Centene (NYSE:CNC) Stock Price Expected to Rise, UBS Group Analyst Says

Posted by Brian Himes on Oct 28th, 2026

Centene (NYSE:CNC – Get Free Report) had its price target upped by investment analysts at UBS Group from $70.00 to $78.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. UBS Group‘s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 16.22% from the company’s previous close.

CNC has been the subject of several other reports. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $79.00 target price (up from $68.00) on shares of Centene in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Zacks Research downgraded Centene from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Centene from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Centene in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Finally, Mizuho set a $72.00 target price on shares of Centene in a report on Wednesday. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Centene presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $71.85.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Centene

Centene Stock Performance

Shares of Centene stock traded down $1.60 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $67.11. 5,798,412 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,628,188. Centene has a one year low of $31.63 and a one year high of $72.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.43, a P/E/G ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $65.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $54.94.

Centene (NYSE:CNC – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.10 by $0.48. The business had revenue of $50.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $47.12 billion. Centene had a negative net margin of 2.51% and a positive return on equity of 12.12%. The firm’s revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.50 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Centene will post 4.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Centene

In other news, General Counsel Christopher Koster sold 56,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.90, for a total transaction of $3,779,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel directly owned 248,854 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,648,332.60. This represents a 18.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Centene

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Silicon Valley Capital Partners purchased a new stake in Centene during the second quarter valued at $25,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH purchased a new position in shares of Centene in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp bought a new stake in shares of Centene in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. MidFirst Bank bought a new stake in shares of Centene in the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Fiduciary Financial Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of Centene during the 2nd quarter valued at about $34,000. Institutional investors own 93.63% of the company’s stock.

Centene News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Centene this week:

Positive Sentiment: Centene reported third-quarter adjusted EPS of $0.58, well above the roughly $0.10 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $50.65 billion versus expectations of $47.12 billion. The consolidated medical loss ratio was 92.7%, better than anticipated and supported by Medicare performance. Centene Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
Positive Sentiment: Management raised 2026 guidance to adjusted diluted EPS above $5.20, a $0.40 increase, and GAAP diluted EPS above $3.46. The Medicare business is recovering faster than expected and is projected to reach breakeven a year early. Centene forecasts 2026 adjusted EPS greater than $5.20
Positive Sentiment: Analysts responded by lifting price targets: Barclays raised its target to $82 and retained an overweight rating, while Cantor Fitzgerald increased its target to $79. UBS also raised its target to $78, although it maintained a neutral rating. Centene Analysts Boost Their Forecasts Following Upbeat Q3 Earnings
Neutral Sentiment: The quarterly GAAP result remained a loss of $0.14 per share, or $71 million, although this was a significant improvement from the prior-year loss. Investors may be focusing more on the quality and durability of the recovery than on the earnings beat alone. Centene Posts Narrower Loss in Q3
Negative Sentiment: Management continues to flag Medicaid enrollment declines and margin pressure as risks. Those concerns could limit upside and encourage profit-taking after CNC’s substantial advance over the past year. High-volume put-option buying also signals increased near-term hedging or bearish speculation. Centene Q3 Earnings Call Highlights Faster Recovery and Medicaid Risks

Centene Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Centene Corporation is a diversified healthcare enterprise that provides government-sponsored and commercial health insurance programs and related healthcare services. The company’s offerings are primarily focused on Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance marketplace plans, with an emphasis on serving individuals and families who may have limited access to traditional healthcare coverage.

Centene operates Medicaid health plans through state-based contracts and offers Medicare Advantage, Medicare prescription drug, and Medicare Supplement products through its Wellcare brand.