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ZYBERNO

Stock Report

Updated Aug 28, 2026

CENTENE CORPORATION (CNC)

Healthcare • NYSE

$65.33

Centene Corporation is an American multinational managed care company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and one of the largest Medicaid managed care organizations in the United States. The company provides government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs to under-insured and uninsured individuals through Medicaid managed care, Medicare, and commercial health insurance marketplace plans, as well as specialty services including pharmacy benefits management and behavioral health.

Professional Investment Analysis

ZYBERNO SCORE →

Is it a great business? Is it getting better?

39.0/100

WEAK BUSINESS

CENTENE CORPORATION (CNC) scores 39/100 — weak fundamentals with mixed indicators requiring careful analysis before acting.

📊 How is the Zyberno Score calculated? +

The Zyberno Score answers one question: "Is this a quality business worth owning?" It's a 0-100 investment grade that evaluates business fundamentals across four critical dimensions, based on principles from Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch, and Charlie Munger.

The 4 Core Categories (25 points each):

1. PROFITABILITY (25 pts)

Metrics: ROE, ROIC, Net Margin, Operating Margin
Thresholds: ROE >20% excellent • ROIC >20% excellent • Net Margin >20% excellent • Operating Margin >25% excellent

2. FINANCIAL STRENGTH (25 pts)

Metrics: Debt-to-Equity, Current Ratio, Interest Coverage, Altman Z-Score
Thresholds: D/E <0.3 excellent • Current Ratio >2.5 excellent • Interest Coverage >10x excellent • Altman Z >3.0 safe

3. CASH FLOW QUALITY (25 pts)

Metrics: Free Cash Flow, OCF vs Net Income, FCF Margin
Thresholds: Positive & growing FCF excellent • OCF/NI >1.2x excellent (cash earnings exceed accounting)

4. GROWTH & CONSISTENCY (25 pts)

Metrics: Revenue Growth, Net Income Growth, FCF Growth, Piotroski F-Score
Thresholds: Growth via log-linear regression • Piotroski 8-9 excellent, 6-7 good

Score Interpretation:

75-100

GREAT BUSINESS

65-74

GOOD BUSINESS

50-64

AVERAGE BUSINESS

30-49

WEAK BUSINESS

0-29

POOR BUSINESS

→ View full CNC quality analysis & detailed breakdown

VALUATION SIGNAL

MARGIN OF SAFETY

Is this stock cheap or expensive relative to what the business has historically generated for owners?

-1.7%

Fairly Valued

Growth gap unavailable — insufficient data for reverse DCF calculation.

🎯 Expected Annual Return →

-20.3%

Margin of Safety convergence — your return if the market re-prices to intrinsic value (5-yr annualised)

2.0%

Yield + growth — what the business alone earns you, even if the market never re-rates

💰 How is Margin of Safety calculated? +

Margin of Safety measures how much discount or premium you're paying relative to a stock's intrinsic value. It's Benjamin Graham's core principle: the larger the margin, the lower your downside risk.

Formula: (Intrinsic Value − Current Price) ÷ Intrinsic Value × 100%

How We Calculate Intrinsic Value (DCF Method):

Step 1: Calculate current Owner Earnings (OCF − Maintenance CapEx)

Step 2: Calculate company-specific growth rate using log-linear regression on 16 quarters of Owner Earnings

Step 3: Project 10 years forward using the calculated growth rate

Step 4: Discount each year's cash flow to present value using 10% discount rate

Step 5: Calculate terminal value using 3% perpetual growth rate

Step 6: Sum all discounted cash flows = Intrinsic Value

What The Percentages Mean:

+50% or more

EXCELLENT — Very undervalued

+25% to +50%

GOOD — Attractive discount

0% to +25%

FAIR — Reasonable value

0% to -25%

CAUTION — Slight premium

-25% or worse

POOR — Overvalued

"Price is what you pay, value is what you get." — Warren Buffett

→ View full CNC valuation analysis · → View full CNC Brina Gap analysis

📈 How is Brina Gap calculated? +

Brina Gap measures the difference between the growth a business can fundamentally sustain and the growth the market is already pricing in.

Formula: Fundamental Growth Rate − Market-Implied Growth Rate

The Two Components:

Fundamental Growth Rate = ROIC × Reinvestment Rate

What the business can sustainably grow at based on how much it reinvests and what return it earns on that capital. Grounded in historical financials.

Market-Implied Growth Rate = Reverse DCF

The growth rate the current Enterprise Value implicitly assumes. Calculated by back-solving a 10-year DCF model (10% WACC, 3% terminal growth) until the present value of projected cash flows equals EV.

What The Gap Means:

Gap > +5% Market Underestimates — potential upside

+2% to +5% Slight Underestimate

-2% to +2% Fairly Priced — market consensus matches fundamentals

-5% to -2% Slight Overestimate

Gap < -5% Market Overestimates — price embeds optimism fundamentals don't support

A positive gap (market underestimates) combined with a positive Margin of Safety is the strongest combined signal — the business is both cheap historically and forward economics are stronger than the price suggests.

Critical Financial Health Indicators

Return on Equity (Profitability):CRITICAL (-23.9%)

Debt-to-Equity (Solvency Risk):EXCELLENT (0.09x)

Operating Margin (Operational Efficiency):CRITICAL (-2.8%)

Return on Capital (Capital Efficiency):CRITICAL (-12.7%)

📊 Valuation Trilogy

Three interconnected metrics for complete valuation analysis

Click any metric for full methodology and detailed analysis

Zyberno's Verdict

CENTENE CORPORATION (CNC) stock report — Zyberno Score 39/100 (WEAK BUSINESS), Margin of Safety -1.7%, -20% expected annual return. Full financial analysis on Zyberno.

According to Zyberno's DCF model, CENTENE CORPORATION (CNC) trades at $65.33 against an estimated intrinsic value per share of $64.23 — a -1.7% Margin of Safety based on Owner Earnings of $7.11B TTM, projected at -24.9% growth for 10 years with a 2.5% terminal growth rate. Zyberno's model translates this into a 5-year expected return of -20.3% annually.

Over the trailing twelve months, CNC generated $7.11B in Owner Earnings. Capital was deployed as follows: $29.00M returned via share buybacks, $832.00M invested in capital expenditures. Reinvestment rate: 158.6%. Owner Earnings have declined at 24.9% annually over the trailing five years using log-linear regression.

DIVISION I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A. Market Valuation

Market Price & Capitalization (2)

Current Price:65.33

Market Cap:$32.26B

Valuation Multiples (3)

P/B Ratio:1.43x

P/S Ratio:0.16x

Peg Ratio:-999.00x

Enterprise Metrics (2)

Enterprise Value:$42.11B

Pfcf Ratio:4.54x

Price Action & Momentum (2)

12-1 Momentum:

+143.2%

📈 Click to view full CNC Momentum analysis →

% of 52-Week High:94.2%

B. Profitability Assessment

Return Metrics (5)

ROE:

-23.9%

📊 Click to view full CNC ROE analysis →

ROA:-6.3%

Roic:

-12.7%

📊 Click to view full CNC ROIC analysis →

Reinvestment Rate:158.6%

Fundamental Growth Rate (g):-20.2%

Margin Analysis (3)

Operating Margin Ttm:-2.8%

Net Margin Ttm:-2.5%

Ebitda Margin:-1.9%

TTM Performance (3)

Gross Margin Ttm:8.0%

Operating Margin Ttm:-2.8%

Net Margin Ttm:-2.5%

Yield Metrics (3)

Earnings Yield:-$15.84

Owner Earnings Yield:$22.05

Dividend Yield:0.0%

C. Log-Linear Regression Growth Trends

Earnings Surprise (SUE) (3)

Earnings Surprise (SUE):

+0.97

📊 Click to view full CNC Earnings Surprise analysis →

EPS Surprise vs Expected:247.6%

Latest Earnings Filed:2026-07-28

Revenue Growth (Linear) (1)

Revenue Growth Rate (Linear):11.4%

Earnings Growth (Linear) (1)

Net Income Growth Rate (Linear):21.9%

Cash Flow Growth (Linear) (2)

Free Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-24.9%

Operating Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-16.7%

Operating Growth (Linear) (1)

Operating Income Growth Rate (Linear):10.6%

D. Financial Stability

Liquidity Ratios (3)

Current Ratio:1.15x

Quick Ratio:1.15x

Cash Ratio:0.59x

Leverage Analysis (3)

Debt To Equity Ttm:0.09x

Debt-to-Equity Ratio:0.09x

Debt To Ebitda:-999.00x

Coverage Ratios (2)

Interest Coverage Ratio:-11.64x

Times Interest Earned:-11.64

Capital Structure (4)

Working Capital:5,926,000,000.00

Cash And Cash Equivalents:24,151,000,000.00

Long Term Debt:$16.03B

Net Debt:$9.84B

DIVISION II: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANALYSIS

A. Income Statement Analysis

Revenue Components (2)

Revenue TTM: $202.94B

Linear Growth: 11.4%

📊 Click to view full CNC Revenue analysis & methodology →

Cost Of Revenue Ttm:$2.76B

Profitability Breakdown (2)

Gross profit TTM: $16.17B

Linear Growth: -5.0%

📊 Click to view full CNC Gross Profit analysis & methodology →

Operating income TTM: -$5.64B

Linear Growth: 10.6%

📊 Click to view full CNC Operating Income analysis & methodology →

Bottom Line Performance (3)

Net income TTM: -$5.10B

Linear Growth: 21.9%

📊 Click to view full CNC Net Income analysis & methodology →

Income Before Tax:-$4.63B

Ebitda Ttm:-3,878,000,000.00

Operating Expenses (5)

Operating Expenses:208,578,000,000.00

R And D Expense:0.00

Sga Expense:13,015,000,000.00

Income Tax Expense:$474.00M

Interest Expense:655,000,000.00

Expense Ratios (3)

R And D To Revenue Percentage:0.0%

Sga To Revenue Percentage:24.3%

Ebitda Margin:-1.9%

B. Balance Sheet Analysis

Asset Composition (5)

Total Assets:$83.01B

Current Assets:$46.69B

Ppe Net:2,130,000,000.00

Goodwill:10,835,000,000.00

Intangible Assets:$4.20B

Liability Structure (4)

Total Liabilities:60,355,000,000.00

Current Liabilities:40,759,000,000.00

Long Term Debt:$16.03B

Short Term Debt:$17.97B

Equity & Capital (3)

Equity:$22.63B

Retained Earnings:$11.31B

Common Stock:800,000,000.00

Working Capital Items (3)

Accounts Receivable:0.00

Inventory:0.00

Accounts Payable:17,965,000,000.00

Special Items (2)

Contract Liabilities:706,000,000.00

Stock Based Compensation:67,000,000.00

C. Cash Flow Analysis

Operating Activities (2)

Operating cash flow TTM: $7.94B

Linear Growth: -16.7%

Free cash flow TTM: $7.11B

Linear Growth: -24.9%

📊 Click to view full CNC Free Cash Flow analysis & methodology →

Investment Activities (2)

Investing Cash Flow:$89.00M

Capital Expenditures Ttm:832,000,000.00

Financing Activities (3)

Financing Cash Flow:-$1.06B

Dividends Paid Ttm:0.00

Stock Repurchase:29,000,000.00

Capital Transactions (3)

Common Stock Issuance:10,000,000.00

Long Term Debt Issuance:$0.00

Long Term Debt Repayments:$1.05B

Non-Cash Items (1)

Depreciation Amortization Ttm:1,762,000,000.00

DIVISION III: OPERATIONAL METRICS

A. Per Share Analysis

Earnings Per Share (3)

EPS (Basic TTM):-10.32

Eps diluted TTM: -$10.35

Linear Growth: 26.9%

📊 Click to view full CNC EPS analysis & methodology →

Earnings Per Share Ttm:-$10.33

Revenue & Cash Per Share (3)

Sales Per Share Ttm:410.96

Operating Cash Flow Per Share:$10.30

Fcf Per Share Ttm:14.40

Book Value & Capital (2)

Book Value Per Share:$45.83

Cash Per Share:48.91

Dividend Policy (1)

Dividend Payout Ratio:-999.00x

B. Operational Efficiency

Asset Utilization (2)

Asset Turnover Ttm:2.51x

Working Capital Turnover Ttm:34.25x

Receivables Management (2)

Receivables Turnover Ttm:-999.00x

Days Sales Outstanding Ttm:-999.00

Inventory Management (2)

Inventory Turnover Ttm:-999.00x

Days Inventory Outstanding Ttm:-999.00

Payables & Cash Cycle (2)

Days Payable Outstanding:2,374.09

Cash Conversion Cycle:-4,372.09

C. Quality & Risk Metrics

Financial Quality Scores (2)

Financial Strength Score:40.00

Quality Score:35.00

Market Metrics (2)

Beta:0.00x

Volatility Category:unknown

DIVISION IV: INVESTMENT ANALYSIS

A. Value Investment Framework

Owner Earnings Analysis (3)

Owner earnings TTM: $7.11B

Linear Growth: -24.9%

📊 Click to view full CNC Owner Earnings analysis & methodology →

Owner Earnings Per Share:$14.40

Owner Earnings Yield:$22.05

Growth Assessment (1)

Owner Earnings Growth Rate:-$24.92

Damodaran Growth Analysis (2)

Reinvestment Rate:158.6%

Fundamental Growth Rate (g):-20.2%

Intrinsic Value Models (1)

Intrinsic Value:

$31.72B

📊 Click to view full CNC DCF valuation →

Margin of Safety (1)

Margin Of Safety:

-1.7%

📊 Click to view full CNC valuation analysis →

Return Scenarios (2)

Theoretical 5-Year Return:

-20.3%

📊 Click to view full CNC expected return analysis →

Forward Expected Return (Yield + Growth):

2.0%

📊 Click to view full CNC expected return analysis →

Investment Assessment (1)

Buffett Assessment:Overvalued

B. Log-Linear Regression Growth Analysis

Growth Rates (Log-Linear Regression) (3)

Revenue Growth Rate (Linear):11.4%

Net Income Growth Rate (Linear):21.9%

Operating Income Growth Rate (Linear):10.6%

Cash Flow Growth Rates (2)

Free Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-24.9%

Operating Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-16.7%

Other Growth Rates (3)

Gross Profit Growth Rate (Linear):-5.0%

Book Value Growth Rate (Linear):-4.3%

Owner Earnings Growth Rate:-$24.92

C. Company Profile & Context

Corporate Information (6)

Symbol:CNC

Company Name:CENTENE CORPORATION

Sector:Healthcare

Industry:Healthcare Services

Exchange:NYSE

Country:United States

Market Classification (3)

Market Cap Category:N/A

Price Category:high

Volume Category:N/A

Share Structure (3)

Shares Outstanding:493.82M

Shares Outstanding Basic:493.82M

Shares Outstanding Diluted:497.64M

Data Processing Info (3)

Processing Version:v3.0

Last Updated:2026-08-28 19:04:55 UTC

Data Timestamp:2026-08-28T19:04:55.868073