Who Owns AmerisourceBergen?
AmerisourceBergen is the former name of Cencora Inc. (NYSE: COR), a publicly traded American pharmaceutical distribution company headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. The company was formed in 2001 through the merger of AmeriSource Health Corporation and Bergen Brunswig Corporation. In August 2023, the company officially changed its name to Cencora Inc. The AmerisourceBergen brand continues to represent the company's core US pharmaceutical distribution operations.
Parent Company
Cencora Inc.
Founded
2001
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA
Who Owns AmerisourceBergen?
- Parent Company: Cencora Inc.
- Ownership Type: Brand division
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: COR
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| AmerisourceBergen | Cencora Inc. | Brand division |
History of AmerisourceBergen
- Founded: 2001
- Founders: Formed through merger of AmeriSource Health Corporation and Bergen Brunswig Corporation
AmeriSource Health Corporation and Bergen Brunswig Corporation announced a merger agreement in March 2000. The deal closed on August 29, 2001, creating AmerisourceBergen Corporation. At the time of the merger, AmeriSource traced its origins to 1977 and Bergen Brunswig dated to 1907 as a pharmaceutical wholesaler.
The combined company became one of the three dominant US pharmaceutical distributors alongside McKesson Corporation and Cardinal Health. This three-company structure for US wholesale drug distribution has remained stable for two decades.
In 2012, Walgreens Company (now Walgreens Boots Alliance) entered a strategic partnership with AmerisourceBergen that gave Walgreens the right to purchase up to 19.5% of AmerisourceBergen shares over time in exchange for long-term distribution contracts. Walgreens ultimately accumulated approximately 28% of the company's shares, making it the largest single shareholder.
In 2014, AmerisourceBergen acquired PharMEDium Services, a specialty compounding and sterile drug preparation company, for approximately $2.58 billion. In 2017, it acquired MWI Veterinary Supply and H.D. Smith, expanding into veterinary supply and community pharmacy distribution.
In 2021, AmerisourceBergen acquired Alliance Healthcare, a European pharmaceutical distribution company, from Walgreens Boots Alliance for approximately $6.5 billion. This acquisition marked a significant expansion into international markets.
On August 21, 2023, the company officially changed its name from AmerisourceBergen Corporation to Cencora Inc. The company stated the new name was intended to reflect its broader international scope and its identity beyond the original pharmaceutical distribution brands. The NYSE ticker changed from ABC to COR.
About Cencora Inc.
What does Cencora do?
Cencora distributes pharmaceutical products, including brand-name drugs, generic drugs, and specialty medications, to pharmacies, hospitals, physician offices, and other healthcare providers across the United States and internationally. The company also provides manufacturer services, patient support programs, specialty logistics, and veterinary pharmaceutical distribution through its subsidiaries.
Is Cencora publicly traded?
Yes, Cencora, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol COR. The company has no controlling shareholder, though Walgreens Boots Alliance holds approximately 15% of shares as the largest single investor.
What is Cencora's annual revenue?
In fiscal year 2024 (ended September 30, 2024), Cencora reported revenue of $294.0 billion, a 12.1% increase from the prior fiscal year. The company is one of the largest companies in the United States by revenue.
Why did AmerisourceBergen change its name to Cencora?
AmerisourceBergen changed its name to Cencora in August 2023 to reflect its evolution from a primarily domestic pharmaceutical distributor into a global healthcare solutions organization. The rebranding followed the 2021 acquisition of Alliance Healthcare, which significantly expanded the company's international operations, and was intended to signal the company's broader capabilities beyond traditional drug distribution.
Who is Cencora's CEO?
Robert P. Mauch became President and CEO of Cencora on October 1, 2024, succeeding Steven H. Collis, who had served as CEO since 2011. Collis transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman.
What is Cencora's role in the opioid settlement?
Cencora, along with McKesson and Cardinal Health, reached a $21 billion settlement with U.S. states and local governments in 2022 to resolve claims that the three distributors failed to adequately monitor suspicious opioid orders. Cencora's share of the settlement is approximately $6.1 billion, to be paid over 18 years.
- Founded: 2001
- Headquarters: Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: COR
- Revenue: approximately $293 billion (FY2024, year ended September 2024)
- Employees: Approximately 47,000
Where Is AmerisourceBergen Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA
AmerisourceBergen Sustainability & Ethics
Cencora publishes an annual Corporate Responsibility Summary Report. The company completed solar photovoltaic installations at certain distribution facilities during fiscal 2024 and has stated goals to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions. Specific verified reduction targets and progress data are published in Cencora's ESG reporting at esg.cencora.com.
Cencora is not B Corp certified. The company operates in a regulated industry and discloses compliance with FDA, DEA, and state pharmacy board requirements as part of its standard operating framework.
The Cencora Impact Foundation (formerly the AmerisourceBergen Foundation) provides grants to community health organizations. The foundation's grant-making is disclosed on Cencora's corporate website.
Awards & Recognition
Cencora was included in Fortune's list of the World's Most Admired Companies in 2024 in the pharmaceutical distribution category. The company has been recognized by MSCI and Sustainalytics for ESG disclosure quality in the healthcare distribution sector. These are third-party ratings, not awards conferred by Cencora itself.
AmerisourceBergen Recalls & Controversies
Opioid Distribution Lawsuits and Settlement (2021-2022): AmerisourceBergen was a defendant in litigation filed by thousands of state and local governments alleging that the three major drug distributors (McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Cardinal Health) contributed to the opioid epidemic by distributing excessive quantities of opioid painkillers without adequate suspicious order monitoring. In July 2021, the three distributors announced a settlement framework of approximately $21 billion to be paid over 18 years to states, counties, and municipalities. AmerisourceBergen's portion was approximately $6.1 billion. The companies did not admit liability in the settlement.
DEA Suspicious Order Monitoring Settlement (2020): In September 2020, AmerisourceBergen agreed to pay $25.6 million to settle DEA-related allegations concerning suspicious order reporting requirements for Schedule II controlled substances. The settlement related to a subsidiary, Rochester Drug Co-operative, which AmerisourceBergen had acquired. This was separate from the broader state opioid litigation.
Cencora Cybersecurity Incident (2024): In February 2024, Cencora's internal IT systems were breached. The company disclosed the incident in May 2024, reporting that patient data from pharmaceutical manufacturer patient support programs, which Cencora administers, was exfiltrated. The breach affected approximately 30 pharmaceutical companies' patient support program data. Cencora notified affected individuals and regulators and paid remediation costs. Multiple pharmaceutical manufacturers disclosed the incident in their own filings. The total costs of the breach, including litigation, were not fully resolved as of June 2026.
Market Concentration Scrutiny: Federal and state regulators have periodically raised concerns about the concentration of US pharmaceutical distribution among three companies. As of June 2026, no antitrust enforcement action has been taken directly against Cencora. The Healthcare Distribution Alliance, the industry trade group, publicly addresses market concentration arguments on behalf of distributors.
Brands Owned by Cencora Inc.
- GoodRx - American healthcare technology platform providing prescription drug price compar...
- Lash Group - Patient support services company providing pharmaceutical patient assistance pro...
- MWI Animal Health - Animal health pharmaceutical and supply distributor providing veterinary medicat...
- OneOncology - Physician-led community oncology platform providing practice management, clinica...
- Retina Consultants of America - Leading retina specialist management services organization providing practice ma...
- World Courier - Global specialty logistics and transportation company specializing in time-criti...
- Xcenda - Strategic consulting and market access company providing commercialization suppo...
AmerisourceBergen Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +One of three companies controlling the majority of US pharmaceutical distribution, giving Cencora durable market position
- +Long-term distribution contracts with major pharmacy chains provide revenue stability
- +Specialty pharmaceutical distribution is a higher-margin, faster-growing segment than commodity drug distribution
- +International expansion through Alliance Healthcare diversifies revenue beyond the US
- +Scale of approximately $293 billion in revenue creates significant purchasing leverage with manufacturers
Considerations
- -The opioid settlement commits approximately $6.1 billion in cash payments over 18 years, a significant ongoing financial obligation
- -Revenue concentration with Walgreens Boots Alliance as the largest customer creates dependency risk
- -The 2024 cybersecurity breach exposed patient data and resulted in material remediation costs and reputational damage
- -Thin operating margins (approximately 1 to 2%) are typical for distributors but limit financial flexibility
- -Market concentration scrutiny from regulators could increase compliance costs or constrain acquisitions
Frequently Asked Questions About AmerisourceBergen
Sources & Further Reading
- Cencora Official Website -
- AmerisourceBergen Distribution Brand Website -
- Cencora Investor Relations -
- Cencora ESG Reporting -
- SEC EDGAR: Cencora Inc. (COR) Annual Report -
- NYSE: COR -
- Wikidata: AmerisourceBergen -
- Drug Channels Institute -
- DEA: Suspicious Order Monitoring -
- Drug Channels: Opioid Settlement Analysis -
Where to Buy
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AmerisourceBergen on AmazonCompetitors to AmerisourceBergen
No direct competitors found in the same category. This could be because AmerisourceBergenoperates in a unique market segment or we're still building our competitor database.
Cencora Inc. Stock Information
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