Centene Corp vs Dollar General Corp. — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $66.09 (market cap $33.93B), while Dollar General Corp. trades at $119.27 (market cap $26.50B). The key difference: Centene Corp is the larger of the two by market cap, and Dollar General Corp. pays a 1.96% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | DG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $33.93B | $26.50B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $156.26 |
52-Week Low | $25.21 | $95.94 |
Enterprise Value | $26.56B | $40.95B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.96% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
Dollar General (DG) trades at $123.44, up 3.8% with strong technical momentum and bullish analyst sentiment. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.00 exceeding expectations of $1.89. Revenue growth continues at $40.61B for 2025, while profit margins face pressure at 3.63%. Recent news highlights the company's back-to-school initiatives and margin expansion efforts.
The outlook remains positive with a $128.45 consensus price target representing 4% upside. Key opportunities include continued same-store sales growth and margin recovery, while risks involve consumer spending sensitivity and competitive pressures in discount retail. The technical setup suggests near-term resistance around $125-$128 levels.
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 →A leading American discount retailer, Dollar General operates over 18,000 stores in 47 states, selling branded and private-label products across a wide variety of categories. In fiscal 2021, 77% of net sales came from consumables (including paper and cleaning products, packaged and perishable food, tobacco, and health and beauty items), 12% from seasonal merchandise (such as toys, greeting cards, decorations, and gardening supplies), 7% from home products (for example, kitchen supplies, small appliances, and cookware), and 4% from basic apparel. Stores average roughly 7,400 square feet, and about 75% of Dollar General locations are in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. The firm emphasizes value, with most of its items sold at everyday low prices of $5 or less.
Read more on DG →