Centene 10-Q 2025-09-30
Filed 2025-10-29. 8 sections, 201K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON
Cover and table of contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
| ☒ | QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2025
OR
| ☐ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from _____ to _____
Commission file number: 001-31826
CENTENE CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 42-1406317 | ||||||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of | (I.R.S. Employer | ||||||||||
| incorporation or organization) | Identification Number) | ||||||||||
| 7700 Forsyth Boulevard | |||||||||||
| St. Louis, | Missouri | 63105 | |||||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (314) 725-4477
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered | ||||||
| Common Stock $0.001 Par Value | CNC | New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days ☒ Yes ☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files) ☒ Yes ☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer", "accelerated filer", "smaller reporting company", and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | ||||||||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | ||||||||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of October 27, 2025, the registrant had 491,518 thousand shares of common stock outstanding.
CENTENE CORPORATION
QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
All statements, other than statements of current or historical fact, contained in this filing are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, forward-looking statements often use words such as "believe," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "seek," "target," "goal," "potential," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "can," "continue," and other similar words or expressions (and the negative thereof). Centene Corporation and its subsidiaries (Centene, the Company, our or we) intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe-harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and we are including this statement for purposes of complying with these safe-harbor provisions. In particular, these statements include, without limitation, statements about our expected future operating or financial performance, changes in laws and regulations, market opportunity, expectations concerning pricing actions, competition, expected contract start dates and terms, expected activities in connection with completed and future acquisitions and dispositions, our investments, and the adequacy of our available cash resources. These statements may be found in the various sections of this filing, such as Part I, Item 2. "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," Part II, Item 1. "Legal Proceedings," and Part II, Item 1A. "Risk Factors."
These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on numerous assumptions and assessments made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, business strategies, operating environments, future developments, and other factors we believe appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are subject to change because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future, including economic, regulatory, competitive, and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions.
All forward-looking statements included in this filing are based on information available to us on the date of this filing. Except as may be otherwise required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements included in this filing, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date of this filing. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ materially from projections, estimates, or other forward-looking statements due to a variety of important factors, variables, and events including, but not limited to:
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our ability to design and price products that are competitive and/or actuarially sound;
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our ability to accurately predict and effectively manage health benefits and other operating expenses and reserves, including fluctuations in medical costs;
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rate cuts, insufficient rate changes or other payment reductions or delays by government payors affecting our government businesses;
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the effect of social, economic, and political conditions, geopolitical events and state and federal policies, including the amount and terms of state and federal funding for government-sponsored healthcare programs, including as a result of changes in U.S. presidential administrations or Congress;
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changes in federal or state laws or regulations, including changes with respect to income tax reform or government healthcare programs as well as changes with respect to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (collectively referred to as the ACA) and any regulations enacted thereunder, including the timing and terms of renewal or modification of the enhanced advance premium tax credits or program integrity initiatives that could have the effect of reducing membership or profitability of our products;
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unanticipated increased healthcare costs, including due to changes in consumer and provider behaviors, inflation and tariffs;
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our ability to maintain or achieve improvement in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Star ratings and maintain or achieve improvement in other quality scores in each case that could impact revenue and future growth;
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competition, including for providers, broker distribution networks, contract reprocurements and organic growth;
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our ability to adequately anticipate demand and timely provide for operational resources to maintain service level requirements in compliance with the terms of our contracts and state and federal regulations;
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our ability to comply with the terms of our contracts and state and federal regulations and our ability to effectively oversee our third-party vendors to comply with the terms of their contracts with us and state and federal regulations;
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our ability to manage our information systems effectively;
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disruption, unexpected costs, or similar risks from business transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, and changes in our relationships with third-party vendors;
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impairments to real estate, investments, goodwill and intangible assets;
i
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changes in senior management, loss of one or more key personnel or an inability to attract, hire, integrate and retain skilled personnel;
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membership and revenue declines or unexpected trends;
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changes in healthcare practices, new technologies, and advances in medicine;
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our ability to effectively and ethically use artificial intelligence and machine learning in compliance with applicable laws;
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changes in macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, interest rates and volatility in the financial markets;
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negative public perception of the Company and the managed care industry;
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uncertainty concerning government shutdowns, debt ceilings or funding;
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tax matters;
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disasters, climate-related incidents, acts of war or aggression or major epidemics;
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changes in expected contract start dates and terms;
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changes in provider, broker, vendor, state, federal and other contracts and delays in the timing of regulatory approval of contracts, including due to protests and our ability to timely comply with any such changes to our contractual requirements or manage any unexpected delays in regulatory approval of contracts;
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the expiration, suspension, or termination of our contracts with federal or state governments (including, but not limited to, Medicaid, Medicare or other customers);
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the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of legal or regulatory audits, investigations, proceedings or matters including, but not limited to, our ability to resolve claims and/or allegations on acceptable terms, or at all, or whether additional claims, reviews or investigations will be brought;
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challenges to our contract awards;
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cyber-attacks or other data security incidents or our failure to comply with applicable privacy, data or security laws and regulations;
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the exertion of management's time and our resources, and other expenses incurred and business changes required in connection with complying with the terms of our contracts and the undertakings in connection with any regulatory, governmental, or third party consents or approvals for acquisitions or dispositions;
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any changes in expected closing dates, estimated purchase price, or accretion for acquisitions or dispositions;
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losses in our investment portfolio;
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restrictions and limitations in connection with our indebtedness;
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a downgrade of our corporate family rating, issuer rating or credit rating of our indebtedness; and
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the availability of debt and equity financing on terms that are favorable to us.
This list of important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. We discuss certain of these matters more fully, as well as certain other factors that may affect our business operations, financial condition, and results of operations, in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our annual report on Form 10-K, other quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Due to these important factors and risks, we cannot give assurances with respect to our future performance, including without limitation our ability to maintain adequate premium levels or our ability to control our future medical and selling, general and administrative costs.
ii
Non-GAAP Financial Presentation
The Company is providing certain non-GAAP financial measures in this report as the Company believes that these figures are helpful in allowing investors to more accurately assess the ongoing nature of the Company's operations and measure the Company's performance more consistently across periods. The Company uses the presented non-GAAP financial measures internally in evaluating the Company's performance and for planning purposes, by allowing management to focus on period-to-period changes in the Company's core business operations, and in determining employee incentive compensation. Therefore, the Company believes that this information is meaningful in addition to the information contained in the GAAP presentation of financial information. The Company strongly encourages investors to review its consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety and cautions investors that the non-GAAP financial measures used by the Company may differ from similar measures used by other companies, even when similar terms are used to identify such measures. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP.
Specifically, the Company believes the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures that excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition and divestiture related expenses, as well as other items, allows investors to develop a more meaningful understanding of the Company's core performance over time.
The tables below provide reconciliations of non-GAAP items ($ in millions, except per share data):
| Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| GAAP net earnings (loss) attributable to Centene | $ | (6,631) | $ | 713 | $ | (5,573) | $ | 3,022 | |||||||||||||||
| Amortization of acquired intangible assets | 170 | 173 | 516 | 519 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Acquisition and divestiture related expenses | — | 8 | 1 | 75 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other adjustments (1) | 6,754 | — | 6,815 | (97) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax effects of adjustments (2) | (48) | (45) | (148) | (171) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Adjusted net earnings | $ | 245 | $ | 849 | $ | 1,611 | $ | 3,348 | |||||||||||||||
| GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Centene | $ | (13.50) | $ | 1.36 | $ | (11.29) | $ | 5.69 | |||||||||||||||
| Amortization of acquired intangible assets | 0.35 | 0.33 | 1.05 | 0.98 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Acquisition and divestiture related expenses | — | 0.02 | — | 0.14 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other adjustments (1) | 13.75 | — | 13.81 | (0.18) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax effects of adjustments (2) | (0.10) | (0.09) | (0.30) | (0.32) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Effect of basic to diluted shares (3) | — | — | (0.01) | — | |||||||||||||||||||
| Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) | $ | 0.50 | $ | 1.62 | $ | 3.26 | $ | 6.31 |
(1) Other adjustments include the following pre-tax items:
2025:
(a) for the three months ended September 30, 2025: goodwill impairment of $6,723 million, or $13.69 per share ($13.67 after-tax), real estate impairment of $22 million, or $0.04 per share ($0.04 after-tax), and exit costs related to the wind-down of certain contracts in the Other segment of $9 million, or $0.02 per share ($0.02 after-tax).
(b) for the nine months ended September 30, 2025: goodwill impairment of $6,723 million, or $13.62 per share ($13.61 after-tax), intangible asset impairment related to the wind-down of certain contracts in the Other segment of $55 million, or $0.11 per share ($0.08 after-tax), a net loss on real estate transactions of $18 million, or $0.04 per share ($0.03 after-tax), a reduction to the previously reported gain on the sale of Magellan Rx of $10 million, or $0.02 per share ($0.02 after-tax), and exit costs related to the wind-down of certain contracts in the Other segment of $9 million, or $0.02 per share ($0.01 after-tax).
iii
2024:
(a) for the nine months ended September 30, 2024: net gain on the previously reported divestiture of Magellan Specialty Health due to the achievement of contingent consideration and finalization of working capital adjustments of $83 million, or $0.15 per share ($0.11 after-tax), net gain on the sale of property of $21 million, or $0.04 per share ($0.03 after-tax), gain on the previously reported divestiture of Circle Health Group of $20 million, or $0.04 per share ($0.12 after-tax), Health Net Federal Services asset impairment due to the 2024 final ruling on the TRICARE Managed Care Support Contract of $14 million, or $0.03 per share ($0.02 after-tax), severance costs due to a restructuring of $13 million, or $0.02 per share ($0.01 after-tax), an additional loss on the divestiture of our Spanish and Central European businesses of $7 million, or $0.01 per share ($0.01 after-tax), and gain on the previously reported divestiture of HealthSmart due to the finalization of working capital adjustments of $7 million, or $0.01 per share ($0.01 after-tax).
(2) The income tax effects of adjustments are based on the effective income tax rates applicable to each adjustment. The three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, include a tax benefit of $4 million, or $0.01 per share, related to tax adjustments on previously reported divestitures and impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, include a tax benefit of $2 million, or $0.00 per share, related to tax adjustments on previously reported divestitures.
(3) Reflects the $0.00 and $0.01 impact of using 491,636 thousand and 494,763 thousand shares in the calculation of adjusted diluted EPS for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, respectively. The additional 495 thousand and 1,119 thousand shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, respectively, were excluded from the calculation of the GAAP net loss per share and related adjustments due to their anti-dilutive effect.
| Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses | $ | 3,145 | $ | 3,057 | $ | 9,534 | $ | 9,169 | |||||||||||||||
| Less: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acquisition and divestiture related expenses | — | 8 | 1 | 75 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring costs | 9 | — | 9 | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Real estate transaction costs | 2 | — | 2 | — | |||||||||||||||||||
| Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses | $ | 3,134 | $ | 3,049 | $ | 9,522 | $ | 9,081 | |||||||||||||||
iv
PART I
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements.
CENTENE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In millions, except shares in thousands and per share data in dollars)
| September 30, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | ||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 17,058 | $ | 14,063 | |||||||
| Premium and trade receivables | 23,109 | 19,713 | |||||||||
| Short-term investments | 2,179 | 2,622 | |||||||||
| Other current assets | 1,716 | 1,601 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 44,062 | 37,999 | |||||||||
| Long-term investments | 18,180 | 17,429 | |||||||||
| Restricted deposits | 1,416 | 1,390 | |||||||||
| Property, software and equipment, net | 2,161 | 2,067 | |||||||||
| Goodwill | 10,835 | 17,558 | |||||||||
| Intangible assets, net | 4,840 | 5,409 | |||||||||
| Other long-term assets | 593 | 593 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 82,087 | $ | 82,445 | |||||||
| LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities: | |||||||||||
| Medical claims liability | $ | 21,493 | $ | 18,308 | |||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 16,875 | 13,174 | |||||||||
| Return of premium payable | 1,568 | 2,008 | |||||||||
| Unearned revenue | 656 | 661 | |||||||||
| Current portion of long-term debt | 38 | 110 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 40,630 | 34,261 | |||||||||
| Long-term debt | 17,545 | 18,423 | |||||||||
| Deferred tax liability | 810 | 684 | |||||||||
| Other long-term liabilities | 2,047 | 2,567 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | 61,032 | 55,935 | |||||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | |||||||||||
| Redeemable noncontrolling interests | 23 | 10 | |||||||||
| Stockholders' equity: | |||||||||||
| Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; authorized 10,000 shares; no shares issued or outstanding at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 | — | — | |||||||||
| Common stock, $0.001 par value; authorized 800,000 shares; 623,120 issued and 491,414 outstanding at September 30, 2025, and 620,195 issued and 495,907 outstanding at December 31, 2024 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 20,713 | 20,562 | |||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) | (100) | (504) | |||||||||
| Retained earnings | 9,775 | 15,348 | |||||||||
| Treasury stock, at cost (131,706 and 124,288 shares, respectively) | (9,441) | (8,997) | |||||||||
| Total Centene stockholders' equity | 20,948 | 26,410 | |||||||||
| Nonredeemable noncontrolling interest | 84 | 90 | |||||||||
| Total stockholders' equity | 21,032 | 26,500 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and stockholders' equity | $ | 82,087 | $ | 82,445 |
The accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.
CENTENE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In millions, except shares in thousands and per share data in dollars)
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premium | $ | 44,126 | $ | 36,115 | $ | 127,578 | $ | 106,784 | |||||||||||||||
| Service | 772 | 784 | 2,276 | 2,425 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Premium and service revenues | 44,898 | 36,899 | 129,854 | 109,209 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Premium tax | 4,792 | 5,124 | 15,198 | 13,057 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 49,690 | 42,023 | 145,052 | 122,266 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Expenses: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medical costs | 40,902 | 32,201 | 116,213 | 93,898 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of services | 651 | 692 | 1,990 | 2,041 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative expenses | 3,145 | 3,057 | 9,534 | 9,169 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation expense | 147 | 140 | 430 | 408 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Amortization of acquired intangible assets | 170 | 173 | 516 | 519 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Premium tax expense | 4,886 | 5,095 | 15,449 | 13,218 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Impairment | 6,743 | — | 6,798 | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 56,644 | 41,358 | 150,930 | 119,266 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Earnings (loss) from operations | (6,954) | 665 | (5,878) | 3,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expense): | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment and other income | 450 | 432 | 1,203 | 1,440 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (170) | (176) | (510) | (530) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Earnings (loss) before income tax | (6,674) | 921 | (5,185) | 3,910 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax (benefit) expense | (42) | 211 | 392 | 896 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net earnings (loss) | (6,632) | 710 | (5,577) | 3,014 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Loss attributable to noncontrolling interests | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net earnings (loss) attributable to Centene Corporation | $ | (6,631) | $ | 713 | $ | (5,573) | $ | 3,022 | |||||||||||||||
| Net earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Centene Corporation: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic earnings (loss) per common share | $ | (13.50) | $ | 1.37 | $ | (11.29) | $ | 5.71 | |||||||||||||||
| Diluted earnings (loss) per common share | $ | (13.50) | $ | 1.36 | $ | (11.29) | $ | 5.69 | |||||||||||||||
| Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: |
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Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this filing. The discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties.
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
General
We are a leading healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach – with local brands and local teams – to provide fully integrated, high-quality and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to more than 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Our results of operations depend on our ability to manage expenses associated with health benefits (including estimated costs incurred) and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs. We measure operating performance based upon two key ratios. The health benefits ratio (HBR) represents medical costs as a percentage of premium revenues, excluding premium tax revenues that are separately billed, and reflects the direct relationship between the premiums received and the medical services provided. The SG&A expense ratio represents SG&A costs as a percentage of premium and service revenues, excluding premium taxes separately billed.
Trends and Uncertainties
Operating
In 2025, we have experienced an accelerated increase in medical cost trend. The drivers of trend include increasing medical demand, expanded access to care facilitated by program changes at the state level, and the rapid release and availability of new, high-cost pharmaceuticals. Increasingly, state healthcare policies are providing for expanded access through carve-ins for incremental coverage (for example, behavioral healthcare and home and community-based services).
The medical cost drivers are likely intensified by an environment where legislative changes to the United States healthcare model have been widely publicized (and with increasing intensity over the last nine months). Changes to the model include references to members in certain programs who may lose eligibility and certain provider reimbursement models that may be reduced in the future. Changes in Medicaid and Marketplace, including potential changes in the availability of enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTCs) for Marketplace products coupled with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), create member uncertainty surrounding the future availability, affordability, funding, and access to health insurance. This backdrop may be prompting members to seek care at an increased rate (given potential eligibility and subsidy funding shifts) and providers may be modifying operations, all further exacerbating the medical cost trend.
We continue to work with our state partners to establish Medicaid premium rates that appropriately match the acuity of the population as well as reflect the most recent medical cost trend. We also provide states with data to help them analyze the implications of policy decisions as well as design effective risk adjustment programs. In Marketplace, we completed the process of refiling 2026 policy year rates during the third quarter of 2025 to reflect a higher projected baseline of Marketplace morbidity than previously expected. Barring state-specific changes, we expect to be able to take corrective pricing actions for 2026 in states representing approximately 95% of our Marketplace membership.
Additionally, we are committed to ensuring that the affordability of healthcare is maintained for our government partners and members and continue to address the cost trend through the implementation of new clinical initiatives and care management plans, thoughtful network design, and ongoing rigor to combat fraud, waste and abuse.
Regulatory: Medicaid
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted our business as it relates to Medicaid eligibility changes. From the onset of the public health emergency (PHE) through March 2023, our Medicaid membership increased by 3.6 million members (excluding new states North Carolina and Delaware and various state product expansions or managed care organization changes). Since March 31, 2023, redeterminations are the primary driver of our Medicaid membership decline. While some states may still be concluding the redetermination process for certain populations of members, we anticipate that future reductions could occur resulting from ongoing state redetermination processes. We continue to work with our state partners to match rates to acuity post-redeterminations.
The OBBBA, passed in July 2025, includes requirements that may reduce the number of members eligible for state Medicaid Expansion programs by requiring work or community engagement by members and for state Medicaid agencies to redetermine member eligibility at more frequent intervals, along with adding a "Cost Sharing" or "Co-Pay" for certain medical services. These changes could have the effect of increasing the overall morbidity of the Medicaid Expansion population largely beginning in 2027, subject to state implementation plans. Several other provisions of the OBBBA, such as adjustments to provider taxes and state directed payments beginning in 2028, may have the effect of reducing the amount of federal funding for Medicaid, which could result in changes in the design of Medicaid programs, including coverage of benefits, eligibility, and/or provider payment rates. The OBBBA also includes a restriction against paying certain providers designated as "prohibited entities" as of October 1, 2025, which has the potential to create access to care issues and network gaps. An extended government shutdown may delay regulatory guidance and implementation of these requirements and other rulemaking changes.
Regulatory: Commercial
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), enacted in March 2021, initially enhanced eligibility for APTCs for enrollees in the Health Insurance Marketplace. The enhanced eligibility extended by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enacted in August 2022, expires at the end of 2025.
The Marketplace Integrity & Affordability Final Rule (Final Rule) was published in the Federal Register on June 25, 2025. The Final Rule makes changes to policies to strengthen program integrity measures in the Marketplace. For example, the Special Enrollment Period for those under 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) has been repealed beginning August 25, 2025. Several of the provisions of the Final Rule have been stayed due to ongoing litigation. These include a requirement for certain consumers who automatically re-enroll into a fully subsidized Marketplace plan will be re-enrolled into the same plan with a $5 premium until the consumer updates their exchange application to confirm APTC eligibility. Additionally, exchanges may no longer accept a consumer's self-attestation of projected annual household income when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) cannot verify it due to lack of tax return data; rather, exchanges must verify household income using other trusted data sources.
In addition, the OBBBA placed additional restrictions on APTC requirements. For example, beginning January 1, 2026, should individuals mis-estimate their projected income, the OBBBA requires them to reimburse the IRS for the full amount of excess tax credit received. In addition, as of January 1, 2026, the OBBBA prohibits individuals from receiving APTCs if they enroll in health coverage through a Special Enrollment Period associated with their income. We anticipate that the combined effect of the expiration of the enhanced APTCs, the Final Rule, and the OBBBA will reduce 2026
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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
INVESTMENTS AND DEBT
As of September 30, 2025, we had short-term investments of $2.2 billion and long-term investments of $19.6 billion, including restricted deposits of $1.4 billion. The short-term investments generally consist of highly liquid securities with maturities between three and 12 months. The long-term investments consist of municipal, corporate and U.S. Treasury securities, government-sponsored obligations, life insurance contracts, asset-backed securities, and equity securities, and have maturities greater than one year. Restricted deposits consist of investments required by various state statutes to be deposited or pledged to state agencies. Due to the nature of the states' requirements, these investments are classified as long-term regardless of the contractual maturity date. Substantially all of our investments are subject to interest rate risk and will decrease in value if market rates increase. Assuming a hypothetical and immediate 1% increase in market interest rates at September 30, 2025, the fair value of our fixed income investments would decrease by approximately $685 million.
For a discussion of the interest rate risk that our investments are subject to, refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, Part 1, Item 1A, "Risk Factors – Our investment portfolio may suffer losses which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations or liquidity."
Item 4. Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures - We maintain disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms; and (ii) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
In connection with the filing of this Form 10-Q, management evaluated, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2025. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of September 30, 2025.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting - No change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) occurred during the quarter ended September 30, 2025 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings.
A description of the legal proceedings to which the Company and its subsidiaries are a party is contained in Note 11. Contingencies to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
There have been no material changes to the risk factors described in Item 1A of our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Part II, Item 1A of our first quarter 2025 Form 10-Q and Item 1A of our second quarter 2025 Form 10-Q.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
In November 2005, the Company's Board of Directors announced a stock repurchase program, which was most recently increased in December 2023. The Company is authorized to repurchase up to $10.0 billion, inclusive of past authorizations, of which $1.8 billion is available as of September 30, 2025.
The stock repurchase program is effected primarily through regular open-market purchases (which may include repurchase plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1 and accelerated share repurchases), the amounts and timing of which are subject to the Company's discretion as part of its capital allocation strategy, and may be based upon general market conditions and the prevailing price and trading volumes of its common stock. No duration has been placed on the repurchase program. The Company reserves the right to discontinue the repurchase program at any time.
| Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities Third Quarter 2025 (Shares in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased (1) | Average Price Paid per Share | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs ($ in millions) (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| July 1, 2025 - July 31, 2025 | 1 | $ | 30.64 | — | $ | 1,830 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025 | 23 | 25.72 | — | 1,830 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 1, 2025 - September 30, 2025 | 6 | 29.90 | — | 1,830 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 30 | $ | 26.77 | — | $ | 1,830 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Includes 11 thousand shares relinquished to the Company by certain employees for the payment of taxes at a weighted average price of $29.00 and an open market purchase of 19 thousand shares by Sarah London, the Company's CEO, at a weighted average price of $25.50 which was previously disclosed on the Form 4 filed with the SEC on August 11, 2025. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2) | A remaining amount of $1.8 billion is available under the stock repurchase program as of September 30, 2025. |
Item 5. Other Information
(a) None.
(b) None.
(c) During the three months ended September 30, 2025, no director or officer of the Company adopted or terminated a "Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement" or "non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement," as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.
Item 6. Exhibits.
| EXHIBIT NUMBER | DESCRIPTION | ||||||||||
| 31.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13(a)-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. | ||||||||||
| 31.2 | Certification of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13(a)-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. | ||||||||||
| 32.1 | # | Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |||||||||
| 32.2 | # | Certification of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |||||||||
| 101 | The following materials from the Centene Corporation Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, formatted in Inline Extensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL): (i) the Consolidated Balance Sheets; (ii) the Consolidated Statements of Operations; (iii) the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings (Loss); (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity; (v) the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and (vi) related notes. | ||||||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File, formatted in iXBRL and contained in Exhibit 101. | ||||||||||
| # This certification is deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act. | |||||||||||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized as of October 29, 2025.
| CENTENE CORPORATION | ||||||||
| By: | /s/ SARAH M. LONDON | |||||||
| Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) |
| By: | /s/ ANDREW L. ASHER | |||||||
| Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) |
| By: | /s/ KATIE N. CASSO | |||||||
| Senior Vice President, Finance, Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer (principal accounting officer) | ||||||||