Centene Corp vs Costco Wholesale Corporation — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $65.66 (market cap $32.89B), while Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $943.36 (market cap $422.52B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 12.8× Centene Corp's market cap, and Costco Wholesale Corporation pays a 0.62% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | COST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $32.89B | $422.52B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $1.09K |
52-Week Low | $26.17 | $849.63 |
Enterprise Value | $21.93B | $410.66B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.62% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Centene (CNC) trades at $65.77, up 2.48% with a bullish technical signal. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with EPS of $2.51 versus $1.09 estimate, driven by margin recovery and cost control. Revenue grew to $194.78B in 2025, though net income was negative at -$6.67B. Valuation ratios are attractive with P/E of 8.06 and P/S of 0.16. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 61.37% buy ratings and a $70.36 price target.
Outlook is positive due to raised 2026 guidance and operational improvements, but risks include Medicaid membership softness and persistent negative margins. The stock offers value potential if profitability rebounds as projected, though investors should monitor medical cost trends and regulatory changes affecting government healthcare programs.
Costco (COST) trades at $952.75, up 0.52% with neutral technical signals. The company shows steady revenue growth, reaching $275.24B in 2025, and maintains strong profitability with a 3.01% net margin. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q3 and Q4 2025 but missed in Q1 2026. Analyst sentiment remains bullish with 65.52% buy ratings and a $1,120 consensus price target, while institutional buying activity continues.
Costco's outlook is positive due to membership fee growth and expansion, though high valuation multiples (P/E 47.93) pose risks. Key opportunities include consistent cash flow generation and market share gains, while risks involve competitive pressures and economic sensitivity. The stock offers long-term growth potential but requires monitoring of valuation metrics.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →The leading warehouse club, Costco has 815 stores worldwide (at the end of fiscal 2021), with most sales derived in the United States (72%) and Canada (14%). It sells memberships that allow customers to shop in its warehouses, which feature low prices on a limited product assortment. Costco mainly caters to individual shoppers, but roughly 20% of paid members carry business memberships. Food and sundries accounted for 40% of fiscal 2021 sales, with non-food merchandise 29%, warehouse ancillary and other businesses (such as fuel and pharmacy) nearly 17%, and fresh food 14%. Costco's warehouses average around 146,000 square feet
Read more on COST →