Centene Corporation has surged 66% year to date, far outpacing the managed healthcare industry's 28.5% gain and the S&P 500's 10.7% advance. The rally marks a sharp reversal from last year's selloff, when rising medical costs forced the company to withdraw its financial guidance. First-quarter results showed a health benefits ratio improvement of 20 basis points to 87.3% and premium revenue growth of 5.2% to $43.9 billion, while management raised its 2026 premium and service revenue guidance to a range of $171 billion to $175 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is $3.46 per share, a 66.4% increase from the prior year, and analysts project $4.41 per share in 2027. Despite the strong performance, risks remain from policy uncertainty, elevated medical costs, and intense competition, and the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3, or Hold.
Centene CorpCentene's first-quarter results showed improved health benefits ratio and premium revenue growth, and management raised 2026 revenue guidance.
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