CNC · NYSE · STOCK
Centene (CNC) Stock Analysis
$65.64
52W $28.24 – $69.36
60/100
$32.12B
-6.3
1.10
⚠
Buy rating, but near-term risk/reward is unfavorable
The long-term recommendation is based on the composite investment score. The near-term risk/reward is based on nearby support and resistance levels. These can differ when a strong company trades close to resistance with support further below.
Is CNC Bullish or Bearish?
Bullish.
Innellis AI committee rates Centene Corporation (CNC) Buy with a composite score of 60/100
, based on 5 analysts with 60% agreement.
Last updated August 24, 2026.
What Would Change This View
- Upgrade to Strong Buy
- Requires a committee score of 75.0 — +14.53 from today. Applies on the first day at or above the line; upgrades are never dampened.
- Downgrade to Watch
- Requires the score to fall below 55.0 — -5.47 from today. The band boundary is 60.0, but a one-step downgrade must clear a further margin first. A score oscillating around the line should not change the rating every night.
Executive Summary
The committee sees neither a compelling opportunity nor a clear risk at this stage. Conditions remain neutral — patience is warranted.
Bull & Bear Case
Bull Case
- Price-to-book of 1.0x is a discount to asset value — Value
- 4 consecutive earnings beats -- consistent execution — Growth
- Price structure making higher highs and higher lows — Technical
- News sentiment is positive (+0.20 across 41 articles, 14d) — News
Bear Case
- ROE of only -24.0% -- cheap may mean cheap for a reason — Value
- Growth rate is decelerating quarter over quarter -- the trend line matters more than the level — Growth
- MACD histogram negative -- bearish momentum — Technical
Both cases are generated from quantitative data signals, not qualitative or
forward-looking judgement. They summarise what the numbers say today.
Price History (6M)
AI Investment Committee
Committee Consensus
As of August 24, 2026
Overall Committee Score
60/100
Agreement
60%
Analysts
5
Conviction
Moderate
Sector Rank
Top 34%
of 192 Healthcare peers
Value Analyst
neutral
55
/ 100 · Moderate confidence
Fair value -- neither a bargain nor obviously overpriced
+ Price-to-book of 1.0x is a discount to asset value
− ROE of only -24.0% -- cheap may mean cheap for a reason
Growth Analyst
bullish
60
/ 100 · High confidence
Strong, accelerating growth with consistent execution
+ 4 consecutive earnings beats -- consistent execution
− Growth rate is decelerating quarter over quarter -- the trend line matters more than the level
Technical Analyst
neutral
58
/ 100 · High confidence
Mixed or range-bound price action
+ Price structure making higher highs and higher lows
− MACD histogram negative -- bearish momentum
Macro Analyst
bullish
65
/ 100 · Low confidence
Macro backdrop is supportive of risk assets generally, and this name's beta works in its favor
News Analyst
bullish
64
/ 100 · Low confidence
News flow and recent filings/analyst actions are net positive
+ News sentiment is positive (+0.20 across 41 articles, 14d)
Portfolio Manager
neutral
45
/ 100 · High confidence
Portfolio-level factors are mixed -- worth a deliberate sizing decision, not a default-size position
+ Portfolio position concentration is currently healthy
− Sector concentration is already high (HHI 3069.37)
Investment Thesis Evolution
Committee score moved marginally from 60.5 to 60.5.
Comparing 2026-08-23 to 2026-08-24 (1 day apart).
Technical Analysis
RSI (14)
49.5
Neutral
MACD Histogram
-0.110
Bearish Momentum
Trend Direction
Uptrend
Weekly: Sideways
Market Structure
Mixed
Support
$63.49
Resistance
$65.86
Bollinger %B
0.55
Inside Bands
Price vs Moving Averages
EMA 9
$65.10
Above
EMA 21
$65.06
Above
EMA 50
$63.49
Above
EMA 200
$53.26
Above
Fundamental Analysis
Valuation
100
Growth
75
Profitability
0
Financial Health
59
Cash Flow
70
Valuation
P/E Ratio
-6.3×
P/B Ratio
1.42×
PEG Ratio
0.02
Dividend Yield
0.00%
52W High
$69.36
52W Low
$28.24
Quality & Growth
ROE
-3344.4%
ROA
-859.2%
Gross Margin
1612.5%
Operating Margin
-281.8%
Revenue Growth YoY
—
Debt / Equity
0.71
AI Fundamental Assessment
P/E ratio of -6.3 (inexpensive relative to a 15-40x range); Price-to-book of 1.4x; PEG ratio of 0.0 (under 1.0 suggests growth is undervalued relative to price); Return on equity of -33.4%; Return on assets of -8.6%; Net margin of -2.6%; Gross margin of 16.1%; Current ratio of 1.15 (tight short-term liquidity); Debt-to-equity of 0.71; Free cash flow per share is positive (18.16); Most recent quarter beat estimates by 129.0%; 4 consecutive earnings beats; EPS growth decelerating (+383.2% -> -25.5% QoQ); Average YoY EPS growth of 1668.8%; Analyst estimates rising over recent quarters
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