Centene Corp vs Smith & Nephew plc — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $65.73 (market cap $32.05B), while Smith & Nephew plc trades at $29.77 (market cap $12.54B). The key difference: Centene Corp is far larger — about 2.6× Smith & Nephew plc's market cap, and Smith & Nephew plc pays a 2.65% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | SNN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $32.05B | $12.54B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $38.70 |
52-Week Low | $26.17 | $28.73 |
Enterprise Value | $21.10B | $15.57B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.65% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Centene (CNC) trades at $66.56, up 1.2% today, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $71.00. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $2.51 per share, beating estimates, and raised its full-year EPS guidance, reflecting margin recovery and cost discipline. Revenue growth remains robust, projected to reach $202.9 billion in 2026, though net income margins are negative due to elevated medical costs.
The stock presents a value opportunity with low P/E (8.06) and P/S (0.16) ratios, but investors face risks from Medicaid membership volatility and regulatory pressures. Analyst sentiment is strongly bullish (61% buy ratings), with institutional interest growing, as seen in recent fund additions. Near-term upside is likely if cost controls sustain profitability improvements.
Smith & Nephew (SNN) trades at $30.08, down 0.1% with bearish technical signals. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 results with revenue growth below expectations, leading to a reduced full-year outlook. Fundamentals show strong profitability with 10.1% net margin and improving cash flow trends, though recent earnings misses have tempered sentiment.
Outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Hold (65% of coverage). Near-term risks include U.S. orthopedics weakness and competitive pressures, offset by robotics innovation and value-based care expansion. The stock offers stable fundamentals but faces execution challenges in key markets.
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 →Smith & Nephew designs, manufactures, and markets orthopedic devices, sports medicine and arthroscopic technologies, and wound-care solutions. Roughly 42% of the U.K.-based firm's revenue comes from orthopedic products, and another 30% is sports medicine and ENT. The remaining 28% of revenue is from the advanced wound therapy segment. Roughly half of Smith & Nephew's total revenue comes from the United States, just over 30% is from other developed markets, and emerging markets account for the remainder.
Read more on SNN →