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Compared to Estimates, Centene (CNC) Q3 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

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Centene (CNC - Free Report) reported $50.65 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 1.9%. EPS of $0.58 for the same period compares to $0.50 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $47.06 billion, representing a surprise of +7.63%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +728.57%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.07.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Centene performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
  • Membership by line of business - Total: 25.7 million versus 25.5 million estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Membership by line of business - Medicaid: 11.9 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of 11.83 million.
  • Membership Medicaid - Traditional Medicaid: 10.54 million compared to the 10.53 million average estimate based on three analysts.
  • Membership by line of business - Medicare: 954.4 thousand versus 978.83 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Revenues- Service: $735 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $802.87 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -4.8%.
  • Revenues- Premium: $44.37 billion compared to the $42.61 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.6% year over year.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues: $45.11 billion versus $43.41 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +0.5% change.
  • Revenues- Premium tax: $5.54 billion versus $3.22 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +15.7% change.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Commercial: $8.7 billion versus $9.15 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -20.9% change.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Medicare: $11.26 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $10.64 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +19.9%.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Other: $1.1 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.31 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -17.9%.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Medicaid: $24.04 billion versus $22.43 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +3.8% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for Centene here>>>

Shares of Centene have returned +8.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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