Centene (NYSE:CNC) Given New $82.00 Price Target at Barclays

Key Points

• Barclays raised Centene’s price target to $82 from $80 and maintained an “overweight” rating, implying approximately 19.35% upside from the previous close.
• Centene’s latest quarterly results beat expectations, with EPS of $0.58 versus the $0.10 consensus estimate and revenue of $50.65 billion versus $47.12 billion expected.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: nine analysts rate the stock a Buy, ten rate it a Hold, and two rate it a Sell, resulting in an overall “Hold” consensus and an average price target of $71.70.

Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) had its target price increased by research analysts at Barclays from $80.00 to $82.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an "overweight" rating on the stock. Barclays's price objective would suggest a potential upside of 19.35% from the stock's previous close.

Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on CNC. Argus upgraded shares of Centene from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $80.00 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $69.00 price target on shares of Centene and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Bank of America reissued a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 price target (up from $80.00) on shares of Centene in a research report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on shares of Centene from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of Centene from $71.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Centene currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $71.70.

Centene Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of CNC traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $68.70. The company had a trading volume of 1,831,301 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,606,548. The firm has a market cap of $33.94 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.59 and a beta of 1.13. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $65.90 and its 200 day moving average price is $54.94. Centene has a 52-week low of $31.63 and a 52-week high of $72.50.

Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.10 by $0.48. The company had revenue of $50.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $47.12 billion. Centene's revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.50 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Centene will post 4.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Centene news, General Counsel Christopher Koster sold 56,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.90, for a total transaction of $3,779,850.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel owned 248,854 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,648,332.60. This represents a 18.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Centene

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Silicon Valley Capital Partners bought a new position in shares of Centene in the second quarter worth about $25,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH purchased a new stake in Centene in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp bought a new stake in Centene during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. MidFirst Bank bought a new stake in Centene during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Fiduciary Financial Advisors purchased a new position in Centene during the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. 93.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Centene News

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings and revenue exceeded expectations. Centene reported adjusted diluted EPS of $0.58, well above the approximately $0.07–$0.10 consensus range, while revenue reached $50.65 billion versus estimates of $47.12 billion. Revenue increased 1.9% year over year. Centene Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its 2026 profit forecast. Centene increased adjusted diluted EPS guidance by $0.40 to greater than $5.20 and raised GAAP diluted EPS guidance to more than $3.46. The consolidated health benefits ratio was 92.7%, better than expected, led by improved Medicare performance. Centene Forecasts 2026 Adjusted EPS Greater Than $5.20
• Positive Sentiment: Medicare results exceeded expectations. Medicare revenue rose 19.9%, and management indicated the segment’s turnaround is reaching breakeven earlier than planned. The improvement helped offset pressure from declining Medicaid membership. Centene Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates on Medicare Strength
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts lifted their price targets after the report. Cantor Fitzgerald raised its target to $79 from $75 and maintained an overweight rating, while Robert W. Baird increased its target to $71 from $66 but retained a neutral rating. These revisions reinforce improving earnings expectations, although some targets imply limited upside.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent Zacks articles characterize Centene as a value candidate based on valuation, earnings estimates and estimate revisions. These assessments may support investor interest but do not represent a new company-specific catalyst. Why Centene Is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
• Negative Sentiment: Risks remain beneath the headline beat. Centene posted a GAAP loss of $0.14 per share, Medicaid membership declined, and traders purchased put options at unusually high volume. Those factors could limit momentum if investors question the durability of the Medicare recovery or broader enrollment trends. Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Put Options on Centene

About Centene

Centene Corporation is a diversified healthcare enterprise that provides government-sponsored and commercial health insurance programs and related healthcare services. The company's offerings are primarily focused on Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance marketplace plans, with an emphasis on serving individuals and families who may have limited access to traditional healthcare coverage.

Centene operates Medicaid health plans through state-based contracts and offers Medicare Advantage, Medicare prescription drug, and Medicare Supplement products through its Wellcare brand.

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