CNC vs CVS vs EHSI Stock Comparison

Centene, Cvs Health and Elite Health Systems Prices as of Oct 28, 2026 Peers: Industry group
CNC Centene Corp
$67.03 +7.3% 1M +102.0% 1Y
Market cap
$33.65B
P/E
23.0x
Revenue (TTM)
$203.90B
Div. yield
–
Managed Care Healthcare
5 wins
CVS CVS HEALTH Corp
$89.92 +2.4% 1M +9.4% 1Y
Market cap
$114.96B
P/E
23.5x
Revenue (TTM)
$415.09B
Div. yield
–
Managed Care Healthcare
5 wins

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Cvs Health leads on 5 of the 12 questions below (Cvs Health 5, Centene 5, Elite Health Systems 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionCNCCVSEHSILeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $33.65B $114.96B $23.67M CVS
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 23.0x 23.5x -2.4x CNC
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 13.3x 10.5x — CVS
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +9.7% +7.4% — CNC
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 0.7% 1.2% -261.7% CVS
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 2.0% 5.0% — CVS
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA -3.6x 3.7x — CNC
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.00% — –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +102.0% +9.4% -41.1% CNC
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -1.2%/yr +0.1%/yr +21.8%/yr EHSI
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 47.5% 32.4% 50.8% CVS
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 57/100 53/100 28/100 CNC

Percentile Scorecard

CNCCVSEHSI

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisCNCCVSEHSI
Valuation 96 #2 of 25 83 #5 of 25 0 #25 of 25
Growth 57 #11 of 24 48 #13 of 24 0 #24 of 24
Profitability 35 #16 of 24 52 #12 of 24 4 #23 of 24
Financial Health 56 #12 of 26 16 #22 of 26 84 #5 of 26
Shareholder Returns 40 #10 of 16 67 #6 of 16 53 #8 of 16
Overall 57 53 28
  • CNC ranked among 27 companies in Healthcare Payers and Distributors
  • CVS ranked among 27 companies in Healthcare Payers and Distributors
  • EHSI ranked among 27 companies in Healthcare Payers and Distributors

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodCNCCVSEHSISPY
1 month +7.3%+2.4%-2.4% +0.9%
3 months +8.4%-15.1%-7.8% +5.9%
6 months +24.2%+7.2%-30.8% +8.5%
Year to date +62.9%+13.3%-34.1% +13.3%
1 year +102.0%+9.4%-41.1% +12.4%
3 years -0.7%+35.6%+219.2% +88.1%
3 years, per year -0.2%+10.7%+47.3% +23.5%
5 years -5.9%+0.7%+167.7% +68.2%
5 years, per year -1.2%+0.1%+21.8% +11.0%
10 years +112.3%+7.9%+232.0% +263.4%
10 years, per year +7.8%+0.8%+12.8% +13.8%

Risk

MeasureCNCCVSEHSISPY
Volatility, 1Y 47.5%32.4%50.8% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 47.4%34.4%107.3% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 0.300.130.17 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 2.150.29-0.81 0.98
Max drawdown, 5Y -74.1%-60.5%-87.1% -25.4%
From 52-week high -5.9%-18.7%-44.7% -0.9%
52-week high $71.21$110.55$1.50 $779.14
52-week low $31.80$70.08$0.68 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleCNCCVSEHSI
P/E now vs peer median 22.7xmedian 23.9x 23.5xmedian 23.9x -2.4xmedian 23.9x
P/S now vs peer median 0.2xmedian 0.3x 0.3xmedian 0.3x 6.3xmedian 0.3x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 11.2xmedian 12.7x 12.7xmedian 12.7x —median 12.7x
P/FCF now vs peer median 8.4xmedian 15.4x 9.8xmedian 15.4x -4.8xmedian 15.4x
P/B now vs peer median 1.5xmedian 2.5x 1.4xmedian 2.5x 9.2xmedian 2.5x
PEG now vs peer median -1.72median 1.34 1.30median 1.34 0.02median 1.34

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsCNCCVSEHSI
Revenue $203.90B $415.09B $3.73M
Gross profit $43.95B $184.68B $285.00K
Operating income $1.01B $8.29B -$5.81M
Net income $1.46B $4.93B -$9.77M
Free cash flow $3.94B $11.76B -$4.92M
EPS (diluted) $2.95 $3.80 $-0.82
Cash & equivalents $20.70B $11.33B $1.30M
Total debt $15.54B $61.41B –
Shares (diluted) 494.14M 1.29B 11.90M
Enterprise value -$61.05B $67.37B $12.04M

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricCNCCVSEHSI
P/E 22.7x 23.5x -2.4x
P/FCF 8.4x 9.8x -4.8x
P/Operating cash flow 7.0x 7.8x -4.8x
P/S 0.2x 0.3x 6.3x
P/B 1.5x 1.4x 9.2x
P/Tangible book 1.8x 2.1x 9.2x
EV/EBITDA 11.2x 12.7x –
EV/EBIT 25.0x 19.6x -3.9x
EV/Revenue 0.1x 0.4x 6.0x
EV/FCF 6.4x 13.8x -4.5x
EV/Operating cash flow 5.3x 11.0x -4.5x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) -1.72 1.30 0.02

Growth

14 metrics
MetricCNCCVSEHSI
Revenue growth (1Y) 9.7% 7.4% –
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 10.7% 7.0% –
Gross profit growth (1Y) 16.2% 6.5% –
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 9.4% 11.8% –
Operating income growth (1Y) 117.7% -7.4% -231.3%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) -29.2% 8.9% -74.1%
Net income growth (1Y) 127.6% 8.6% -348.8%
Net income CAGR (3Y) -15.8% 18.2% -185.2%
EPS growth (1Y) 127.4% 6.5% -348.8%
EPS CAGR (3Y) -13.2% 18.1% -121.9%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 16.2% 95.3% -299.8%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) -9.0% -10.4% -57.7%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 17.5% 146.0% -299.8%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) -10.2% -12.7% -57.7%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricCNCCVSEHSI
Gross margin 21.6% 44.5% 7.6%
EBITDA margin 1.1% 3.1% –
Operating margin 0.5% 2.0% -155.6%
Pretax margin 0.9% 1.4% -262.0%
Net margin 0.7% 1.2% -261.7%
FCF margin 1.9% 2.8% -131.8%
Operating cash flow margin 2.3% 3.6% -131.8%
Return on equity 6.5% 6.2% -294.6%
Return on assets 1.8% 1.9% -208.9%
Return on invested capital 2.0% 5.0% –
Return on capital employed 2.4% 5.0% -174.0%
Asset turnover 2.5x 1.6x 0.8x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 3.2x 3.0x 0.5x
Stock comp / revenue 0.1% 0.2% 17.4%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricCNCCVSEHSI
Debt / assets 19.6% 24.2% –
Debt / equity 0.7x 0.8x –
Net debt / EBITDA -3.6x 3.7x –
Debt / FCF 3.9x 5.2x –
Liabilities / assets 71.9% 68.5% 34.4%
Equity / assets 28.1% 31.5% 65.6%
Interest coverage 1.6x 2.7x –
Current ratio 1.2x 0.9x 1.4x
Quick ratio 1.1x 0.8x 1.1x
Cash ratio 0.6x 0.2x 1.0x
Altman Z-score 3.26 2.45 1.36

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricCNCCVSEHSI
Dividend yield – 3.0% –
Net buyback yield 0.1% -0.4% 1.2%
Shareholder yield 0.1% 2.6% 1.2%
Payout ratio (earnings) – – –
Payout ratio (FCF) – – –
Dividend growth (1Y) – – –
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – – –

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusCNCCVSEHSI
Forward P/E 13.3xFY2026 10.5xFY2026 –
EPS, next fiscal year $5.04FY2026 $8.59FY2026 –
EPS growth, next FY +142.3%FY2026 +27.3%FY2026 –
EPS growth, the year after +11.5% +1.7% –
Revenue, next fiscal year $202.57BFY2026 $427.31BFY2026 –
Revenue growth, next FY +4.0%FY2026 +6.3%FY2026 –
Revenue growth, the year after -0.4% -4.8% –

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersCNCCVSEHSI
Held by institutions 97.9% 89.1% –
Institutions holding 999 2,071 –
Change in shares held, QoQ +2.1% +3.5% –
Institutions buying 568 1,103 –
Institutions selling 334 730 –
Buyers to sellers 1.70 1.51 –

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

CNCCVSEHSI
CNC 1.00 0.51 -0.01
CVS 0.51 1.00 -0.12
EHSI -0.01 -0.12 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, CNC, CVS and EHSI?

Cvs Health (CVS) is the largest by market capitalisation: Centene (CNC) $33.65B, Cvs Health (CVS) $114.96B, Elite Health Systems (EHSI) $23.67M.

Which stock is cheaper, CNC, CVS and EHSI?

Centene (CNC) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Centene (CNC) 23.0x, Cvs Health (CVS) 23.5x, Elite Health Systems (EHSI) -2.4x). On next year's consensus earnings, Cvs Health (CVS) is cheapest (Centene (CNC) 13.3x, Cvs Health (CVS) 10.5x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Centene (CNC) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Centene (CNC) +9.7%, Cvs Health (CVS) +7.4%.

Which company is more profitable?

Cvs Health (CVS) has the highest net margin (Centene (CNC) 0.7%, Cvs Health (CVS) 1.2%, Elite Health Systems (EHSI) -261.7%). On return on invested capital, Cvs Health (CVS) leads (Centene (CNC) 2.0%, Cvs Health (CVS) 5.0%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Centene (CNC) returned the most: Centene (CNC) +102.0%, Cvs Health (CVS) +9.4%, Elite Health Systems (EHSI) -41.1%. Over five years, Elite Health Systems (EHSI) compounded fastest (Centene (CNC) -1.2%/yr, Cvs Health (CVS) +0.1%/yr, Elite Health Systems (EHSI) +21.8%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Cvs Health (CVS) has been the steadiest (Centene (CNC) 47.5%, Cvs Health (CVS) 32.4%, Elite Health Systems (EHSI) 50.8%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, CNC, CVS and EHSI?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Cvs Health (CVS) leads on 5. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.