Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the "long context," investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.Even ...

Core Viewpoint - Progressive Corporation has shown positive performance in its stock price, with a 1.7% increase since the last earnings report, outperforming the S&P 500 [1][2]. Earnings Performance - In Q4 2025, Progressive reported earnings per share of $4.67, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.2%, and reflecting a year-over-year increase of 14.4% [3]. - Operating revenues for the quarter rose 10.6% year over year to $22.49 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate by 2.5% [3]. Premiums and Investment Gains - Net premiums written reached $19.5 billion, an 8% increase from $18.1 billion a year ago, while net premiums earned grew 10% to $21 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $20.9 billion [4]. - The company reported a net realized gain on securities of $257 million, a significant improvement from a loss of $53 million in the same quarter last year [4]. Full-Year Financial Highlights - For the full year, operating revenues increased by 15.7% to $86.9 billion, driven by a 15.3% rise in net premiums earned and a 26.5% increase in net investment income [5]. - Total expenses rose 13.5% to $73.4 billion, influenced by higher losses, policy acquisition costs, and other underwriting expenses [6]. Policies in Force - The number of policies in force in the Personal Lines segment increased by 11% year over year to 37.4 million, with notable growth in Direct Auto and Agency Auto segments [7]. Financial Metrics - As of December 30, 2025, Progressive's book value per share was $51.74, an 18.4% increase from $43.67 a year earlier, and the return on equity improved to 40.1% from 36.4% [8]. Estimate Trends - Following the earnings release, there has been an upward trend in consensus estimates, with a shift of 6.21% noted [9]. VGM Scores - Progressive holds a Growth Score of A, a Momentum Score of D, and a Value Score of B, resulting in an aggregate VGM Score of A, indicating strong overall performance [10]. Outlook - Estimates for Progressive have been trending upward, and the company holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [11]. Industry Performance - Progressive operates within the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, where RLI Corp. has seen a 6.3% gain over the past month, reporting revenues of $448.73 million for the last quarter [12].

Core Viewpoint - Axis Capital reported strong fourth-quarter earnings growth driven by higher net premiums and investment gains, despite increased expenses [2][4]. Financial Performance - The company achieved fourth-quarter operating income of $3.25 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 9.4% and reflecting a year-over-year increase of 9.4% [2]. - Total operating revenues reached $1.7 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.2% and increasing nearly 9% year over year [3]. - Net premiums written rose 13% to $1.4 billion, with a 14% increase in the Insurance segment and 5% growth in the Reinsurance segment [3]. Investment Income and Expenses - Net investment income decreased by 4.5% year over year to $187 million, falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $198 million [4]. - Total expenses increased by 16.6% year over year to $1.4 billion, driven by higher net losses, acquisition costs, and administrative expenses [4]. Underwriting Performance - Pre-tax catastrophe losses amounted to $30 million, including $17 million from Hurricane Melissa [5]. - Underwriting income increased by 42% year over year to $184 million, with the combined ratio improving to 90.4 from 94.2 a year ago [5]. Segment Results - In the Insurance segment, gross premiums written improved by 11.7% year over year to $1.9 billion, with underwriting income rising 74.2% to $157.6 million [6]. - In the Reinsurance segment, gross premiums written increased by 13% year over year to $310.7 million, while underwriting income decreased by 31.9% to $26.6 million [7]. Full-Year Highlights - For the full year 2025, operating income was reported at $12.92 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.9% and reflecting a 15.6% year-over-year increase [8]. - Total operating revenues for the year reached $6.5 billion, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.2% and increasing by 6.7% year over year [8]. Financial Position - At the end of the fourth quarter, cash and cash equivalents stood at $820.3 million, down 61.7% from the previous year [10]. - Debt was reported at $1.3 billion, a slight increase of 0.1% from the previous year [10]. - Book value per diluted common share increased by 18.3% to $77.20 [10]. Capital Deployment - The company repurchased $888 million of common shares in 2025 and declared a quarterly cash dividend of 44 cents per share, totaling $139 million in annual dividends [11]. Market Outlook - Estimates for Axis Capital have been trending upward, with a consensus estimate shift of 7.92% [12]. - The company holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expectations for an in-line return in the coming months [14]. Industry Comparison - Axis Capital is part of the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, with competitor W.R. Berkley reporting a revenue increase of 5.9% year over year [15].

Arch Capital Group (ACGL) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.Shares of this property and casualty insurer have returned +4.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.6% change. The Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, to which Arch Capital belongs, has gained 4.3% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could t ...

Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? Heritage Insurance (HRTG) , which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, could be a great candidate to consider.This property and casualty insurance holding company has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 129.0 ...

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for W.R. Berkley (WRB) . Shares have added about 6.5% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is W.R. Berkley due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for W.R. Berkley Corporation before we dive into how investors and analysts have reac ...

Core Viewpoint - Heritage Insurance (HRTG) shares experienced a significant increase of 17.9% in the last trading session, closing at $27.66, following a period of 9.4% loss over the past four weeks, indicating a strong market reaction to its financial performance [1][2]. Financial Performance - HRTG anticipates delivering over $60 million in after-tax net income for Q4 2025, translating to more than $2.00 per share, with a projected return on equity exceeding 45% [2]. - The company is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.05 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 59.1%, with revenues projected at $212.61 million, up 1.1% from the previous year [6]. Strategic Focus - Heritage Insurance is concentrating on profitability through rate adequacy, disciplined underwriting, and cautious market expansion, particularly in saturated or low-return markets [4]. - The company is re-entering profitable markets in a measured manner while maintaining strict capital allocation to preserve margins [4]. Risk Management - To manage its risk profile effectively, Heritage has expanded its geographic footprint, improved risk diversification, moderated claims volatility, and reduced reinsurance expenses [5]. - The strengthening of the commercial residential segment, expanded personal lines capacity, and improved performance in excess and surplus lines (E&S) contribute to HRTG's long-term growth prospects [5]. Market Position - Heritage Insurance operates within the U.S. property and casualty insurance sector and is well-positioned to benefit from prudent underwriting and rate adequacy initiatives implemented over the past three years [3]. - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook in the market [7].

Core Insights - Universal Insurance Holdings (UVE) reported quarterly earnings of $2.17 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.3 per share and significantly up from $0.25 per share a year ago, indicating strong performance [1] - The earnings surprise of +66.92% reflects the company's consistent ability to surpass consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters [2] Financial Performance - The company achieved revenues of $407.93 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 9.37% and up from $384.81 million year-over-year [3] - Universal Insurance has also consistently exceeded consensus revenue estimates in the past four quarters [3] Stock Performance and Outlook - Despite the strong earnings report, Universal Insurance shares have declined approximately 10.6% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's slight decline of 0.1% [4] - The company's future stock performance will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the subsequent earnings outlook [4][5] Earnings Estimates and Industry Context - Current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.32 on revenues of $370.25 million, while for the current fiscal year, it is $3.34 on revenues of $1.51 billion [8] - The Insurance - Property and Casualty industry is currently ranked in the top 32% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable environment for stock performance [9]

Investors in The Allstate Corporation (ALL) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Mar 20, 2026 $130.00 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It co ...

Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc. (BOW) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.47 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.45 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.42 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +4.65%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post earnings of $0.4 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.47, delivering a surprise of +17.5%.Over the last four quarters ...