Centene Corp. (CNC): price, analyst ratings, earnings and fundamentals
Updated 16 September 2026, 08:02 ET
Centene Corp. (CNC) closed at $67.66 on 15 September 2026, down 2.5%. The stock is up 0.3% over one month and up 103.4% over one year. It trades 2.8% below its 52-week high of $69.63. Analysts recorded 11 actions in the last 90 days; the median price target of $69 is 2.0% above the last close. The company last reported on 28 July 2026 for Q2 2026: EPS of $2.51 against an estimate of $1.02, a beat of 146.1%, on revenue of $53.6 billion.
Price and performance
Performance figures use dividend and split adjusted closes over trading sessions, so a one-year move compares the last close with the close 252 sessions earlier. The 52-week range uses the adjusted daily highs and lows of the same window. Read the guide: Momentum, trend and technical indicators.
The live chart with technical indicators is in the app: open CNC in FundSpec.
Analyst ratings
Over the last 90 days FundSpec recorded 11 analyst actions on CNC from 10 firms: 9 maintained or reiterated a view, 1 upgrade and 1 initiation. Price targets were 9 raised. The most recent targets from 17 firms range from $39 to $80, with a median of $69, 2.0% above the last close.
| Date | Firm | Action | Price target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 2026 | Argus Research | Upgrades to Buy from Hold | $80.00 |
| 4 Aug 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains Neutral | $60.00 to $67.00 |
| 3 Aug 2026 | Bernstein | Maintains Outperform | $68.00 to $79.00 |
| 29 Jul 2026 | Barclays | Maintains Overweight | $75.00 to $80.00 |
| 29 Jul 2026 | Baird | Maintains Neutral | $46.00 to $66.00 |
| 14 Jul 2026 | TD Cowen | Maintains Hold | $47.00 to $65.00 |
| 14 Jul 2026 | Truist Securities | Maintains Buy | $71.00 to $78.00 |
| 13 Jul 2026 | Wells Fargo | Maintains Equal-Weight | $56.00 to $69.00 |
| 9 Jul 2026 | RBC Capital | Maintains Sector Perform | $70.00 to $71.00 |
| 7 Jul 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | Maintains Overweight | $60.00 to $75.00 |
A price target is one firm's twelve-month view, and the median across firms is a steadier reading than any single call. Upgrades and downgrades matter more when they change a rating, not only a target. Read the guide: What analyst ratings and price targets actually tell you.
Every action with the firm's history is in Analyst Ratings.
Earnings
The next report is scheduled for 27 October 2026 before the open for Q3 2026, with EPS expected at $0.09 on revenue of $47.0 billion. Centene Corp. beat the EPS estimate in 7 of its last 8 reported quarters.
| Period | Reported | EPS estimate | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 28 Jul 2026 | $1.02 | $2.51 | +146.08% | $53.6B |
| Q1 2026 | 28 Apr 2026 | $2.08 | $3.37 | +62.02% | $49.9B |
| Q4 2025 | 6 Feb 2026 | -$1.23 | -$1.19 | +3.25% | $49.7B |
| Q3 2025 | 29 Oct 2025 | -$0.18 | $0.50 | +377.78% | $49.7B |
| Q2 2025 | 25 Jul 2025 | $0.41 | -$0.16 | -139.02% | $48.7B |
| Q1 2025 | 25 Apr 2025 | $2.54 | $2.90 | +14.17% | $46.6B |
| Q4 2024 | 4 Feb 2025 | $0.49 | $0.80 | +63.27% | $40.8B |
| Q3 2024 | 25 Oct 2024 | $1.38 | $1.62 | +17.39% | $42.0B |
An earnings surprise is the reported EPS against the consensus estimate on the day. The price reaction depends as much on guidance and on what was already priced in as on the surprise itself. Read the guide: Earnings season: estimates, surprises and price reaction.
Estimates, confirmed dates and alerts for every company are in Earnings.
Fundamentals
For the period ended 30 June 2026, Centene Corp. reported revenue of $53.6 billion and net income of $1.1 billion. On a trailing twelve month basis the company shows revenue growth of 13.89%, a gross margin of 98.64%, an operating margin of -2.78% and a return on equity of -20.41%.
Income statement
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $53,579,000,000 |
| Cost of Revenue | $729,000,000 |
| Gross Profit | $52,850,000,000 |
| Selling, General & Administrative Expenses | $3,103,000,000 |
| Depreciation & Amortization | $300,000,000 |
| Total Operating Expenses | $52,381,000,000 |
| Operating Profit | $1,198,000,000 |
| Interest Expense | $153,000,000 |
| Pre-tax Income | $1,486,000,000 |
| Income Tax Expense | $399,000,000 |
| Net Income | $1,091,000,000 |
Cash flow
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash from Operating Activities | $3,590,000,000 |
| Stock-based Compensation | $59,000,000 |
| Cash from Investing Activities | -$353,000,000 |
| Capital Expenditures | $174,000,000 |
| Cash from Financing Activities | -$259,000,000 |
| Share Repurchases | $4,000,000 |
| Free Cash Flow | $3,416,000,000 |
Assets
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash & Cash Equivalents | $24,151,000,000 |
| Restricted Cash | $103,000,000 |
| Short-term Investments | $2,906,000,000 |
| Other Current Assets | $1,552,000,000 |
| Total Current Assets | $46,685,000,000 |
| Plant, Property & Equipment, Net | $2,130,000,000 |
| Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets | $317,000,000 |
| Long-term Investments | $16,302,000,000 |
| Goodwill Intangible Assets, Net | $15,038,000,000 |
| Deferred Tax Asset | $914,000,000 |
| Other Long-term Assets | $1,370,000,000 |
| Total Assets | $83,012,000,000 |
Liabilities and equity
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Short-term Debt | $75,000,000 |
| Operating Lease Liabilities, Current | $146,000,000 |
| Deferred Liability Charges | $706,000,000 |
| Total Current Liabilities | $40,759,000,000 |
| Long-term Debt | $16,105,000,000 |
| Operating Lease Liabilities, Long-term | $615,000,000 |
| Deferred Income Taxes | $756,000,000 |
| Minority Interest | $72,000,000 |
| Other Liabilities | $2,810,000,000 |
| Total Liabilities | $60,355,000,000 |
| Common Stock | $1,000,000 |
| Retained Earnings | $11,306,000,000 |
| Treasury Stock | -$9,441,000,000 |
| Other Accumulated Comprehensive Income | -$194,000,000 |
| Total Stockholders Equity | $22,562,000,000 |
| Total Liability & Stockholders Equity | $83,012,000,000 |
Figures as filed with the SEC for the period ended 30 June 2026, in US dollars.
FundSpec fundamental metrics
Each metric is computed from the company's filings and ranked against every company FundSpec covers; the percentile is the share of covered companies with a lower value.
Liquidity
| Metric | Value | Percentile | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Ratio | 0.66 | 67th | Calculated as the ratio of Cash and cash equivalents / Current liabilities. This metric calculates the company's ability to repay its short-term debt |
| Current Ratio | 1.15 | 49th | Calculated as the ratio of Current Assets / Current Liabilities. The higher the current ratio, the more capable the company is of paying its obligations |
Leverage
| Metric | Value | Percentile | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debt/Assets | 0.19 | 65th | Calculated as the ratio of Short-Term Debt + Long-Term Debt / Total Assets. The higher the ratio, the higher the degree of leverage, and consequently, financial risk |
| Debt/Equity | 0.71 | 69th | Calculated as the ratio of Total Liabilities / Shareholders' Equity. The ratio indicates how much debt a company is using to finance its assets relative to the amount of value represented in shareholders’ equity |
| Degree of Financial Leverage | 0.90 | 31st | Calculated as the ratio of Percentage change in EPS / Percentage change in EBIT. A higher degree of financial leverage means that the company has more volatile EPS. |
| Long Term Debt/Long Term Capital | 0.42 | 53rd | Calculated as Long-Term Debt / (Long-Term Debt + Shareholders' Equity). The ratio is an indicator of the company's leverage |
Profitability
| Metric | Value | Percentile | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Cashflow Margin Pct | 4.4% | 52nd | Calculated as the ratio of Free Cashflow from Operating Activities / Net Sales. It measures how much per dollar of revenue the company is able to convert into free cash flow. |
| Gross Margin Pct | 98.6% | 99th | Calculated as the ratio of Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) / Revenue. The gross margin represents the percent of total sales revenue that the company retains after incurring the direct costs associated with producing the goods and services sold by a company. |
| Operating Margin Pct | -2.8% | 36th | Calculated as the ratio of (Revenue - (Cost of Goods Sold + Labour + Sales, General & Administrative)) / Revenue. Operating margins are important because they measure efficiency. The higher the operating margin, the more profitable a company's core business is. |
| PreTax Margin Pct | -2.3% | 37th | Calculated as the ratio of (Gross profit - (Operating Expense + Interest Expense)) / Revenue. The pretax profit margin enables profitability to be compared across companies with significant differences in size, scale, capital structure and tax rates. |
| Return on Assets Pct | -6.0% | 37th | Calculated as the ratio of Net Income / Total Assets. It is an indicator of how efficient the company is at using its assets to generate earnings. |
| Return on Equity Pct | -20.4% | 30th | Calculated as the ratio of Net Income / Shareholders' equity. It is a measure of how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders have invested. |
| Return on Invested Capital Pct | -13.7% | 27th | Calculated as the ratio of (Net Income - Dividends) / (Debt + Equity). It is a measure of how efficient the company is at allocating the capital under its control to profitable investments. |
Cashflow
| Metric | Value | Percentile | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCF Pct Growth | 400.0% | 98th | The Free Cash Flow growth rate over the trailing twelve months (TTM) |
| FCF Pct Growth 3 year CAGR | 17.0% | 50th | The Free Cash Flow compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 3 years |
| FCF Pct Growth 5 year CAGR | 212.6% | 81st | The Free Cash Flow compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 5 years |
| FCF Return on Assets Pct | 10.6% | 85th | Calculated as the ratio of Cashflow from Operations / Total Assets. A high cash return on assets means a company is generating more cash flow from every asset dollar |
| Operating Cashflow Pct Growth | 400.0% | 98th | The Operating Cashflow growth rate over the trailing twelve months (TTM) |
| Operating Cashflow Pct Growth 3 year CAGR (FY) | 4.4% | 50th | The Operating Cashflow compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 3 years |
| Operating Cashflow Pct Growth 5 year CAGR (FY) | 21.0% | 84th | The Operating Cashflow compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 5 years |
Top Line Growth
| Metric | Value | Percentile | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Pct Growth | 13.9% | 69th | The Revenue (Sales) growth rate over the trailing twelve months (TTM) |
| Revenue Pct Growth 3 year CAGR | 11.1% | 68th | The Revenue (Sales) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 3 years |
| Revenue Pct Growth 5 year CAGR | 11.4% | 65th | The Revenue (Sales) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 5 years |
Taxes
| Metric | Value | Percentile | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective Tax Rate Pct | -10.2% | 9th | The effective tax rate of the company over the trailing twelve months (TTM). |
Margins and returns say how much of each dollar of sales becomes profit and how hard the balance sheet is working; leverage and liquidity say how much room the company has when conditions turn. Read the guide: A practical guide to discounted cash flow valuation.
Fair value, peer multiples and the full statement history are in the app: open CNC in FundSpec.
Insider activity
In the last 90 days insiders filed 9 transactions: 7 acquisitions covering 8,428 shares and 2 disposals covering 104,103 shares. Acquisitions include awards and option exercises as well as open market purchases. The largest by value was a disposal of 56,500 shares by Christopher Koster, Secretary & General Counsel on 26 August 2026, worth about $3.8 million at the transaction price.
| Date | Insider | Title | Type | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Aug 2026 | Christopher Koster | Secretary & General Counsel | Disposal | 56,500 | $66.90 | $3.8M |
| 18 Aug 2026 | Christopher Koster | Secretary & General Counsel | Disposal | 47,603 | $65.36 | $3.1M |
| 28 Jul 2026 | Paul J Diaz | Director | Acquisition | 2,771 | ||
| 17 Jul 2026 | Lauren M Tyler | Director | Acquisition | 3,155 | ||
| 30 Jun 2026 | Theodore R. Ii Samuels | Director | Acquisition | 465 | ||
| 30 Jun 2026 | Frederick H Eppinger | Director | Acquisition | 833 | ||
| 30 Jun 2026 | Kenneth Tanji | Director | Acquisition | 581 | ||
| 30 Jun 2026 | Christopher J Coughlin | Director | Acquisition | 562 | ||
| 30 Jun 2026 | Lauren M Tyler | Director | Acquisition | 61 | ||
| 15 Jun 2026 | Susan Raye Smith | Chief Operating Officer | Disposal | 483 | $65.19 | $31K |
| 10 Jun 2026 | Kenneth A Burdick | Director | Disposal | 80,000 | $64.55 | $5.2M |
| 29 May 2026 | Michael A Carson | Group President, Medicare&Spec | Disposal | 604 | $59.60 | $36K |
| 22 May 2026 | Michael A Carson | Group President, Medicare&Spec | Acquisition | 48 | $57.77 | $3K |
| 12 May 2026 | Frederick H Eppinger | Director | Acquisition | 6,654 | ||
| 12 May 2026 | H James Dallas | Director | Acquisition | 3,992 |
Insider filings record what officers and directors did with their own shares. Disposals are often planned sales or tax related, so a pattern across several insiders says more than one filing.
SEC filings
The latest filing is a 10-Q from 28 July 2026.
| Filed | Form | Document |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Jul 2026 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
| 28 Apr 2026 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
| 17 Feb 2026 | 10-K | View on sec.gov |
| 29 Oct 2025 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
| 25 Jul 2025 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
| 25 Apr 2025 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
| 18 Feb 2025 | 10-K | View on sec.gov |
| 25 Oct 2024 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
| 26 Jul 2024 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
| 26 Apr 2024 | 10-Q | View on sec.gov |
Company profile
- Exchange
- NYSE
- Sector
- Insurance Carriers
- Industry
- Insurance
- Headquarters
- Wilmington, Missouri
- Chief executive
- Sarah M. London
- Employees
- 74,300
- Website
- centene.com
- SEC CIK
- 0001071739
Centene Corporation provides programs and services to under-insured and uninsured individuals in the United States. Its Managed Care segment offers health plan coverage to individuals through government subsidized programs, including Medicaid, the State children's health insurance program, long-term services and support, foster care, and medicare-medicaid plans. This segment also offers various individual, small group, and large group commercial healthcare products to employers and directly to members.
Sector and peers
Centene Corp. is part of the Insurance Carriers sector, which FundSpec tracks across 88 companies.
Companies in the same industry by market capitalization:
UNH Unitedhealth Group Inc.ELV Elevance Health, Inc.CI Cigna GroupHUM Humana Inc.
Put two of them side by side in Compare.
In FundSpec: the fair value estimate, the momentum reading, relative valuation against sector and industry peers, unusual options activity and AI model signals for CNC are available to subscribers, with the same screen in the iOS and Android apps.
Open CNC in FundSpec