A O Smith Corp vs Centene Corp — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $60.68 (market cap $8.33B), while Centene Corp trades at $67.49 (market cap $33.26B). The key difference: Centene Corp is far larger — about 4× A O Smith Corp's market cap, and A O Smith Corp pays a 2.35% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | CNC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.33B | $33.26B |
Sector | Industrials | Health |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $68.34 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $25.21 |
Enterprise Value | $8.78B | $25.89B |
Dividend Yield | 2.35% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
A.O. Smith (AOS) trades at $60.44, up 2.41% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent leadership changes. The company reported mixed Q1 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates at $0.85 versus $0.94 expected, while maintaining solid profitability with a 13.84% net margin. Cash flow trends show improving operations, and the stock offers a dividend with a recent $0.36 payout announced.
The outlook is cautious due to earnings volatility and bearish technicals, but valuation appears reasonable with a P/E of 16.12. Risks include China market weakness and competitive pressures, while analyst consensus leans hold with a $68 price target suggesting modest upside potential from current levels.
Centene (CNC) trades at $67.35, down 0.37% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The stock shows attractive valuation ratios, including a P/E of 8.06 and P/S of 0.17, but faces profitability challenges with a negative net income margin of -3.25% for 2025. Recent positive developments include the renewal of a key Illinois Medicaid contract and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters, supporting a strong analyst consensus with 61% buy ratings.
The outlook for CNC hinges on successful margin recovery initiatives and cost management. Investment opportunities lie in its undervalued metrics and stable revenue base, but risks include persistent negative profitability, regulatory pressures in healthcare, and execution challenges in improving medical cost controls. The consensus price target of $63.36 suggests limited near-term upside from current levels.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
A.O. Smith Corporation manufactures and markets comprehensive lines of residential and commercial gas, gas tankless, and electric water heaters. Supplementary products include water heating equipment, condensing and noncondensing boilers, and water system tanks. The company's two operating segments are by geographic region: North America (majority of total revenue) and the Rest of the World. A material portion of sales in North America derive from replacing existing products, and the company utilizes a wholesale distribution channel and multiple selling locations. The Rest of the World segment sells primarily to Asian countries and operates sales offices to expand distribution and market its product portfolio.
Read more on AOS →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 →