Centene (NYSE:CNC) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.48 EPS

Centene (NYSE:CNC) released its quarterly earnings results on Monday. The company reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.10 by $0.48, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $50.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $47.12 billion. Centene had a negative net margin of 2.51% and a positive return on equity of 12.12%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.50 earnings per share.

Centene Trading Up 1.5%

Centene stock opened at $69.06 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $65.81 and a 200-day moving average of $54.72. Centene has a one year low of $31.63 and a one year high of $72.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The company has a market cap of $34.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.62, a P/E/G ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 1.13.

Centene News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Adjusted earnings substantially exceeded expectations: Centene reported third-quarter adjusted diluted EPS of $0.58, up from $0.50 a year earlier and above analyst estimates ranging from $0.07 to $0.10. Revenue reached $50.65 billion, surpassing the $47.12 billion consensus estimate and increasing 1.9% year over year. Centene Q3 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Centene raised its 2026 outlook: The company increased adjusted diluted EPS guidance by $0.40 to more than $5.20 and lifted GAAP diluted EPS guidance to more than $3.46. Management also reported a third-quarter health benefits ratio of 92.7%, better than expected, with Medicare driving the improvement while Medicaid and Marketplace operations remained on track. Centene Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: GAAP results remained pressured: Centene posted a $71 million, or $0.14-per-share, GAAP net loss, although this was a major improvement from the $6.63 billion loss, or $13.50 per share, reported in the prior-year quarter. Investors are likely to focus more on adjusted profitability and the raised outlook, but the negative net margin remains a risk.
• Negative Sentiment: Options activity signaled caution before the release: Traders purchased 12,127 put options, 72% above typical volume. Centene had also declined ahead of earnings as investors questioned whether its prior rally was fully supported by results and guidance. These signals may limit further gains if expectations rise too quickly.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $65.00 target price (up from $47.00) on shares of Centene in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Centene from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Argus raised shares of Centene from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on Centene from $46.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on Centene from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Centene has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.05.

Insider Activity

In other Centene news, General Counsel Christopher Koster sold 56,500 shares of the business’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 transaction of $3,779,850.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel owned 248,854 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,648,332.60. The trade was a 18.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.37% of the company’s stock.

Centene Company Profile

Centene Corporation is a diversified healthcare enterprise that provides government-sponsored and commercial health insurance programs and related healthcare services. The company’s offerings are primarily focused on Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance marketplace plans, with an emphasis on serving individuals and families who may have limited access to traditional healthcare coverage.

Centene operates Medicaid health plans through state-based contracts and offers Medicare Advantage, Medicare prescription drug, and Medicare Supplement products through its Wellcare brand.