Centene Corporation $CNC Shares Acquired by Vanguard Group Inc.

Key Points

• Vanguard Group increased its Centene stake by 0.3% in Q4 and now owns 56,978,753 shares — about a 11.59% ownership stake valued at roughly $2.345 billion.
• Centene beat Q1 expectations (EPS $3.37 vs. $2.12 est.), raised its 2026 profit outlook, and drew several analyst price-target upgrades, though the consensus rating remains Hold with a $49.76 target.
• Regulatory risk: proposed legislation (H.R. 8375) could impose stricter Medicare Advantage rules and increase compliance/operating costs for Centene if enacted.

Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC - Free Report) by 0.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 56,978,753 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 190,334 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. owned about 11.59% of Centene worth $2,344,676,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Addison Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Centene by 455.6% in the third quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 739 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 606 shares in the last quarter. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Centene in the third quarter worth $27,000. WPG Advisers LLC raised its stake in shares of Centene by 44.5% in the third quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 915 shares of the company's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 282 shares in the last quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC raised its position in Centene by 11,011.1% in the 3rd quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 1,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 991 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ameriflex Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Centene by 152.5% during the third quarter. Ameriflex Group Inc. now owns 1,010 shares of the company's stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 610 shares in the last quarter. 93.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently weighed in on CNC shares. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Centene from $42.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Centene from $32.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $44.00 price target on Centene and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on Centene from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Centene from $45.00 to $41.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $49.76.

Key Centene News

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and raised outlook. Centene reported adjusted Q1 EPS well above estimates and raised its 2026 profit forecast on improving medical-cost controls and premium growth — the primary catalyst for the rally. Centene sees higher 2026 profit on improving cost controls
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets. Several firms increased forecasts and raised targets (Bank of America, Truist, UBS among others), providing fresh buy-side momentum and validation for the improved outlook. Centene Analysts Increase Their Forecasts Following Upbeat Q1 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow. Elevated call buying (about double typical volume) suggests speculative or hedged bullish positioning that can amplify intraday moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Cautious tone on the earnings call. Management highlighted progress on medical-cost control but retained a measured stance on outlook details — supports a constructive view but leaves execution risk. Centene Earnings Call: Big EPS Beat, Cautious Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical/support dynamics noted by market write-ups. Chart commentators point to long-term support and recent momentum; useful for timing but not a fundamental driver. Stock Of The Day: Where Will The Centene Rally End?
• Negative Sentiment: Legislative risk — H.R. 8375 (Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026). The bill would require greater transparency, non‑restrictive medical-necessity standards, real-time authorizations, automated payments, and stricter oversight of Medicare Advantage plans — measures that could limit utilization-management tools and raise compliance/operating costs for MAOs like Centene if enacted. New Bill: H.R. 8375 Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026

Centene Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:CNC opened at $53.94 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $38.71 and a 200-day simple moving average of $39.35. Centene Corporation has a one year low of $25.08 and a one year high of $64.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.96, a PEG ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.10.

Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $3.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.12 by $1.25. Centene had a positive return on equity of 4.25% and a negative net margin of 3.43%.The business had revenue of $49.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $47.58 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.90 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Centene Corporation will post 3.01 EPS for the current year.

About Centene

Centene Corporation NYSE: CNC is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise that specializes in providing services to government-sponsored and national health programs. The company primarily acts as a managed care organization, delivering healthcare coverage and administering benefits for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare Advantage, and individual marketplace plans. Centene also contracts with federal and state agencies to manage specialty care programs and community-based services for vulnerable populations.

Centene's offerings extend beyond traditional insurance to include a range of specialty and support services.

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