Centene Named Among 14 Best GARP Stocks by Analysts
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 27 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CNC?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Target Price Increase: Truist raised Centene's price target from $47 to $49 while maintaining a Buy rating, indicating analysts' optimism about the company's future growth, particularly after positive management meetings that highlighted confidence in profitability across various segments.
- Earnings Performance: In the Q4 2025 earnings report, Centene reported an adjusted diluted loss per share of $1.19; however, CEO Sarah London noted that the company slightly exceeded expectations shared in the third quarter, demonstrating resilience during a challenging year.
- Market Outlook: London anticipates that adjusted EPS for 2026 will exceed $3, representing over 40% year-over-year growth, which not only reflects stability in Medicaid and Marketplace segments but also indicates a rebuilding of the company's earnings strength.
- Business Diversification: Centene focuses on providing integrated services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, particularly for underinsured and uninsured individuals, with its diversified business model offering strong support for future growth.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy CNC?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on CNC
Wall Street analysts forecast CNC stock price to fall
15 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
8 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 43.320
Low
32.00
Averages
43.07
High
59.00
Current: 43.320
Low
32.00
Averages
43.07
High
59.00
About CNC
Centene Corporation is a healthcare company. The Company provides fully integrated services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Its segments include Medicaid, Medicare, Commercial and Other. Specifically, the Medicaid segment includes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, Medicaid Expansion programs, the Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD) program, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), Foster Care, Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMP), which cover beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare and other state-based programs. The Medicare segment includes Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. The Commercial segment includes the Health Insurance Marketplace product along with individual, small group, and large group commercial health insurance products.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Centene Reaffirms 2026 Earnings Guidance at Barclays Conference
- Earnings Guidance Reaffirmed: At the Barclays 28th Annual Global Healthcare Conference, Centene expects to reaffirm its 2026 GAAP diluted earnings per share guidance of over $1.98 and adjusted diluted EPS of over $3.00, demonstrating the company's confidence in its future performance.
- Market Expectations Align: The company's earnings forecast aligns with market analysts' estimates, indicating Centene's stability and ongoing profitability in the healthcare insurance market, which may bolster investor confidence.
- Margin Improvement: Centene's aggressive repricing and cost-cutting measures have enhanced its margin of safety, indicating effective strategies to improve financial health, which could positively impact its stock price.
- Industry Dynamics Under Scrutiny: Centene, along with CVS Health and Elevance, has received subpoenas from a House panel, reflecting potential regulatory changes that could affect the company's operations and market positioning.
See More
Texas Welcomes 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence
- Foster Center Expansion: Superior HealthPlan has officially designated Cute Pediatrics as the 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence in Texas, marking the first recognition in the Rio Grande Valley and enhancing healthcare quality for foster children in the region.
- Healthcare Commitment: Cute Pediatrics focuses on providing comprehensive medical services for children from newborn to 21 years, particularly supporting high-risk newborns, ensuring every child’s long-term health and emotional well-being.
- Quality Standards Enhancement: To achieve this designation, Cute Pediatrics must meet over 30 criteria, including quality improvement initiatives and staff requirements, which not only elevate service quality but also strengthen Superior HealthPlan's leadership position in foster care healthcare.
- Community Contribution: Since 2020, Superior HealthPlan has contributed $12.3 million in grants and sponsorships to low-income communities, demonstrating its commitment to all 254 Texas counties and further solidifying its status as a leading managed care organization.
See More
Centene Stock Declines Amid Membership Losses
- Stock Decline: Centene Corp (NYSE:CNC) shares fell 13.18% to $37.61 on Tuesday, reflecting a 35% drop over the past year, indicating market concerns regarding its future performance.
- Earnings Guidance Reaffirmed: Despite the pressures, Centene reaffirmed its 2026 earnings guidance of over $1.98 per share and adjusted earnings exceeding $3 per share, demonstrating the company's confidence in its future profitability.
- Membership Loss Warning: At the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference, Centene warned of lower membership in some Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, with attrition expected between the high teens and mid-30s, as noted by CEO Sarah London, who indicated they might exceed this range.
- Increased Utilization Rates: Centene reported a decline in total membership from 28.60 million to 27.63 million for 2025, primarily due to a drop in Medicaid members from 13.00 million to 12.52 million, while higher utilization patterns were noted in specialty pharmacy within the silver tier, indicating shifts in market demand.
See More
Superior HealthPlan Designates 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence in Texas
- New Center of Excellence: Superior HealthPlan has designated Cute Pediatrics as the 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence in Texas, marking a significant enhancement in quality healthcare services in the Rio Grande Valley region, particularly for foster children.
- Healthcare Standards: Cute Pediatrics achieved this recognition by meeting over 30 criteria, including quality improvement initiatives and staff requirements, demonstrating its commitment to specialized care for foster children, which is expected to elevate health outcomes in the area.
- Community Impact: Serving 2 million people across Texas, Superior HealthPlan has been dedicated to improving community health for over 25 years, and the addition of Cute Pediatrics will further strengthen its support for low-income communities, promoting overall health improvements.
- Family-Centered Care: Cute Pediatrics provides comprehensive care for children from newborns to 21 years, emphasizing a family-centered approach, which is expected to enhance parental satisfaction and trust in healthcare services, ultimately fostering long-term health development for children.
See More
Centene Ranks as the Lowest Performing Stock in the S&P 500 Today: Here's the Reason.
- Stock Performance: Centene's stock has underperformed compared to the broader market this year, reflecting challenges faced by health insurers and managed-care companies.
- Regulatory Concerns: The company is navigating a changing regulatory environment, which has raised concerns among investors.
- Business Update Impact: A recent business update from Centene has heightened investor anxiety regarding the company's future prospects.
- Market Context: The struggles of Centene are indicative of broader issues within the health insurance sector amid evolving regulations.
See More
Centene CEO Predicts ACA Membership Decline Amid Operational Headwinds
- Membership Decline Forecast: Centene CEO Sarah London indicated at the Barclays Healthcare Conference that the ACA membership decline is expected to reach the higher end or possibly exceed the previously anticipated mid to high 30% range, reflecting ongoing operational challenges.
- Reasons for Attrition: London noted that the higher-than-expected membership attrition is partly due to the FPL mix and the pricing strategy implemented at the beginning of the year, emphasizing the trade-off between margin focus and membership numbers, which could impact future market share.
- Membership Data Update: Centene's ACA business, Ambetter, is projected to have approximately 3.5 million members by the end of Q1, down from 5.5 million at the end of last year, indicating a significant decline in membership numbers.
- Financial Outlook Reaffirmed: Despite these challenges, Centene reaffirmed its full-year outlook of more than $1.98 in GAAP EPS and over $3.00 in adjusted diluted EPS, aligning with market consensus and demonstrating the company's confidence in its financial performance.
See More
Centene Reaffirms 2026 Earnings Guidance at Barclays Conference
- Earnings Guidance Reaffirmed: At the Barclays 28th Annual Global Healthcare Conference, Centene expects to reaffirm its 2026 GAAP diluted earnings per share guidance of over $1.98 and adjusted diluted EPS of over $3.00, demonstrating the company's confidence in its future performance.
- Market Expectations Align: The company's earnings forecast aligns with market analysts' estimates, indicating Centene's stability and ongoing profitability in the healthcare insurance market, which may bolster investor confidence.
- Margin Improvement: Centene's aggressive repricing and cost-cutting measures have enhanced its margin of safety, indicating effective strategies to improve financial health, which could positively impact its stock price.
- Industry Dynamics Under Scrutiny: Centene, along with CVS Health and Elevance, has received subpoenas from a House panel, reflecting potential regulatory changes that could affect the company's operations and market positioning.
See More
Texas Welcomes 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence
- Foster Center Expansion: Superior HealthPlan has officially designated Cute Pediatrics as the 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence in Texas, marking the first recognition in the Rio Grande Valley and enhancing healthcare quality for foster children in the region.
- Healthcare Commitment: Cute Pediatrics focuses on providing comprehensive medical services for children from newborn to 21 years, particularly supporting high-risk newborns, ensuring every child’s long-term health and emotional well-being.
- Quality Standards Enhancement: To achieve this designation, Cute Pediatrics must meet over 30 criteria, including quality improvement initiatives and staff requirements, which not only elevate service quality but also strengthen Superior HealthPlan's leadership position in foster care healthcare.
- Community Contribution: Since 2020, Superior HealthPlan has contributed $12.3 million in grants and sponsorships to low-income communities, demonstrating its commitment to all 254 Texas counties and further solidifying its status as a leading managed care organization.
See More
Centene Stock Declines Amid Membership Losses
- Stock Decline: Centene Corp (NYSE:CNC) shares fell 13.18% to $37.61 on Tuesday, reflecting a 35% drop over the past year, indicating market concerns regarding its future performance.
- Earnings Guidance Reaffirmed: Despite the pressures, Centene reaffirmed its 2026 earnings guidance of over $1.98 per share and adjusted earnings exceeding $3 per share, demonstrating the company's confidence in its future profitability.
- Membership Loss Warning: At the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference, Centene warned of lower membership in some Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, with attrition expected between the high teens and mid-30s, as noted by CEO Sarah London, who indicated they might exceed this range.
- Increased Utilization Rates: Centene reported a decline in total membership from 28.60 million to 27.63 million for 2025, primarily due to a drop in Medicaid members from 13.00 million to 12.52 million, while higher utilization patterns were noted in specialty pharmacy within the silver tier, indicating shifts in market demand.
See More
Superior HealthPlan Designates 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence in Texas
- New Center of Excellence: Superior HealthPlan has designated Cute Pediatrics as the 14th Foster Care Center of Excellence in Texas, marking a significant enhancement in quality healthcare services in the Rio Grande Valley region, particularly for foster children.
- Healthcare Standards: Cute Pediatrics achieved this recognition by meeting over 30 criteria, including quality improvement initiatives and staff requirements, demonstrating its commitment to specialized care for foster children, which is expected to elevate health outcomes in the area.
- Community Impact: Serving 2 million people across Texas, Superior HealthPlan has been dedicated to improving community health for over 25 years, and the addition of Cute Pediatrics will further strengthen its support for low-income communities, promoting overall health improvements.
- Family-Centered Care: Cute Pediatrics provides comprehensive care for children from newborns to 21 years, emphasizing a family-centered approach, which is expected to enhance parental satisfaction and trust in healthcare services, ultimately fostering long-term health development for children.
See More
Centene Ranks as the Lowest Performing Stock in the S&P 500 Today: Here's the Reason.
- Stock Performance: Centene's stock has underperformed compared to the broader market this year, reflecting challenges faced by health insurers and managed-care companies.
- Regulatory Concerns: The company is navigating a changing regulatory environment, which has raised concerns among investors.
- Business Update Impact: A recent business update from Centene has heightened investor anxiety regarding the company's future prospects.
- Market Context: The struggles of Centene are indicative of broader issues within the health insurance sector amid evolving regulations.
See More
Centene CEO Predicts ACA Membership Decline Amid Operational Headwinds
- Membership Decline Forecast: Centene CEO Sarah London indicated at the Barclays Healthcare Conference that the ACA membership decline is expected to reach the higher end or possibly exceed the previously anticipated mid to high 30% range, reflecting ongoing operational challenges.
- Reasons for Attrition: London noted that the higher-than-expected membership attrition is partly due to the FPL mix and the pricing strategy implemented at the beginning of the year, emphasizing the trade-off between margin focus and membership numbers, which could impact future market share.
- Membership Data Update: Centene's ACA business, Ambetter, is projected to have approximately 3.5 million members by the end of Q1, down from 5.5 million at the end of last year, indicating a significant decline in membership numbers.
- Financial Outlook Reaffirmed: Despite these challenges, Centene reaffirmed its full-year outlook of more than $1.98 in GAAP EPS and over $3.00 in adjusted diluted EPS, aligning with market consensus and demonstrating the company's confidence in its financial performance.
See More
