Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics a ...

Industry Overview - The property and casualty insurance industry is projected to grow despite an increase in catastrophic events, driven by personalized products and digital innovation [1] - Higher premium volumes from solid policyholder retention, broader exposure, and favorable pricing are sustaining profitability for insurers [1] Kingstone Companies (KINS) - KINS is the 12th largest homeowner insurer in New York with a 2.1% market share in 2024, positioned to expand as the Northeastern U.S. commercial insurance market is expected to grow by 12.3% through 2025 [3] - The company is focusing on core operations and exiting underperforming segments while adhering to disciplined underwriting practices [4] - KINS has raised prices ahead of inflation, expecting direct written premiums from its core business to grow between 15% and 25% in 2025 [5] - The company aims to lower its net underwriting expense ratio, projecting an improved combined ratio of 81% to 85% in 2025 [6] - KINS has shown continuous improvement in net margin, expanding by 2560 basis points over the last two years, with a return on equity of 31.9%, significantly above the industry average of 7.8% [7] United Fire Group, Inc. (UFCS) - UFCS offers a diverse range of products and has a strong presence in the Midwestern U.S., though it faces geographic concentration risks [8] - The company is finalizing a new policy administration system to enhance efficiency and product management, with full implementation expected across various business units [9] - Core commercial new business production is growing, driven by prudent pricing and risk selection [10] - UFCS is experiencing continuous improvement in net margin, which expanded by 640 basis points in the last two years, with a return on equity of 9%, also above the industry average [12][11] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KINS' 2025 revenues and EPS indicates a year-over-year increase of 31% and 37.9%, respectively [13] - For UFCS, the 2025 revenue estimate implies a 6.7% increase, while EPS indicates a 2.4% decline, although EPS estimates have improved recently [14] Valuation - KINS is trading at a price-to-book multiple of 2.68, above its five-year median of 0.82, while UFCS's price-to-book multiple is at 0.88, slightly above its median of 0.81 [15] - UFCS is considered more affordable than KINS, with both stocks carrying a Value Score of A [16] Conclusion - KINS is strategically positioned to tap into a market opportunity exceeding $200 million, focusing on core business expansion and improving pricing efficiency [17] - UFCS is viewed as a value opportunity with a diversified portfolio and steady premium growth, appealing to investors seeking stable, dividend-paying regional insurers [18]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the board of directors of United Fire Group, Inc. (UFG) (Nasdaq: UFCS) declared a common stock quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per share. This dividend will be payable June 20, 2025, to shareholders of record as of June 6, 2025. UFG has a long history of paying quarterly dividends, with the quarterly cash dividend declared today marking the 229th consecutive quarterly dividend paid, dating back to March 1968. About UFG Founded in 1946 as United Fi ...

Director elections to the board of directors announced Director elections to the board of directors CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Fire Group, Inc. (UFG) (Nasdaq: UFCS) announced today that its shareholders elected three Class B directors to its 11-member board of directors at the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders held on May 21, 2025. The following individuals were each elected as Class B directors to serve three-year terms expiring in 2028: John-Paul Besong, retired chief in ...

Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025 or ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Commission File Number 001-34257 ________________________ UNITED FIRE GROUP, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Iowa 45-2302834 (State of incorporation) (I.R ...

United Fire Group (UFCS) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 07, 2025 11:00 AM ET Company Participants Tim Borst - Head of Corporate Development, Capital Management, and Investor RelationsKevin Leidwinger - President & CEOJulie Stephenson - EVP & Chief Operating OfficerEric Martin - EVP & CFOMatthew Erdner - Director Operator day, and welcome to the United Fire Group Insurance twenty twenty five First Quarter Conference Call. All participants will be in listen only mode. After today's presentation, there will be an o ...

United Fire Group (UFCS) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 07, 2025 11:00 AM ET Speaker0 day, and welcome to the United Fire Group Insurance twenty twenty five First Quarter Conference Call. All participants will be in listen only mode. After today's presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Please note this event is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to Tim Borst, Investor Relations. Please go ahead. Speaker1 Good morning, and thank you for joining this call. Yesterday ...

FIRST QUARTER 2025 RESULTS May 7, 2025 This presentation also includes certain non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G, including "adjusted operating income (loss)," which are used where management believes them to be helpful in understanding the Company's results of operations or financial position. Refer to information about the non-GAAP measures contained in this presentation. Additional information as required by Regulation G are available in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our ...

United Fire Group (UFCS) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.70 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.62 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.56 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 12.90%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this property and casualty insurance company would post earnings of $0.66 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.25, delivering a surprise of 89.39%.Over th ...

Financial Performance - Net income for Q1 2025 increased by 31% to $17.7 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, compared to Q1 2024[2] - Adjusted operating income rose by 27% to $18.3 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, compared to the same period last year[2] - Net income for Q1 2025 was $17,700,000, an increase of 31.5% compared to $13,502,000 in Q1 2024[26] - Adjusted operating income for Q1 2025 was $18,296,000, up 26.5% from $14,452,000 in Q1 2024[26] - Total revenues for Q1 2025 were $331,115,000, reflecting a 12.0% increase from $295,999,000 in Q1 2024[33] Premiums and Underwriting - Net written premium grew by 4% to a record $335.4 million, despite unusual ceded reinsurance premium adjustments reducing growth by 3 points[3][6] - Net written premium for Q1 2025 was $335,376,000, an increase of 4.4% compared to $321,271,000 in Q1 2024[34] - Net earned premium increased to $308,411,000 in Q1 2025, a rise of 9.8% from $280,859,000 in Q1 2024[33] - Core commercial renewal premiums increased by 11.7%, with rates rising by 9.7%[4][12] Investment Income - Net investment income surged by 44% to $23.5 million, attributed to strong fixed maturity income and improved limited partnership valuations[3][13] - The company reported net investment income of $23,458,000 in Q1 2025, up 43.3% from $16,342,000 in Q1 2024[33] Loss Ratios and Expenses - The combined ratio for Q1 2025 was 99.4%, an increase of 0.5 points from 98.9%, driven by a catastrophe loss ratio of 5.0%[3][15] - The underlying loss ratio improved by 2.9 points to 56.5%, reflecting favorable rate achievement and lower frequency[15] - The underlying loss ratio for Q1 2025 was 61.5%, compared to 64.0% in Q1 2024, indicating improved operational efficiency[38] - Losses and loss settlement expenses totaled $189,696,000 in Q1 2025, compared to $179,646,000 in Q1 2024[33] - The underwriting expense ratio increased by 3.0 points to 37.9%, mainly due to non-recurring expenses related to a new policy administration system[15] Shareholder Equity and Book Value - Book value per share increased by $1.33 to $32.13 as of March 31, 2025, representing a 4.3% increase from the end of 2024[17] - Adjusted book value per share rose to $34.16 as of March 31, 2025, from $33.64 as of December 31, 2024[30] - The company’s shareholders' equity increased to $817,662,000 as of March 31, 2025, from $781,531,000 as of December 31, 2024[30] Dividends - The company declared a cash dividend of $0.16 per share, continuing its quarterly dividend payments since March 1968[18]