The average U.S. homeowners’ insurance rate is nearly $3,000 per year, according to a recent report by insurance marketplace The Zebra [1]. But that’s just the average — residents in some states pay much more. Must Read According to the report, the three most expensive states for homeowners insurance are: Nebraska: $7,920 Oklahoma: $7,426 Kansas: $5,303 The three least expensive states for homeowners' insurance are: Hawaii: $721 Vermont: $1,159 Delaware: $1,225 The rising cost of homeo ...

Kin, a digital insurer specialising in homeowners' insurance, has secured $50m in an “oversubscribed” Series E round, achieving a pre-money valuation of $2bn. The round was led by QED Investors and Activate Capital. The contribution of both new and existing investors has brought Kin's total equity funding to $286m, almost doubling the company's valuation since the last round. In addition, Kin secured a $200m debt facility, of which $145m has been allocated to repay previous debts. Wellington Management ...

Heritage Insurance (HRTG -11.54%), a property and casualty insurance provider specializing in residential and commercial lines, released its results for Q2 2025 on August 5, 2025. The period showed a sharp surge in profitability, as GAAP earnings per share reached $1.55—outperforming the analyst estimate of $1.01. Total revenue (GAAP) came in just below expectations at $208.0 million, missing the analyst consensus of $212.1 million. Despite lower-than-expected GAAP revenue and a decline in gross premiums wr ...

Financial Performance - White Mountains grew Adjusted Book Value Per Share (ABVPS) by 8% in 2024, reaching $1,834, but fell short of its target of 11%[11] - The company's total capital stood at $58 billion as of 1Q25, with $05 billion in undeployed capital, representing 9% of total capital[17] - The investment portfolio totaled $48 billion as of 1Q25, comprising $23 billion in policyholder funds and $25 billion in shareholder funds[74] Key Operating Businesses - Ark/WM Outrigger achieved a combined ratio of 83% in 2024 and grew Tangible Book Value by 28%[27] - Kudu has deployed over $1 billion of gross capital into 28 managers, with a goal of $150 million in annual deployments[41] - Bamboo MGA's Adjusted EBITDA reached $53 million in 2024, more than 7 times the previous year, and managed premiums grew to $484 million, more than double year-over-year[56] HG Global/BAM - HG Global experienced a 6% growth in Adjusted Book Value in 2024[50] - BAM's total premiums were $136 million, up 4% year-over-year, while par insured reached $20 billion, a 26% increase[50] MediaAlpha - MediaAlpha's transaction value reached $15 billion in 2024, up 25 times year-over-year, with Adjusted EBITDA of $96 million, a 35 times increase[63]

Core Viewpoint - UnitedHealth Group's shares have experienced a significant decline of over 30% in a few days, now trading more than 60% below their all-time highs due to a criminal investigation for possible Medicare fraud [1] Valuation and Investment Opportunity - UnitedHealth is currently trading at a forward earnings multiple of 10.5x, which is a substantial discount compared to its 10-year median of 19.1x [6] - Analysts project an annual EPS growth of 12.2% over the next three to five years, resulting in a PEG ratio below 1, indicating potential undervaluation based on growth [6] - For long-term investors, the current drop may present a buying opportunity, especially as the stock has reached the three-day mark post-selloff [8] Market Sentiment and Analyst Ratings - UnitedHealth holds a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), reflecting negative earnings estimate revisions and cautious sentiment among analysts, suggesting that caution is still warranted [9] - Traders and short-term investors may prefer to wait for further stabilization or an upgrade in Zacks Rank before making investment decisions [9] Alternative Investment Options - The Progressive (PGR) is highlighted as a strong alternative, benefiting from robust underwriting and pricing power, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [10][11] - HCI Group (HCI), a smaller but rapidly growing insurer focused on homeowners' insurance, also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and is demonstrating strong price momentum [12]

Core Viewpoint - EverQuote, Inc. (EVER) is anticipated to show significant improvements in both revenue and earnings for the first quarter of 2025, with a projected revenue of $158.1 million, reflecting a 73.6% year-over-year increase, and earnings per share estimated at 32 cents, indicating a 540% increase from the previous year [1][2]. Revenue Expectations - The consensus estimate for EverQuote's first-quarter revenues is $158.1 million, which represents a 73.6% increase compared to the same period last year [1]. - EverQuote expects revenues to fall between $155 million and $160 million for the first quarter of 2025, with a midpoint growth of 73% year-over-year [5]. Earnings Projections - The bottom line consensus estimate for EverQuote is 32 cents per share, suggesting a substantial year-over-year increase of 540% [2]. - The Earnings ESP for EverQuote is 0.00%, as both the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are at 32 cents [3]. Factors Influencing Results - The expected improvement in EverQuote's first-quarter results is attributed to the recovery in the auto insurance and homeowners' insurance markets, along with enhanced operational efficiency [4]. - Factors such as expansion into new verticals, increased consumer traffic, higher quote request volume, and innovative advertising products and services are likely to have positively impacted revenues [4]. Expense Considerations - Total expenses for EverQuote are projected to increase, primarily due to higher sales and marketing costs, with an estimated total expense of $137.8 million [5]. - The variable marketing margin is expected to improve, estimated at $45.6 million, driven by lower advertising costs and growth in revenue per quote request [6].

Core Viewpoint - Shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV) have shown strong performance, closing at $265.13, near its 52-week high, with a year-to-date gain of 10% [1]. Company Overview - TRV is a leading provider of auto and homeowners' insurance, as well as commercial U.S. property-casualty insurance, with a market capitalization of $60 billion [2]. - The average trading volume over the last three months was 1.3 million shares [2]. Stock Performance - TRV shares are trading significantly above the 50-day simple moving average (SMA), indicating a bullish trend [4]. - The price-to-book value of TRV is 2.16X, which is higher than the industry average of 1.61X, suggesting that TRV shares are trading at a premium [5]. Financial Metrics - The return on equity (ROE) for TRV over the trailing 12 months was 19.1%, significantly higher than the industry's 8.3% [8]. - The return on invested capital (ROIC) was 10.9%, compared to the industry average of 6.4%, indicating efficient fund utilization [10]. Earnings Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is $16.91, reflecting a decrease of 21.6%, despite a revenue increase of 7.4% to $49.9 billion [12]. - For 2026, the earnings estimate is $22.68, suggesting a 34.1% increase on revenues of $52.9 billion, which is a 6.1% rise [12]. Growth Factors - Factors favoring TRV's growth include solid retention rates, better pricing, increased new business, and positive renewal premium changes [13]. - The company has a conservative balance sheet, maintaining a debt-to-capital ratio between 15% and 25% and increasing its book value over the past decade [15]. Investment Income - Higher returns from the non-fixed income portfolio have driven investment income, with an estimated fixed-income net investment income (NII) of $3 billion in 2025 [14]. Analyst Sentiment - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings has decreased by 6.4% in the past 30 days, while the estimate for 2026 has decreased by 1.8% [11]. Dividend Information - Travelers has increased dividends for the last 20 years, with a dividend yield of 1.8%, which is attractive compared to the industry average of 0.3% [18]. Target Price - The average price target for TRV, based on short-term estimates from 22 analysts, is $271.09 per share, indicating a potential upside of 3.9% from the last closing price [16]. Conclusion - Travelers' strong market presence in auto, homeowners' insurance, and commercial property-casualty insurance positions it well for future growth, supported by a solid capital position and effective execution of growth strategies [17].