Core Insights - Brown & Brown (BRO) reported quarterly earnings of $1.05 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.90 per share, and showing an increase from $0.91 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +16.67% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $1.61 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.61%, and up from $1.19 billion year-over-year [2] - Brown & Brown has outperformed consensus EPS estimates three times over the last four quarters and has topped revenue estimates four times in the same period [2] Financial Performance - The earnings surprise of +16.67% indicates strong performance relative to expectations, while the previous quarter also saw a positive surprise of +4.04% [1][2] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.93, with projected revenues of $1.67 billion, and for the current fiscal year, the EPS estimate is $4.15 on revenues of $5.86 billion [7] Market Position - Brown & Brown shares have underperformed the market, losing about 13.7% since the beginning of the year, compared to the S&P 500's gain of 15.5% [3] - The Zacks Industry Rank places the Insurance - Brokerage sector in the top 33% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook for the industry [8] Future Outlook - The sustainability of the stock's price movement will depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the trends in earnings estimate revisions [3][4] - The current Zacks Rank for Brown & Brown is 3 (Hold), suggesting that the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6]

The market expects Aon (AON) to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on Oc ...

Core Insights - Marsh & McLennan (MMC) reported quarterly earnings of $1.85 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.79 per share, and up from $1.63 per share a year ago [1] - The company achieved revenues of $6.35 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.54% and increasing from $5.7 billion year-over-year [3] Earnings Performance - The earnings surprise for the quarter was +3.35%, and the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates in all four of the last quarters [2] - The previous quarter also saw an earnings surprise of +2.26%, with actual earnings of $2.72 per share against an expectation of $2.66 [2] Future Outlook - Current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.97 on revenues of $6.59 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $9.55 on revenues of $26.94 billion [8] - The estimate revisions trend prior to the earnings release was unfavorable, resulting in a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) for the stock, indicating expected underperformance in the near future [7] Industry Context - Marsh & McLennan operates within the Zacks Insurance - Brokerage industry, which is currently ranked in the top 39% of over 250 Zacks industries [9] - The industry has shown a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and earnings estimate revisions, suggesting that industry performance can significantly impact individual stock performance [6][9]

Core Viewpoint - Investors should closely monitor Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) stock due to significant implied volatility in the options market, particularly for the Dec 19, 2025 $135.00 Call option [1] Company Analysis - Marsh & McLennan currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) within the Insurance - Brokerage industry, which is in the top 38% of the Zacks Industry Rank [3] - Over the past 60 days, no analysts have raised their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while four analysts have lowered their estimates, resulting in a decrease in the Zacks Consensus Estimate from $1.81 to $1.80 per share [3] Options Market Insights - The high implied volatility suggests that options traders anticipate a significant price movement for Marsh & McLennan shares, potentially indicating an upcoming event that could lead to a major rally or sell-off [2][4] - Options traders often seek to sell premium on options with high implied volatility, aiming to benefit from the decay of the option's value if the underlying stock does not move as much as expected by expiration [4]

Core Viewpoint - UBS has set a price target of $257 for Marsh McLennan, indicating a potential price increase of about 26.08% from its current trading price of $203.84 [1][6] Company Summary - Marsh McLennan is a global professional services firm that provides risk, strategy, and people solutions, competing with firms like Willis Towers Watson and Aon plc [1] - The company's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 19.49, which is below its five-year median of 23.09 and the industry average of 19.79, suggesting that the stock may be undervalued [2][6] - Despite its global scale and strategic acquisitions, Marsh McLennan faces challenges such as rising compensation costs and debt, which are impacting its margins [3][6] - The company aims for mid-single-digit underlying revenue growth in 2025, with its Risk and Insurance Services division expected to lead in revenue contribution [3][6] Industry Comparison - Other insurers like Willis Towers Watson and Aon plc have P/E ratios of 18.28 and 19, respectively, both trading below the industry average [4] - Brown & Brown, Inc. trades at a premium with a P/E ratio of 19.9, indicating a different market perception compared to Marsh McLennan and its peers [4]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: Willis Towers Watson (WTW) - WTW currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum characteristics [2] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for potential outperformance in the market [3] Performance Metrics - Over the past week, WTW shares increased by 1.54%, matching the performance of the Zacks Insurance - Brokerage industry [5] - In the last month, WTW's shares rose by 6.21%, outperforming the industry's 2.23% [5] - For the past quarter, WTW shares have risen by 14.96%, and over the last year, they are up 19.45%, compared to the S&P 500's increases of 8.11% and 19.22%, respectively [6] Trading Volume - WTW's average 20-day trading volume is 539,458 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [7] Earnings Outlook - In the last two months, four earnings estimates for WTW have been revised upwards, with no downward revisions, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $16.75 to $16.84 [9] - For the next fiscal year, four estimates have also moved higher without any downward revisions [9] Conclusion - Considering the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, WTW is identified as a 2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A, making it a promising candidate for near-term investment [11]

Core Viewpoint - Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) shares are trading at a discount compared to the Zacks Insurance - Brokerage industry, with a forward price-to-earnings value of 19.49X, lower than its five-year median of 23.09X and the industry average of 19.79X [1] Group 1: Price Performance and Market Position - MMC shares have lost 6.8% year-to-date, while the industry has declined by 16.8%, and the Finance sector and Zacks S&P 500 Composite have gained 13.6% and 13.2%, respectively [4] - The market capitalization of MMC is $97.3 billion, with an average trading volume of 2.4 million shares over the last three months [4] - The average price target for MMC, based on short-term estimates from 19 analysts, is $234.58 per share, indicating a potential upside of 18.5% from the last closing price [11] Group 2: Revenue and Earnings Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MMC's 2025 revenues is $27 billion, reflecting a year-over-year improvement of 10.4% [9] - The consensus estimate for current-year earnings is $9.57 per share, up 8.8% from the previous year [9] - Projections for 2026 earnings per share and revenues indicate increases of 8.3% and 5.4%, respectively, from 2025 estimates [9] Group 3: Operational Strengths and Growth Drivers - MMC targets mid-single-digit underlying revenue growth in 2025, with strong results from the Risk and Insurance Services segment being the largest revenue contributor [8][16] - The company has consistently delivered favorable operating results, supported by product innovations and entry into new markets [14][15] - Return on equity for the trailing 12 months is 31.9%, outperforming the industry average of 25.5% [13] Group 4: Challenges and Financial Management - Rising compensation costs are impacting margins, with operating expenses increasing by 11.8% in the first half of 2025 [18] - As of June 2025, MMC carries $19 billion in debt, with a debt-to-capital ratio of 55.3%, above the industry average of 50.1% [19] - The company has raised dividends five times over the past five years, achieving an annualized growth rate of 14.5% with a current payout ratio of 35% [17]

Core Viewpoint - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) shares are trading at a discount compared to the Zacks Insurance - Brokerage industry, with a price-to-book value of 3.3X versus the industry average of 4.16X [1] Group 1: Price Performance - AJG shares have gained 5.1% year to date, contrasting with the industry's decline of 18.1%, while the Finance sector and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite have increased by 17.6% and 16.9%, respectively [3] - The market capitalization of AJG is $76.1 billion, with an average trading volume of 1.5 million shares over the last three months [3] Group 2: Growth Drivers - AJG is experiencing growth through strong client retention, renewals, and acquisitions, with the Brokerage and Risk Management segments being core drivers of organic expansion [6][12] - The company expects organic growth of 6-8% for 2025, supported by disciplined execution and resilient demand across its core businesses [14] - In the second quarter of 2025, AJG completed nine acquisitions expected to contribute approximately $290 million to annualized revenues, with international operations accounting for nearly one-third of total revenues [15] Group 3: Financial Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AJG's 2025 revenues is $13.7 billion, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 20.8%, while the current-year earnings estimate is $10.98 per share, suggesting an 8.8% rise from the previous year [7] - The consensus estimates for 2026 earnings per share and revenues indicate increases of 23.2% and 22.8%, respectively, from the 2025 estimates [7] Group 4: Analyst Sentiment - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings has remained flat over the past month, while the estimate for 2026 has increased by 0.2% [8] Group 5: Challenges - Rising expenses, including higher compensation and operating costs, are pressuring margins, with the net earnings margin slipping to 10.9% from 13.3% year-over-year [16] - Total debt reached $13 billion as of June 30, 2025, leading to higher interest expenses, although the debt-to-capital ratio of 35.9% remains below the industry average of 50.1% [17] - Return on invested capital stands at 7.34%, below the industry average of 8.49%, and return on equity is 13.17%, significantly under the industry average of 24.67% [18] Group 6: Shareholder Value - AJG has increased its dividend five times over the past five years, resulting in a five-year annualized growth rate of 7.9%, with a current payout ratio of 25% [19]

Core Viewpoint - Erie Indemnity reported quarterly earnings of $3.34 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.55 per share, representing an earnings surprise of -5.92% [1] - The company posted revenues of $1.06 billion for the quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.55% [2] Financial Performance - Year-over-year earnings increased from $3.13 per share to $3.34 per share [1] - Revenues increased from $990.44 million a year ago to $1.06 billion [2] - Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates two times [2] Stock Performance - Erie Indemnity shares have lost approximately 12.9% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 7.9% [3] - The current Zacks Rank for the stock is 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $3.34 on revenues of $1.08 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $12.62 on revenues of $4.16 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Erie Indemnity was mixed ahead of the earnings release [6] Industry Context - The Zacks Industry Rank for Insurance - Brokerage is currently in the bottom 35% of over 250 Zacks industries, which may impact stock performance [8]

Company Performance - eHealth reported a quarterly loss of $0.98 per share, which was worse than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.87, but an improvement from a loss of $1.09 per share a year ago [1] - The company posted revenues of $60.78 million for the quarter ended June 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 28.54%, although this represents a decline from year-ago revenues of $65.86 million [2] - eHealth has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times over the last four quarters and topped consensus revenue estimates four times during the same period [2] Stock Performance - eHealth shares have declined approximately 65.2% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 7.1% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$1.09 on revenues of $54.02 million, while for the current fiscal year, it is $0.23 on revenues of $533.37 million [7] Industry Outlook - The Insurance - Brokerage industry, to which eHealth belongs, is currently ranked in the top 41% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact eHealth's stock performance [5]