Centene (NYSE:CNC) Price Target Raised to $48.00

Centene (NYSE:CNC) had its price target upped by Jefferies Financial Group from $39.00 to $48.00 in a research note published on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. They currently have a hold rating on the stock.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and set a $63.00 price objective (up from $54.00) on shares of Centene in a research note on Wednesday. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $59.00 price target on shares of Centene in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Raymond James Financial set a $60.00 price target on shares of Centene in a research note on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Centene from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 15th. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Centene to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Centene presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $52.12.

Centene Stock Performance

Shares of Centene stock traded down $0.32 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $53.37. 5,887,527 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,396,689. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $38.91 and a 200-day moving average price of $39.45. Centene has a 1-year low of $25.08 and a 1-year high of $64.15. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76.

Centene (NYSE:CNC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $3.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.23 by $1.14. The company had revenue of $49.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $47.53 billion. Centene had a negative net margin of 3.25% and a positive return on equity of 5.57%. Centene’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.90 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Centene will post 3.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Centene

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Centene by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,683 shares of the company’s stock valued at $219,000 after purchasing an additional 199 shares during the period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in Centene by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 52,602 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,165,000 after purchasing an additional 264 shares during the period. WPG Advisers LLC boosted its holdings in Centene by 44.5% in the 3rd quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 915 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 282 shares during the period. Arkadios Wealth Advisors boosted its holdings in Centene by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 7,465 shares of the company’s stock valued at $307,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Finally, Affinity Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Centene by 3.0% in the 4th quarter. Affinity Investment Advisors LLC now owns 10,927 shares of the company’s stock valued at $450,000 after purchasing an additional 316 shares during the period. 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: Q1 results beat expectations: Centene reported stronger-than-expected EPS and raised its outlook, which supports margin improvement narratives that helped multiple brokers upgrade or re-assess the name. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street bullish notes: Truist reiterated a Buy rating and Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded the stock, signaling investor confidence from some major brokers. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Longer-term recovery thesis boosted: A Seeking Alpha piece highlights promising 2027 turnaround prospects and potential momentum reversal—supportive for investors focused on multi‑year recovery. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $56 while keeping an Equal Weight view, indicating some upside in the broker community even as conviction is measured. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Broker PTs raised but ratings cautious: Deutsche Bank, Mizuho and Morgan Stanley all lifted targets (to $53, $50 and $50 respectively) but maintained Hold/Neutral/Equal Weight stances — a modest vote of confidence that stops short of strong endorsement. Read More. Read More. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ opinions remain mixed overall — coverage notes a blend of upgrades and cautious takes, keeping sentiment balanced rather than uniformly positive. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Lower consensus price target: A brokerage consensus report shows a $42 average target — well below current levels — which could cap upside if that view gains traction. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Execution concerns flagged: A Seeking Alpha commentary warns that further upside will require better operational execution, a caution investors may lean on after recent volatility. Read More.

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.