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Centene vs UnitedHealth Group: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Centene carrying a narrow edge on growth. UnitedHealth still has the edge on profitability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-07-05

Growth drives the lead, while profitability keeps the result from looking one-sided.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Healthcare Plans

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. CNC and UNH share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Centene and UnitedHealth each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
CNC
Centene Corporation
48
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
UNH
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
44
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: CNC vs UNH Profitability 18 48 Stability 27 31 Valuation 86 58 Growth 58 28 CNC UNH
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +30
#2 Profitability +30
#3 Valuation +28
#4 Stability +4
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for CNC and UNH Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer CNCUNH Relative valuation Structural strength

The structural gap is limited here, but current pricing still leans against UnitedHealth Group Incorporated.

Valuation position uses Forward P/E and peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where CNC and UNH each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY CNC Neutral · below norm 0th 50th 100th 16 pct gap UNH Neutral · above norm 0th 50th 100th 49th 34th
Today UNH sits in the lower-middle of its own 5-year history (34th percentile), while CNC sits higher in its own history (49th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, UNH is at a historically more favourable entry position than CNC. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
Centene Corporation sits in the stronger part of the group on growth, while UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is closer to mid-pack.
Profitability
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated holds the stronger peer position on profitability.
Growth — Dominant Gap
CNC
58
UNH
28
Gap+30in favour of CNC

The clearest distance comes from a stronger growth profile.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Capital efficiency also runs the other way, with a 54-point ROIC edge acting as a real counterforce.

What this means for the comparison

Growth points more clearly to Centene Corporation, but profitability and current pricing keep the broader result mixed.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the CNC vs UNH comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how CNC and UNH each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.