AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) Shares Gap Down on Disappointing Earnings

AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF)’s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Wednesday after the company announced weaker than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $33.98, but opened at $32.29. AMERISAFE shares last traded at $32.6280, with a volume of 16,746 shares.

The insurance provider reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.52 by ($0.08). AMERISAFE had a return on equity of 15.34% and a net margin of 14.27%.The firm had revenue of $91.97 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $85.09 million.

AMERISAFE Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be issued a dividend of $0.41 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.1%. AMERISAFE’s dividend payout ratio is currently 67.49%.

Trending Headlines about AMERISAFE

Here are the key news stories impacting AMERISAFE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AMERISAFE declared a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, which works out to a 4.8% annualized yield. That supports the stock for income-focused investors and signals continued cash generation. AMERISAFE declares $0.41 dividend
• Positive Sentiment: The company reported revenue of $91.97 million for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $85.09 million, showing better-than-expected top-line performance.
• Neutral Sentiment: AMERISAFE’s hedge fund and institutional ownership data showed a mix of buying and selling, with some large investors adding shares and others reducing exposure. This is notable, but not a clear short-term driver on its own.
• Negative Sentiment: The biggest headline is the earnings miss: Q2 EPS was $0.44 versus expectations of $0.52–$0.53, and that shortfall is the most likely reason the stock is moving lower today. Amerisafe (AMSF) Lags Q2 Earnings Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings were also below last year’s $0.53 per share, reinforcing concerns that profitability softened versus the prior-year quarter.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on AMSF. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on AMERISAFE from $36.00 to $34.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Citizens Jmp reduced their price objective on shares of AMERISAFE from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a “market outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 13th. Wall Street Zen raised AMERISAFE from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of AMERISAFE from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $44.67.

Institutional Trading of AMERISAFE

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. acquired a new position in shares of AMERISAFE during the 4th quarter worth about $4,145,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its position in shares of AMERISAFE by 34.7% during the fourth quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 156,059 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $5,994,000 after acquiring an additional 40,164 shares in the last quarter. Royce & Associates LP raised its stake in shares of AMERISAFE by 10.0% in the 4th quarter. Royce & Associates LP now owns 611,371 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $23,483,000 after purchasing an additional 55,750 shares during the period. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd raised its position in AMERISAFE by 51.0% in the 1st quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd now owns 53,787 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $1,793,000 after buying an additional 18,175 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Auto Owners Insurance Co raised its holdings in shares of AMERISAFE by 3,741.0% in the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 16,397,229 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $62,982,000 after purchasing an additional 15,970,329 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.41% of the company’s stock.

AMERISAFE Trading Down 4.5%

The stock has a market capitalization of $607.10 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.36 and a beta of 0.23. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $32.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $33.99.

About AMERISAFE

Amerisafe, Inc (NASDAQ: AMSF) is a specialty provider of workers’ compensation insurance products and services in the United States. The company focuses on underwriting and managing workers’ compensation policies for small to mid-sized public and private businesses, particularly in higher-hazard industries such as retail, manufacturing, distribution and wholesale. Through its network of independent agents, Amerisafe delivers tailored coverage solutions that combine robust risk management support with loss prevention programs designed to enhance workplace safety.

In addition to core insurance offerings, Amerisafe provides extensive risk control resources, including safety training, on-site consultations and claims management services.