,112) (28,451)
Increase in accounts payable 200,059 307,922
Other operating items, net 37,123 (26,857)
--------- ---------

Net cash used in operating activities (298,186) (160,606)
--------- ---------

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 2,506 1,365
Additions to property and equipment (110,096) (104,024)
Other - 1,715
--------- ---------

Net cash used in investing activities (107,590) (100,944)
--------- ---------

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net short-term borrowing activity 80,881 101,278
Reduction of long-term obligations (19,222) (8,327)
Proceeds from long-term obligations, net of issuance costs 219,696 26,827
Proceeds from issuance of Common Shares 18,695 14,590
Tax benefit of stock options 11,309 8,922
Dividends on Common Shares and cash paid
in lieu of fractional shares (8,609) (5,805)
Purchase of treasury shares (1,160) (983)
--------- ---------

Net cash provided by financing activities 301,590 136,502

EFFECT OF CURRENCY TRANSLATION ON CASH AND EQUIVALENTS 2,462 (578)
--------- ---------

NET DECREASE IN CASH AND EQUIVALENTS (101,724) (125,626)

CASH AND EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 338,263 270,536
--------- ---------

CASH AND EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD $ 236,539 $ 144,910
========= =========
</TABLE>



See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
6


CARDINAL HEALTH, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)


Note 1. The condensed consolidated financial statements of Cardinal Health,
Inc. (the "Company") include the accounts of all majority-owned
subsidiaries and all significant intercompany amounts have been
eliminated. The condensed consolidated financial statements contained
herein have been restated to give retroactive effect to the merger
transactions with MediQual Systems, Inc. ("MediQual") on February 18,
1998 and R.P. Scherer Corporation ("Scherer") on August 7, 1998, both
of which were accounted for as pooling of interests business
combinations (see Note 5).

These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared
in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and include all of
the information and disclosures required by generally accepted
accounting principles for interim reporting. In the opinion of
management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation have
been included. Except as disclosed elsewhere herein, all such
adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature.

The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein should
be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial
statements and related notes contained in the Company's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, and in the
Company's Current Report on Form 8-K/A (Amendment No. 1) filed on
September 28, 1998.

Note 2. Basic earnings per Common Share ("Basic") is computed by dividing
net earnings (the numerator) by the weighted average number of Common
Shares outstanding during each period (the denominator). Diluted
earnings per Common Share is similar to the computation for Basic,
except that the denominator is increased by the dilutive effect of
stock options outstanding, computed using the treasury stock method.

Note 3. On August 12, 1998, the Company declared a three-for-two stock
split which was effected as a stock dividend and distributed on
October 30, 1998 to shareholders of record at the close of business on
October 9, 1998. All share and per share amounts included in the
condensed consolidated financial statements have been adjusted to
retroactively reflect the stock split.

Note 4. As of September 30, 1998, the Company adopted Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income" ("SFAS
130"). SFAS 130 requires the presentation of comprehensive income and
its components in a full set of general purpose financial statements.
The Company's comprehensive income consists of net earnings and
foreign currency translation adjustments. For the three months ended
December 31, 1998, total comprehensive income was $106.3 million,
comprised of $99.7 million of net earnings and $6.6 million of gain on
foreign currency translation. Total comprehensive income for the
comparable period of fiscal year 1997 was $75.0 million, comprised of
$80.4 million of net earnings offset by $5.4 million of loss on
foreign currency translation. For the six months ended December 31,
1998, total comprehensive income was $164.5 million, comprised of
$157.5 million of net earnings and $7.0 million of gain on foreign
currency translation. Total comprehensive income for the first six
months of fiscal year 1997 was $143.2 million, comprised of $149.8
million of net earnings offset by $6.6 million of loss on foreign
currency translation.

Note 5. On August 7, 1998, the Company completed a merger transaction with
Scherer (the "Scherer Merger"). The Scherer Merger was accounted for
as a pooling of interests. The Company issued approximately 34.2
million Common Shares to Scherer stockholders and Scherer's
outstanding stock options were converted into options to purchase
approximately 3.5 million Common Shares.

The Company's fiscal year end is June 30 and Scherer's fiscal year end
was March 31. The condensed consolidated financial statements for the
three and six months ended December 31, 1998, combine the Company's
and Scherer's results for the same periods. For the three and six
months ended December 31, 1997, the condensed consolidated financial
statements combine the Company's three and six months ended December
31, 1997 results with Scherer's three and six months ended September
30, 1997 results, respectively. Due to the change in Scherer's fiscal
year end from March 31 to conform with the Company's June 30 fiscal
year end, Scherer's results of operations for the three months ended
June 30, 1998 will not be included in the combined results of
operations but will be reflected as an adjustment to combined retained
earnings. Scherer's net revenue and net earnings for this period were
$161.6 million
7

and $8.6 million, respectively. Scherer's cash flows from operating
and financing activities for this period were $12.6 million and $32.6
million, respectively, while cash flows used in investing activities
were $12.2 million.

Note 6. Costs of effecting mergers and subsequently integrating the operations
of the various merged companies are recorded as merger-related costs
when incurred. During the three and six months ended December 31,
1998, merger-related costs totaling $3.1 million ($1.9 million, net of
tax) and $37.5 million ($29.7 million, net of tax) were recorded,
respectively. Of this amount, approximately $22.3 million related to
transaction and employee-related costs, and $12.5 million related to
business restructuring and asset impairment costs associated with the
Company's merger transaction with Scherer, which were recorded during
the first quarter of fiscal 1999. In addition, the Company recorded
costs of $1.1 million related to severance costs for a restructuring
associated with the change in management that resulted from the merger
with Owen Healthcare, Inc. and $4.8 million, of which $1.8 million was
recorded during the first quarter of fiscal 1999, related to
integrating the operations of companies that previously engaged in
merger transactions with the Company. Partially offsetting the charge
recorded was a $3.2 million credit, of which $2.2 million was recorded
during the first quarter of fiscal 1999, to adjust the estimated
transaction and termination costs previously recorded in connection
with the canceled merger transaction with Bergen Brunswig Corporation
("Bergen") (see Note 7). This adjustment relates primarily to services
provided by third parties engaged by the Company in connection with
the terminated Bergen transaction. The cost of such services was
estimated and recorded in the prior periods when the services were
performed. Actual billings were less than the estimate originally
recorded, resulting in a reduction of the current period
merger-related costs.

During the three and six month periods ended December 31, 1997,
merger-related costs recorded totaled $3.2 million ($1.9 million, net
of tax) and $5.4 million ($3.3 million, net of tax), respectively.
These charges related to integrating the operations of companies that
previously merged with the Company.

The net effect of the various merger-related costs recorded during the
three months ended December 31, 1998 and 1997 was to reduce net
earnings by $1.9 million to $99.7 million and by $1.9 million to $80.4
million, respectively, and to reduce reported diluted earnings per
Common Share by $0.01 per share to $0.49 per share and by $0.01 per
share to $0.40 per share, respectively. In addition, the net effect of
the various merger-related costs recorded during the six months ended
December 31, 1998 and 1997 was to reduce net earnings by $29.7 million
to $157.5 million and by $3.3 million to $149.8 million, respectively,
and to reduce reported diluted earnings per Common Share by $0.15 per
share to $0.77 per share and by $0.02 per share to $0.74 per share,
respectively.

Note 7. On August 24, 1997, the Company and Bergen announced that they had
entered into a definitive merger agreement, as amended, pursuant to
which a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company would be merged with
and into Bergen (the "Bergen Merger Agreement"). On July 31, 1998, the
United States District Court for the District of Columbia granted the
Federal Trade Commission's request for a preliminary injunction to
halt the proposed merger. On August 7, 1998, the Company and Bergen
jointly terminated the Bergen Merger Agreement and, in accordance with
the terms of the Bergen Merger Agreement, the Company reimbursed
Bergen for $7 million of transaction costs. Additionally, the
termination of the Bergen Merger Agreement caused the costs incurred
by the Company (that would not have been deductible had the merger
been consummated) to become tax deductible for federal income tax
purposes, resulting in a tax benefit of $12.2 million. The obligation
to reimburse Bergen and the additional tax benefit were recorded in
the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998.


Note 8. On October 9, 1998, the Company announced that it had entered into a
definitive merger agreement with Allegiance Corporation
("Allegiance"). This merger transaction was completed on February 3,
1999, and will be accounted for as a pooling of interests for
financial reporting purposes. As part of the merger transaction with
Allegiance, the Company issued approximately 70.7 million Common
Shares to Allegiance stockholders and Allegiance's outstanding stock
options were converted into options to purchase approximately 10.3
million Common Shares. The Company has assumed approximately $892.1
million in long-term debt as part of the merger. The Company expects
to record a merger-related charge to reflect transaction and other
costs incurred as a result of the merger transaction with Allegiance
in the quarter ended March 31, 1999.
8


ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION



Management's discussion and analysis presented below has been prepared to
give retroactive effect to the pooling of interests business combinations with
MediQual Systems, Inc. ("MediQual") on February 18, 1998 and R.P. Scherer
Corporation ("Scherer") on August 7, 1998. The discussion and analysis is
concerned with material changes in financial condition and results of operations
for the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 1998
and June 30, 1998, and for the condensed consolidated statements of earnings for
the three and six month periods ended December 31, 1998 and 1997.

This discussion and analysis should be read together with management's
discussion and analysis included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998 and in the Company's Current Report on Form
8-K/A (Amendment No. 1) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
September 28, 1998.

Portions of management's discussion and analysis presented below include
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate",
"project", and similar expressions, among others, identify "forward-looking
statements", which speak only as of the date the statement was made. Such
forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors
which could cause actual results to materially differ from those made, projected
or implied. The most significant of such risks, uncertainties and other factors
are described in this report and in Exhibit 99.01 to this Form 10-Q. The Company
undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Operating Revenue. Operating revenue for the second quarter and six month
period of fiscal 1999 increased 24% and 26%, respectively, as compared to the
prior year. Distribution businesses (those whose primary operations involve the
wholesale distribution of pharmaceuticals, representing approximately 88% of
total operating revenue) grew at a rate of 25% and 28%, respectively, during the
three and six month periods ended December 31, 1998, while Service businesses
(those that provide services to the healthcare industry, primarily through
pharmacy franchising, pharmacy automation equipment, pharmacy management,
pharmaceutical packaging, drug delivery systems development and healthcare
information systems development) grew at a rate of 20% and 18%, respectively,
during the comparable periods of fiscal year 1998, primarily due to the
Company's pharmacy automation and pharmaceutical packaging businesses. The
majority of the operating revenue increase (approximately 74% and 75% for the
three and six month periods ended December 31, 1998, respectively) came from
existing customers in the form of increased volume and price increases. The
remainder of the growth came from the addition of new customers.

Bulk Deliveries to Customer Warehouses. The Company reports as revenue bulk
deliveries made to customers' warehouses, whereby the Company acts as an
intermediary in the ordering and subsequent delivery of pharmaceutical products.
Fluctuations in bulk deliveries result largely from circumstances that are
beyond the control of the Company, including consolidation within the chain
drugstore industry, decisions by chains to either begin or discontinue
warehousing activities, and changes in policies by manufacturers related to
selling directly to chain drugstore customers. Due to the lack of margin
generated through bulk deliveries, fluctuations in their amount have no
significant impact on the Company's operating earnings.

Gross Margin. For the three month periods ended December 31, 1998 and 1997,
gross margin as a percentage of operating revenue was 8.89% and 9.12%,
respectively. For the six month periods ended December 31, 1998 and 1997, gross
margin as a percentage of operating revenue was 8.62% and 9.15%, respectively.
The decrease in the gross margin percentage is due primarily to a greater mix of
lower margin Distribution business in the three and six months ended December
31, 1998, and a general decline in the Distribution businesses gross margin.

The Distribution businesses' gross margin as a percentage of operating
revenue decreased for the second quarter of the current fiscal year from 5.40% a
year ago to 5.29%. In addition, Distribution's gross margin as a percentage of
operating revenue was 5.17% and 5.47%, respectively for the six month periods
ended December 31, 1998 and 1997. These decreases were primarily due to the
impact of lower selling margins, as a result of a highly competitive market and
a greater mix of high volume customers, where a lower cost of distribution and
better asset
9

management enable the Company to offer lower selling margins to its customers.
The Distribution businesses achieved 25% and 28% operating revenue growth during
the three and six months ended December 31, 1998, respectively, primarily
through the addition or expansion of business with large, high volume customers.

The Service businesses' gross margin as a percentage of operating revenue
for the second quarter of fiscal 1999 and fiscal 1998 was 32.73% and 31.96%,
respectively. For the six month periods ended December 31, 1998 and 1997,
Service's gross margin as a percentage of operating revenue was 31.92% and
31.76%, respectively. The slight improvement in gross margin rates experienced
by the Service businesses is a function of the mix of the various businesses.
Increased operating revenue for the Company's relatively high margin pharmacy
automation business was the primary contributor to the gross margin improvement.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and
administrative expenses as a percentage of operating revenue declined to 4.63%
in the second quarter of fiscal 1999 compared to 4.89% for the same period of
fiscal 1998, and 4.63% for the six month period ended December 31, 1998 compared
to 5.09% for the same period in the prior year. The improvements in the second
quarter and six month period reflect economies associated with the Company's
revenue growth, as well as significant productivity gains resulting from
continued cost control efforts and the consolidation and selective automation of
operating facilities. The 17% and 14% growth in selling, general and
administrative expenses experienced in the three and six months ended December
31, 1998, respectively, was due primarily to increases in personnel costs and
depreciation expense, and compares favorably to the 24% and 26% growth in
operating revenue for the same respective periods.

Merger-Related Costs. Costs of effecting mergers and subsequently
integrating the operations of the various merged companies are recorded as
merger-related costs when incurred. During the three and six months ended
December 31, 1998, merger-related costs totaling $3.1 million ($1.9 million, net
of tax) and $37.5 million ($29.7 million, net of tax) were recorded,
respectively. Of this amount, approximately $22.3 million related to transaction
and employee-related costs, and $12.5 million related to business restructuring
and asset impairment costs associated with the Company's merger transaction with
Scherer, which were recorded during the first quarter of fiscal 1999. In
addition, the Company recorded costs of $1.1 million related to severance costs
for a restructuring associated with the change in management that resulted from
the merger transaction with Owen Healthcare, Inc. and $4.8 million, of which
$1.8 million was recorded during the first quarter of fiscal 1999, related to
integrating the operations of companies that previously engaged in merger
transactions with the Company. Partially offsetting the charge recorded was a
$3.2 million credit, of which $2.2 million was recorded during the first quarter
of fiscal 1999, to adjust the estimated transaction and termination costs
previously recorded in connection with the canceled merger transaction with
Bergen Brunswig Corporation ("Bergen") (see Note 7 of "Notes to Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements"). This adjustment relates primarily to
services provided by third parties engaged by the Company in connection with the
terminated Bergen transaction. The cost of such services was estimated and
recorded in the prior periods when the services were performed. Actual billings
were less than the estimate originally recorded, resulting in a reduction of the
current period merger-related costs.

During the three and six months ended December 31, 1997, the Company
recorded costs of $3.2 million ($1.9 million, net of tax) and $5.4 million ($3.3
million, net of tax) respectively, related to integrating the operations of
companies that previously merged with Cardinal.

The Company estimates that it will incur additional merger-related costs
associated with the various mergers it has completed to date (primarily related
to the Scherer merger) of approximately $29.2 million ($17.9 million, net of
tax) in future periods (primarily fiscal 1999 and 2000) in order to properly
integrate operations and implement efficiencies. Such amounts will be charged to
expense when incurred. The estimate does not include merger-related costs
associated with the Company's merger transaction with Allegiance (see Note 8 of
"Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements" and "Other - Allegiance
Merger").

The effect of merger-related costs recorded during the three months ended
December 31, 1998 and 1997 was to reduce net earnings by $1.9 million to $99.7
million and by $1.9 million to $80.4 million, respectively, and to reduce
reported diluted earnings per Common Share by $0.01 per share to $0.49 per share
and by $0.01 per share to $0.40 per share, respectively. In addition,
merger-related costs recorded during the six month periods ended December 31,
1998 and 1997 reduced net earnings by $29.7 million to $157.5 million and by
$3.3 million to $149.8 million, respectively, and reduced reported diluted
earnings per Common Share by $0.15 per share to $0.77 per share and by $0.02 per
share to $0.74 per share, respectively.

Other Income (Expense). The increase in interest expense of $2.3 million in
the second quarter and $3.8 million during the first six months of fiscal 1999
compared to the same respective periods of fiscal 1998 is primarily due to the
Company's issuance of $150 million, 6.25% Notes due 2008, in a public offering
in July 1998 (see "Liquidity
10

and Capital Resources"). The decrease in other income of $3.0 million in the
second quarter and $3.2 million during the first six months of fiscal 1999
compared to the same respective periods of fiscal 1998 is primarily due to the
increase in minority interests in the earnings of less than wholly owned
subsidiaries. The increase in minority interests was primarily the result of
increased profitability at the Company's majority owned German subsidiary.

Provision for Income Taxes. The Company's provision for income taxes
relative to pre-tax earnings was 37% and 38% for the second quarter of fiscal
1999 and 1998, respectively. The decrease is due primarily to the current year
utilization of certain net operating loss carryforwards for which no prior
benefit had been recognized. For the six month periods ended December 31, 1998
and 1997, the Company's income tax provision as a percentage of pre-tax earnings
was 40% and 38%, respectively. The increase in the effective tax rate for the
six months ended December 31, 1998 compared to the same period a year ago is due
primarily to nondeductible items associated with the current year's business
combinations (see Note 6 of "Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements").


LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Working capital increased to $1,762 million at December 31, 1998 from
$1,511 million at June 30, 1998. This increase included additional investments
in merchandise inventories and trade receivables of $479.0 million and $116.3
million, respectively. Offsetting the increases in working capital was a
decrease in cash and equivalents of $101.7 million and an increase in accounts
payable of $204.7 million. The increase in merchandise inventories reflects
normal seasonal purchases of pharmaceutical inventories and the higher level of
current and anticipated business volume in pharmaceutical distribution
activities. The increase in trade receivables is consistent with the Company's
operating revenue growth (see "Operating Revenue" above). The change in cash and
equivalents and accounts payable is due primarily to the timing of inventory
purchases and related payments.

On July 13, 1998, the Company issued $150 million of 6.25% Notes due 2008,
the proceeds of which are expected to be used for working capital needs due to
the growth in the Company's business. The Company currently has the capacity to
issue $250 million of additional debt securities pursuant to a shelf
registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Property and equipment, at cost, increased by $122.5 million from June 30,
1998. The increase was primarily due to ongoing plant expansion and
manufacturing equipment purchases in certain service businesses and additional
investments made for management information systems and upgrades to distribution
facilities.

Shareholders' equity increased to $2.2 billion at December 31, 1998 from
$2.0 billion at June 30, 1998, primarily due to net earnings of $157.5 million,
the investment of $18.7 million by employees of the Company through various
stock incentive plans and the adjustment related to the change in Scherer's
fiscal year of $8.6 million during the six month period ended December 31, 1998
(See Note 5 to the "Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements").

The Company believes that it has adequate capital resources at its disposal
to fund currently anticipated capital expenditures, business growth and
expansion, and current and projected debt service requirements, including those
related to pending business combinations. See "Other" below.

OTHER

Allegiance Merger. On October 9, 1998, the Company announced that it had
entered into a definitive merger agreement with Allegiance Corporation
("Allegiance"). This merger transaction was completed on February 3, 1999, and
will be accounted for as a pooling of interests for financial reporting
purposes. As part of the merger transaction with Allegiance, the Company issued
approximately 70.7 million Common Shares to Allegiance stockholders and
Allegiance's outstanding stock options were converted into options to purchase
approximately 10.3 million Common Shares. The Company has assumed approximately
$892.1 million in long-term debt as part of the merger. The Company expects to
record a merger-related charge to reflect transaction and other costs incurred
as a result of the merger transaction with Allegiance in the third quarter of
fiscal 1999. Additional merger-related costs associated with integrating the
separate companies and instituting efficiencies will be charged to expense in
subsequent periods when incurred. (See Note 8 of "Notes to the Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements").

Termination Agreement. On August 24, 1997, the Company and Bergen announced
that they had entered into a definitive merger agreement, as amended, pursuant
to which a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company would be merged with and into
Bergen (the "Bergen Merger Agreement"). On July 31, 1998, the United States
District Court
11

for the District of Columbia granted the Federal Trade Commission's request for
a preliminary injunction to halt the proposed merger. On August 7, 1998, the
Company and Bergen jointly terminated the Bergen Merger Agreement and, in
accordance with the terms of the Bergen Merger Agreement, the Company reimbursed
Bergen for $7 million of transaction costs. Additionally, the termination of the
Bergen Merger Agreement caused the costs incurred by the Company (that would not
have been deductible had the merger been consummated) to become tax deductible
for federal income tax purposes, resulting in a tax benefit of $12.2 million.
The obligation to reimburse Bergen and the additional tax benefit were recorded
in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998.

Year 2000 Project. The Company utilizes computer technologies in each of
its businesses to effectively carry out its day-to-day operations. Computer
technologies include both information technology in the form of hardware and
software, as well as embedded technology in the Company's facilities and
equipment. Similar to most companies, the Company must determine whether its
systems are capable of recognizing and processing date sensitive information
properly as the year 2000 approaches. The Company is utilizing a multi-phased
concurrent approach to address this issue. The phases included in the Company's
approach are the awareness, assessment, remediation, validation and
implementation phases. The Company has completed the awareness phase of its
project. The Company has also substantially completed the assessment phase and
is well into the remaining phases. The Company is actively correcting and
replacing those systems which are not year 2000 ready in order to ensure the
Company's ability to continue to meet its internal needs and those of its
suppliers and customers. The Company currently intends to substantially complete
the remediation, validation and implementation phases of the year 2000 project
prior to June 30, 1999. This process includes the testing of critical systems to
ensure that year 2000 readiness has been accomplished. The Company currently
believes it will be able to modify, replace, or mitigate its affected systems in
time to avoid any material detrimental impact on its operations. If the Company
determines that it is unable to remediate and properly test affected systems on
a timely basis, the Company intends to develop appropriate contingency plans for
any such mission-critical systems at the time such determination is made. While
the Company is not presently aware of any significant probability that its
systems will not be properly remediated on a timely basis, there can be no
assurances that all year 2000 remediation processes will be completed and
properly tested before the year 2000, or that contingency plans will
sufficiently mitigate the risk of a year 2000 readiness problem.

The Company estimates that the aggregate costs of its year 2000 project
will be approximately $24 million, including costs incurred to date. A
significant portion of these costs are not likely to be incremental costs, but
rather will represent the redeployment of existing resources. This reallocation
of resources is not expected to have a significant impact on the day-to-day
operations of the Company. During the three and six month periods ended December
31, 1998, total costs of approximately $1.9 million and $3.2 million,
respectively, were incurred by the Company for this project, of which
approximately $0.7 million and $1.1 million, respectively, represented
incremental costs. Total accumulated costs of approximately $8.9 million have
been incurred by the Company through December 31, 1998, of which approximately
$2.7 million represented incremental expense. The anticipated impact and costs
of the project, as well as the date on which the Company expects to complete the
project, are based on management's best estimates using information currently
available and numerous assumptions about future events. However, there can be no
guarantee that these estimates will be achieved and actual results could differ
materially from those plans. Based on its current estimates and information
currently available, the Company does not anticipate that the costs associated
with this project will have a material adverse effect on the Company's
consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows in future
periods.

The Company has initiated formal communications with its significant
suppliers, customers, and critical business partners to determine the extent to
which the Company may be vulnerable in the event that those parties fail to
properly remediate their own year 2000 issues. The Company has taken steps to
monitor the progress made by those parties, and intends to test critical system
interfaces as the year 2000 approaches. The Company is in the process of
developing appropriate contingency plans in the event that a significant
exposure is identified relative to the dependencies on third-party systems.
Although the Company is not presently aware of any such significant exposure,
there can be no guarantee that the systems of third parties on which the Company
relies will be converted in a timely manner, or that a failure to properly
convert by another company would not have a material adverse effect on the
Company.

The potential risks associated with the year 2000 issues include, but are
not limited, to: temporary disruption of the Company's operations, loss of
communication services and loss of other utility services. The Company believes
that the most reasonably likely worst-case year 2000 scenario would be a loss of
communication services which could result in problems with receiving,
processing, tracking and billing customer orders; problems receiving, processing
and tracking orders placed with suppliers; and problems with banks and other
financial institutions. Currently, as part of the Company's normal business
contingency planning, a plan has been developed for business disruptions due to
natural disasters and power failures. The Company is in the process of enhancing
these contingency plans to include provisions for year 2000 issues, although it
will not be possible to develop contingency
12

plans for all potential disruption. Although the Company anticipates that
minimal business disruption will occur as a result of the year 2000 issues,
based upon currently available information, incomplete or untimely resolution of
year 2000 issues by either the Company or significant suppliers, customers and
critical business partners could have a material adverse impact on the Company's
consolidated financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows in
future periods. The above discussion does not include the impact of the
Company's merger transaction with Allegiance which was completed on February 3,
1999.

The Euro Conversion. On January 1, 1999, certain member countries of the
European Union irrevocably fixed the conversion rates between their national
currencies and a common currency, the "Euro", which became their legal currency
on that date. The participating countries' former national currencies will
continue to exist as denominations of the Euro between January 1, 1999 and
January 1, 2002. The Company has addressed the business implications of
conversion to the Euro, including the need to adapt internal systems to
accommodate Euro-denominated transactions, the competitive implications of
cross-border price transparency, and other strategic implications. The Company
does not expect the conversion to the Euro to have a material impact on its
consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows in future
periods.


ITEM 3: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

The Company believes there has been no material change in its exposure to
market risk from that discussed in the Company's Form 8-K/A (Amendment No. 1)
filed on September 28, 1998.
13



PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The following disclosure should be read together with the disclosure
set forth in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998,
the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1998, and the
Company's Forms 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission subsequent
to the end of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, and to the extent any such
statements constitute "forward looking statements", reference is made to Exhibit
99.01 of this Form 10-Q.

In November 1993, the Company and Whitmire Distribution Corporation
("Whitmire"), one of the Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries, as well as other
pharmaceutical wholesalers, were named as defendants in a series of purported
class action lawsuits which were later consolidated and transferred by the
Judicial Panel for Multi-District Litigation to the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Illinois. Subsequent to the consolidation, a new
consolidated complaint was filed which included allegations that the wholesaler
defendants, including the Company and Whitmire, conspired with manufacturers to
inflate prices using a chargeback pricing system. The wholesaler defendants,
including the Company and Whitmire, entered into a Judgment Sharing Agreement
whereby the total exposure for the Company and its subsidiaries is limited to
$1,000,000 or 1% of any judgment against the wholesalers and the manufacturers,
whichever is less, and provided for the reimbursement mechanism of legal fees
and expenses. The trial of the class action lawsuit began on September 23, 1998.
On November 19, 1998, after the close of plaintiffs' case-in-chief, both the
wholesaler defendants and the manufacturer defendants moved for a judgment as a
matter of law in their favor. On November 30, 1998, the Court granted both of
these motions and ordered judgment as a matter of law in favor of both the
wholesaler defendants and the manufacturer defendants. On January 25, 1999, the
class plaintiffs filed notice of appeal of the District Court's decision by the
Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In addition to the federal court cases
described above, the Company and Whitmire have also been named as defendants in
a series of related antitrust lawsuits brought by chain drug stores and
independent pharmacies who opted out of the federal class action lawsuits, and
in a series of state court cases alleging similar claims under various state
laws regarding the sale of brand name prescription drugs. The Judgment Sharing
Agreement described above also covers these litigation matters.

On January 17, 1995, Burlington Drug Company ("Burlington Drug") filed
a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont
alleging that certain agreements between VHA, Inc. ("VHA") and the Company
violated federal antitrust statutes and that the Company had tortiously
interfered with Burlington Drug's contractual relations. The Company filed an
answer denying the allegations contained in the complaint. The District Court
granted Burlington Drug leave to file an amended and supplemental complaint on
July 10, 1997, and the trial was set to begin on February 8, 1999. On January
13, 1999, the District Court dismissed this action based upon a tentative
settlement agreement among the parties, allowing Burlington Drug to petition,
upon good cause shown within sixty days, to reopen the action if a settlement is
not consummated.

The Company consummated a merger transaction with Allegiance on
February 3, 1999. With respect to the legal proceedings in which Allegiance is
involved, reference is made to the Quarterly and Annual Reports on Forms 10-Q
and Form 10-K, respectively, filed by Allegiance with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.

On September 3, 1998, the United States Attorney for the District of
Massachusetts filed a civil complaint against the Company in the United States
District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The Complaint sought civil
penalties for alleged multiple violations of the Controlled Substance Abuse Act.
On December 17, 1998, the parties entered into a settlement agreement pursuant
to which all claims contained in the complaint were withdrawn, without admission
of liability by the Company, in exchange for a payment of $487,500.

The Company also becomes involved from time-to-time in other litigation
incidental to its business. Although the ultimate resolution of the litigation
referenced in this Item 1 cannot be forecast with certainty, the Company does
not believe that the outcome of these lawsuits will have a material adverse
effect on the Company's financial statements.


ITEM 4: SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

(a) Registrant's 1998 Annual Meeting of Shareholders was held on November
23, 1998.

(b) Proxies were solicited by Registrant's management pursuant to
Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; there was no
solicitation in opposition to management's nominees as listed in the
proxy statement; and all director nominees were elected to the class
indicated in the proxy statement pursuant to the vote of the
Registrant's shareholders.
14

(c) Matters voted upon at the Annual Meeting were as follows:

(1) Election of Robert L. Gerbig, George R. Manser, Jerry E.
Robertson, and Melburn G. Whitmire. The results of the
shareholder vote were as follows: Mr. Gerbig - 115,225,283
for, 0 against, 4,102,439 withheld, and 0 broker
non-votes; Mr. Manser - 115,210,909 for, 0 against,
4,116,813 withheld, and 0 broker non-votes; Dr. Robertson
- 115,199,117 for, 0 against, 4,133,605 withheld, and 0
broker non-votes; and Mr. Whitmire - 115,229,768 for, 0
against, 4,097,954 withheld, and 0 broker non-votes.

(2) Amendment of the Registrant's Articles of Incorporation
increasing the number of authorized Company common shares
from 300 million to 500 million. The results of the
shareholder vote were as follows: 114,841,226 for,
4,186,648 against, 299,848 withheld, and 0 broker
non-votes.

(3) Amendment and restatement of the Registrant's Code of
Regulations primarily to increase the maximum number of
members of the Registrant's Board of Directors from 14 to
16. The results of the shareholder vote were as follows:
105,649,422 for, 3,825,832 against, 343,493 withheld, and
9,508,975 broker non-votes.

(4) Amendment of the Registrant's Equity Incentive Plan
increasing the number of the Registrant's common shares
available for grant of awards under such plan. The results
of the shareholder vote were as follows: 73,309,518 for,
36,085,384 against, 422,653 withheld, and 9,510,167 broker
non-votes.

(5) Amendment of the Registrant's Performance-Based Incentive
Compensation Plan increasing the maximum award that may be
paid to a participant for any performance period. The
results of the shareholder vote were as follows:
113,197,420 for, 5,716,171 against, 413,131 withheld, and
1,000 broker non-votes.

ITEM 6: EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K:

(a) Listing of Exhibits:

Exhibit Exhibit Description
------- -------------------
Number
------

3.01 Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant,
as amended (1)

3.02 Restated Code of Regulations of the Registrant, as amended (1)

10.01 Registrant's Equity Incentive Plan, as amended*

10.02 Registrant's Performance-Based Incentive Compensation Plan, as
amended*

27.01 Financial Data Schedule - Six months ended December 31, 1998

27.02 Financial Data Schedule - Six months ended December 31, 1997

99.01 Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

- ------------------
(1) Included as an exhibit to the Registrant's Form 8-K filed November
24, 1998.

* Management contract or compensation plan or arrangement

(b) Reports on Form 8-K:

On October 13, 1998, the Company filed a Current Report on Form 8-K
under Item 5 which reported that the Company had signed an Agreement and Plan of
Merger, dated as of October 8, 1998, among the Company, Boxes Merger Corp. and
Allegiance Corporation.
15

On November 24, 1998, the Company filed a Current Report on Form 8-K
under Item 5 which filed the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Registrant, as amended, and the Company's Restated Code of
Regulations of the Registrant, as amended.
16





SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.




Date: February 11, 1999 By: /s/ Robert D. Walter
---------------------
Robert D. Walter
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer




By: /s/ Richard J. Miller
---------------------
Richard J. Miller
Vice President, Controller and
Acting Chief Financial Officer