Centene Corp vs UnitedHealth Group Inc — how do they compare? Centene Corp trades at $66.8 (market cap $33.93B), while UnitedHealth Group Inc trades at $418.05 (market cap $389.68B). The key difference: UnitedHealth Group Inc is far larger — about 11.5× Centene Corp's market cap, and UnitedHealth Group Inc pays a 2.16% dividend while Centene Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNC | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $33.93B | $389.68B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $68.72 | $431.68 |
52-Week Low | $25.21 | $237.77 |
Enterprise Value | $26.56B | $436.36B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.16% |
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.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) trades at $429.09, up 1.05% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook and strong analyst consensus. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $7.23 exceeding expectations, and a dividend of $2.32 payable in June 2026. Revenue growth remains robust, reaching $447.57B in 2025, though net margins have compressed to 2.68%.
Outlook is positive due to aging demographics and tech innovation in healthcare, but risks include regulatory scrutiny and margin pressure. Wall Street's average price target of $438.33 suggests modest upside, supported by 82.69% buy ratings. Investors should weigh solid cash flow generation against legal challenges and rising debt levels.
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 →UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest private health insurers, providing medical benefits to 50 million members globally, including 5 million outside the U.S. at the end of 2021. As a leader in employer-sponsored, self-directed, and government-backed insurance plans, UnitedHealth has obtained massive scale in managed care. Along with its insurance assets, UnitedHealth's continued investments in its Optum franchises have created a healthcare services colossus that spans everything from medical and pharmaceutical benefits to providing outpatient care and analytics to both affiliated and third-party customers.
Read more on UNH →