McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK) ended the Christmas Eve session essentially flat, then edged slightly lower in thin after-hours trading—an unsurprising setup for a holiday-shortened day when liquidity typically dries up and price moves can be noisy.
Here’s what happened after the bell on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, what the latest forecasts and analyst takes are saying today, and what investors may want on their radar before the U.S. stock market’s next regular session on Friday, December 26, 2025. [1]
McKesson stock after the bell: the key numbers (Dec. 24, 2025)
McKesson shares closed at $826.43, up $0.71 (+0.09%) in the regular session. The day’s trading range was $823.71 to $831.04, with volume around 163,459 shares—notably light for a large-cap name, reflecting the holiday schedule and early close.
In after-hours trading, quotes were modestly softer early on, with MCK around $825.50 shortly after the close (volume roughly 12K shares at that timestamp), reinforcing the “quiet tape” pattern typical for Christmas Eve. [2]
Big picture context: MCK remains below its 52-week high of $895.58, while still far above its 52-week low (as tracked by the market data feed used here).
Why the close looked “muted” today: early bell and holiday conditions
Wednesday wasn’t a normal session. U.S. markets posted an early close on Dec. 24 (1:00 p.m. ET), and markets are closed on Dec. 25 for Christmas. The next regular trading day is Friday, Dec. 26. [3]
Holiday-shortened sessions often produce:
- thinner order books (wider bid/ask spreads),
- lower institutional participation,
- smaller headline-driven moves that can reverse quickly when normal liquidity returns.
That matters for a stock like McKesson, which often trades more “orderly” than high-beta tech—so when volume collapses, even small flows can nudge price around disproportionately.
Today’s McKesson headlines and analysis (Dec. 24): what’s driving attention
Even on a light news day, McKesson still surfaced in several “today” research and flow narratives:
1) Zacks: “Trending stock” spotlight + fresh estimate framework
A Zacks commentary (republished today) noted McKesson has been heavily searched by readers and emphasized earnings estimate revisions as a near-term driver. Key figures cited in that write-up include:
- Current quarter EPS forecast:$9.19 (about +14.5% YoY)
- Current fiscal-year EPS estimate:$38.61 (about +16.8% YoY)
- Next fiscal-year EPS estimate:$43.53 (about +12.7% YoY)
- Current quarter revenue estimate:$105.66B (about +10.9% YoY)
- Current fiscal-year revenue estimate:$408.23B
- Next fiscal-year revenue estimate:$443.14B
It also assigned McKesson a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and said the stock carried a favorable value style grade relative to peers in its framework. [4]
How to interpret this: The tone is not “breaking news,” but it is a snapshot of what one large retail-facing research publisher says the Street’s estimate math looks like right now—useful heading into the next open when liquidity normalizes.
2) Nasdaq/BNK Invest: ETF inflows flagged, with McKesson among key components
A Nasdaq-hosted note highlighted sizable week-over-week inflows into the Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF (RWL)—approximately $373.6 million (about +5.2% in shares outstanding). It also pointed out McKesson as one of RWL’s large underlying components, up modestly on the day. [5]
Why it matters: Big ETF creation activity can translate into incremental underlying buy orders (or sell orders during redemptions). On a thin tape (like Christmas Eve), flow effects can become more visible.
3) MarketBeat: institutional-position update (Swedbank) + consensus framing
A MarketBeat item dated Dec. 24 reported that Swedbank AB increased its McKesson position (as reflected in its filing), while also summarizing Street sentiment (a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average target near $892.86 in its dataset). [6]
This type of headline rarely moves mega-cap stocks by itself, but it does contribute to the day’s “current news” mix: steady institutional ownership and a generally constructive sell-side stance.
What to know before the next market open (Friday, Dec. 26): catalysts, forecasts, and dates
The next major McKesson catalyst is an earnings date—already scheduled
McKesson has announced it will report third-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Feb. 4, 2026, after market close, followed by an investor call (scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET). [7]
What this means for the next session: With earnings still weeks away, near-term trading may be driven more by:
- broad market risk appetite,
- healthcare/defensive rotations,
- end-of-year flows,
- analyst target updates and estimate drift,
than by company-specific breaking news.
Guidance backdrop: recent raises still frame the bull case
McKesson’s most recent earnings cycle included a raised fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook (reported by Reuters) tied to strength in oncology and specialty distribution demand. [8]
Separately, at its Investor Day, McKesson described a strategy focused on accelerating growth and portfolio moves, including discussion of the Medical-Surgical separation and an updated long-term adjusted EPS growth target of 13%–16%, with segment-level growth targets (for example, Oncology & Multispecialty targeted at 13%–16%). [9]
Translation: Many analysts continue to treat McKesson less like a low-growth distributor and more like a higher-quality healthcare services platform—especially where oncology and specialty distribution mix improves profitability.
Dividend: known, declared, and on a January pay date
McKesson declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share, payable Jan. 2, 2026 (for shareholders of record Dec. 1, 2025). [10]
This is not a “tomorrow catalyst” (the key record date has passed), but it remains part of the total-return narrative going into year-end positioning.
Technical levels traders will be watching into Friday’s reopen
Without overreading a holiday session, McKesson heads into the next open with a few straightforward reference points:
- Near-term support: around $823–$824 (today’s low was $823.71)
- Near-term resistance: around $831 (today’s high was $831.04)
From a trend perspective, MCK is sitting just below its 50-day moving average (~$829.92) but well above its 200-day (~$728.02)—a common “consolidation inside an uptrend” setup that can resolve either way depending on market tone and liquidity when normal participants return.
Wall Street outlook: price targets and ratings investors are citing now
McKesson’s current “Street view” is best described as constructive but not euphoric:
- MarketBeat’s compiled dataset shows an average target around $892.86, implying mid-single-digit upside from the latest close, with a mix of Buy and Hold ratings in its tally. [11]
- A separate MarketBeat forecast page similarly lists the average target near $892.86 and highlights a high-end target reaching $1,000 (depending on the analyst set). [12]
- Investing.com reported TD Cowen reiterated a Buy stance with a $1,000 price target after discussions with management. [13]
What to watch into Friday: If any additional rating changes hit the tape while markets reopen (a common pattern in the first “normal” session after a holiday), that can matter more than usual because liquidity is still often lighter in the final week of December.
The bottom line for Dec. 26: what matters most at the open
McKesson stock finished Dec. 24 in “standby mode”: a small move, light volume, and only minor after-hours slippage—exactly what you’d expect in a holiday-shortened session. [14]
Before the market reopens Friday, Dec. 26, the practical checklist looks like this:
- Expect thinner liquidity early Friday (holiday week conditions can persist). [15]
- Track estimate/target chatter (today’s Zacks piece put consensus EPS/revenue numbers back in focus). [16]
- Keep an eye on flow narratives (ETF creations/redemptions like the RWL inflow callout can matter more on light volume). [17]
- Know the next big company date:Feb. 4, 2026 earnings is the next major scheduled catalyst. [18]
- Zoom out: the investment case remains tied to McKesson’s push toward higher-margin oncology/specialty and its portfolio actions highlighted at Investor Day—backed by recently raised profit outlook language reported this quarter. [19]
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.nasdaq.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. www.nasdaq.com, 4. finviz.com, 5. www.nasdaq.com, 6. www.marketbeat.com, 7. www.mckesson.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.mckesson.com, 10. www.mckesson.com, 11. www.marketbeat.com, 12. www.marketbeat.com, 13. www.investing.com, 14. www.marketwatch.com, 15. www.nasdaq.com, 16. finviz.com, 17. www.nasdaq.com, 18. www.mckesson.com, 19. www.mckesson.com
