CNC vs. GEHC: Centene vs. GE HealthCare Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but CNC is classified in Health Care Providers & Services while GEHC is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies.

Centene (CNC) has more than two decades of public-market history since December 13, 2001, whereas GE HealthCare (GEHC) listed on December 15, 2022 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Profile Item	CNC	GEHC
Name	Centene Corp.	GE HealthCare Technologies Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Health Care	Health Care
GICS Industry Group	Health Care Equipment & Services	Health Care Equipment & Services
GICS Industry	Health Care Providers & Services	Health Care Equipment & Supplies
GICS Sub-Industry	Managed Health Care	Health Care Equipment
Market Capitalization	34.53 billion USD	37.25 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	December 13, 2001	December 15, 2022
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CNC

GEHC

GSPC

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
Total Return (1Y)	84.77%	14.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	-0.97%	7.01%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-1.48%	--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CNC

GEHC

GSPC

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	46.34%	35.93%
Beta (5Y)	1.07	0.69
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-74.07%	-37.35%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.63M	3.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CNC and GEHC are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.74	0.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.71	0.41

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 20.01% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Centene (CNC) at 6.74% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for GEHC.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

6.74%

Max: 47.61%
Q3: 14.36%
CNC: 6.74%
Median: 5.45%
Q1: -10.67%
Min: -47.01%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

20.01%

Max: 47.61%
GEHC: 20.01%
Q3: 14.36%
Median: 5.45%
Q1: -10.67%
Min: -47.01%

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 9.95% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Centene (CNC) at 0.81%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.81%

Max: 29.35%
Q3: 9.33%
Median: 2.18%
CNC: 0.81%
Q1: -6.29%
Min: -28.46%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.95%

Max: 29.35%
GEHC: 9.95%
Q3: 9.33%
Median: 2.18%
Q1: -6.29%
Min: -28.46%

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 15.33% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Centene (CNC) at 0.74%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.74%

Max: 35.43%
Q3: 14.14%
Median: 6.81%
CNC: 0.74%
Q1: -0.28%
Min: -16.29%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

15.33%

Max: 35.43%
GEHC: 15.33%
Q3: 14.14%
Median: 6.81%
Q1: -0.28%
Min: -16.29%

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
ROE (TTM)	6.74%	20.01%
ROA (TTM)	2.68%	4.99%
Net Margin (TTM)	0.81%	9.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)	0.74%	15.33%
Gross Margin (TTM)	11.34%	39.29%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Centene (CNC) at 19.44% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 4.84% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 4.84% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Centene (CNC) at -314.42% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
Revenue Growth (YoY)	19.44%	4.84%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.45%	3.99%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-314.42%	4.84%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	-0.58%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Centene (CNC) at 1.16 and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 1.30 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.16

Max: 7.59
Q3: 4.00
Median: 1.98
Q1: 1.37
CNC: 1.16
Min: 0.30

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.30

Max: 7.59
Q3: 4.00
Median: 1.98
Q1: 1.37
GEHC: 1.30
Min: 0.30

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Centene (CNC) at 0.70 and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 0.88 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.70

Max: 1.88
Q3: 0.91
CNC: 0.70
Median: 0.58
Q1: 0.16
Min: 0.00

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.88

Max: 1.88
Q3: 0.91
GEHC: 0.88
Median: 0.58
Q1: 0.16
Min: 0.00

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.16	1.30
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.70	0.88
Net Debt / EBITDA	-1.71	2.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Centene (CNC) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile GE HealthCare (GEHC) reports a yield of 0.17%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

CNC: 0.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.17%

GEHC: 0.17%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Centene (CNC) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile GE HealthCare (GEHC) reports a payout of 2.96%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

CNC: 0.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.96%

GEHC: 2.96%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	0.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	2.96%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 17.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Centene (CNC) at 23.97 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for GEHC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

23.97

Max: 80.41
Q3: 47.62
Median: 29.93
CNC: 23.97
Q1: 21.19
Min: 4.21

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

17.42

Max: 80.41
Q3: 47.62
Median: 29.93
Q1: 21.19
GEHC: 17.42
Min: 4.21

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Centene (CNC) at 0.19 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 1.72 prices around its industry’s middle — CNC costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.19

Max: 8.80
Q3: 4.32
Median: 2.13
Q1: 1.10
CNC: 0.19
Min: 0.03

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.72

Max: 8.80
Q3: 4.32
Median: 2.13
GEHC: 1.72
Q1: 1.10
Min: 0.03

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Centene (CNC) at 1.55 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 3.21 is valued near its industry’s middle — CNC is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

CNC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.55

Max: 11.68
Q3: 6.12
Median: 3.00
Q1: 1.73
CNC: 1.55
Min: -1.31

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.21

Max: 11.68
Q3: 6.12
GEHC: 3.21
Median: 3.00
Q1: 1.73
Min: -1.31

Centene (CNC) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Centene (CNC) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Metric	CNC	GEHC
P/E Ratio (TTM)	23.97	17.42
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.19	1.72
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.55	3.21
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	8.93%	4.92%