ST. LOUIS, April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) today announced that on April 24, 2014 it priced $300 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.75% Senior Notes due 2022 at par in a public offering made pursuant to a registration statement and a related preliminary prospectus supplement filed by Centene with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The underwriters were led by Barclays, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and Wells Fargo Securities, with Allen & Company LLC, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Regions Securities LLC as co-managers of the offering. The notes mature on May 15, 2022, with a first interest payment date of November 15, 2014. The offering is expected to close on or about April 29, 2014. The issuance of the notes will be subject to customary closing conditions.

Centene intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to repay amounts outstanding under its Revolving Credit Facility and to pay related fees and expenses. The remainder of the proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, primarily including the funding of statutory capital.

In connection with the issuance of the notes, the Company has entered into interest rate swap agreements for a notional amount of $300 million at a floating rate of interest based on the three month LIBOR plus 2.27%.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The offering is being made by means of a prospectus and the related preliminary prospectus supplement. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and the related preliminary prospectus supplement, the registration statement and other documents that Centene has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Centene and this offering. Copies of the prospectus, the related preliminary prospectus supplement and registration statement can be obtained at no charge from Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 or by telephone at 888-603-5847 or e-mail at barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com. Investors may also obtain these and other documents Centene has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for free by visiting the EDGAR system on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

About Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and services to government sponsored healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Many receive benefits provided under Medicaid, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care and Long Term Care (LTC), in addition to other state-sponsored/hybrid programs, and Medicare (Special Needs Plans). The Company operates local health plans and offers a range of health insurance solutions. It also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health, care management software, correctional systems healthcare, in-home health services, life and health management, managed vision, pharmacy benefits management, specialty pharmacy and telehealth services.

The information provided in this press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to the public offering of senior notes, including without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the offering and the use of proceeds. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company's reports to the SEC contain additional information relating to additional factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update this forward-looking financial information in the future.

SOURCE Centene Corporation