Centene Corp vs J M Smucker Co — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $66.75 (market cap $33.93B), while J M Smucker Co trades at $108.77 (market cap $11.63B). The key difference: Centene Corp is far larger — about 2.9× J M Smucker Co's market cap, and J M Smucker Co pays a 4.04% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | SJM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $33.93B | $11.63B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $117.05 |
52-Week Low | $25.21 | $89.53 |
Enterprise Value | $26.56B | $18.66B |
Dividend Yield | — | 4.04% |
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.
SJM trades at $110.53, down 0.96% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The company reported mixed earnings with Q4 2026 beating estimates but Q3 2025 missing, alongside a net loss of $1.23 billion in 2025. Recent news highlights Uncrustables as a growth driver, while the Twinkie acquisition faces challenges. Cash flow improved to a net positive $7.90 million in 2025, though debt-to-asset ratio rose to 43.71%.
Outlook is cautious with analyst consensus at Buy (51.61%) and a $123.18 price target, but risks include high debt, margin pressure, and FY2027 sales guidance down 3-4%. The dividend yield of about 1% offers income, but growth depends on coffee margin recovery and Uncrustables expansion amid competitive headwinds.
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 →J.M. Smucker is a packaged food company that primarily operates in the U.S. retail channel (87% of fiscal 2022 revenue), but also in U.S. food-service (7%), and international (6%). Its largest segment is pet food and treats (36% of 2022 revenue), with popular brands such as Milk-Bone, Meow Mix, 9Lives, Kibbles 'n Bits, Nature's Recipe, and Rachael Ray Nutrish. Its second-largest category is coffee (35% across channels) with the number-two brand Folgers and number-six Dunkin'. Other large categories are peanut butter (10%), with number-one Jif, fruit spreads (5%) with number-one Smucker's, and frozen hand-held foods (6%) with number-one Uncrustables.
Read more on SJM →