Beazley (LON:BEZ) Trading Up 40.5% – Here’s What Happened

Beazley plc (LON:BEZ) shot up 40.5% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as GBX 1,195 and last traded at GBX 1,152.45. 15,440,655 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 107% from the average session volume of 7,449,580 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 820.

Beazley News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Beazley this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unsolicited all‑cash approach from Zurich prompted takeover speculation and a re‑rating of the stock; investors are pricing a potential control premium. Beazley Rejects Initial Zurich Approach as Takeover Talks Loom
• Positive Sentiment: Trading volume spiked well above average and the share price moved toward its 1‑year high, accelerating momentum; low reported P/E (~7.6) makes an acquisition bid more plausible from an acquiror’s perspective.
• Neutral Sentiment: Beazley publicly described the approach as unsolicited, non‑binding and conditional and said the board rejected the initial approach — the announcement creates more information flow but does not guarantee a deal. Beazley Rejects Initial Zurich Approach as Takeover Talks Loom
• Negative Sentiment: Initial rejection and the conditional/non‑binding nature of the approach mean outcomes are uncertain — negotiations could stall, a bid may not emerge, or regulatory/finance hurdles could limit deal terms, leaving shares exposed to a pullback if no firm bid materializes.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on BEZ shares. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Beazley from GBX 1,000 to GBX 1,040 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 12th. Berenberg Bank reduced their price target on Beazley from GBX 1,150 to GBX 1,100 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Peel Hunt reaffirmed an “add” rating and set a GBX 900 price objective on shares of Beazley in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Beazley from GBX 1,050 to GBX 1,025 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on Beazley from GBX 1,000 to GBX 1,100 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 1,033.

Beazley Stock Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average of GBX 829.24 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 855.62. The firm has a market cap of £6.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.63, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.68.

About Beazley

Beazley plc provides risk insurance and reinsurance solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, and internationally. It operates through Cyber Risks, Digital, MAP Risks, Property Risks, and Specialty Risks segments. The Cyber Risk segment underwrites cyber and technology risks. The Digital segment underwrites various marine, contingency, and SME liability risks through digital channels, such as e-trading platforms and broker portals. The MAP Risks segment underwrites marine, portfolio underwriting and political, and contingency business.