Centene Corp reports results for the quarter ended September 30 - Earnings Summary

What happened

Centene reported adjusted earnings of 58 cents per share for the quarter ended September 30, above the 10-cent analyst average and last year's 50 cents. Revenue rose 1.9% to $50.65 billion, beating the $47.12 billion analysts expected, while reported earnings showed a $71 million loss.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

Adjusted earnings strip out certain items, so the 58-cent figure looks stronger than the 14-cent reported loss. The revenue beat suggests Centene brought in more money than Wall Street expected, which can support the stock's premium to its $71.14 median price target.

Analyst inference

Centene shares already gained 9.5% this quarter and 65.3% this year, so the results arrive after a strong run. Analysts mostly rate the stock buy, but the average estimate had risen 32% in three months, and one analyst cut a forecast in the past 30 days.

Analyst inference

What to watch

1. The average analyst rating is buy, with 9 strong buy or buy, 13 hold and 1 sell or strong sell. The median 12-month price target is $71.14, about 4.4% above the $68.03 last close. Confirmed
2. The mean earnings estimate rose about 32% in the last three months, and one analyst negatively revised an earnings estimate in the last 30 days, showing forecast momentum may be cooling. Confirmed
3. Watch whether Centene can turn its revenue beat into reported profit, since the quarter showed a $71 million loss, which means expenses and other items outweighed revenue despite higher sales. Analyst inference

Evidence

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