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AMSF

AMERISAFED
Nasdaq / Insurance
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2026-06-02
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2026-05-22
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Earnings documents stored for AMSF.

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Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-05-22

Why Is Amerisafe (AMSF) Up 0.7% Since Last Earnings Report?

Zacks

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Amerisafe (AMSF). Shares have added about 0.7% in that time frame, underperforming 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 Amerisafe due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for AMERISAFE, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. AMSF Q1 Earnings Miss Estimates on Higher Costs, Soft Underwriting AMERISAFE reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of 50 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 52 cents. The bottom line declined 16.7% year over year. Operating revenues increased 7.9% year over year to $81.75 million but missed the consensus estimate by 0.9%. The quarterly result was affected by higher expenses and weaker underwriting margins, with additional pressure from lower fee income and weaker investment income. Stronger premium growth partially offset the downside. Net premiums earned of $75.1 million advanced 9% year over year. The metric missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.8%. Net investment income declined 0.8% year over year to $6.6 million due to lower average investable assets, partly offset by higher yield and lower expenses. The reported figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.5%. Fee and other income fell 63.3% year over year. Total expenses escalated 13.9% year over year to $69.9 million due to higher loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred, underwriting and other operating costs and policyholder dividends. AMERISAFE’s pre-tax underwriting profit amounted to $5.1 million, which fell 31.5% year over year. Operating net income of $9.5 million declined 17.4% year over year in the reported quarter. The net combined ratio deteriorated 410 basis points year over year to 93.2. The Zacks Consensus Estimates was pegged at 92.7. AMERISAFE exited the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $34.2 million, down from $61.9 million at the end of 2025. Total assets declined to $1.12 billion from $1.13 billion at the end of 2025. Shareholders’ equity decreased to $246.6 million from $251.6 million a year ago. Book value per share was $13.18, down 3.7% year over year. Return on average equity declined 70 basis points year...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-23

AMERISAFE, Inc. Q1 2026 Earnings Call Summary

Moby

Achieved 9% growth in net premiums earned, marking the eighth consecutive quarter of premium expansion despite a prolonged soft pricing environment. Performance was driven by a 92.4% policy retention rate and an 8.2% increase in combined new and renewal voluntary premiums. Management attributes sustained success to a differentiated high-hazard industry focus and appropriately priced risk selection in a competitive market. The expense ratio improved to 29.7%, reflecting disciplined expense management and increased operating leverage from strategic growth initiatives. Payroll growth within targeted classes remained positive at 4.5%, primarily driven by wage increases while headcount remained essentially flat. Favorable prior year loss development contributed 10.1 points to the net loss ratio, underscoring the strength of the company's historical reserving practices. Management expects continued mid-single-digit decreases in filed loss costs for 2026, with their five biggest states ranging from 1.2% to 9% declines. The company anticipates ongoing upward pressure on current accident year loss ratios due to persistent medical inflation and general claim severity. Strategic growth initiatives are expected to remain sustainable in the mid-single-digit range by focusing on incremental growth without altering the core risk profile. Future results will likely be influenced by the industry-wide trend of deteriorating accident year combined ratios as 12 years of declining rates take effect. Medical inflation is identified as a persistent headwind, though management believes current fee schedules are effectively helping to contain costs. The policyholder dividend ratio increased to 1.8% due to policy count growth, as more policyholders qualified for dividends based on individual experience. Net investment income saw a slight 0.8% decrease due to lower average investable assets, despite a 174 basis point increase in new money yields. The company repurchased approximately 120,000 shares for $4 million during the quarter, with $12.9 million remaining under the current authorization. Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Management confirmed medical inflation is a significant factor being actively reserved for, though fee schedules currently mitigate some impact...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-23

AMSF Q1 Earnings Miss Estimates on Higher Costs, Soft Underwriting

Zacks

AMERISAFE, Inc. AMSF reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of 50 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 52 cents. The bottom line declined 16.7% year over year. Operating revenues increased 7.9% year over year to $81.75 million but missed the consensus estimate by 0.9%. The quarterly result was affected by higher expenses and weaker underwriting margins, with additional pressure from lower fee income and weaker investment income. Stronger premium growth partially offset the downside. AMERISAFE, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | AMERISAFE, Inc. Quote Net premiums earned of $75.1 million advanced 9% year over year. The metric missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.8%. Net investment income declined 0.8% year over year to $6.6 million due to lower average investable assets, partly offset by higher yield and lower expenses. The reported figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.5%. Fee and other income fell 63.3% year over year. Total expenses escalated 13.9% year over year to $69.9 million due to higher loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred, underwriting and other operating costs and policyholder dividends. AMERISAFE’s pre-tax underwriting profit amounted to $5.1 million, which fell 31.5% year over year. Operating net income of $9.5 million declined 17.4% year over year in the reported quarter. The net combined ratio deteriorated 410 basis points year over year to 93.2. The Zacks Consensus Estimates was pegged at 92.7. AMERISAFE exited the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $34.2 million, down from $61.9 million at the end of 2025. Total assets declined to $1.12 billion from $1.13 billion at the end of 2025. Shareholders’ equity decreased to $246.6 million from $251.6 million a year ago. Book value per share was $13.18, down 3.7% year over year. Return on average equity declined 70 basis points year over year to 13.1%. AMERISAFE bought back common shares worth $4 million during the first quarter. As of March 31, 2026, it had $12.9 million left under its share buyback program. Management approved a quarterly cash dividend of 41 cents per share, which will be paid on June 19, 2026, to shareholders of record as of June 12, 2026. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. The Progressive Corporation PGR reporte...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-23

AMERISAFE Q1 Earnings Call Highlights

MarketBeat

Solid quarter: Net earned premiums rose about 9% year‑over‑year to $75.1M (GWP $88.5M, +5.6%), and the company delivered a combined ratio of 93.2% with operating earnings of $0.50 per share. Underwriting discipline held up amid soft pricing and rising medical severity: the current accident‑year loss ratio was 72%, prior‑year favorable development was $7.6M (10.1 points), and the expense ratio improved to 29.7%. Balance sheet and capital actions: the investment portfolio is high‑quality (AA‑, 4.4 year duration) with new‑money yields lifting tax‑equivalent yield to 3.9%, and the company repurchased ~120,000 shares for $4M with $12.9M of buyback authorization remaining. Interested in AMERISAFE, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) reported first-quarter 2026 results that management characterized as a “solid start to 2026,” citing premium growth, a sub-100 combined ratio, and continued underwriting discipline despite what executives described as a prolonged soft pricing environment in workers’ compensation. President and CEO Janelle Frost said the company grew net premiums earned by 9% year over year and delivered a combined ratio of 93.2%. AMERISAFE reported operating earnings of $0.50 per share for the quarter. → Credo Stock Flashes Strong Bullish Signal—Upswing Just Starting Frost framed results in the context of a competitive workers’ compensation market, pointing to “persistent industry headwinds such as claims severity and economic uncertainty,” while also noting that workers’ compensation “remains the most consistently profitable line within the P&C industry.” She attributed AMERISAFE’s performance to its focus on “appropriately priced risk selection and deep industry experience,” particularly within high-hazard industries. Operations and Transformation Leader Vincent Gagliano said gross premiums written increased 5.6% to $88.5 million, up from $83.8 million in the first quarter of 2025. Retention on policies offered for renewal was 92.4%. → Allbirds Exits Shoes, Pivots to AI With NewBird Rebrand Gagliano said pricing “remained strong,” helping offset “continued downward pressure in filed loss costs.” He also said new business opportunities continued to grow amid “steady competition,” and that combined new and renewal voluntary premium increased 8.2% in the quarter. In-force policy count rose 1.7% during the quarter and was u...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-23

AMERISAFE Inc (AMSF) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Premium Growth Amid Competitive Market

GuruFocus.com

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Net Premiums Earned: Increased by 9% to $75.1 million. Gross Premiums Written: Rose 5.6% to $88.5 million. Combined Ratio: Achieved 93.2%. Operating Earnings: $0.50 per share. Net Income: $8.1 million or $0.43 per diluted share. Operating Net Income: $9.5 million or $0.50 per diluted share. Expense Ratio: Improved to 29.7% from 29.9% a year ago. Net Investment Income: Decreased 0.8% to $6.6 million. Effective Tax Rate: 19.8%. Book Value Per Share: $13.18 at quarter end. Share Repurchase: 120,000 shares repurchased at an average cost of $33.60 per share. Cash and Invested Assets: Approximately $774 million at quarter end. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 10 Warning Signs with TXN. Is AMSF fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: April 22, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. AMERISAFE Inc (NASDAQ:AMSF) reported a 9% increase in net premiums earned, indicating strong growth. The company achieved a combined ratio of 93.2%, reflecting solid underwriting performance. Retention for policy renewals was high at 92.4%, showcasing customer loyalty and satisfaction. AMERISAFE Inc (NASDAQ:AMSF) experienced an 8.2% increase in new and renewal voluntary premium, highlighting effective distribution strategies. The company maintained a strong capital position with approximately $774 million in cash and invested assets. The workers' compensation market remains competitive with a prolonged soft-pricing environment, posing challenges for AMERISAFE Inc (NASDAQ:AMSF). Net investment income decreased by 0.8% due to lower average investable assets, impacting overall financial performance. The current accident year loss ratio increased slightly due to continued rate pressure and high claim severity. AMERISAFE Inc (NASDAQ:AMSF) reported a decrease in net income compared to the previous year, indicating potential profitability challenges. The company faces ongoing pressure from medical inflation, which could affect future claims costs and profitability. Q: How did AMERISAFE observe inflation in the quarter, particularly regarding medical and claims inflation? A: Janelle Frost, CEO, noted that there were no marginal changes from year-end observations. Medical inflation is acknowledged as a real factor, and the company is reserving appropriate...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-22

Amerisafe (AMSF) Lags Q1 Earnings and Revenue Estimates

Zacks

Amerisafe (AMSF) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.5 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.52 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.6 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -3.85%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this insurance provider would post earnings of $0.57 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.51, delivering a surprise of -10.53%. Over the last four quarters, the company has not been able to surpass consensus EPS estimates. Amerisafe, which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Accident and Health industry, posted revenues of $81.75 million for the quarter ended March 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.91%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $75.75 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Amerisafe shares have lost about 13.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 3.2%. While Amerisafe has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Amerisafe was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Str...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-22

Amerisafe: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Associated Press

DERIDDER, La. (AP) — DERIDDER, La. (AP) — Amerisafe Inc. (AMSF) on Wednesday reported first-quarter net income of $8.1 million. On a per-share basis, the Deridder, Louisiana-based company said it had net income of 43 cents. Earnings, adjusted for investment costs, were 50 cents per share. The insurance provider posted revenue of $80.1 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $81.7 million. Amerisafe shares have declined 14% since the beginning of the year. The stock has declined 32% in the last 12 months. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AMSF at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AMSF

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-22

AMERISAFE Announces 2026 First Quarter Results

Business Wire

Reports 8.2% Growth in Voluntary Premiums on Policies Written DERIDDER, La., April 22, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMERISAFE, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMSF), a specialty provider of workers’ compensation insurance focused on high-hazard industries, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. G. Janelle Frost, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "AMERISAFE delivered a strong start to 2026, marking our eighth consecutive quarter of growth in both gross premiums written and net premiums earned, with net premiums earned increasing 9.0% during the first quarter. We continued to demonstrate expense discipline, achieving a third consecutive quarter of year over year improvement in the expense ratio. Despite a competitive market environment, we believe our targeted focus on high hazard industries continues to create meaningful opportunities for profitable growth and attractive returns on equity. Our disciplined underwriting approach, strong balance sheet, and consistent capital management—supported by the dedication of our employees—remain central to our strategy. We are confident in our ability to execute our long-term objectives and to deliver reliable value for shareholders while providing exceptional service to small and mid-sized businesses and their workers." Voluntary premiums on policies written in the quarter increased 8.2%, compared to the first quarter of 2025, due to strong new business production and solid premium and policy retention. Payroll audits and related premium adjustments contributed $3.7 million to premiums written in the quarter, compared to $5.0 million in the first quarter of 2025. Loss and loss adjustment expenses were reduced by $7.6 million in the quarter due to favorable case reserve development on accident years 2023 and prior, resulting in a net loss ratio of 61.9%, compared to $8.7 million and 58.3%, respectively, in the prior-year quarter. Underwriting expense ratio for the quarter was 29.7%, compared to 29.9% in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting improved operating scale as growth in premium volume and policy count continues to outpace controllable cost increases. Our effective tax rate for the quarter was 19.8%, compared to 20.2% in the prior-year quarter. Net investment income decreased 0.8% to $6.6 million for the quarter, driven by lower average investable assets compared to the prior-year period, part...

TranscriptFY2026 Q12026-04-22

FY2026 Q1 earnings call transcript

Earnings source - 40 paragraphs
Operator

Good day, and welcome to the AMERISAFE First Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. Today's conference is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Kathryn Shirley, Chief Administrative Officer. Please go ahead.

Kathryn Shirley

Thank you, operator, and good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the AMERISAFE 2026 First Quarter Investor Call. If you have not received the earnings release, it is available on our website at amerisafe.com. Today, this call is being recorded. A replay of today's call will be available. Details on how to access the replay are in the earnings release. During this call, we will be making forward-looking statements intended to fall within the safe harbor provided under the securities law. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied in these statements. If the underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect or as the results of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including factors discussed in the earnings release, in the comments made during today's call and in the Risk Factors section of our Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking statements. I will now turn the call over to Janelle Frost, AMERISAFE's President and CEO.

G. Frost

Thank you, Kathryn, and good afternoon. We are pleased with our solid start to 2026, marked by continued growth, disciplined execution and attractive underwriting performance. During the quarter, we grew net premiums earned by 9%. We also delivered a combined ratio of 93.2% and produced operating earnings of $0.50 per share. These results reflect steady operating momentum amongst the competitive backdrop facing the workers' compensation industry. The workers' compensation market remains competitive and continues to operate in a prolonged soft pricing environment amid persistent industry headwinds, such as claims severity and economic uncertainty. At the same time, workers' compensation remains the most consistently profitable line within the P&C industry, supported by long-term claim development and stable capital structures. In this environment, sustained success depends on appropriately priced risk selection and deep industry experience. At AMERISAFE, our differentiated approach to servicing high-hazard industries continues to support consistent returns across the cycle. Our eighth consecutive quarter of premium growth, continued improvement in our expense ratio and favorable prior year loss development underscores the strength of our operating model and the dedication of our team. We believe these fundamentals position us well to navigate current market conditions, while continuing to create long-term value for our shareholders. I'll now turn the call over to Vincent to walk through the details of our growth and underwriting performance for the quarter.

Vincent Gagliano

Thanks, Janelle. In the first quarter of 2026, gross premiums written were $88.5 million compared to $83.8 million in the first quarter of 2025, increasing 5.6%. Retention for policies for which we offered renewal was 92.4% in the quarter, and pricing remains strong, helping offset continued downward pressure in filed loss costs. New business opportunities continue to grow despite steady competition. Together, new and renewal voluntary premium increased 8.2% in the quarter, reflecting ongoing investments in distribution effectiveness and recognition of our commitment to delivering outstanding safety and claim services to our policyholders. In-force policy count increased 1.7% in the quarter and 9.5% since Q1 2025. Audit premium and related adjustments remained positive, adding $3.7 million in the quarter compared to $5 million in the first quarter of 2025. And net earned premiums were $75.1 million in the quarter growing 9% year-over-year. While we don't usually comment on policyholder dividends, I do want to give some color since it was seemingly an outlier for this quarter. If you look at recent quarter history, you'll see that there is some variability in this ratio quarter-to-quarter, albeit in a relatively small range. In last year's first quarter, the dividend ratio was 0.9%, while in the subsequent quarter, Q2 2025, it was 1.8%. We have not changed our policyholder dividend strategy or plans. And this first quarter result was within our expectations. In the few states where we do offer policyholder dividends as a competitive tool, the ultimate outcome depends upon individual policyholder experience for policies in the quarter being evaluated. With recent policy count growth it is not unexpected that more policyholders could qualify for dividends. And finally, back to the routine and update on payroll growth. We continue to see positive wage growth in our targeted classes of business, coming in at 4.5% for the quarter, while headcount change was essentially flat. We believe continued payroll growth across our targeted industries indicates relatively healthy business activity despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Further, payroll growth and in particular, wage growth can help offset ongoing pressure on rates, both from competition and filed loss costs. That concludes the overview of premium results. I will hand the call back to Janelle for more information on claims, investments and other financial metrics.

G. Frost

Thank you, Vince. Next quarter, I'll have the pleasure of passing the financial remarks off to Guillermo Ramos, our new CFO. Until then, bear with me one more time as I blend the financial results with other operational commentary. The current accident year loss ratio was 72% for the quarter compared to 72% for the accident year 2025 at 12 months, but 71% at the first quarter of 2025. As we've discussed over the last 2 quarters, continued rate pressure and general high claim severity are creating modest upward pressure on the current accident year. That said, large claim losses incurred can be lumpy. We ended the first quarter of the current accident year with no claims with incurred value over $1 million compared to 2 in the first quarter of accident year 2025. As for prior accident years, we had $7.6 million or 10.1 points of favorable development in the quarter compared to $8.7 million or 12.7 points in the prior year quarter resulting in a net loss ratio of 61.9% for the quarter. The impact of favorable prior year development to the net loss ratio quarter over prior year quarter is influenced by the growth in net premiums earned. To round out the combined ratio, total underwriting and other expenses were $22.3 million for the quarter, resulting in an expense ratio of 29.7% compared to 29.9% a year ago. This marks the third consecutive -- year-over-year improvement, reflecting disciplined expense management and continued operating leverage as our strategic growth initiatives drive growth in net premiums earned. During the first quarter of 2026, net income was $8.1 million or $0.43 per diluted share, while operating net income was $9.5 million or $0.50 per diluted share. This compares to net income of $8.9 million or $0.47 per diluted share and operating net income of $11.4 million or $0.60 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2025. The effective tax rate for the quarter was 19.8% compared to 20.2% in the prior year quarter. Turning to our investment portfolio. Net investment income decreased 0.8% to $6.6 million due to lower average investable assets. However, new money yields were favorable during the quarter with the yield on new investments increasing 174 basis points in comparison to the portfolio roll off, driving our tax equivalent yield to 3.9% or 7 basis points higher than the first quarter of 2025. The portfolio remains high quality, carrying an average AA- credit rating and a duration of 4.4 years. Asset allocation was largely unchanged with the portfolio composition being 61% municipals, 24% combined -- corporate bonds, 3% U.S. treasuries and agencies, 7% equities, and 5% in cash. Approximately 43% of our portfolio is designated as held-to-maturity during a net unrealized loss position of $7.9 million at quarter end. As a reminder, these held-to-maturity securities are carried at amortized cost, and therefore, unrealized gains and losses on these securities are not reflected in our book value. Also during the quarter, we repurchased nearly 120,000 shares of common stock under the company's share repurchase program at an average cost of $33.60 per share for a total of $4 million. The remaining outstanding share repurchase authorization under the program as of March 31 is $12.9 million. Overall, our capital position is strong, supported by high-quality balance sheet, solid reserve position and prudent investment strategy. At quarter end, we held approximately $774 million in cash and invested assets. Finally, a couple of other topics. Book value per share at quarter end was $13.18 and we will file our 10-Q on Thursday, April 23, after market close. With that, we'll open the call up for questions.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] And we'll take our first question from Mark Hughes with Truist.

Mark Hughes

Janelle, how did you see inflation in the quarter? It sounds like the medical inflation, claims inflation, it sounds like the large claims were negligible. But any observations -- yes, any observations about any marginal changes?

G. Frost

No. No marginal changes from what we talked about at year-end, Mark. Medical inflation is real. We are living it. We are reserving properly for it. I still feel I'll stick by what I said at year-end. I still feel fee schedules are doing their job and helping us contain costs. But I also think in NCCI recognizing last year, this time last year, the medical inflation was -- medical severity was up 6%, was eye-opening to the industry. I think CEOs have been talking about it for a while. And we're just a few weeks away from seeing what that number was for 2025 per NCCI as well. So I would expect but there's continued pressure on medical inflation industry-wide, not just with our severe claims.

Mark Hughes

Yes. What do you think they'll say, I guess our observation was, it seemed like 2024 and 2025 were not starting off in as good a shape as some of the older accident years? Do you have any observations about what you've seen in the industry data?

G. Frost

Yes. That's a great point, Mark. I think when you look at -- even NCCI last year and their data had each accident year combined ratio seemed to be worsening and getting closer, closer to that 100% combined ratio for the industry. So I mean, I think there industry-wide, we're seeing a deterioration in those results. And you're right, accident years '24 and '25 for the industry as a whole, I think there is definitely pressure there. But when you're talking 12 years of declining rates, I think that's a natural progression, right, that there's going to be pressure there. Even though frequency for the industry has continued to go down, medical inflation and the severity on claims has ticked up I mean in a declining rate environment. So I think there's going to be continued pressure for the industry on those accident year combined ratios. So it would be very interesting to see on an accident year basis, what those projections are reported versus, I guess, projected, but also how much that affects the calendar year, like how much favorable development the industry has experienced from older accident years. To your point, that those accident years '22 and prior versus what's developing or what emergence we've seen out of '24 and '25.

Mark Hughes

Yes. How about NCCI loss costs. I think you've shared kind of the recent experience in some of the updates you've been getting, what does that trend look like?

Vincent Gagliano

Mark, this is Vince. We're still looking at mid-single-digit decreases for the year. Most states have already put in their filings for 2026. Just to give you some sense of the range, in our 5 biggest states, they range from down almost 9% to down 1.2% and everything in between with a few outliers.

Mark Hughes

Understood. And then Janelle, I don't know if you gave any specifics on payroll. I think you might have done that in the past, kind of payroll growth or headcount growth, any statistics there you can share?

Vincent Gagliano

Its Vince, I'm going to jump in for Janelle. I've got it right in front of me. We're seeing payroll growth across all of our major classes to varying degrees. But it's predominantly wage growth, as we mentioned in the prepared remarks. Headcount growth has been flat to slightly down, different quarters, it varies quite a bit, but -- across all industries, payroll growth continues to be positive.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] And we will take our next question from David Samar with Citizens JMP.

David Samar

This is David on for Matt. Just had one question. For the voluntary premium growth, are there any certain industries or areas of the market that are driving growth more than others right now?

G. Frost

No. I would say it's been pretty steady across our book of business, which is one of the things that we've actually been happy to see as we've had these strategic initiatives to grow policy count and to grow premium that the changes that we've made have been serving us across industries, across states. In other words, we don't see pockets of what's working here. It's not working there. It's been pretty prolific throughout the book of business. So -- even if you look at the 10-K last year, which last year was when our growth initiatives really started taking root in terms of the numbers we reported. If you look at the 10-K and the shift between industry groups or even the shifts among the states, there's really not a lot of change -- '25 over '24. And that held true in the first quarter as well.

Operator

And we will take our next question from Bob Farnam with Brean Capital.

Robert Edward Farnam

Just one question. I have one broad question and one specific question. So the specific question is you talked about the duration of your assets 4 years. I'm just -- a little over 4 years. So I just wanted to know kind of how does that compare to the duration of your liabilities?

G. Frost

Great question. Yes. So our average duration on our portfolio -- on our liabilities is between 3 and 4 years. So as you know...

Robert Edward Farnam

Which is surprising.

G. Frost

I'm sorry, go ahead.

Robert Edward Farnam

Yes. No I said that's kind of surprising. People think of, workers' comp writers would have a longer duration of claims. So is that...

G. Frost

Yes. I appreciate you asking. Its one of my favorite subjects. So the way we handle claims is -- thank you, thank you, Bob. The way we handle claims is different than the industry. We really focus on -- I've talked about this numerous times, but our high-touch model involves our claims adjusters getting in quickly, establishing relationships, getting those reserves put up quickly. And then working with our injured workers, working with medical providers, finding ways to close and settle these claims as quickly as we can to the benefit of the injured worker, to the benefit of the policyholder, and ultimately to the benefit of AMERISAFE. And that helps shorten our duration on our claims on these severe claims. So we know that we're lower than the average bear as they say in the industry, but that's part of our operating model, and that's how we manage claims.

Robert Edward Farnam

Cool. All right. And the broader one, I've been covering workers' comp for quite a while. You obviously have as well. And I would have said maybe 5 or 6 years ago, I thought that frequency would have bottomed.

G. Frost

[indiscernible] Bob.

Robert Edward Farnam

And here we go -- if here we keep going was like -- all right, frequency is down again, frequency is down again, frequency is down again. When is this going to end? And what do you think is driving -- you could only do so much safety and risk services and things like that, that I just -- I don't know whether this bottomed...

G. Frost

I would agree with you, Bob. I guess partly a degree, it matters on how you're measuring frequency right. So if you're measuring it per $1 million of payroll or $1 million of premium. But either way you look at it right now, it's still on the decline. A couple of things I think factored into that. I agree with you. Is the workplace safer? Absolutely. I think the mix of jobs that we have, although the fact that our economy is shifting is more towards services, I think that impacts the overall frequency because again, you're talking broadly, not just what AMERISAFE prices, but broadly, right? So I think the type of jobs, the types of workforce that we have, that's somewhat influencing that number. If you look at -- if you're looking at really long-term trends, I think our economy has shifted more from manufacturing and those types of jobs to more service-related jobs. And so that kind of -- I think that's contributing somewhat to the frequency. But I happen to agree with you. If you would have asked me 3 or 4 years ago, even for the industry, not even talking about AMERISAFE specific for the industry, I would have said, well, it's got to reach at some point. I mean people are going to have accidents. We're all humans. But yet whether you're measuring it on payroll or premium, as of from now, it's down.

Robert Edward Farnam

Yes. I just remember, you're talking about it a long time ago and saying, yes, frequency can't drop down to 0. So it's going to end at some point. But, man, you guys keep pressing every quarter.

G. Frost

I always appreciate when people remember when I'm wrong. Yes, you're right.

Operator

And we will take our next question from Mark Hughes with Truist.

Mark Hughes

Yes. Janelle, you all have been doing very well on the top line growth and if you touched on this earlier in the call, forgive me. But the -- I think I've asked before about how sustainable this is? Whether some initiatives you put in place and kind of have potentially run their course or whether there's always something new and you continue to bear fruit with your distribution strategies. I'm just sort of curious if there's any remarks you have about kind of what's keeping the momentum going forward?

G. Frost

Yes. Let me start with the team here at AMERISAFE is executing. We -- and I've talked about this before, 3 years ago, probably at this point, dating back maybe longer now. We started putting together this growth strategy and how we want to be very thoughtful and very measured about that growth strategy. And the team here is just executing. And the fact that, to the question earlier, the fact that it's been prolific across our industry classes, across our states, I totally believe it is sustainable. Is it linear? No. But we're shooting for that mid-single-digit range, and we've been hitting that. And I like I said, kudos to the AMERISAFE employees for really executing and taking this idea of adding small incremental growth and not changing our risk profile and sticking to our knitting and being who we want to be and executing on that. Kudos to them for executing on that. So I truly believe that is sustainable. The momentum is there, the attitude is there, the strategy is there.

Mark Hughes

Yes. And this is a trivial question, but why did you move the call to the afternoon?

G. Frost

Great question. Actually scheduling conflicts. So thank you for asking. I apologize if it is inconvenient.

Mark Hughes

Yes. Okay. So next time, it will be 10:30 again?

G. Frost

Yes, we will go back to our normal schedule.

Operator

And this concludes today's question-and-answer session. I would now like to turn the call back to Janelle Frost, CEO, for closing comments.

G. Frost

Thoughtful and measured growth with pricing adequacy continues to be the anchor for our performance even amidst the competitive pressures of the workers' compensation market. Our results this quarter reflects the strength of these fundamentals, supported by a strong balance sheet that positions AMERISAFE well across the market. We remain confident in our strategy and committed to consistent execution to deliver sustainable underwriting profitability and long-term shareholder value. Thank you for joining us today.

Operator

This does conclude today's call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect.

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-15

Amerisafe (AMSF) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

Motley Fool

Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. ET Chief Executive Officer — G. Frost Chief Financial Officer — Anastasios Omiridis G. Frost: Thank you, Kathryn, and good morning. We are pleased that our growth strategy in this competitive market is yielding a healthy 20.5% return on average equity and a 90.6% combined ratio for the quarter. Our continued success in the market reflects the strength of the AMERISAFE value proposition. At our core, we are a profitable underwriter, focused on knowing our risk, pricing them appropriately and servicing our policyholders and their workers. In doing so, we are a better carrier for our agents and create long-term value for our shareholders. This is our sixth consecutive quarter of top line growth. Voluntary premiums on policies written in the quarter grew 10.6%. Combined with audit premiums, our gross premiums written grew 7.2% and net earned grew 6.2% over the third quarter of 2024. We are seeing the compound benefits of disciplined underwriting, robust new business production and strong renewal performance. Turning to losses. Our accident year loss ratio was in line with the prior year end quarter at 71%. Frequency remains at historically low levels, while severity continues to not higher on a year-over-year basis. We are confident that our claims handling practices, coupled with upfront risk selection remain consistent and disciplined in the current environment. Thus, the company experienced $8.9 million of favorable reserve development on prior accident years, primarily accident years 2020 and prior. In addition to announcing the quarterly results, we also announced the Board of Directors declared both a regular quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share, and a $1 special dividend payable on December 12, 2025, to shareholders as of record as of December 5, 2025. The Board takes a comprehensive approach when evaluating capital deployment, considering both the regular quarterly dividend, share repurchases and any special dividend within the broader framework of AMERISAFE's capital position operating performance and future growth opportunities. This balanced strategy ensures that we continue to reward shareholders while maintaining the flexibility to invest in the business and support long-term value creation. Our capital management philosophy remains consistent. Profitability drives capital and...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-14

AMSF Stock Check: Strong Balance Sheet, But is Earnings Slowing?

Zacks

AMERISAFE, Inc. AMSF is positioned for steady growth, supported by rising voluntary premiums, solid customer retention and a strong underwriting profile. With a market cap of $632.1 million, the company remains a leading specialty provider of workers’ compensation insurance, focusing on small to mid-sized employers operating in hazardous industries. AMSF’s niche approach gives it a clear edge. It serves industries such as trucking, construction, logging, agriculture and maritime, where risk selection and pricing discipline matter most. The business also benefits from the long lag between premium collection and claim payments, which allows AMERISAFE to invest premium dollars for extended periods and generate compounded returns. Courtesy of solid prospects, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is worth holding on to at the moment. Profitability remains a key strength. AMSF’s return on equity stands at 15.9%, above the industry average of 14.3%, highlighting its ability to consistently generate value from its capital base. The company also maintains a conservative financial profile. It operates with minimal leverage and continues to carry a debt-free balance sheet, giving it flexibility to manage claims cycles and changing market conditions. As of Dec. 31, 2025, AMERISAFE held $796.8 million in investments and cash, well above required capital levels. This balance sheet strength has enabled shareholder-friendly actions. The company repurchased $5.1 million of stock in 2024 and stepped that up to $12.1 million in 2025. Its dividend yield of 4.9% is also well above the industry average of 2%, making the stock attractive for income-focused investors. There are a few factors that investors should keep an eye on. Product concentration in workers’ compensation coverage, along with weakening free cash flow, remains a concern. Free cash flow fell 20.3% in 2024 and dropped another 61.8% in 2025. Net investment income has also been soft, which could limit earnings momentum. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMERISAFE’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.13 per share, indicating a 2.7% year-over-year decline. The 2027 EPS estimate signals a further 2.4% fall. However, revenues for 2026 and 2027 are estimated to grow 9.1% and 5.7%, respectively. The company beat earnings estimates in one of the last four quarters, met once and missed twice, the average surprise being negative 3.1%. A...

Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-03

AMERISAFE Announces 2026 First Quarter Earnings Release and Conference Call Schedule

Business Wire

DERIDDER, La., April 02, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMERISAFE, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMSF), a specialty provider of workers’ compensation insurance focused on high-hazard industries, today announced it will release its 2026 first quarter financial results on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, before the market opens. The Company will host a conference call and live webcast on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 4:30 PM Eastern time. Webcast and Conference Call Details A replay of the webcast will be available following the call for a period of 12 months in the "Investors" section of the Company’s website. About AMERISAFE AMERISAFE, Inc. is a specialty provider of workers’ compensation insurance focused on small to mid-sized employers engaged in hazardous industries, principally construction, trucking, logging and lumber, agriculture, services, manufacturing, and maritime. AMERISAFE actively markets workers’ compensation insurance in 27 states. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260402738571/en/ Contacts Kathryn H. Shirley EVP - CAO AMERISAFE 337.463.9052

As of 2026-05-30 • Updated weeklySource: Earnings sourceIngestion runbook