Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock vs Centene Corp — how do they compare? Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock trades at $298.3 (market cap $8.04B), while Centene Corp trades at $65.77 (market cap $33.93B). The key difference: Centene Corp is far larger — about 4.2× Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock's market cap, and Centene Corp is trading nearer its 52-week high, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BIO | CNC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.04B | $33.93B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $339.75 | $68.72 |
52-Week Low | $241.71 | $25.21 |
Enterprise Value | $7.85B | $26.56B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
BIO trades at $297.58, up 0.5% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $305. The stock shows strong profitability with a 51.87% gross margin and positive net income of $760M in 2025, though recent quarters have seen EPS misses. Cash flow from operations remains robust at $532M, supporting financial stability.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with analyst support, but risks include earnings volatility and high P/E valuation. The company's return to profitability and solid balance sheet provide a foundation for growth, though investors should monitor execution against future earnings expectations and competitive pressures in the biotech sector.
Centene Corporation (CNC) trades at $68.29, up 1.4% with strong technical momentum and bullish moving average signals. The stock shows impressive 66% YTD gains, supported by recent contract renewals and margin recovery initiatives. Despite negative 2025 net income of -$6.67B, valuation metrics remain attractive with P/E of 8.06 and P/S of 0.17. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 61% buy ratings and $66.07 price target.
Centene presents a compelling value opportunity with low valuation multiples and strong operational cash flow of $5.09B. Key risks include ongoing margin pressure and Medicaid contract dependency. The company's AI-driven cost controls and recent Illinois Medicaid renewal provide catalysts for earnings recovery, though healthcare regulatory changes remain a concern for long-term stability.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Bio-Rad Laboratories, headquartered in Hercules, California, develops, manufactures, and markets products and solutions for the clinical diagnostics and life sciences markets. In diagnostics (53% of sales), Bio-Rad manufactures, sells, and supports test systems and specialized quality controls for clinical laboratories. In life sciences (47% of sales), the firm develops and manufactures a range of instruments and reagents used in research, biopharmaceutical production, and food testing. The company is geographically diverse, with major markets in the Americas (42% of 2021 sales), Europe and Africa (33%), and Asia-Pacific (25%). Bio-Rad owns 37% of Sartorius AG, a laboratory and biopharmaceutical supplier.
Read more on BIO →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 →