McKesson Surges 3.85% on $740M Volume as Healthcare Sector Drives 126th-Ranked Stock's Rally

McKesson (MCK) surged 3.85% on August 20, 2025, with a trading volume of $0.74 billion, marking a 115.5% increase from the previous day. The stock ranked 126th in trading volume among all equities, reflecting heightened investor activity amid broader market dynamics.

The upward momentum was driven by robust demand in the healthcare distribution sector, with McKesson’s market cap reaching $73.295 billion. While no company-specific news was disclosed, the stock’s performance aligned with sector-wide trends, including renewed focus on medical supply chains and pharmaceutical distribution. Elevated trading volumes suggested short-term speculative interest, though analysts noted the absence of concrete catalysts to sustain the rally beyond immediate momentum.

McKesson’s earnings multiple of 27.22, based on trailing twelve-month data, indicated a premium valuation relative to peers. However, its forward P/E of 17.89 and strong cash flow metrics positioned it as a defensive play in a volatile market. The stock’s 12-month total return of 18.54% outperformed the S&P 500, though its year-to-date gain of 6.02% lagged behind the broader index, highlighting mixed investor sentiment.

Backtesting revealed that a strategy of buying the top 500 volume-driven stocks and holding for one day generated a 0.98% average daily return from 2022 to 2025. Over 365 days, this approach yielded a total return of 31.52%, capturing short-term momentum but also exposing risks tied to market timing and volatility.