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Centene Corporation's multi-year margin recovery is underpinned by the aggressive premium hikes of mid +30%, the increased vigilance against fraud, and the reduction of unnecessary utilization. This is on top of the near-term pain arising from the drastic membership attrition, albeit with it likely to deliver a healthier, more profitable membership base. The same has been observed in CNC's stable HBR performance over the past few quarters and the lower guidance in FY2026, with FY2026 likely bringing forth improved performance metrics.
Centene Corporation delivered strong revenue growth in 2025, but earnings and profitability sharply deteriorated, driven by surging medical costs and adverse policy impacts. Despite a net loss of $6.67 billion in 2025, CNC management projects 2026 EPS above $1.98 and adjusted EPS above $3, with improved HBR and profitability. I upgrade CNC to a soft, speculative Buy based on management's 2026 guidance but highlight substantial uncertainty and risk from marketplace enrollment and policy shifts.
CNC incurs a Q4 adjusted loss per share as medical costs spike, but revenues jump nearly 22% on strong PDP and Marketplace premium growth.
Centene Corporation (CNC) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
While the top- and bottom-line numbers for Centene (CNC) give a sense of how the business performed in the quarter ended December 2025, it could be worth looking at how some of its key metrics compare to Wall Street estimates and year-ago values.
Centene (CNC) came out with a quarterly loss of $1.19 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.25. This compares to earnings of $0.8 per share a year ago.
Health insurer Centene reported a loss of more than $1 billion in the fourth quarter as the company continued to struggle with rising healthcare costs in the government-subsidized health plans it administers and sells.
CNC heads into Q4 earnings with revenue growth expected, but declining membership and higher medical costs cloud the outlook.
CNC teams up with Tuesday Health to expand palliative care in Ohio, blending in-person and virtual support.
Centene expands its Medicaid strategy by partnering with Cityblock Health to serve 10,000 Illinois members with 24/7 wrap-around care.