UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 1)*
Centene Corp.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock (no par value)
(Title of Class of Securities)
15135B101
(CUSIP Number)
September 30, 2003
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
13G is filed:
|X| Rule 13d-1(b)
|_| Rule 13d-1(c)
|_| Rule 13d-1(d)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
CUSIP NO: 15135B101
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1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Palisade Capital Management, L.L.C.
22-3330049
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2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) |_|
(b) |X|
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3. SEC USE ONLY
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4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
New Jersey
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NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 407,000
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BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY N/A
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EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING 407,000
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PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH N/A
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9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
484,000
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10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
N/A |_|
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11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
2.46%
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12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IA
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*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
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CUSIP NO: 15135B101
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1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Axe-Houghton Associates, Inc.
22-2512992
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2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) |_|
(b) |X|
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3. SEC USE ONLY
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4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
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NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 77,000
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BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY N/A
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EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING 77,000
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PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH N/A
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9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
484,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
N/A |_|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
2.46%
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12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IA
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*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
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Item 1.
(a) Name Of Issuer: Centene Corp.
(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 7711 Carondelet Ave., St.
Louis, MO 63105.
Item 2.
(a) Name of Person Filing: Palisade Capital Management, L.L.C.
(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence: One Bridge
Plaza, Suite 695, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
(c) Citizenship: New Jersey
(d) Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock (no par value)
(e) CUSIP Number: 15135B101
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to ss.ss.240.13d-1(b) or
240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:
(a) |_| Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act (15
U.S.C. 78o);
(b) |_| Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c);
(c) |_| Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15
U.S.C. 78c);
(d) |_| Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8);
(e) |X| An investment adviser in accordance with ss.240.13d-1(b)(1)
(ii)(E);
(f) |_| An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with
ss.240.13d- 1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
(g) |_| A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
ss.240.13d- 1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
(h) |_| A savings associations as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal
Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
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(i) |_| A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
(j) |_| Group, in accordance with ss.240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
Item 4. Ownership.
(a) Amount beneficially owned: 484,000
(b) Percent of Class: 2.46%
(c) Number of shares as to which the person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote 484,000
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote N/A
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 484,000
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of N/A
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof, the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more
than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [X].
Item 6. Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
N/A
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company.
N/A
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Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
Palisade Capital Management, LLC ("Palisade"), and Axe-Houghton
Associates, Inc. ("Axe"), are registered investment advisers. They are control
affiliates. Palisade and Axe are making this joint filing pursuant to Agreement
attached as Exhibit 1, but disclaim that they are members of a Group pursuant to
Rule 13d-5(b).
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
N/A
Item 10. Certification.
By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the
securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose
of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of
such securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as
a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
October 29, 2003
Date
Palisade Capital Management, LLC
/s/ Steven E. Berman
-----------------------------------
Steven E. Berman, Member
Axe-Houghton Associates, Inc.
/s/ Steven e. Berman
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Steven E. Berman, President
Attention: Intentional misstatements or omissions of fact constitute Federal
criminal violations (See 18 U.S.C. 1001)
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