Markel (US:MKL) Yahoo Finance·2026-01-16 14:39Core Insights - Fenimore Asset Management's Q4 2025 investor letter highlights a solid yet volatile stock market influenced by AI enthusiasm, economic uncertainty, and monetary policy concerns [1] - The firm anticipates mixed market conditions in 2026, with many AI-related stocks appearing expensive while high-quality companies are trading at multi-year lows, presenting potential investment opportunities [1] Group 1: Market Performance - The S&P 500 Index rose by 2.66% in Q4 2025, driven by large-cap technology and communication services stocks [1] - Fenimore Small Cap Strategy returned -4.12%, underperforming the Russell 2000 Index, which returned 2.19% [1] - Fenimore Dividend Focus Strategy declined by -4.41% compared to the Russell Midcap Index's 0.16% return [1] - Fenimore Value Strategy saw a decline of -1.17% against the Russell Midcap Index's 0.16% return, with underperformance attributed to investments in financial and industrial sectors [1] Group 2: Company Highlights - Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL) was the top performer in Fenimore's Value Strategy for Q4 2025, with a stock price of $2,084.14 per share as of January 15, 2026 [2] - Markel Group Inc. experienced a one-month return of -3.81% but gained 17.48% over the last 52 weeks, with a market capitalization of $26.37 billion [2] - The insurance segment of Markel Group Inc. achieved a 93% combined ratio, and its equity portfolio benefited from the year-end market rally, supported by disciplined capital allocation and stock buybacks [3]