Buy now: Momentum is turning up (positive, expanding MACD) while price ($42.01) is holding above the key pivot ($41.74).
Upside skew from Street: Recent upgrades/target raises (PTs $47–$50) imply meaningful upside versus current price.
Fundamentals support: 2025/Q3 showed strong EPS and net income acceleration, reinforcing the bull case into the next earnings catalyst (2026-02-05 AH).
Main pushback is options positioning (put-heavy open interest), but with near-zero options volume, that signal is weaker/less actionable right now.
Technical Analysis
Trend/Momentum: MACD histogram +0.0714 and expanding suggests improving bullish momentum.
RSI: RSI(6) 58.34 = neutral-to-slightly-bullish; not overbought, leaving room for continuation.
Moving averages: Converging MAs suggest a transition phase; the positive MACD tilt favors an upward break rather than a breakdown.
Key levels: Pivot 41.735 (near-term line in the sand). Resistance 42.977 (R1) then 43.744 (R2). Support 40.494 (S1).
Sentiment via positioning: Open Interest Put/Call 1.68 = put-heavy positioning (more hedging/defensive bias).
But flow is absent: Options volume is 0 (and volume PCR is 0.0), so there’s no strong real-time bearish pressure confirmed by trading.
Volatility: 30D IV 51.73 vs historical vol 24.35; IV percentile 66 suggests options are pricing elevated uncertainty (often seen ahead of catalysts like earnings).
Technical Summary
Sell
3
Buy
12
Positive Catalysts
Earnings catalyst: Next report QDEC 2025 earnings on 2026-02-05 (After Hours); expectations are meaningful (Est. EPS 1.20), which can drive a re-rating if delivered.
Analyst tailwinds: Multiple recent upgrades/price target raises support incremental demand and confidence in ROE trajectory.
Fundamental momentum: Strong YoY EPS/net income growth in the latest reported quarter supports continued upside narrative.
Wall Street cons: Stock may still reflect cautious sentiment (and potential M&A uncertainty per Jefferies), consistent with put-heavy open interest.
Wall Street analysts forecast CNO stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CNO is 48 USD with a low forecast of 47 USD and a high forecast of 50 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
3 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast CNO stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CNO is 48 USD with a low forecast of 47 USD and a high forecast of 50 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 42.310
Low
47
Averages
48
High
50
Current: 42.310
Low
47
Averages
48
High
50
Piper Sandler
Overweight
maintain
$46 -> $50
AI Analysis
2025-12-23
Reason
Piper Sandler
Price Target
$46 -> $50
AI Analysis
2025-12-23
maintain
Overweight
Reason
Piper Sandler raised the firm's price target on CNO Financial to $50 from $46 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm is generally above consensus across the board in lifecoland. The drop in rates has been more gradual than has otherwise been expected, which has been constructive for broader capital markets activity too. This likely causes some tailwind to fee and spread earnings in its coverage, Piper adds.
Jefferies
Suneet Kamath
Hold
to
Buy
upgrade
$42 -> $47
2025-12-15
Reason
Jefferies
Suneet Kamath
Price Target
$42 -> $47
2025-12-15
upgrade
Hold
to
Buy
Reason
Jefferies analyst Suneet Kamath upgraded CNO Financial to Buy from Hold with a price target of $47, up from $42. The firm believes the company will likely beat its 2027 return on equity guidance of 12% with further upside thereafter. CNO shares reflect negative sentiment and potential acquisitions, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Jefferies cites the company's above-peer annuity liability growth for the upgrade.
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