Centene Corp vs Gilead Sciences, Inc. — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $65.9 (market cap $33.93B), while Gilead Sciences, Inc. trades at $130.83 (market cap $161.45B). The key difference: Gilead Sciences, Inc. is far larger — about 4.8× Centene Corp's market cap, and Gilead Sciences, Inc. pays a 2.52% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | GILD | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $33.93B | $161.45B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $155.80 |
52-Week Low | $25.21 | $108.22 |
Enterprise Value | $26.56B | $175.98B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.52% |
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.
Gilead Sciences (GILD) trades at $131.40, up 1.21% with strong technical momentum and bullish moving averages. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals with a 30.99% net income margin and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Recent FDA approvals for Trodelvy in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and ongoing Ebola antiviral trials highlight pipeline strength. Analyst consensus remains strongly positive with a $152.83 price target.
GILD presents a compelling investment case with strong profitability, expanding oncology portfolio, and 67% analyst buy ratings. Key risks include patent expirations on HIV drugs and volatile cash flow trends. The stock offers 16% upside to consensus target with dividend support, though investors should monitor pipeline execution and generic competition timelines.
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 →Gilead Sciences develops and markets therapies to treat life-threatening infectious diseases, with the core of its portfolio focused on HIV and hepatitis B and C. The acquisitions of Corus Pharma, Myogen, CV Therapeutics, Arresto Biosciences, and Calistoga have broadened this focus to include pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Gilead's acquisition of Pharmasset brought rights to hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, which is also part of combination drug Harvoni, and the Kite, Forty Seven, and Immunomedics acquisitions boost Gilead's exposure to cell therapy and noncell therapy in oncology.
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