Centene Stock: Is CNC Outperforming the Healthcare Sector?

Centene Stock: Is CNC Outperforming the Healthcare Sector?

Aritra Gangopadhyay

Thu, September 10, 2026 at 4:56 PM GMT+3 2 min read

• CNC +1.56%

Saint Louis, Missouri-based Centene Corporation (CNC) operates as a healthcare enterprise that provides programs and services to underinsured and uninsured families and commercial organizations in the United States. The company has a market capitalization of $31.6 billion and operates through Medicaid, Medicare, Commercial, and Other segments.

Companies with a market cap of $10 billion or more are typically called "large-cap stocks." CNC fits squarely into that category, with a market cap above this threshold that reflects its substantial size and influence in the healthcare plans industry.

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However, the stock currently trades 7.4% below its 52-week high of $69.36 recorded on July 14. CNC has declined 1.7% over the past three months, underperforming the State Street Healthcare Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLV) 9.5% rise during the same time frame.

In the longer term, CNC has delivered a different performance. The stock has grown 105.3% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming the 21.9% surge of XLV over the same period. CNC has been trading above its 200-day moving average since April and also above its 50-day moving average since the last trading session.

On July 28, CNC released its better-than-expected Q2 2026 earnings. The company's revenue for the quarter amounted to $53.4 billion and surpassed the Street's estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS came in at $2.51, also coming in on top of Wall Street's forecasts. The company raised its revenue guidance for the full year to $195.5 billion, marking a 3.2% increase, accompanied by a 41.2% increase in its adjusted EPS guidance to $4.80 at the midpoint.

When stacked against its rival, Molina Healthcare, Inc. (MOH) has surged 13.9% over the past year, lagging behind CNC.

Wall Street's view of CNC stock is somewhat bullish. Among the 21 analysts covering the stock, the overall consensus rating is "Moderate Buy." Its mean price target of $72.05 offers a 7.2% upside potential.

On the date of publication, Aritra Gangopadhyay did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com