Momentum investing revolves around the idea of following a stock's recent trend in either direction. In "long context," investors will be essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." With this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving that way. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.While many investors like to look for momentum i ...

AXIS Capital Declares Quarterly Dividends Share PEMBROKE, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital" or the "Company†) (NYSE: AXS) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.44 per common share payable on January 15, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2025. In addition, the Board declared a dividend of $34.375 per Series E 5.50% preferred share (equivalent to $0.34375 per depositary share) payable on ...

Core Insights - AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) shares closed at $102.21, near its 52-week high, indicating strong investor confidence and potential for further price appreciation [1] - The stock is trading above its 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages, suggesting solid upward momentum [1] Valuation - AXIS Capital's shares are trading at a forward price-to-book value of 1.35X, lower than the industry average of 1.54X and the Finance sector's 4.21X [3] - The company has a Value Score of B and is cheaper compared to peers like The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV), Arch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL), and American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG) [3] Performance - AXIS Capital shares have gained 15.4% over the past year, outperforming the industry and Finance sector growth of 12% and 15%, respectively [7] - The company has a market capitalization of $7.99 billion, with an average trading volume of 0.7 million shares over the last three months [2] Growth Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AXIS Capital's 2025 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 13.2%, with revenues projected at $6.42 billion, reflecting a 5.3% improvement [8] - Earnings have grown 67.1% over the past five years, significantly outperforming the industry average of 20.9% [8] Analyst Sentiment - Two of the three analysts covering AXIS Capital have raised their earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 in the past 30 days, leading to a 3.2% and 1.2% increase in the consensus estimates for those years [9] Target Price - The Zacks average price target for AXIS Capital is $115.60 per share, suggesting a potential upside of 13.07% from the last closing price [10] Return on Capital - The return on equity for AXIS Capital in the trailing 12 months was 18.9%, outperforming the industry average of 8% [14] Strategic Focus - AXIS Capital aims to be a leading specialty underwriter, focusing on growth areas such as wholesale insurance and lower middle markets [15] - The company is enhancing its digital capabilities and operational efficiencies, targeting a general and administrative ratio below 11% by 2026 [17] Dividend History - AXIS Capital has a strong dividend track record, having increased its dividend for 18 consecutive years, currently yielding 1.7%, significantly above the industry average of 0.2% [18] Conclusion - AXIS Capital is repositioning its portfolio and strengthening its business, focusing on efficient resource deployment and improving underwriting profitability, which positions the company for growth [19][20]

Bermuda-based insurer and reinsurer, AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, has appointed Lewis Edwards to the newly created role of Head of Delegated Strategy, Global Markets, effective immediately.He will be based in London and reports to Sara Farrup, Head of Global Markets, and joins her leadership team.In his new role, Edwards will oversee the development and leadership of Global Markets’ portfolios of coverholder and managing general agent business.Most recently, he was the Head of the Delegated Authority Prac ...

For those looking to find strong Finance stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is American Healthcare REIT (AHR) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Finance peers, we might be able to answer that question.American Healthcare REIT is a member of our Finance group, which includes 863 different companies and currently sits at #1 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges ...

Core Insights - Axis Capital's shares have increased by approximately 9.2% since the last earnings report, outperforming the S&P 500 [1][2] Financial Performance - For Q3 2025, Axis Capital reported an operating income of $3.25 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 19.4%, and reflecting a 20% year-over-year increase [3] - Total operating revenues reached $1.6 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.6%, and showing a 4% year-over-year growth due to higher premiums [4] - Net premiums written rose by 9% to $1.4 billion, driven by an 11% increase in the insurance segment and a 3% increase in the reinsurance segment [5] - Net investment income decreased by 9.7% year-over-year to $185 million, falling short of estimates [5] - Total expenses decreased by 5.7% year-over-year to $1.3 billion, attributed to lower interest expenses and financing costs [6] Underwriting and Losses - Pre-tax catastrophe and weather-related losses were $44 million, including $20 million related to the Middle East Conflict, which is an improvement from the previous year's loss of $78 million [7] - Underwriting income increased by 39% year-over-year to $188 million, with the combined ratio improving by 370 basis points to 89.4 [7] Segment Results - In the insurance segment, gross premiums written improved by 10.8% year-over-year to $1.7 billion, with underwriting income increasing by 55.2% [8] - In the reinsurance segment, gross premiums written increased by 5.6% year-over-year to $432.3 million, although underwriting income decreased by 3.7% [9] Financial Position - As of September 30, 2025, Axis Capital had cash and cash equivalents of $825.9 million, a decrease of 61% from the end of 2024, while debt increased slightly to $1.3 billion [10] - Book value per share increased by 13% from the end of 2024 to $73.82 [10] Capital Deployment - Axis Capital has $400 million remaining under its share repurchase program as of September 30, 2025 [12] Market Outlook - Axis Capital holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating expectations for above-average returns in the coming months [15] - The company has a subpar Growth Score of D but a better Momentum Score of B, with an aggregate VGM Score of C [14]

Core Insights - Investors primarily utilize price-to-earnings (P/E) and price-to-sales (P/S) ratios for stock evaluation, while the price-to-book (P/B) ratio serves as an additional metric for identifying undervalued stocks with growth potential [1][5][10] Group 1: P/B Ratio and Its Importance - The P/B ratio is defined as the ratio of stock price to book value, calculated as market capitalization divided by book value of equity [2] - A P/B ratio of less than one indicates that a stock is trading below its book value, suggesting it may be undervalued and a good buy [5] - Conversely, a P/B ratio greater than one suggests the stock may be overvalued [5][6] Group 2: Book Value Definition - Book value represents the total value remaining for shareholders if a company were to liquidate its assets after settling all liabilities [3] - It is calculated by subtracting total liabilities from total assets, equating to common stockholders' equity on the balance sheet [4] Group 3: Limitations of P/B Ratio - The P/B ratio is particularly useful for industries with tangible assets, such as finance and manufacturing, but may be misleading for companies with high R&D expenses or significant debt [8] - A low P/B ratio could indicate weak asset returns or overstated assets, while a high P/B may suggest a company is a takeover target [7] Group 4: Stocks with Low P/B Ratios - StoneCo (STNE) has a low P/B ratio with a projected 3-5 year EPS growth rate of 30.3% and a Zacks Rank of 2 [9][15] - Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) also features a low P/B ratio with a projected EPS growth rate of 12.0% and a Zacks Rank of 1 [9][16] - Keros Therapeutics (KROS) is highlighted with a projected EPS growth rate of 23.6% and a Zacks Rank of 1 [9][20] Group 5: Screening Parameters for Investment - Screening for stocks involves comparing P/B, P/S, and P/E ratios against industry medians to identify attractive investment opportunities [11][12][13] - A PEG ratio of less than 1 indicates undervaluation relative to future growth prospects [13] - Stocks should have a minimum trading price of $5 and a substantial average trading volume for liquidity [14]

Core Insights - Top Wall Street analysts have revised their outlook on several prominent stocks, indicating a shift in market sentiment and potential investment opportunities [1] Company Analysis - Analysts are considering buying OSK stock, suggesting a positive outlook for the company [1]

Core Viewpoint - Investors interested in Property and Casualty insurance stocks may find Axis Capital (AXS) to be a more attractive option compared to Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. (KNSL) due to its undervaluation based on various financial metrics [1]. Valuation Metrics - AXS has a forward P/E ratio of 8.04, significantly lower than KNSL's forward P/E of 20.98, indicating that AXS may be undervalued [5]. - The PEG ratio for AXS is 1.07, while KNSL's PEG ratio stands at 1.42, suggesting AXS offers better value relative to its expected earnings growth [5]. - AXS has a P/B ratio of 1.35 compared to KNSL's P/B of 4.95, further supporting the notion that AXS is undervalued [6]. Earnings Outlook - AXS is currently experiencing an improving earnings outlook, which is a positive indicator in the Zacks Rank model, suggesting it may be a superior value option at this time [7].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 14% year-over-year increase in diluted book value per common share, reaching $73.82, and an 18% annualized operating return on equity [6][18] - Operating earnings per share increased by 20% year-over-year to $3.25, with net income available to common shareholders at $294 million, or $3.74 per diluted common share [6][18] - Gross premiums written were $2.1 billion, up 9.7% from the prior year quarter, with a combined ratio of 89.4% [18][19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The insurance segment achieved record third-quarter premium production of $1.7 billion, an 11% increase compared to the prior year, with underwriting income rising 55% to $153 million [11][20] - The reinsurance segment grew by 6%, with a combined ratio of 92.2% and an ex-cat accident year loss ratio of 67.9% [24][25] - The property line grew by 8%, with North America E&S premiums increasing by 12.5% [11][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company observed a disciplined competitive landscape in the insurance market, with liability rates up 10% and property book growth of 8% [12][13] - The lower middle market segment showed exceptional growth, contributing significantly to the overall premium increases [11][31] - The company noted increased competition in large account E&S business but continued to see rate increases in small account business [12][13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on modernizing its underwriting platform and leveraging emerging technologies and AI to drive efficiency and support scalable growth [8][9] - Investments in new business lines and partnerships, such as Axis Capacity Solutions, are aimed at enhancing product capabilities and meeting diverse distribution partner needs [7][10] - The company is committed to maintaining premium adequacy across its portfolio while actively managing the insurance cycle [7][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate a changing risk landscape and emphasized the importance of a disciplined underwriting approach [12][17] - The outlook for the company remains positive, with expectations for continued profitable growth driven by strategic investments and strong relationships with distribution partners [17][26] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong capital position and returning capital to shareholders while investing in growth initiatives [26] Other Important Information - The company has returned substantial capital to shareholders, completing $600 million in share repurchases and declaring $105 million in common dividends [26] - A new repurchase authorization for $400 million has been approved, indicating a continued commitment to returning capital [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Growth in property segment - Management noted 8% growth in property, emphasizing solid premium adequacy and a well-constructed portfolio [28][30] Question: Potential for more deals with Axis Capacity Solutions - Management confirmed a pipeline of opportunities and emphasized the importance of maintaining underwriting discipline [36][38] Question: Insurance growth guidance - Management indicated that RAC Re could contribute to double-digit growth next year, depending on market conditions [43][44] Question: G&A ratio expectations - Management discussed the impact of RAC Re on G&A and indicated that the benefits would take time to materialize [45][46] Question: Paid to incurred ratios - Management expressed comfort with the current paid to incurred ratios, attributing them to improvements in claims management [53][55] Question: Renewal rights impact on professional lines growth - Management reported positive performance from the Markel renewal rights transaction, meeting expectations [71][72] Question: A&H growth drivers - Management highlighted pet insurance as a key growth driver within the A&H segment [77][78]