AXIS Capital Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates on Higher Investment Income

Core Viewpoint - AXIS Capital Holdings Limited reported strong first-quarter 2025 results with operating income of $3.17 per share, exceeding estimates by 20% and reflecting a year-over-year increase of 23.3% driven by solid underwriting income and improved investment income [1][2] Quarterly Operational Update - Total operating revenues reached $1.6 billion, missing estimates by 5.9% but showing an 8.2% year-over-year increase due to higher net premiums earned and net investment income [1] - Net investment income surged 24% year over year to $208 million, primarily from cash and cash equivalents, higher returns on alternative investments, and increased yields on fixed maturities [2] - Total expenses rose 11.3% year over year to $1.3 billion, driven by higher net losses and acquisition costs [2] Underwriting Performance - Pre-tax catastrophe and weather-related losses net of reinsurance amounted to $49 million, including $32 million from California Wildfires, compared to $20 million in the prior year [3] - Underwriting income increased 12.2% year over year to $163.4 million, although it fell short of estimates [3] - The combined ratio improved by 90 basis points to 90.2 [3] Segment Results - In the Insurance segment, gross premiums written improved 5.2% year over year to $1.6 billion, with net premiums earned increasing 10% to $1 billion [4] - Underwriting income in the Insurance segment climbed 9.4% year over year to $134.5 million, with a slight deterioration in the combined ratio [5] - In the Reinsurance segment, gross premiums written rose 5.4% year over year to $1.1 billion, while net premiums earned declined 2.8% to $330.7 million [6][7] Financial Update - AXIS Capital ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $2.76 billion, a 28.6% increase from the end of 2024 [8] - Debts stood at $1.3 billion, reflecting a marginal increase of 0.02% from the previous year [8] - Book value per share grew 1.9% to $66.48, driven by net income and unrealized investment gains [8] Capital Deployment - The board approved a new share repurchase program for up to $400 million, with $160 million remaining under the previous authorization as of March 31, 2024 [10] Zacks Rank - AXIS Capital currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook [11]