<div id="readability-page-1"><p>Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $39.92, but opened at $37.24. Centene shares last traded at $37.5860, with a volume of 1,700,182 shares changing hands.</p><h2>Key Centene News</h2><ul><li>MarketBeat Week in Review – 07/07 - 07/11</li></ul><p>Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:</p><ul>   <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Centene issued 2026 adjusted EPS guidance at $3.00, above the consensus ~ $2.95, and management said costs are stabilizing — a signal that profitability trends could improve next year. <i></i><span>Reuters: Centene sees 2026 profit above estimates</span></li>    <li><span>Neutral Sentiment: </span>Centene highlighted community outreach (Health Net events tied to Super Bowl week) — positive PR but unlikely to move near-term fundamentals. <i></i><span>PR Newswire: Health Net and Pro Football Hall of Fame events</span></li>    <li><span>Neutral Sentiment: </span>Legislative developments (a proposed bill to expand no-cost-sharing mental-health benefits around pregnancy) could affect industry plan design over time; impact on Centene is possible but distant and uncertain. <i></i><span>QuiverQuant: H.R.7227 summary</span></li>    <li><span>Negative Sentiment: </span>Centene reported a fourth-quarter GAAP loss (more than $1B; $(1.19) EPS) despite beating revenue and the consensus EPS loss estimate — the swing to a large GAAP loss and continued elevated medical costs keep investor concern about earnings volatility and cash flow. <i></i><span>Forbes: Centene reports $1 billion loss</span></li>    <li><span>Negative Sentiment: </span>Key profitability metric: consolidated Health Benefit Ratio (HBR) was 94.3% in Q4 (Medicaid HBR 93.0%), indicating high medical-loss levels; and Centene’s 2026 revenue guidance ($186.5B–$190.5B) is below the Street’s ~$192B consensus — revenue guidance miss + high HBRs likely drove investor disappointment. <i></i><span>PR Newswire: Centene 2025 results and 2026 guidance</span></li> </ul><h2>Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth</h2><p>Several equities research analysts have issued reports on CNC shares. Truist Financial increased their price target on Centene from $45.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a &#34;buy&#34; rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. TD Cowen  restated a &#34;hold&#34; rating on shares of Centene in a report on Friday, October 31st. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Centene from $25.00 to $32.00 in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Weiss Ratings  reaffirmed a &#34;sell (d)&#34; rating on shares of Centene in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. lifted their price target on Centene from $38.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a &#34;neutral&#34; rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company  has a consensus rating of &#34;Hold&#34; and an average target price of $40.81.</p><ul><li>Why Centene Stock Dropped 40% — And Whether It's a Buy Now</li></ul><p><b>Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Centene</b></p><h2>Centene Stock Performance</h2><p>The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. The stock's fifty day moving average is $42.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.49, a P/E/G ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 0.48. </p><ul><li>Top Analyst-Rated Healthcare Stocks to Watch Now</li></ul><p>Centene (NYSE:CNC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 6th. The company reported ($1.19) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.25) by $0.06. The company had revenue of $49.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $48.41 billion. Centene had a negative net margin of 2.85% and a positive return on equity of 7.82%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 21.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.80 EPS. Centene has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.000-3.000 EPS.  On average, analysts predict that  Centene Corporation will post 6.86 earnings per share for the current year. </p><h2>Institutional Inflows and Outflows</h2><p>Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Addison Advisors LLC raised its stake in  Centene by 455.6% in the 3rd quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 739 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 606 shares during the period.  SBI Securities Co. Ltd. raised its position in shares of  Centene by 118.4% in the fourth quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 749 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 406 shares during the period.  Mowery &amp; Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of  Centene during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000.  GoalVest Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of  Centene during the 4th quarter worth about $37,000.  Finally, Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA acquired a new position in  Centene in the 4th quarter valued at about $37,000. 93.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. </p><h2>About Centene</h2> (Get Free Report)<p>Centene Corporation <span>NYSE: CNC<span></span></span> 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.  </p><p>Centene's offerings extend beyond traditional insurance to include a range of specialty and support services.</p><h2>Featured Articles</h2><ul><li>Five stocks we like better than Centene</li><li>Your Bank Account Is No Longer Safe</li><li>Trump Devises the Death of the IRS ☠️</li><li>“Fed Proof” Your Bank Account with THESE 4 Simple Steps</li><li>What a Former CIA Agent Knows About the Coming Collapse</li><li>Wall Street’s New Sports Prediction Trade</li></ul><p><em>This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.</em></p><h2>Should You Invest $1,000 in Centene Right Now?</h2><p>Before you consider Centene, you'll want to hear this.</p><p>MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Centene wasn't on the list.</p><p>While Centene currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.</p><p>View The Five Stocks Here</p>                  </div>

<p>Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) shares gapped down from $39.92 to $37.24 before trading at $37.5860. The company issued 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $3.00, above the consensus of $2.95, indicating potential profitability improvement. However, it reported a fourth-quarter GAAP loss exceeding $1 billion, raising investor concerns. Analysts have mixed ratings, with a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $40.81. Institutional investors have increased their stakes, reflecting ongoing interest despite recent stock volatility.</p>

Centene (NYSE:CNC) Shares Gap Down - Here's What Happened