Price movement over the last 24 hours
Agilent Technologies Inc vs Centene Corp — how do they compare? Agilent Technologies Inc trades at $128.3 (market cap $37.04B), while Centene Corp trades at $67.12 (market cap $32.65B). The key difference: Agilent Technologies Inc and Centene Corp are close in size by market cap, and Agilent Technologies Inc pays a 0.78% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| A | CNC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $37.04B | $32.65B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $157.20 | $68.34 |
52-Week Low | $110.24 | $25.21 |
Enterprise Value | $38.59B | $25.28B |
Dividend Yield | 0.78% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Agilent Technologies (A) trades at $131.14, up 0.34% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst support. The stock shows solid profitability with a net margin of 19.55% and ROE of 21.33%, supported by recent earnings beats. Recent acquisitions like Biocare Medical highlight growth initiatives, while cash flow trends remain positive. Valuation ratios such as P/E of 26.22 are elevated but align with quality growth expectations.
The outlook is positive given analyst consensus with a $154.90 price target and 77.5% buy ratings. Risks include execution of acquisitions and macroeconomic pressures on life sciences spending. The stock offers growth potential from AI-driven product launches, though technical resistance near $132 may cap near-term gains.
Centene (CNC) trades at $66.12, down 2.56% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages despite recent weakness. The stock shows attractive valuation ratios (P/E 8.06, P/S 0.16) but faces profitability challenges with negative net income margin (-3.25%) and ROE (-26.12%). Recent earnings beats and strong analyst support (62.79% buy ratings) contrast with operational headwinds in Medicaid margins and cost pressures.
Investment outlook balances deep value against execution risks. The consensus price target of $63.29 suggests limited upside, but improving cash flow trends and AI-driven cost initiatives could support recovery. Key risks include regulatory changes, adverse selection in insurance pools, and margin sustainability amid healthcare sector volatility.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Originally spun out of Hewlett-Packard in 1999, Agilent has evolved into a leading life sciences and diagnostics firm. Today, Agilent's measurement technologies serve a broad base of customers with its three operating segments: life science and applied tools (45% of fiscal 2021 sales), cross lab (35% of sales consisting of consumables and services related to its life science and applied tools), and diagnostics and genomics (20%). Over half of its sales are generated from the biopharmaceutical, chemical, and energy end markets, but it also supports clinical lab, environmental, forensics, food, academic, and government-related organizations. The company is geographically diverse, with operations in the U.S. (34%) and China (20%) representing the largest country concentrations.
Read more on A →Centene is a managed-care organization focused on government-sponsored healthcare plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, and the individual exchanges. Centene served 22 million medical members as of September 2021, mostly in Medicaid (68% of membership), the individual exchanges (10%), Medicare Advantage (6%), and the balance in Tricare (West region), correctional facility, and international plans. The company also serves 4 million users through the Medicare Part D pharmaceutical program.
Read more on CNC →