Centene Corp vs Occidental Petroleum Corporation — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $68.55 (market cap $33.72B), while Occidental Petroleum Corporation trades at $54.43 (market cap $54.52B). The key difference: Occidental Petroleum Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Occidental Petroleum Corporation pays a 1.9% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | OXY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $33.72B | $54.52B |
Sector | Health | Energy |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $66.24 |
52-Week Low | $25.21 | $38.92 |
Enterprise Value | $26.35B | $75.60B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.9% |
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.
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) trades at $54.81, up 3.63% with bullish technical signals and strong earnings momentum after beating estimates for three consecutive quarters. The stock shows robust profitability with 22.42% net income margin and 14.04% ROE, though revenue has declined from $36.6B in 2022 to $21.6B in 2025. Analyst consensus is positive with 50% buy ratings and $66.14 price target, while recent news highlights operational improvements and geopolitical tailwinds from higher oil prices.
OXY presents a compelling investment case with earnings outperformance, debt reduction progress, and favorable oil price environment, but faces risks from commodity volatility and execution challenges in carbon capture initiatives. The stock's current valuation at 74x P/E requires sustained earnings growth to justify further upside potential.
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 →Occidental Petroleum is an independent exploration and production company with operations in the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East. At the end of 2021, the company reported net proved reserves of 3.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Net production averaged 1,174 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2021 at a ratio of 75% oil and natural gas liquids and 25% natural gas.
Read more on OXY →