Centene (NYSE:CNC) Given New $38.00 Price Target at TD Cowen

Centene (NYSE:CNC) had its price target raised by TD Cowen from $34.00 to $38.00 in a report published on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the stock.

CNC has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Zacks Research upgraded Centene from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. UBS Group set a $42.00 target price on shares of Centene and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Argus upgraded shares of Centene to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $43.00 price objective on shares of Centene and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $59.00 target price on shares of Centene in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $41.50.

Centene Stock Up 2.1%

CNC stock opened at $40.43 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $19.87 billion, a PE ratio of -2.97, a P/E/G ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 0.48. Centene has a 12 month low of $25.08 and a 12 month high of $66.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.08. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $42.08 and a 200 day simple moving average of $36.18.

Centene (NYSE:CNC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 6th. The company reported ($1.19) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.22) by $0.03. The company had revenue of $49.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $48.41 billion. Centene had a positive return on equity of 4.25% and a negative net margin of 3.43%.The firm’s revenue was up 21.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.80 earnings per share. Centene has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.000-3.000 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Centene will post 6.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Centene

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Centene by 66.0% in the 3rd quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd now owns 85,232 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,041,000 after acquiring an additional 33,875 shares in the last quarter. Packer & Co Ltd bought a new position in Centene in the 3rd quarter valued at $50,487,000. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. grew its holdings in shares of Centene by 122.5% during the third quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 223,157 shares of the company’s stock worth $7,962,000 after purchasing an additional 122,870 shares during the last quarter. ARGA Investment Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Centene in the third quarter valued at $21,485,000. Finally, Amundi raised its holdings in shares of Centene by 6.2% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 3,384,752 shares of the company’s stock valued at $183,724,000 after buying an additional 199,016 shares during the last quarter. 93.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Centene News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Deutsche Bank raised its price target to $39 (from $32) while keeping a “hold” rating — the PT bump improves near‑term sentiment and likely helped buying interest. Deutsche Bank Boosts PT to $39
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its price target to $38 (maintaining a “hold”) — another upward revision that supports investor confidence even if the rating stays neutral. TD Cowen Raises PT to $38
• Positive Sentiment: Media/analyst write‑ups (Zacks/MSN) profile Centene as a long‑term value stock — such coverage can attract buy‑and‑hold investors and bolster demand. Zacks: Top Value Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a “neutral” rating, leaving analyst guidance unchanged. Cantor Fitzgerald Reaffirms Neutral
• Neutral Sentiment: Argus and Morgan Stanley maintained “hold/neutral” stances — multiple holds suggest limited near‑term upside from analyst action alone. Argus Upgrade to Hold Morgan Stanley Maintains Hold
• Neutral Sentiment: Superior HealthPlan (a Centene company) launched a school program addressing social isolation — positive PR/ESG impact but unlikely to move near‑term earnings. PR: No One Eats Alone
• Negative Sentiment: Axios reports Centene is among insurers to receive subpoenas from a House panel — this introduces regulatory and legal risk that could weigh on the stock if the inquiry deepens. Axios: House Panel Subpoenas

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.