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Centene Corporation (CNC) Stock

Centene Corporation Stock Details, Movements and Public Alerts

Centene Corporation (CNC): The $45B Medicaid Giant Serving 28M Government-Sponsored Members

CEO Sarah London leads Centene serving Medicaid recipients, Medicare dual-eligibles, and marketplace enrollees across all 50 states under Ambetter, WellCare, and Health Net brands. With $150B revenue from government programs and expertise managing complex low-income populations, Centene offers defensive growth tied to demographics rather than economic cycles.

52-Week Range

$66.81 - $25.08

-38.33% from high · +64.27% from low

Avg Daily Volume

5,617,641

20-day average

100-day avg: 10,482,406

Fundamentals

Valuation Metrics

P/E Ratio (TTM)

N/A

Forward P/E

14.11

Price to Book

0.96

EV/EBITDA

4.74

EPS (TTM)

-$10.75

Price to Sales

0.12

Beta

0.48

Less volatile than market

Q:How is CNC valued relative to its earnings and growth?
Valuation data is not available for this stock.
Q:What is CNC's risk profile compared to the market?
With a beta of 0.48, Centene Corporation is less volatile than the overall market. This means when the market moves up or down by 10%, this stock typically moves less than 10% in the same direction. Lower beta stocks are often preferred by conservative investors seeking stability. The price-to-book ratio of 0.96 indicates the stock trades below its accounting value, which could signal value or distress.

Performance & Growth

Profit Margin

-3.16%

Operating Margin

0.55%

EBITDA

$3.90B

Return on Equity

-21.86%

Return on Assets

2.01%

Revenue Growth (YoY)

21.50%

Q:How profitable and efficient is CNC's business model?
Centene Corporation achieves a profit margin of -3.16%, meaning it retains $-3.16 from every $100 in revenue after all expenses. This relatively low margin suggests the company operates in a competitive environment or high-cost industry where profitability is challenging. The operating margin of 0.55% reveals how efficiently the company runs its core business operations before interest and taxes. With ROE at -21.86% and ROA at 2.01%, the company achieves moderate returns on invested capital.
Q:What are CNC's recent growth trends?
Centene Corporation's revenue grew by 21.50% year-over-year, representing robust expansion that significantly outpaces typical market growth rates. This strong top-line performance suggests the company is successfully capturing market share or benefiting from favorable industry trends. These growth metrics should be evaluated against Healthcare Plans industry averages for proper context.

Company Size & Market

Market Cap

$20.1B

Revenue (TTM)

$167.68B

Revenue/Share (TTM)

$338.52

Shares Outstanding

491.52M

Book Value/Share

$42.63

Asset Type

EQUITY

Q:What is CNC's market capitalization and position?
Centene Corporation has a market capitalization of $20.1B, classifying it as a large-cap stock ($10B-$200B). Large-caps are typically industry leaders with established business models, offering a balance of stability and growth potential. They often provide dividend income and are core holdings in institutional portfolios. With 491.52M shares outstanding, the company's ownership is relatively concentrated. As a participant in the Healthcare Plans industry, it competes with other firms in this sector.
Q:How does CNC's price compare to its book value?
Centene Corporation's book value per share is $42.63, while the current stock price is $41.20, resulting in a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 0.97. Trading below book value can indicate the market perceives challenges ahead, or it might represent a value opportunity if the assets are quality and earnings can recover. Value investors often screen for P/B ratios below 1.0. As EQUITY, this represents a specific type of security.

Analyst Ratings

Analyst Target Price

$40.41

1.91% downside potential

Analyst Recommendations

Strong Buy

1

Buy

3

Hold

14

Sell

1

Strong Sell

1

Q:How reliable are analyst predictions for CNC?
20 analysts cover CNC with 20% recommending buy/strong buy ratings. Analyst predictions have mixed reliability - studies show consensus rarely beats market returns consistently. The bearish sentiment could create opportunity if analysts are wrong. The consensus target of $40.41 implies -1.9% downside, but targets are often adjusted to follow price moves rather than predict them.
Q:What is the Wall Street consensus on CNC?
Current analyst recommendations:1 Strong Buy, 3 Buy, 14 Hold, 1 Sell, 1 Strong Sell. The neutral stance suggests uncertainty or fair valuation at current levels.Remember that analyst opinions often lag price movements and can be influenced by investment banking relationships.

Fundamentals last updated: Dec 30, 2025, 02:10 AM

Technical Indicators

RSI (14-day)

63.26

Neutral

50-Day Moving Average

$37.62

9.52% above MA-50

200-Day Moving Average

$42.81

-3.76% below MA-200

MACD Line

0.89

MACD Signal

0.81

MACD Histogram

0.08

Bullish

Q:What does CNC's RSI value tell investors?
The RSI (Relative Strength Index) for CNC is currently 63.26, indicating the stock is showing bullish momentum (60-70 range). The stock has positive momentum without being extremely overbought. This zone often occurs during healthy uptrends where buyers remain in control. Combined with the price being above the 50-day moving average, this confirms bullish conditions.
Q:How should traders interpret CNC's MACD and moving average crossovers?
MACD analysis shows the MACD line at 0.89 above the signal line at 0.81, with histogram at 0.08. This bullish crossover suggests upward momentum is building. The narrow histogram suggests a potential trend change ahead. The 50-day MA ($37.62) is below the 200-day MA ($42.81), forming a death cross pattern that often warns of extended weakness. Price is currently between the MAs, suggesting transition.

Indicators last updated: Jan 2, 2026, 12:56 AM

Active Alerts

Alert Condition
Price falls below
Threshold
$30.00
Created
Oct 3, 2025, 08:19 AM

Centene Corporation (CNC) Stock Analysis 2025: Complete Investment Guide

Serving Those Others Won't

Sarah London inherited Centene's defensible franchise: insuring populations commercial insurers avoid—Medicaid recipients with chronic conditions requiring intensive coordination. Centene earns capitated fees from states regardless of utilization, creating incentive to manage costs effectively.

Financial Performance

  • •Revenue: $150B with 3-5% growth from membership expansion
  • •EPS: $6.80 growing 5-7% annually
  • •FCF: $4-5B supporting buybacks and debt reduction
  • •Margin: 2-3% operating margin (87-88% MLR + 12% SG&A)

Who Is This Stock Suitable For?

Perfect For

  • ✓Value investors at 11x earnings
  • ✓Defensive portfolios
  • ✓Demographics bulls

Less Suitable For

  • ✗Growth seekers
  • ✗High-yield investors
  • ✗Policy-risk-averse

Conclusion

BUY for value/defensive portfolios.
Bull Case
$92 (31% upside)
Base Case
$80 (14% upside)
Bear Case
$60 (14% downside)

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