Centene (NYSE:CNC) Stock Price Target Raised at Wells Fargo & Company

Key Points

• Wells Fargo raised Centene’s price target from $69 to $75 while maintaining an “equal weight” rating, implying 11.88% upside from the previous close.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but centers on “Hold”: nine analysts rate Centene a Buy, 11 a Hold, and one a Sell, with a consensus price target of $73.60.
• Centene shares fell 2.3% to $67.04, despite the company reporting quarterly EPS of $0.58 versus the $0.10 consensus estimate and revenue of $50.65 billion, ahead of expectations.

Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $69.00 to $75.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "equal weight" rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company's price target would indicate a potential upside of 11.88% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Centene from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Wednesday. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a $65.00 target price (up from $47.00) on shares of Centene in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Centene from $71.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Zacks Research cut shares of Centene from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $71.00 price objective on shares of Centene and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Centene currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $73.60.

Centene Stock Down 2.3%

Shares of CNC traded down $1.58 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $67.04. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,416,459 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,608,144. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.16 and a quick ratio of 1.15. Centene has a 12-month low of $31.63 and a 12-month high of $72.50. The stock has a market cap of $33.19 billion, a PE ratio of 22.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.39 and a beta of 1.13. The company's 50 day moving average is $66.01 and its 200 day moving average is $55.15.

Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.10 by $0.48. Centene had a net margin of 0.72% and a return on equity of 12.15%. The business had revenue of $50.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $47.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.50 EPS. The company's revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Centene will post 5.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Centene

In other news, General Counsel Christopher Koster sold 56,500 shares of the company'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 transaction, the general counsel directly owned 248,854 shares of the company's stock, valued at $16,648,332.60. This represents a 18.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Centene

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Silicon Valley Capital Partners purchased a new stake in Centene during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH purchased a new stake in Centene during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp acquired a new stake in Centene in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. MidFirst Bank acquired a new stake in Centene in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Fiduciary Financial Advisors purchased a new position in Centene in the second quarter valued at about $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.63% of the company's stock.

Key Centene News

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Centene beat third-quarter earnings expectations and raised its 2026 outlook. Management highlighted faster Medicare recovery, providing evidence that profitability may improve. Centene Q3 Earnings Lift Guidance As Membership Pressures Linger
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have continued lifting their price targets: JPMorgan raised its target to $75, UBS to $78, while Cantor Fitzgerald, Barclays and Robert W. Baird also expressed constructive views. These revisions suggest analysts see additional long-term upside following the earnings update. Baird Analyst View
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary has characterized Centene as a potential value and momentum opportunity, supported by improved earnings expectations and the company’s recovery prospects. Why Centene Is a Top Value Stock for the Long Term

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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