Nov 5 (Reuters) - Cencora ( COR ) will invest over $1

billion through 2030 to expand its U.S. network, the drug

distributor said on Wednesday, after forecasting adjusted profit

for next year above Wall Street expectations.

The company said it will build a second national

distribution center in Harrison, Ohio, and new or enlarged sites

in California and Alabama.

The investment aligns with the Trump administration's push

to boost domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution,

aiming to reduce foreign reliance and strengthen the U.S. supply

chain for critical medicines.

The 530,000-square-foot Ohio hub, slated to be fully

operational by spring 2027, will add storage and throughput and

feature advanced automation, the company said.

Cencora ( COR ) also plans a 430,000-square-foot distribution center

in Fontana, California, nearly double the size of its current

site there, targeted to open by fall 2026.

Earlier in the day, the Philadelphia-based Cencora ( COR ) said it

expects 2026 adjusted profit per share between $17.45 and

$17.75. Analysts had expected a profit of $17.5 per share,

according to data compiled by LSEG.

The strong forecast illustrates how Cencora ( COR ) and its peers

such as Cardinal Health ( CAH ) are riding surging U.S. demand

for high-margin specialty medicines to treat complex conditions

such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

Sales at Cencora's ( COR ) U.S. Healthcare Solutions unit, its

biggest revenue driver, jumped 5.7% to $75.79 billion in the

quarter ended September 30, buoyed by strong prescription

volumes of GLP-1 class weight loss and diabetes drugs, as well

as higher sales of specialty medicines.

Cencora ( COR ) reported fourth-quarter profit of $3.84 per share on

an adjusted basis, beating analysts' estimates of $3.79 per

share.

Total sales were $83.73 billion during the quarter, above

estimates of $83.46 billion.