Centene (NYSE:CNC) Hits New 1-Year High – Time to Buy?

Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $69.58 and last traded at $69.5220, with a volume of 2269238 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $66.42.

Centene News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Centene was included in Zacks’ Rank #1 (Strong Buy) growth-stocks list, reflecting favorable estimate revisions, valuation and growth prospects. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for September 16th
• Positive Sentiment: Recent market commentary highlights CNC’s strong price momentum, low price-to-book valuation and potential for additional upside, helping support investor interest while the stock trades close to its 52-week high. 4 Stocks Trading Near 52-Week High With More Upside Potential
• Neutral Sentiment: Centene is scheduled to participate in the Deutsche Bank 2026 Healthcare Summit, where management is expected to discuss its outlook and operating performance. The event could provide further details on the company’s earnings trajectory. Centene Reaffirms 2026 Earnings Guidance at Healthcare Summit
• Negative Sentiment: Centene reaffirmed 2026 EPS guidance at $4.80, below the current analyst consensus of $4.89. While the reaffirmation reduces uncertainty, the gap versus expectations could limit near-term upside or prompt investors to seek evidence of further earnings growth. Centene Reaffirms 2026 Earnings Guidance at Healthcare Summit

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CNC has been the subject of several research reports. Mizuho set a $63.00 price objective on shares of Centene and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, June 8th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $65.00 target price (up from $47.00) on shares of Centene in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Centene from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $53.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on Centene from $46.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $79.00 price target (up from $68.00) on shares of Centene in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $70.05.

Centene Trading Down 2.7%

The company has a market cap of $33.38 billion, a PE ratio of -6.47, a P/E/G ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $65.55 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $55.44.

Centene (NYSE:CNC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.09 by $1.42. The company had revenue of $53.58 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $47.64 billion. Centene had a negative net margin of 2.51% and a positive return on equity of 12.12%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned ($0.16) earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Centene Corporation will post 4.89 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Centene

In related news, General Counsel Christopher Koster sold 56,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.90, for a total value of $3,779,850.00. Following the completion of 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.37% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Centene

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Centene during the second quarter worth about $2,660,422,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in Centene by 423.0% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 13,301,215 shares of the company’s stock valued at $853,805,000 after acquiring an additional 10,757,914 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Centene by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 13,271,492 shares of the company’s stock valued at $554,338,000 after acquiring an additional 697,277 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Centene in the fourth quarter valued at about $332,044,000. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its position in shares of Centene by 12.4% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 5,517,580 shares of the company’s stock valued at $354,173,000 after purchasing an additional 608,249 shares during the last quarter. 93.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Centene Company Profile

Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) is a managed-care company that provides health insurance and related healthcare services, primarily through government-sponsored programs. Its offerings include Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans, coverage for individuals and families through the health insurance marketplace, and health services for military families and veterans.

The company markets several healthcare brands, including Ambetter, which provides marketplace plans, and Wellcare, which offers Medicare products.