Centene's Quarterly Earnings Preview: What You Need to Know

Saint Louis, Missouri-based Centene Corporation (CNC) operates as a healthcare enterprise that provides programs and services to underinsured and uninsured families and commercial organizations in the United States. The company has a market capitalization of $33.8 billion and operates through Medicaid, Medicare, Commercial, and Other segments.

CNC is expected to release its Q2 2026 earnings on Tuesday, July 28, before the market opens. Ahead of the event, analysts expect the company’s EPS to be $0.89 on a diluted basis, up 656.3% from a loss per share of $0.16 in the year-ago quarter. The company has exceeded Wall Street’s EPS estimates in three of its last four quarters, while missing on one occasion.    

For fiscal 2026, analysts project the company’s EPS to be $3.44, up 65.4% from $2.08 in fiscal 2025. Moreover, its EPS is expected to rise by roughly 28.2% year over year (YoY) to $4.41 in fiscal 2027.   

CNC stock has risen 100.9% over the past 52 weeks, rallying the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 20.2% rise and the State Street Healthcare Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLV) 21% rise during the same time frame.        

On Apr. 28, CNC stock rose 14% following the release of its Q1 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the quarter amounted to $49.9 billion and surpassed the Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS came in at $3.37, also coming in on top of Wall Street’s forecasts. Centene expects full-year revenue in the range of $187.5 billion to $191.5 billion. 

Analysts are moderately bullish about CNC, with the stock having a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Among the 21 analysts covering the stock, seven are recommending a “Strong Buy,” 13 suggest a “Hold,” and one suggests a “Strong Sell.” CNC’s average analyst price target of $61.83 is below the current price, but its Street-high target of $80 implies 17.9% upside.