Robert W. Baird Raises Centene (NYSE:CNC) Price Target to $66.00

Centene (NYSE:CNC) had its target price lifted by stock analysts at Robert W. Baird from $46.00 to $66.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. Robert W. Baird’s target price indicates a potential upside of 2.92% from the company’s current price.

CNC has been the subject of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Centene from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, June 8th. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Centene from $71.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Centene from $48.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Mizuho set a $63.00 price objective on Centene and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, June 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Centene in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $66.50.

Centene Stock Performance

Shares of CNC stock opened at $64.13 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 1.12. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $63.67 and a 200-day moving average of $49.98. Centene has a one year low of $25.08 and a one year high of $69.36. The company has a market cap of $31.67 billion, a P/E ratio of -4.88, a P/E/G ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.07.

Centene (NYSE:CNC) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $2.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.09 by $1.42. Centene had a negative net margin of 3.25% and a positive return on equity of 5.57%. The business had revenue of $53.58 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $47.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.16) EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Centene has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.800- EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Centene will post 3.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Centene

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Baird Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Centene in the first quarter valued at approximately $236,000. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in Centene by 80.0% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 9,710 shares of the company’s stock worth $527,000 after purchasing an additional 4,315 shares in the last quarter. CW Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Centene by 20.3% during the 2nd quarter. CW Advisors LLC now owns 4,863 shares of the company’s stock valued at $264,000 after purchasing an additional 820 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Centene by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 44,945 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,440,000 after purchasing an additional 2,582 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its position in shares of Centene by 0.4% in the second quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 231,938 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,590,000 after buying an additional 967 shares in the last quarter. 93.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Centene

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results significantly exceeded expectations. Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.51, versus the roughly $1.09 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $53.58 billion, up 9.9% year over year and above the $47.64 billion consensus. GAAP diluted EPS was $2.19, compared with a year-ago loss of $0.16. Centene Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Centene raised its full-year guidance. The company now expects 2026 adjusted EPS above $4.80, up from its prior outlook, and revenue of $193.5 billion to $197.5 billion. The guidance increase gives investors greater confidence that the earnings recovery can continue. Centene Raises Annual Profit Forecast on Better Cost Control
• Positive Sentiment: Medical cost trends improved substantially. The health benefits ratio fell to 89.6% from 93.0% a year earlier. Commercial HBR was 79.2%, while Medicare HBR was 89.5%, indicating better profitability in key segments. Centene Spikes on Strong Q2 Beat and Guidance Hike
• Neutral Sentiment: Director Kenneth Burdick retired from Centene’s board, and Paul J. was appointed as a successor. The change is not accompanied by an operational impact in the reported materials. Centene Announces Board of Directors Changes
• Negative Sentiment: Membership, particularly in Medicaid, softened. Total at-risk membership was 25.885 million at June 30, and analysts highlighted Medicaid enrollment pressure. Lower membership could weigh on future premium growth even as pricing and cost management support near-term earnings. Centene Swings to More Than $1 Billion in Profit in Q2

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.