Centene (CNC) Stock Forecast & Price Target

$61.89 +0.34 (+0.55%)

As of 05/20/2025 03:58 PM Eastern

Centene - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2025)

MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.

Consensus Rating

Moderate Buy

Based on 16 Analyst Ratings

Sell
0

Hold
7

Buy
9

Based on 16 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Centene in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 16 analysts, 7 have given a hold rating, and 9 have given a buy rating for CNC.

Consensus Price Target

$79.77
28.89% Upside

According to the 16 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Centene, the average price target is $79.77. The highest price target for CNC is $90.00, while the lowest price target for CNC is $61.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 28.89% from the current price of $61.89.

Get the Latest News and Ratings for CNC and Related Stocks

Enter your email address to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Centene and its competitors.

CNC Analyst Ratings Over Time

Type	Current Forecast 5/21/24 to 5/21/25	1 Month Ago 4/21/24 to 4/21/25	3 Months Ago 2/21/24 to 2/20/25	1 Year Ago 5/22/23 to 5/21/24
Strong Buy	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy	9 Buy rating(s)	9 Buy rating(s)	9 Buy rating(s)	6 Buy rating(s)
Hold	7 Hold rating(s)	7 Hold rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)	6 Hold rating(s)
Sell	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Sell rating(s)	1 Sell rating(s)	0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target	$79.77	$80.69	$79.92	$85.23
Forecasted Upside	28.89% Upside	39.20% Upside	36.61% Upside	8.68% Upside
Consensus Rating	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy

CNC Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.

CNC Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.

Centene Stock vs. The Competition

Type	Centene	Medical Companies	S&P 500
Consensus Rating Score	2.56	2.81	2.54
Consensus Rating	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy
Predicted Upside	28.89% Upside	4,803.92% Upside	13.04% Upside
News Sentiment Rating	Positive News See Recent CNC News	Positive News	Positive News

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Rating

Upside/Downside

Action

Time Frame

Start Date

End Date

Show

Export to Excel

Date	Brokerage	Analyst Name	Action	Rating	Price Target	Upside/Downside on Report Date
4/29/2025	Jefferies Financial Group 2 of 5 stars	David Windley Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Lower Target	Hold ➝ Hold	$64.00 ➝ $61.00	+2.98%
4/29/2025	Guggenheim 2 of 5 stars	J. Cassorla Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Reiterated Rating	Neutral ➝ Neutral
4/28/2025	Barclays 3 of 5 stars	Andrew Mok Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Lower Target	Overweight ➝ Overweight	$93.00 ➝ $84.00	+41.88%
4/15/2025	Robert W. Baird Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Michael Ha Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Lower Target	Neutral ➝ Neutral	$71.00 ➝ $69.00	+9.63%
2/14/2025	Wells Fargo & Company Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Stephen Baxter Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Lower Target	Overweight ➝ Overweight	$76.00 ➝ $72.00	+26.47%
2/6/2025	Argus Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	J. Staszak Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Downgrade	Buy ➝ Hold
12/17/2024	JPMorgan Chase & Co. Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Neutral ➝ Overweight	$80.00 ➝ $75.00	+26.75%
12/13/2024	Stephens Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower Target	Equal Weight ➝ Equal Weight	$75.00 ➝ $73.00	+22.09%
12/13/2024	Truist Financial Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower Target	Buy ➝ Buy	$89.00 ➝ $84.00	+42.45%
12/13/2024	Oppenheimer Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower Target	Outperform ➝ Outperform	$95.00 ➝ $85.00	+46.55%
Get the Latest News and Ratings for CNC and Related Stocks Enter your email address below to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Centene and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter.
12/13/2024	UBS Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	K. Caliendo Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Upgrade	Neutral ➝ Buy	$79.00 ➝ $80.00	+37.93%
12/11/2024	Cantor Fitzgerald Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Overweight ➝ Overweight	$90.00 ➝ $90.00	+63.07%
10/30/2024	Sanford C. Bernstein Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower Target	Outperform ➝ Outperform	$96.00 ➝ $88.00	+42.19%
8/2/2024	Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Hold ➝ Hold	$82.00 ➝ $87.00	+11.80%
7/31/2024	TD Cowen Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Buy ➝ Buy	$80.00 ➝ $89.00	+14.68%
5/30/2024	Baird R W Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	M. Ha Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Upgrade	Hold
9/5/2023	Bank of America Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Underperform ➝ Neutral	$79.00 ➝ $72.00	+17.51%
8/30/2023	Morgan Stanley Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Downgrade	Overweight ➝ Equal Weight	$94.00 ➝ $73.00	+13.28%
7/12/2023	Wolfe Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Downgrade	Outperform ➝ Peer Perform
7/11/2023	Mizuho Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower Target		$80.00 ➝ $76.00	+12.91%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Wednesday at 06:11 AM ET.

Should I Buy Centene Stock? CNC Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Please send any questions or comments about these Centene pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Centene
Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Centene Co.:

The current stock price is around $62.82, which may present a buying opportunity for investors looking for value in the healthcare sector.
Centene Co. reported a significant increase in quarterly revenue, reaching $46.62 billion, which exceeded analysts' expectations and indicates strong business growth.
The company has a solid return on equity of 13.85%, suggesting effective management and profitability, which can be attractive to investors seeking reliable returns.
With a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, Centene Co. maintains a manageable level of debt, indicating financial stability and lower risk for investors.
Analysts have given Centene Co. an average rating of "Moderate Buy," with a consensus price target of $79.77, suggesting potential for price appreciation.

Centene
Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in Centene Co. for these reasons:

Despite recent growth, the company has a net margin of only 2.03%, which may raise concerns about profitability and efficiency compared to competitors.
Several analysts have downgraded their ratings, with firms like Jefferies Financial Group and Robert W. Baird reducing their price targets, indicating a cautious outlook.
The stock has experienced volatility, with a 12-month high of $80.59 and a low of $55.03, which may deter risk-averse investors.
Centene Co. operates in a highly competitive healthcare market, which could impact its ability to maintain growth and profitability in the long term.
With a current ratio of 1.11, while still above 1, it suggests that the company has just enough short-term assets to cover its short-term liabilities, which may not provide a strong cushion in economic downturns.

CNC Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

: According to the research reports of 16 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Centene is $79.77, with a high forecast of $90.00 and a low forecast of $61.00.
: 16 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Centene in the last twelve months. There are currently 7 hold ratings and 9 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" CNC shares.
: According to analysts, Centene's stock has a predicted upside of 28.89% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.
: Over the previous 90 days, Centene's stock had 1 upgrade by analysts.
: Centene has been rated by research analysts at Barclays, Guggenheim, Jefferies Financial Group, and Robert W. Baird in the past 90 days.
: Analysts like Centene less than other "medical" companies. The consensus rating score for Centene is 2.56 while the average consensus rating score for "medical" companies is 2.81. Learn more on how CNC compares to other companies.

Stock Forecasts and Research Tools

Related Companies

Today's Ratings

Top-Rated Stocks

More Ratings Tools

This page (NYSE:CNC) was last updated on 5/21/2025 by MarketBeat.com Staff

From Our Partners

Get 30 Days of MarketBeat All Access for Free

Start Your 30-Day Trial

In-depth profiles and analysis for 20,000 public companies.
Real-time analyst ratings, insider transactions, earnings data, and more.
Our daily ratings and market update email newsletter.

Sign In
Create Account

Your Email Address:

Your Password:

Forgot your password?

Your Email Address:

Choose a Password:

By creating a free account, you agree to our terms of service. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Centene (CNC) Stock Forecast & Price Target