Why Is Verisk (VRSK) Up 2.9% Since Last Earnings Report?

Core Insights - Verisk Analytics reported strong Q3 fiscal 2025 results, with adjusted earnings of $1.72 per share, exceeding estimates by 1.8% and showing a 3% increase year-over-year. Total revenues reached $768.3 million, a 5.9% year-over-year increase, although slightly below consensus estimates [3][4]. Financial Performance - Underwriting and Rating revenues increased by 6.9% year-over-year to $542 million, surpassing estimates. Claim revenues rose by 3.6% to $226 million, also beating expectations [4]. - Adjusted EBITDA grew by 7.2% year-over-year to $429 million, with a margin of 55.8%, up from 55.2% in the previous year [5]. - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $2.1 billion, a significant increase from $628.7 million at the end of the previous quarter. Long-term debt remained stable at $3.2 billion [5]. Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Net cash utilized from operating activities was $404 million, with free cash flow of $336 million. The company repurchased $100 million in shares and returned $62.6 million in dividends to shareholders during the quarter [6]. Guidance and Estimates - For fiscal 2025, Verisk revised its revenue guidance down to $3.05-$3.08 billion from $3.09-$3.12 billion. Adjusted EBITDA forecast was also lowered to $1.69-$1.72 billion, while adjusted earnings per share growth remains at $6.80-$7.00 [7]. - Recent estimates have shown a downward trend, indicating a shift in market expectations [8][10]. Market Position and Comparison - Verisk holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) and has a VGM Score of D, indicating weaker momentum and value performance compared to peers [9][10]. - In comparison, TransUnion, a competitor in the same industry, reported a 7.8% year-over-year revenue increase and a 5.2% expected earnings growth for the current quarter, reflecting stronger performance in the sector [11][12].