Centene (CNC) Stock Forecast & Price Target

$55.97 +0.99 (+1.80%)

Closing price 05/8/2026 03:59 PM Eastern

Extended Trading

$55.55 -0.42 (-0.75%)

As of 05/8/2026 07:55 PM Eastern

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Centene - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Hold

Based on 19 Analyst Ratings

Sell
2

Hold
10

Buy
7

Based on 19 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Centene in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold." Out of the 19 analysts, 2 have given a sell rating, 10 have given a hold rating, 6 have given a buy rating, and 1 has given a strong buy rating for CNC.

Consensus Price Target

$53.82
-3.84% Downside

According to the 19 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Centene, the average price target is $53.82. The highest price target for CNC is $68.00, while the lowest price target for CNC is $37.00. The average price target represents a forecasted downside of -3.84% from the current price of $55.97.

MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.

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CNC Analyst Ratings Over Time

Type	Current Forecast 5/9/25 to 5/9/26	1 Month Ago 4/9/25 to 4/9/26	3 Months Ago 2/8/25 to 2/8/26	1 Year Ago 5/9/24 to 5/9/25
Strong Buy	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy	6 Buy rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	9 Buy rating(s)
Hold	10 Hold rating(s)	14 Hold rating(s)	12 Hold rating(s)	6 Hold rating(s)
Sell	2 Sell rating(s)	3 Sell rating(s)	3 Sell rating(s)	0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target	$53.82	$41.81	$40.81	$79.77
Forecasted Upside	-3.84% Downside	11.39% Upside	6.12% Upside	26.98% Upside
Consensus Rating	Hold	Hold	Hold	Moderate Buy

CNC Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.

CNC Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.

Centene Stock vs. The Competition

Type	Centene	Medical Companies	S&P 500
Consensus Rating Score	2.32	2.30	2.52
Consensus Rating	Hold	Hold	Moderate Buy
Predicted Upside	-3.84% Downside	858.42% Upside	15.51% Upside
News Sentiment Rating	Positive News See Recent CNC News	Neutral News	Positive News

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Rating

Upside/Downside

Action

Time Frame

Start Date

End Date

Show

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Date	Brokerage	Analyst	Action	Rating	Price Target	Report Date Upside/Downside
5/6/2026	Zacks Research Not Rated		Upgrade	Hold ➝ Strong-Buy
5/5/2026	JPMorgan Chase & Co. 3 of 5 stars	John Stansel Not Rated	Boost Target	Neutral	$41.00 ➝ $52.00	-2.97%
5/5/2026	Sanford C. Bernstein 4 of 5 stars		Boost Target	Outperform	$48.00 ➝ $68.00	+26.88%
5/4/2026	TD Cowen Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Ryan Langston Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Reiterated Rating	Hold	$38.00 ➝ $47.00	-12.02%
5/1/2026	Wells Fargo & Company Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Stephen Baxter Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Equal Weight	$44.00 ➝ $56.00	+3.94%
4/29/2026	Oppenheimer Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Michael Wiederhorn Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Reiterated Rating	Outperform	$45.00 ➝ $58.00	+17.35%
4/29/2026	The Goldman Sachs Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Sell	$40.00	-19.07%
4/29/2026	Barclays Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Andrew Mok Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Reiterated Rating	Overweight	$54.00 ➝ $63.00	+27.47%
4/29/2026	Raymond James Financial Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Sarah James Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Set Target		$60.00	+21.40%
4/29/2026	Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Hold	$39.00 ➝ $53.00	-1.75%
Get the Latest News and Ratings for CNC and Related Stocks Enter your email address below to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Centene and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter.
4/29/2026	Mizuho Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Ann Hynes Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Neutral	$41.00 ➝ $50.00	-7.31%
4/29/2026	Morgan Stanley Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Equal Weight	$45.00 ➝ $50.00	-7.31%
4/29/2026	Jefferies Financial Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	David Windley Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Hold	$39.00 ➝ $48.00	-2.88%
4/29/2026	UBS Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	A.J. Rice Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Neutral	$42.00 ➝ $55.00	+11.28%
4/29/2026	Truist Financial Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	David MacDonald Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$49.00 ➝ $58.00	+17.35%
4/29/2026	Bank of America Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Kevin Fischbeck Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Upgrade	Underperform ➝ Buy	$34.00 ➝ $60.00	+21.40%
4/28/2026	Cantor Fitzgerald Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Sarah James Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Upgrade	Neutral ➝ Overweight	$41.00 ➝ $60.00	+21.40%
4/20/2026	Weiss Ratings Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Sell (D)
4/15/2026	Robert W. Baird Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Neutral	$36.00 ➝ $37.00	-1.54%
2/9/2026	Argus Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Hold
4/29/2025	Guggenheim Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Jason Cassorla Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Reiterated Rating	Neutral
12/13/2024	Stephens Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Lower Target	Equal Weight	$75.00 ➝ $73.00	+22.09%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Saturday at 07:57 AM ET.

Should I Buy Centene Stock? CNC Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Thursday, May 7, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Centene pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Centene
Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Centene Co.:

Recent analyst upgrades have significantly increased the target price for Centene Co., with estimates now reaching as high as $68.00, suggesting a potential upside from the current stock price.
The stock has received multiple "Buy" ratings from analysts, indicating strong confidence in its future performance and growth potential.
Centene Co. has shown resilience in its market capitalization, which is currently around $26 billion, reflecting its stability and investor interest.
The company has a relatively low debt-to-equity ratio, which indicates a manageable level of debt compared to its equity, suggesting financial stability.
With a current stock price around $54, it presents an attractive entry point for investors looking for growth in the healthcare sector.

Centene
Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in Centene Co. for these reasons:

Despite recent upgrades, some analysts have set lower price targets, indicating mixed sentiments about the stock's short-term performance.
The company has experienced significant stock price fluctuations, which may indicate volatility and risk for potential investors.
Centene Co. has a negative price-to-earnings ratio, which can be a red flag for investors as it suggests the company is not currently profitable.
Recent reports indicate that some analysts have downgraded their ratings, which could signal potential challenges ahead for the company.
Market conditions in the healthcare sector can be unpredictable, and regulatory changes may impact Centene Co.'s operations and profitability.

CNC Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 19 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Centene is $53.82, with a high forecast of $68.00 and a low forecast of $37.00.

19 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Centene in the last twelve months. There are currently 2 sell ratings, 10 hold ratings, 6 buy ratings and 1 strong buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" CNC shares. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in CNC, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.

According to analysts, Centene's stock has a predicted downside of -3.84% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Centene's stock had 4 upgrades by analysts.

Centene has been rated by research analysts at Argus, Bank of America, Barclays, Cantor Fitzgerald, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Jefferies Financial Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Mizuho, Morgan Stanley, Oppenheimer, Raymond James Financial, Robert W. Baird, Sanford C. Bernstein, TD Cowen, The Goldman Sachs Group, Truist Financial, UBS Group, Weiss Ratings, Wells Fargo & Company, and Zacks Research in the past 90 days.

Analysts like Centene more than other "medical" companies. The consensus rating score for Centene is 2.32 while the average consensus rating score for "medical" companies is 2.30. Learn more on how CNC compares to other companies.

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This page (NYSE:CNC) was last updated on 5/9/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.

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Centene (CNC) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Centene - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Consensus Price Target

CNC Analyst Ratings Over Time

CNC Analyst Recommendations By Month

CNC Price Targets by Month

Centene Stock vs. The Competition

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Should I Buy Centene Stock? CNC Pros and Cons Explained

Centene
Bull Case

Centene
Bear Case

CNC Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

Stock Forecasts and Research Tools

Today's Analyst Ratings

Top-Rated Stocks

More Ratings Tools

Brokerages With Centene Recommendations

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Centene (CNC) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Centene - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Consensus Price Target

CNC Analyst Ratings Over Time

CNC Analyst Recommendations By Month

CNC Price Targets by Month

Centene Stock vs. The Competition

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Should I Buy Centene Stock? CNC Pros and Cons Explained

Centene Bull Case

Centene Bear Case

CNC Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

What is Centene's forecast for 2026?

Should I buy or sell Centene stock right now?

Does Centene's stock price have much downside?

Has Centene been upgraded by Wall Street analysts recently?

What analysts cover Centene?

Do Wall Street analysts like Centene more than its competitors?

Stock Forecasts and Research Tools

Today's Analyst Ratings

Top-Rated Stocks

More Ratings Tools

Brokerages With Centene Recommendations

MarketBeat All Access Features

Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring

Stock Ideas and Recommendations

Advanced Stock Screeners and Research Tools

Centene
Bull Case

Centene
Bear Case