Trupanion (TRUP) appears an attractive pick, as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This upgrade primarily reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.Since a changing earnings ...

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the often underestimated costs associated with Medicare, particularly healthcare expenses that retirees need to plan for, which can lead to significant out-of-pocket costs [4][9]. Medicare Costs - Medicare Part A has a deductible of $1,736 for inpatient hospital stays in 2026, an increase from $1,676 in 2025, while the average cost of a one-day hospital stay was $3,297 in 2024 [1][6]. - The average adjusted cost for an inpatient stay at community hospitals is $14,101, highlighting the financial burden on retirees [1]. Financial Planning for Healthcare - Financial experts warn that healthcare is the most unpredictable expense for retirees, as Medicare does not cover all medical needs, leading to additional costs for out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles, and long-term care [2][3]. - Fidelity Investments estimates that a retired couple will need approximately $345,000 to cover healthcare costs after age 65, underscoring the necessity of planning for these expenses [9]. Strategies for Managing Healthcare Costs - Recommendations include building a Health Savings Account (HSA) for tax advantages, setting up a dedicated health emergency fund, and considering long-term care insurance to protect against high costs [11][12][16]. - It is advised to obtain a robust Medigap policy to cover gaps in Medicare, as Original Medicare does not cover essential services like dental, vision, and hearing [7][8][21]. Income Management - Reducing modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) can help lower Medicare premiums, with strategies such as Roth conversions and charitable giving suggested for those nearing retirement [18][19].

Core Insights - MetLife, Inc. (MET) is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter 2025 results on February 4, with earnings estimated at $2.36 per share and revenues at $25.6 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 13.5% and 29.6% respectively [1][5] Financial Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MetLife's total revenues for the current year is $80 billion, reflecting a 9.4% increase year-over-year, while the EPS estimate stands at $8.71, suggesting a 7.4% rise [2] - In the last four quarters, MetLife missed earnings estimates three times and exceeded them once [2] Earnings Prediction - The current model does not predict a definitive earnings beat for MetLife, as it holds an Earnings ESP of +0.47% and a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) [3] Revenue Growth Drivers - The anticipated revenue growth in Q4 is attributed to rising premiums, adjusted group benefits revenues, and adjusted retirement and income solutions revenues, particularly benefiting from international markets in Asia, EMEA, and Latin America [4][5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for premiums in the upcoming quarter indicates a significant increase of 79.4% year-over-year [4] Segment Performance - Adjusted retirement and income solutions revenues are projected at $11.3 billion, nearly doubling from the previous year [6] - The Asia segment is expected to benefit from improved variable investment income and increased volumes, while EMEA and Latin America are projected to see growth from higher volumes [6] Challenges - Rising costs and expenses may partially offset profit growth in the upcoming quarter, with a projected decline of 4.1% in adjusted earnings from the Asia business year-over-year [7]

Everyone loves a good comeback story, and that's especially true in markets where business cycles ebb and flow. Last year's winners frequently turn into this year's laggards, and we've already seen examples of that this month as software stocks plunge and memory stocks soar.Today, we'll look at five stocks with comeback potential in 2026. The theme connecting these five companies is their miserable performance in 2025, and the steps they've taken to prove investors wrong in 2026.Each stock is off to a hot s ...

Group 1: Tesla's Robo-Taxi Developments - Tesla's robo-taxis without safety drivers are now operating in Austin, Texas, marking a significant step in their autonomous vehicle journey, although it is not seen as a watershed moment compared to competitors like Waymo and Zoox [2][5] - The company has faced challenges, including reported accidents with vehicles even when safety drivers were present, raising questions about the safety and readiness of their technology [3][11] - Tesla's partnership with Lemonade for insurance offers a pay-per-mile product that could reduce insurance costs by 50% when full self-driving is activated, indicating a trend towards smarter insurance solutions in the automotive industry [6][7][8] Group 2: Subscription Model and Consumer Preferences - Tesla is transitioning to a subscription model for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, charging $100 per month, which raises questions about consumer acceptance and the potential impact on revenue growth [12][13] - The shift from upfront payments to subscriptions may reflect challenges in consumer willingness to pay large sums for features that competitors include as standard [13][14] - The subscription model's success is uncertain, as consumer preferences may resist paying for features that have traditionally been included in the purchase price of vehicles [12][13] Group 3: Berkshire Hathaway's Strategic Moves - Greg Abel, the new CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is reportedly unwinding the Kraft Heinz deal, which may signal a shift in strategy and a response to previous management decisions [17][18] - Berkshire Hathaway is sitting on approximately $382 billion in cash, prompting discussions about potential acquisitions to enhance portfolio performance [18][36] - The company may consider acquiring firms that align with its focus on American businesses, such as Sysco or United Rentals, to capitalize on infrastructure investments [36][37] Group 4: NYSE and Tokenization of Stocks - The New York Stock Exchange is exploring the tokenization of stocks, which could enable 24/7 trading and reduce restrictions on trading, potentially transforming the trading landscape [47][48] - Tokenization may lead to instant settlement and lower trading costs, but it also raises regulatory concerns and questions about market dynamics and price discovery [48][49] - The potential for tokenization extends beyond stocks to other assets, such as real estate, indicating a broader trend towards increased liquidity in various markets [53][54]

Key Takeaways PRU's U.S. business likely benefited from higher investment spread income and improved underwriting results. PGIM likely saw gains from higher asset management fees and stronger service revenues. PRU expenses likely increased due to higher policyholder benefits and deferred acquisition cost amortization. Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) is expected to register an improvement in its top and bottom lines when it reports fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 3, after the closing bell.The Zacks Conse ...

In claims, where AI is accelerating medical record summarization, in underwriting, where it is providing more consistent data-rich insights with greater precision, and in operations, where the deployment of Amazon's call center technology is enhancing customer interactions with multimodal capabilities. More recently, generative AI has expanded the way we think about value creation across our business, especially within claims, underwriting, and operations. Our approach remains focused on practical, high-imp ...

Core Insights - Selective Insurance Group (SIGI) reported fourth-quarter 2025 operating income of $2.57 per share, slightly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.3%, with a year-over-year increase of 59% [1][9] - The company's strong quarterly performance is attributed to significant underwriting income, an average renewal pure price increase, and reduced loss and loss expenses [1] Financial Performance - Total revenues reached $1.4 billion, marking an 8.3% increase from the previous year, primarily driven by higher net premiums earned and net investment income, slightly surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.1% [2] - Net premiums written (NPW) increased by 4% year-over-year to $1.1 billion, supported by renewal pure price increases of 8.3%, although below the estimated $1.2 billion [2] - Net investment income rose 17% year-over-year to $114 million [2] Losses and Underwriting - Net catastrophe losses were $21 million, a decline from a gain of $10.1 million a year ago, while non-catastrophe property losses decreased to $159.6 million from $178.2 million [3] - Underwriting income surged to $76 million, more than quadrupling year-over-year, with the combined ratio improving by 470 basis points to 93.8 from 98.5, outperforming the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 96.7 [3] Expense Overview - Total expenses increased by 2.8% year-over-year to $1.2 billion, primarily due to higher amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and other expenses, aligning with estimates [4] Segment Performance - Standard Commercial Lines' NPW rose 5% year-over-year to $875.6 million, driven by average renewal pure price increases of 7.5% and a retention rate of 82%, though below the estimate of $908.4 million [5] - Standard Personal Lines' NPW fell 8% year-over-year to $95.5 million due to strategic measures to enhance profitability, with a policy count decline and an average renewal pure price increase of 15.1% [6] - Excess & Surplus Lines' NPW increased by 4% year-over-year to $158.4 million, attributed to average renewal pure price increases of 7.8%, but below the estimate of $170 million [7] Full-Year Highlights - SIGI achieved a record NPW of $4.9 billion for 2025, with net investment income increasing by 16% year-over-year [9][10] - Operating earnings for the full year reached $7.38, a 126% increase year-over-year, surpassing the consensus estimate of $7.04 [10] Financial Position - As of the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, SIGI had total assets of $15.2 billion, a 12.1% increase from December 2024 [11] - Long-term debt rose significantly by 77.6% to $901.9 million, while adjusted book value per share increased by 11.2% to $57.91 [11] Shareholder Returns - In Q4 2025, the company repurchased $30 million worth of shares, with $170 million of authorization remaining [12] - A quarterly cash dividend of 43 cents per common share is scheduled for payment on March 2, 2026 [12] 2026 Guidance - SIGI projects a GAAP combined ratio of 96.5-97.5 and anticipates after-tax net investment income of $465 million for 2026 [13]

Analysts on Wall Street project that Allstate (ALL) will announce quarterly earnings of $9.82 per share in its forthcoming report, representing an increase of 28% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $17.52 billion, increasing 4.9% from the same quarter last year.Over the last 30 days, there has been an upward revision of 0.9% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts ove ...

In its upcoming report, MetLife (MET) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $2.36 per share, reflecting an increase of 13.5% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $25.57 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 29.6%.The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has undergone a downward revision of 0.7% in the past 30 days, bringing it to its present level. This represents how the covering analysts, as a whole, have reassessed their initial ...