Centene beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit on Friday, as strength in its commercial insurance business outweighed the impact of high costs related to its government-backed Medicaid plans for low-income people.
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CNC's third-quarter earnings are likely to have been affected by lower premiums and rising medical costs.
Centene, a leading health insurer, shows strong fundamentals and growth despite sector challenges, making it a "Buy" at a target price of $70/share. The company's 2Q24 results indicate robust earnings growth and increasing membership, contrasting with peers like Humana, which face significant declines. Centene's valuation at $61/share with a P/E of 9x is attractive, projecting a potential 27.17% annualized upside until 2026.
Get a deeper insight into the potential performance of Centene (CNC) for the quarter ended September 2024 by going beyond Wall Street's top -and-bottom-line estimates and examining the estimates for some of its key metrics.
Centene (CNC) doesn't possess the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.
CNC's Health Net unit secures a 54-month Medi-Cal dental contract, which, in turn, is likely to boost its Medicaid membership and presence across California.
CNC's Meridian unit collaborates with Mae to improve health outcomes and address health disparities in Michigan.
Centene forecast third-quarter profit below Wall Street estimates on Tuesday.
Centene stock (NYSE: CNC) currently trades at $73 per share, roughly 25% below its pre-inflation peak level of $97 seen in August 2022, faring much worse than its peer – Molina Healthcare stock (NYSE: MOH) – which has largely traded sideways over this period. The recent fall in CNC stock can be attributed to its updated estimate of 13 million Medicaid members by the end of this year, versus its prior estimate of 13.6 million members.
CNC's unit, Iowa Total Care, wins a new contract to provide Medicaid managed care services, enhancing its presence in Iowa and bringing improved health outcomes in the state.
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