Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio Purchases 43,924 Shares of Centene Co. (NYSE:CNC)

Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its holdings in Centene Co. (NYSE:CNC) by 16.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 316,798 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 43,924 shares during the quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio owned approximately 0.06% of Centene worth $23,849,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vantage Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Centene by 17.1% during the third quarter. Vantage Investment Partners LLC now owns 683,817 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,478,000 after buying an additional 99,904 shares during the period. Diversified Trust Co increased its position in Centene by 35.8% during the 2nd quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 28,009 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,857,000 after purchasing an additional 7,385 shares during the period. National Pension Service lifted its position in shares of Centene by 15.4% in the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,435,482 shares of the company’s stock worth $108,063,000 after purchasing an additional 191,768 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Centene by 31.1% during the 3rd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 118,810 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,944,000 after purchasing an additional 28,175 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Claro Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Centene during the third quarter valued at about $1,118,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.63% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Centene

In related news, CEO Sarah London bought 4,117 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 8th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $60.80 per share, with a total value of $250,313.60. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 667,229 shares in the company, valued at approximately $40,567,523.20. This trade represents a 0.62 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Andrew Lynn Asher purchased 17,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 13th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $58.14 per share, for a total transaction of $1,000,008.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief financial officer now directly owns 486,847 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,305,284.58. This trade represents a 3.66 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.29% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Centene Stock Performance

Shares of CNC opened at $58.51 on Tuesday. Centene Co. has a 12 month low of $56.44 and a 12 month high of $81.42. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $63.22 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $69.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. The company has a market cap of $29.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.16, a P/E/G ratio of 0.78 and a beta of 0.46.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on CNC shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $90.00 price objective on shares of Centene in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Barclays decreased their price objective on Centene from $97.00 to $91.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their target price on shares of Centene from $96.00 to $88.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Centene from $91.00 to $90.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Centene from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Centene presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $83.92.

Centene Company Profile

Centene Corporation operates as a healthcare enterprise that provides programs and services to under-insured and uninsured families, commercial organizations, and military families in the United States. The company operates through Medicaid, Medicare, Commercial, and Other segments. The Medicaid segment offers health plan coverage, including medicaid expansion, aged, blind, disabled, children’s health insurance program, foster care, medicare-medicaid plans, long-term services and support.