Centene (NYSE:CNC) Price Target Raised to $53.00 at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Centene (NYSE:CNC) had its price target raised by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $39.00 to $53.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has a hold rating on the stock.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Centene from $34.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Centene from $39.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $58.00 price objective (up from $45.00) on shares of Centene in a report on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $44.00 price target on shares of Centene and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $63.00 target price (up from $54.00) on shares of Centene in a research report on Wednesday. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Centene has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $51.41.

Centene Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE CNC traded down $0.65 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $53.33. 2,869,019 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,612,944. The company has a market cap of $26.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.91, a P/E/G ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.59. Centene has a one year low of $25.08 and a one year high of $64.15. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $38.71 and its 200-day simple moving average is $39.35. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87.

Centene (NYSE:CNC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $3.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.12 by $1.25. Centene had a negative net margin of 3.43% and a positive return on equity of 4.25%. The firm had revenue of $49.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $47.58 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.90 earnings per share. Centene’s quarterly revenue was up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Centene will post 3.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Centene

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Addison Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Centene by 455.6% during the third quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 739 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 606 shares in the last quarter. DV Equities LLC purchased a new stake in Centene during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Centene during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Centene in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Centene by 118.4% in the 4th 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. 93.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Centene News

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings and guidance lift — Centene reported an EPS beat (adjusted EPS well ahead of expectations), stronger revenue and raised its 2026 profit outlook thanks to cost controls and Medicaid strength; this performance is the primary driver behind recent buying interest. Centene stock rises as earnings beat, outlook lifted on cost cuts
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish analyst upgrades — several firms moved to more constructive stances: Truist raised its price target to $58 and issued a “buy”, and Bank of America upgraded Centene to “buy” with a $60 target, supporting further upside expectations. Truist, BofA upgrades
• Positive Sentiment: Options flow skewing bullish — unusual activity: roughly double the typical daily call volume was traded, indicating some investors are positioning for continued upside.
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst target resets — several firms raised price targets but kept neutral/hold ratings (Deutsche Bank to $53 hold, Mizuho to $50 neutral, Morgan Stanley to $50 equal weight, Jefferies to $48 hold); these revisions narrow but don’t clearly extend consensus upside. Deutsche Bank PT raise
• Neutral Sentiment: Other price‑target moves — UBS, Morgan Stanley and Mizuho lifted targets into the low‑$50s range but many shops remain cautious (neutral/equal weight), leaving analyst consensus mixed. Morgan Stanley PT raise
• Negative Sentiment: Legislative/regulatory risk — H.R. 8375 (Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026) would impose stricter oversight, require non‑restrictive medical necessity criteria, real‑time auth and transparency. Those changes could raise MA operating costs or alter reimbursement dynamics for Centene. Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Membership mix concerns — while Medicaid strength helped results, reports note persistent commercial enrollment declines; weaker commercial membership could pressure future revenue/margin stability. Membership slide note

Centene Company Profile

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.