Mizuho Updates Centene (CNC) Valuation as Physician Survey Suggests Cooling Healthcare Utilization

Group 1: Company Overview - Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) is a healthcare enterprise that provides programs and services to under-insured and uninsured families and commercial organizations in the US [4] Group 2: Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Mizuho increased its price target for Centene from $40 to $47 while maintaining a Neutral rating, indicating a cautious outlook due to decelerating healthcare utilization growth [1] - Wells Fargo raised its price target for Centene to $43 from $35 with an Equal Weight rating, expressing concerns about high uncertainty in Medicaid and Exchanges and a challenging environment for hospitals in 2026 [2] - Bernstein analyst Lance Wilkes raised the price target for Centene to $59 from $45 with an Outperform rating, anticipating a sector-wide turnaround in government managed care starting in 2026 [3] Group 3: Market Trends and Insights - Recent physician surveys suggest that healthcare utilization growth is decelerating, which may indicate that the utilization trend is currently peaking [1] - The managed care sector is expected to face challenges as post-COVID tailwinds diminish and legislative risks increase [2] - Current levels across all managed care organization sectors are viewed as attractive entry points for investors despite anticipated volatility [3]