Alignment Healthcare (ALHC) vs Centene (CNC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Centene (CNC) has outperformed Alignment Healthcare (ALHC) over the past year, gaining 69.2% versus a loss of 49.6%. Over five years, CNC leads with a -0.5% price change compared with -54.1% for ALHC. Centene is the larger company by market cap ($31.88 billion vs $1.81 billion), about 17.6 times the size.
On valuation, Alignment Healthcare trades at a lower forward P/E (11.6x vs 12.1x for Centene).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ALHC | CNC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $8.71 | $64.54 |
| Market cap | $1.81B | $31.88B |
| 1-day change | +1.87% | -0.69% |
| YTD return | -56.71% | +57.93% |
| 1-year return | -49.65% | +69.16% |
| 5-year return | -54.08% | -0.51% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 45.84 | — |
| Forward P/E | 11.57 | 12.07 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.19 | $-10.44 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $194.78B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | +19.44% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $-6.67B |
| Gross margin | — | 7.30% |
| Operating margin | — | -3.91% |
| Net margin | — | -3.43% |
| 52-week high | $25.12 | $69.63 |
| 52-week low | $7.37 | $31.63 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -65.33% | -7.31% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +135.82% | +11.22% |
| Average volume | 7.50M | 4.57M |
| Shares outstanding | 207.44M | 494.00M |
| Employees | 1,849 | 61,100 |
| Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| Industry | Medical Specialities | Medical Specialities |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Centene is about 17.6 times larger than Alignment Healthcare by market value ($31.88B vs $1.81B).
- CNC has outperformed ALHC by 118.8 percentage points over the past year.
About Alignment Healthcare
ALHC stock →Alignment Healthcare, Inc. operates a consumer-centric healthcare platform for seniors in the United States.
Health Care · Medical Specialities · 1,849 employees
About Centene
CNC stock →Centene Corporation operates as a managed care company that provides programs and services to under-insured families, and commercial organizations in the United States. It operates through four segments: Medicaid, Medicare, Commercial, and Other.
Health Care · Medical Specialities · 61,100 employees
ALHC vs CNC FAQ
Which is bigger, Alignment Healthcare or Centene?
Centene (CNC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $31.88B compared with $1.81B for Alignment Healthcare (ALHC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ALHC or CNC?
CNC returned +69.16% over the past 12 months, compared with -49.65% for ALHC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are Alignment Healthcare and Centene in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Medical Specialities industry within the Health Care sector.