Centene (NYSE:CNC) Price Target Raised to $75.00

Key Points

• JPMorgan raised Centene’s price target to $75 from $67 while maintaining a “neutral” rating, implying approximately 9.9% upside from the reported $68.27 share price.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but broadly cautious: Centene has a consensus “Hold” rating and an average target price of $73.30, with targets ranging from $69 to $82.
• Centene reported quarterly EPS of $0.58, beating the $0.10 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $50.65 billion versus expectations of $47.12 billion. The company posted positive return on equity but remained unprofitable on a net-margin basis.

Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) had its target price upped by equities researchers at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $67.00 to $75.00 in a report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "neutral" rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price suggests a potential upside of 9.86% from the stock's current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price target on Centene from $75.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $69.00 target price on Centene and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on Centene from $66.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Bank of America reissued a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 target price (up from $80.00) on shares of Centene in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Centene from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Wednesday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Centene has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $73.30.

Centene Stock Performance

Shares of CNC stock traded up $1.22 on Thursday, hitting $68.27. 5,626,473 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,629,139. Centene has a one year low of $31.63 and a one year high of $72.50. The firm's 50 day moving average is $65.94 and its two-hundred day moving average is $55.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.72 billion, a PE ratio of -6.54, a P/E/G ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71.

Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) last posted its 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 firm had revenue of $50.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $47.12 billion. Centene had a positive return on equity of 12.12% and a negative net margin of 2.51%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.50 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Centene will post 4.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Centene

In related news, General Counsel Christopher Koster sold 56,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on 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 completion of the transaction, the general counsel owned 248,854 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,648,332.60. The trade was a 18.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.37% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Centene

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in Centene during the 2nd quarter worth about $2,660,422,000. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Centene by 423.0% in the second quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 13,301,215 shares of the company's stock worth $853,805,000 after buying an additional 10,757,914 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of Centene in the second quarter worth approximately $285,713,000. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new position in shares of Centene in the second quarter worth approximately $257,279,000. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in shares of Centene during the second quarter valued at approximately $244,463,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.63% of the company's stock.

Centene News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Centene exceeded third-quarter earnings expectations and raised its 2026 outlook, forecasting adjusted EPS above $5.20. Management said the Medicare business is expected to reach breakeven a year earlier than planned, supporting the stock’s recent advance. Centene forecasts 2026 adjusted EPS greater than $5.20
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts responded by raising their price targets, including UBS to $78, Barclays to $82, Baird to $71 and Cantor Fitzgerald to $79. Barclays and Cantor maintained overweight ratings, indicating additional potential upside despite UBS and Baird retaining neutral views. Centene analysts boost forecasts
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage characterizes Centene as a potential long-term value and momentum stock. The earnings beat, raised sales outlook and improving Medicare profitability strengthen the investment case if the recovery continues. Centene stock may still be a bargain

Centene Company Profile

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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