Doss Assumes Role of Vice President, Personal Lines UnderwritingJustin Doss assumed the role of vice president, personal lines underwriting at RLI Corp., headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. In this executive role, he will lead underwriting and distribution strategy for RLI’s Personal Lines business. Doss joined RLI in 2016 as manager, sales, for specialty personal lines and has since held several leadership roles in sales and distribution, most recently serving as vice president, distribution and strategic p ...

Core Insights - RLI Corp. (RLI) shares have gained momentum, trading above the 50-day simple moving average (SMA), indicating a bullish trend [1][3][8] - The Zacks average price target for RLI is $69.25 per share, suggesting a potential upside of 7.3% from the last closing price [2] - RLI shares have underperformed over the past year, losing 21.6% compared to the industry's growth of 11% [4][20] Company Performance - RLI is a specialty property-casualty (P&C) underwriter focused on niche markets, with a strong local branch office network and a broad range of product offerings [4][13] - The company has a solid dividend track record, having paid dividends for 190 consecutive quarters and increased its regular dividend for 50 straight years, with a five-year compound annual growth rate of 8.8% [16] - RLI's combined ratio remains exemplary, reflecting strong underwriting profitability, and management is focused on enhancing performance by exiting underperforming products [15][20] Financial Metrics - RLI's price-to-book multiple is 3.14, significantly higher than the industry average of 1.52 and the median of 1.37, indicating that the stock is overvalued compared to peers [10][12] - The trailing 12-month return on equity for RLI is 16.5%, well above the industry average of 8%, while return on invested capital is 2.1%, below the industry average of 6.2% [17] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 revenues indicates a 4.1% year-over-year increase, but earnings are expected to decrease by 10.4% year-over-year [18] Market Position - RLI's focus on product diversification and innovation supports solid business expansion, with sustained rate increases and an expanding distribution network [13] - Compared to peers W.R. Berkley Corporation (WRB) and Cincinnati Financial Corp. (CINF), which gained 20.9% and 14.9% respectively over the past year, RLI's performance has lagged [9][20] - Despite its high valuation, RLI is considered an attractive option for income-focused investors due to its impressive dividend history [16][21]

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For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores. What are the Zacks Style Scores? Develo ...

Core Insights - RLI Corp. has achieved the status of a Dividend King by raising its annual dividend for the 50th consecutive year, demonstrating resilience through economic challenges [1][2] - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $5.8 billion and has faced a 21% decline in stock price this year due to various industry pressures [3] Company Performance - Despite the stock decline, RLI has managed to grow its operating earnings in the first nine months of the year, maintaining a combined ratio of slightly over 85%, indicating underwriting profitability [4] - The company has a dividend yield of around 1% and a free cash flow yield of nearly 10%, suggesting potential for continued dividend growth in the future [6] Market Context - RLI operates in a competitive insurance market and is experiencing challenges from rising technology investments and increased claims due to more frequent natural disasters [3] - The stock's current price is $61.67, with a 52-week range between $55.94 and $84.40, reflecting volatility in the market [5][6]

Core Insights - Wealthedge Investment Advisors, LLC disclosed a new position in RLI, acquiring 50,952 shares valued at $3.32 million, representing 1.26% of the fund's reportable U.S. equity assets under management [2][3][4] Company Overview - RLI reported a total revenue of $1.83 billion and a net income of $353.02 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [5] - The company offers a diversified portfolio of property and casualty insurance products, including commercial and personal coverage, general and professional liability, and reinsurance [9] - RLI serves a broad client base, focusing on commercial insureds, contractors, professionals, and small to medium-sized enterprises [10] Investment Position - The new position in RLI ranks 25th out of 127 positions held by Wealthedge, placing it in the top 20% of the firm's holdings [11] - RLI shares were priced at $62.05 as of November 11, 2025, reflecting a 24.82% decline over the past year and underperforming the S&P 500 by 38.33 percentage points [4]

Core Insights - The FPA Queens Road Small Cap Value Fund reported a return of 7.46% in Q3 2025, underperforming the Russell 2000 Value Index which returned 12.60% during the same period [1] - For the first three quarters of 2025, the fund achieved a return of 13.77%, outperforming the index's return of 9.04% [1] - The fund's investment strategy emphasizes a disciplined and patient approach, expecting to perform better in down markets and lag in speculative markets [1] Company Overview: RLI Corp. - RLI Corp. (NYSE:RLI) is an insurance holding company with a one-month return of 7.17% but has seen a significant decline of 29.74% over the past 52 weeks [2] - As of November 24, 2025, RLI Corp.'s stock closed at $63.55 per share, with a market capitalization of $5.836 billion [2] - RLI Corp. specializes in property and casualty insurance, focusing on niche markets such as public and school buses and Hawaii homeowners [3] Financial Performance - RLI Corp. has maintained a strong financial performance, with an average combined ratio of 89.3% and a return on equity (ROE) of 16.6% from 2015 to 2024 [3] - The company is known for its selective underwriting and willingness to forgo unprofitable business, which contributes to its premium valuation, typically around 20 times this year's earnings [3] Hedge Fund Interest - RLI Corp. was held by 29 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q2 2025, a decrease from 32 in the previous quarter [4] - While RLI Corp. is recognized for its investment potential, certain AI stocks are considered to offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [4]

Core Viewpoint - RLI Corp. has shown a positive performance in its stock price, increasing by approximately 4.2% since the last earnings report, outperforming the S&P 500 [1][2]. Financial Performance - RLI Corp. reported Q3 2025 operating earnings of 83 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 33.9% and reflecting a 27.7% increase from the prior-year quarter [3]. - Operating revenues for the quarter reached $449 million, a 5.3% year-over-year increase, driven by a 4.7% rise in net premiums earned and a 12.5% increase in net investment income [4]. - Gross premiums written totaled $562.3 million, up 0.5% year over year, although the Casualty segment's performance improvement was offset by declines in the Property and Surety segments [5]. - Total expenses decreased by 0.2% year over year to $353.6 million, primarily due to lower loss and settlement expenses, while underwriting income surged by 48.6% year over year to $60.5 million [6]. Financial Update - RLI exited the quarter with total investments and cash of $4.7 billion, a 14.8% increase from the end of 2024, and a book value of $20.41 per share, up 26% from December 31, 2024 [7]. - Net cash flow from operations was $179.2 million, down 18.3% year over year, while the statutory surplus increased by 5.6% to $1.9 billion as of September 30, 2025 [7]. Dividend Update - On September 19, 2025, RLI paid a dividend of 16 cents, an increase of 1 cent from the previous payout, with cumulative dividends exceeding $975 million over the last five years [8]. Market Outlook - There has been an upward trend in estimates revisions for RLI Corp., indicating a promising outlook [9][11]. - RLI Corp. holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting an expectation of an in-line return from the stock in the upcoming months [11]. Industry Comparison - RLI Corp. is part of the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, where another player, Progressive, has gained 1.5% over the past month, reporting revenues of $22.22 billion, a year-over-year increase of 14.3% [12].

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores rate stocks using an alphabetic system (A to F) based on value, growth, and momentum, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market [2][3] - The Style Scores consist of four categories: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, each focusing on different investment strategies [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Score identifies undervalued stocks by analyzing financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score assesses a company's future potential by examining projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends by evaluating short-term price changes and earnings estimate revisions [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with the best value, growth potential, and momentum [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to assist in stock selection, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.93% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7][9] Stock Selection Strategy - For optimal returns, investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B, while 3 ranked stocks should also have high Style Scores to maximize upside potential [9][10] Company Spotlight: RLI Corp. - RLI Corp., a specialty property-casualty underwriter, holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, indicating a solid position in the market [11] - The company is projected to achieve a year-over-year earnings growth of 16.7% for the current fiscal year, with recent earnings estimates revised upward [12]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies and confidence, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum methodologies, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the next 30 days [2][3] - Stocks are rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] Value Score - The Value Style Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [3] Growth Score - The Growth Style Score emphasizes a company's financial health and future growth potential, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score identifies optimal times to invest based on price trends and earnings estimate changes [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and positive momentum [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.93% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7][9] - There are typically over 800 stocks rated 1 or 2, making it essential for investors to utilize Style Scores to narrow down choices [8] Stock Highlight: RLI Corp. - RLI Corp. is a specialty property-casualty underwriter operating in niche markets, with a current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B [11] - The company has a Momentum Style Score of B, with shares increasing by 6.8% in the past four weeks, and earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 have been revised upward [12]