Centene Corp vs Banco Santander SA — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $66.8 (market cap $33.93B), while Banco Santander SA trades at $13.64 (market cap $195.40B). The key difference: Banco Santander SA is far larger — about 5.8× Centene Corp's market cap, and Banco Santander SA pays a 2.04% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | SAN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $33.93B | $195.40B |
Sector | Health | Financials |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $14.37 |
52-Week Low | $25.21 | $8.31 |
Enterprise Value | $26.56B | — |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.04% |
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.
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $13.66, down 1.51% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $0.4144, beating expectations, and maintains a strong net income margin of 26.72%. Recent developments include the acquisition of TSB and AI-driven efficiency initiatives targeting over $1.15 billion in business value. The stock shows a P/E of 13.57 and P/B of 1.62, indicating reasonable valuation relative to peers.
The outlook for SAN is positive, supported by record profitability, strategic acquisitions, and cost-saving measures. However, risks include declining cash flows, regulatory scrutiny in Spain, and macroeconomic pressures on loan growth. Analyst consensus is bullish with 64% buy ratings, but investors should monitor execution on efficiency targets and integration of recent acquisitions.
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 →Santander's focus is on retail and commercial banking. Latin America is geographically the largest operation, with Brazil by far the largest. Its continental European business is still mainly Iberian. Santander's U.K. presence is the result of the acquisition of building society Abbey. In the U.S., Santander operates a vehicle finance business and a regional bank focused on the Northeastern states.
Read more on SAN →