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AXS Outperforms Industry, Trades Near 52-Week High: Time to Hold?
ZACKS· 2025-08-29 16:31
Core Insights - AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) has seen a 23.5% increase in share price over the past year, outperforming its industry and the broader market indices [1] - The stock closed at $98.64, close to its 52-week high of $107.19, indicating strong investor confidence [2] - AXIS Capital has a market capitalization of $7.71 billion and has consistently beaten earnings estimates over the last four quarters, averaging a 13.39% beat [2] Performance Metrics - AXS is trading above its 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages of $97.82 and $95.00, respectively, indicating solid upward momentum [3] - The company has a return on equity of 18.7%, significantly higher than the industry average of 7.6%, showcasing efficient use of shareholders' funds [13] Growth Strategy - AXIS Capital is focusing on growth areas such as wholesale insurance, lower middle markets, and specialty reinsurance lines [5][14] - The company aims to reduce its general and administrative expense ratio to below 11% by 2026 through investments in digital capabilities and operational efficiencies [5][16] Valuation and Analyst Sentiment - AXS shares are trading at a forward price-to-book value of 1.37X, lower than the industry average of 1.55X, indicating attractive valuation [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share indicates a 6.8% year-over-year increase, with revenues projected to grow by 5.6% [8] - Analyst sentiment is optimistic, with estimates for 2025 and 2026 earnings raised by 3.8% and 0.08%, respectively, in the past 30 days [9] Dividend and Financial Health - AXIS Capital has a strong dividend history, having increased its dividend for 18 consecutive years, currently yielding 1.7%, well above the industry average of 0.2% [18] - The company is well-positioned for long-term growth due to higher return on capital, favorable growth estimates, and attractive valuations [20]
AXS Outperforms Industry, Trades at a Discount: How to Play the Stock
ZACKS· 2025-06-17 16:51
Core Insights - AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) shares have increased by 48% over the past year, outperforming the Finance sector and the S&P 500 composite, which grew by 18.4% and 9.4% respectively [1] - The company has a market capitalization of $8.13 billion and an average trading volume of 0.7 million shares over the last three months [1] Performance Metrics - AXS has consistently beaten earnings estimates in the last four quarters, with an average beat of 13.89% [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AXS's 2025 earnings per share indicates a 3.4% year-over-year increase, with revenues expected to reach $6.58 billion, reflecting a 7.8% improvement [12] - Earnings have grown by 67.1% over the past five years, significantly higher than the industry average of 20.8% [13] Valuation and Price Movement - AXS shares are trading at a forward price-to-book value of 1.51X, lower than the industry average of 1.56X and the Finance sector's 4.11X [4] - The stock closed at $103.42, near its 52-week high of $107.19, indicating strong investor confidence [5] - The average price target from analysts is $112.38 per share, suggesting a potential upside of 9.1% from the last closing price [16] Strategic Focus and Growth Areas - AXS is focusing on growth areas such as wholesale insurance, lower middle markets, and specialty reinsurance lines [8] - The company aims to reduce its general and administrative expense ratio to below 11% by 2026 [8] - AXS is enhancing its digital capabilities to drive growth in smaller accounts and improve operational efficiencies [21] Dividend and Return Metrics - AXS has a strong dividend history, having increased its dividend for 18 consecutive years, currently yielding 1.7%, significantly above the industry average of 0.2% [22] - The return on equity for AXS in the trailing 12 months was 19%, outperforming the industry average of 7.8% [18] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts have raised their earnings estimates for AXS for both 2025 and 2026, with the consensus estimates increasing by 2.4% and 0.5% respectively over the past 60 days [14]