Centene rises after affirming full-year guidance
Centene soared in early trading after affirming its full-year guidance ahead of the Deutsche Bank 2025 Healthcare Summit on Thursday.
The company reiterated its expectation for adjusted diluted earnings per share to be approximately $1.75. At the conference, Centene executives also said they expect a higher percentage of its Medicare enrollees to be on more lucrative, top-rated plans next year, according to Bloomberg.
Earlier this week, UnitedHealth also reiterated its guidance and said it expects to have more top-rated plans in the coming year. The government rates insurance companies offering Medicare Advantage plans, and higher-rated plans are eligible for bonuses that can significantly increase a plan’s revenue.
Insurance companies that sell government-sponsored plans took a dive earlier this year amid unexpected rising costs. The recent announcements from both Centene and UnitedHealth may be a sign that the worst is behind them.