2026-10-25
Centene clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
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latest tape · as of 10:12 UTC
The Screen · Healthcare · Healthcare Plans
Centene Corporation
CNC · a US exchange · USD · Market cap $33.9B · 61,000 employees
Centene Corporation operates as a managed care company that provides programs and services to under-insured families, and commercial organizations in the United States.
Not yet scored76.01 USD
Price as of 4 Nov 2026Daily close, not a live quote
Screened 2026-11-04 · the tape above runs as of 10:12 UTC · two dates, stated on purpose · verdict and workings shown in full · never trimmed
Key facts today
- Price76.01 USD at the 4 Nov 2026 close
- Our value readUndervalued vs our fair value, as of 4 Nov 2026
- Our regime readAccumulation, as of 4 Nov 2026
- Ethical screenNot yet scored
- OptionsOpen interest leans heavily to calls (put/call 0.37)
- Last reviewed4 Nov 2026 (1 days ago)
- Release timesRelease and earnings times on your chart: Event Guard Mentor
A summary of the dated readings below, not a live quote and not advice.
PRICE · ONE YEAR
Our fair-value range: $85.00 to $134.96, base estimate $85.00 (screen dated 2026-11-04).
- Trend Accumulation
- Insiders no filings inside 60 days, left as found
- Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
- Options put/call open interest 0.37, read 2026-11-05
- Ethical screen not yet scored
Price76.01 USD
Fair value85.00
Ethical score70.9/100
Value readUndervaluedas of 4 Nov 2026
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-20Read Accumulation69.16+9.9% to today ✓Markdown gives way to Accumulation after an 11% rise in 3 weeks
2026-10-02Read Markdown62.53+21.6% to today Accumulation gives way to Markdown with results news in the headlines
2026-08-25Read Accumulation65.02+16.9% to today ✓Markup gives way to Accumulation
2026-07-02Read Markup62.33+21.9% to today ✓First review on file: Markup
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
The full research record, in depth, below
This name holds its accumulation label.
Centene Corporation holds its Accumulation at $76.01. The statistical read favours the sellers, held for 41 days.
| Phase | Accumulation |
| Quantitative state | The statistical read favours the sellers, held for 41 days |
| Price at the screen | $76.01 |
| Valuation | 23.52 trailing · 12.51 forward price to earnings |
| Values screen | Not scored · score 70.9 |
| Beta | 1.13 |
Five Screens, Shown in Full
This security has not been fully scored against the values screen yet.
| Test | Figure | Limit | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business activity | Permissible | Core business clean | Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. | Pass |
| Debt load | 23.66% | Below 33% | Interest-bearing debt is just 23.7% of its assets, well under the one-third ceiling: it does not run on borrowed money. | Pass |
| Interest-bearing cash | 22.20% | Below 33% | Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 22.2% of assets, under the one-third limit. | Pass |
| Receivables | 46.90% | Below 49% | Money owed to the company is 46.9% of assets, under the 49% limit. | Pass |
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical ReadThe Read, in Plain English
Centene clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
Read as at 2026-11-05. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
2026-09-24
Clears
Centene clears all five screens. Its business is in a permissible area, its interest-bearing debt is about 24%, inside the ~33% line, and almost none of its income is interest, so it passes.
Earlier reads, kept as written. The ethical profile is tracked over time, not overwritten.
What the Numbers Say It Is WorthThe Fair Value Range
Our analysis reads Undervalued vs our fair value, as of 4 Nov 2026: it trades at roughly a 21% discount to our $85.00 fair value, weak competitive moat, 0.20% revenue growth.
How a fair value is estimated: discounted cash flow (DCF).
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-11-04 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 10.6% discount to the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 18 covering, consensus Buy. The average target sits −1% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Our model sees value the Street hasn't fully caught up to yet.
Price History & ProjectionsWhere our models see it going: fair-value estimate $85.00, with a range of $85.00 to $134.96, dated to the 2026-11-04 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain WordsMedicaid Safety Net Trades Past Fair Value
Picture a firm paid to cover the families regular insurers skip. Centene sits in that spot, running Medicaid and Medicare plans across four segments. Shares at 66 dollars sit 10 percent above our 60 dollar fair value line, so the opportunity rating stays at fair value.
Revenue edges up 5 percent yet the business posts a negative 4 percent profit margin and negative 26 percent return on equity. A weak moat and forward price to earnings of 14.8 times do not change the fact that returns remain poor. The ethical screen clears, yet that alone does not lift the case.
Analysts lean buy with a 68 dollar median target, but negative returns and thin growth leave plenty of room for disappointment if reimbursement rates tighten. Analysis, not advice.
| Forward P/E | 12.5xexpensive even after accounting for its growth |
| Trailing P/E | 23.5xa premium valuation |
| EPS, trailing | 2.91 |
| EPS, forward | 5.47 |
| Revenue growth | +0.2%slow but positive growth |
| Profit margin | 0.8%barely profitable |
| Return on equity | 6.7%a modest return on shareholder capital |
| FCF yield | 9.10% |
| Debt to equity | 0.70moderate, manageable leverage |
| Current ratio | 1.16adequate liquidity, worth monitoring |
| Beta | 1.13moves a little more than the market |
| Short interest, float | 0.03% |
| 52-week range | 31.63 - 72.50 |
| Moat | WEAK |
| Market cap | $33.9B |
| Employees | 61,000 |
Another profit measure, before interest, tax and non-cash costs: EBITDA.
The risks · The main risks here are ordinary market swings and the chance our fair-value read proves too optimistic.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to TradeCNC trades on a US exchange. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
Every Entry, As Written
2026-11-03
Accumulation $68.45
-1.0% Entry 16
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 1.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58.
2026-10-27
Accumulation $69.16
+0.0% Entry 15
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-26
Accumulation $69.16
+0.0% Entry 14
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-25
Accumulation $69.16
+0.0% Entry 13
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-24
Accumulation $69.16
+0.0% Entry 12
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-23
Accumulation $69.16
+0.0% Entry 11
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-22
Accumulation $69.16
+0.0% Entry 10
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-21
Accumulation $69.16
+0.0% Entry 9
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-20
Accumulation · changed $69.16
+5.8% Entry 8
The framework has shifted from markdown to accumulation since the last review. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved up 5.8% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 28% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-14
Markdown $65.36
+4.5% Entry 7
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved up 4.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 46% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
- CNC Q3 deep dive: Medicare and Marketplace margin gains drive improved outlook Yahoo Finance · 5d ago
- The 5 most interesting analyst questions from Centene’s Q3 earnings call Yahoo Finance · 6d ago
- Top Analyst Reports for Lam Research, Lockheed Martin & Equinor Yahoo Finance · 7d ago
- Lucie and CHOICE Broaden the Growth Runway for Oscar Health Yahoo Finance · 7d ago
- What Centene (CNC)'s Guidance Raise Means For Shareholders Yahoo Finance · 7d ago
Headlines from third-party outlets, linked for reference: not our reporting, not advice.
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| Date | Insider | Title | Type | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-12 | COUGHLIN CHRISTOPHER J | Director | 3,992 | · | |
| 2026-05-12 | SAMUELS THEODORE R II | Director | 3,992 | · | |
| 2026-05-12 | TANJI KENNETH Y. | Director | 3,992 | · | |
| 2026-05-12 | DALLAS HIRAM JAMES | Director | 3,992 | · | |
| 2026-05-12 | BURDICK KENNETH A | Director | 3,992 | · | |
| 2026-05-12 | BLUME JESSICA L | Director | 3,992 | · | |
| 2026-05-12 | EPPINGER FREDERICK H | Director | 6,654 | · | |
| 2026-05-12 | FORD MONTE E. | Director | 3,992 | · | |
| 2026-03-31 | COUGHLIN CHRISTOPHER J | Director | 1,140 | · | |
| 2026-03-31 | SAMUELS THEODORE R II | Director | 943 | · |
Public filings, recorded as found. The full tape lives at Insider Intelligence.
| Date | Politician | Party | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-04 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | sell | 1K–15K |
| 2026-08-10 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | sell | 15K–50K |
| 2026-08-10 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | sell | 15K–50K |
| 2026-08-10 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | sell | 15K–50K |
| 2026-08-10 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | sell | 15K–50K |
| Period | Price then | Price return | Divs per share | $1,000 became | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $56.36 | +16.3% | · | $1,163 | +16.3% |
| 2 months | $37.30 | +75.7% | · | $1,757 | +75.7% |
| 3 months | $34.57 | +89.6% | · | $1,896 | +89.6% |
| 6 months | $40.46 | +62.0% | · | $1,620 | +62.0% |
| 1 year | $55.51 | +18.1% | · | $1,181 | +18.1% |
| 2 years | $69.84 | -6.2% | · | $938 | -6.2% |
| 3 years | $69.00 | -5.0% | · | $950 | -5.0% |
| 5 years | $70.81 | -7.5% | · | $925 | -7.5% |
Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever CNC does next, these words stay.
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