AXS

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Axis Capital (AXS). Shares have lost about 4.6% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Axis Capital due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Axis Capital Holdings Limited before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. AXIS Capital Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates on Solid Underwriting IncomeAXIS Capital Holdings Limited reported first-quarter 2026 operating income of $3.42 per share, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23 and rose 7.9% year over year. The quarterly results benefited from higher net premiums earned and stronger underwriting income, partly offset by lower net investment income and higher expenses. Total operating revenues of $1.7 billion marginally beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.4%. The top line rose nearly 7.7% year over year on higher premiums earned. Net premiums written increased 9% to $1.9 billion, driven by a 24% rise in the Insurance segment, partially offset by a 13% decline in the Reinsurance segment. Net investment income decreased 11.1% year over year to $184.7 million, due to lower income from cash. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at $225.1 million.Total expenses in the quarter increased 3.8% year over year to $1.3 billion due to higher net losses and loss expenses, acquisition costs and reorganization expenses. Our estimate was pegged at $1.4 billion. Pre-tax catastrophe and weather-related losses, net of reinsurance, totaled $48 million, including $33 million from natural catastrophes. The remaining $15 million was attributable to the Middle East conflict.AXIS Capital’s underwriting income of $187 million increased 15% year over year. The combined ratio improved to 89.8 in the quarter from 90.2 a year ago, reflecting stronger underwriting performance. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at 93.1. Our estimate was 92.6. Insurance: Gross premiums written improved 19.8% year over year to $2 billion. Our estimate was $1.8 billion. Net premiums earned increased 23.8% year over year to $1.3 billion, driven by higher gross premiums written and a lower cession rate in liability lines, partly off...

PEMBROKE, Bermuda, May 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital" or the “Company”) (NYSE: AXS) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.44 per common share payable on July 15, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 30, 2026. In addition, the Board declared a dividend of $34.375 per Series E 5.50% preferred share (equivalent to $0.34375 per depositary share) payable on July 15, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 30, 2026. About AXIS Capital AXIS Capital, through its operating subsidiaries, is a global specialty underwriter and provider of insurance and reinsurance solutions. The Company has shareholders' equity of $6.4 billion at March 31, 2026, and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore and Canada. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a financial strength rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com. Follow AXIS Capital on LinkedIn and X Corp.

Mercury General Corporation MCY reported first-quarter 2026 operating income of $3.50 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 63%. The bottom line rebounded from a loss of $2.29 incurred in the prior-year quarter. Total operating revenues in the quarter were $1.5 billion, up 10.5% year over year. The top line surpassed the consensus estimate by 6.1%. The better-than-expected quarterly results were driven by higher net premiums, favorable investment results, lower catastrophe losses and improved operating expenses. Mercury General Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Mercury General Corporation Quote Net premiums earned climbed 13.2% year over year to $1.4 billion, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.7%. Net investment income, before income taxes, increased 5.1% year over year to $85.6 million, driven primarily by higher average invested assets and cash, along with an improved average yield. The figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by approximately 3.5%. Total expenses decreased 15.1% year over year to $1.3 billion, primarily due to lower losses and loss adjustment expenses, policy acquisition costs and interest expenses. Catastrophe losses, net of reinsurance, totaled $93 million, lower than $447 million incurred in the year-ago quarter. The majority of 2026 catastrophe losses stemmed from the Palisades and Eaton wildfires in California, as well as severe storms in Texas, Oklahoma and California. The combined ratio — a measure of underwriting profitability — improved 2,990 basis points (bps) year over year to 89.3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at 95.5. The loss ratio improved 3,090 bps to 64.2, while the expense ratio deteriorated 110 bps to 25.1. Mercury General exited first-quarter 2026 with total assets of $9.8 billion, which were 3.3% above the 2025-end level. As of March 31, 2026, MCY reported a solid cash balance of $1.3 billion, reflecting an increase of 2.7% from the 2025-end level. Notes payable of $574.6 million inched up 0.2% from the 2025-end level. The debt-to-total capitalization ratio improved 100 basis points year over year to 18.2% as of March 31, 2026. Shareholder equity was $2.5 billion as of March 31, 2026, up 7.1% from the 2025-end level. As of March 31, 2026, book value per share was $46.76, up 7.2% from the 2025-end level. The board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of 3...

Palomar Holdings, Inc. PLMR reported first-quarter 2026 operating income of $2.31 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.4%. The bottom line increased 23.5% year over year. Total revenues improved 58.7% year over year to $281 million, mainly driven by higher premiums, commission, investment income and other income. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.8%. Palomar delivered robust first-quarter premium and revenue growth, supported by higher net earned premiums and investment income. However, higher losses and underwriting expenses pressured profitability, leading to a decline in underwriting income. Palomar Holdings, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Palomar Holdings, Inc. Quote Gross written premiums increased 42.4% year over year to $629.8 million but missed our estimate of $659.9 million. Net earned premiums rose 59.3% year over year to $261.4 million, exceeding our estimate of $236.6 million and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $242.5 million. Net investment income climbed 49% year over year to $18 million, driven by higher yields on invested assets and a larger average investment balance supported by strong operating cash flow. The figure surpassed both the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.6 million and our estimate of $16.4 million. Palomar reported adjusted underwriting income of $62.8 million, marking a 21.6% increase from the prior-year level. Reported underwriting income fell 8% year over year to $40.5 million, missing our estimate of $48.1 million. Total expenses rose 86.5% year over year to $225.5 million due to higher losses and loss adjustment expenses, increased acquisition costs, elevated underwriting expenses and higher interest expense. The figure exceeded our estimate of $189.6 million. The loss ratio was 33.3%, deteriorated 970 basis points year over year. It was higher than our estimate of 30% and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 32.1%. The adjusted combined ratio worsened 750 basis points year over year to 76%, above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 74.9%. Cash and cash equivalents declined 47.1% to $56.5 million from the 2025-end level. Shareholders’ equity increased 1.7% to $959 million from the 2025-end level. Annualized adjusted return on equity for the first quarter of 2026 was 26.6%, down 40 basis points year over year. During the quarter, the company repurchased 0.2 million shares for $23.1 mil...

EverQuote, Inc. EVER reported first-quarter 2026 operating net income per share of 51 cents, significantly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 18.6%. The bottom line increased 34.2% from the prior-year period level. Total revenues rose 15% year over year to $191 million. The top line exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.8%. The better-than-expected quarterly results were fueled by solid performance across both the Automotive insurance and Home and Renters insurance segments, supported by higher variable marketing investments. The upside was partly offset by an increase in operating expenses. EverQuote, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | EverQuote, Inc. Quote Revenues in the Automotive insurance vertical grew 13% year over year to $172.4 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $164.1 million. Our estimate was $164 million. Revenues in the Home and Renters insurance vertical increased 33% year over year to $18.5 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $13 million. Our estimate was $13.1 million. Revenues in the Other insurance vertical declined 100% year over year. Total costs and operating expenses rose 5.5% year over year to $167.4 million, mainly due to higher sales and marketing, research and development costs and general and administrative expenses. Our estimate was $159.2 million. EverQuote’s variable marketing dollars increased 19% year over year to $55.9 million, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $50.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose 30% year over year to $29.3 million, which outpaced our estimate of $24 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 15.4% for the quarter. EverQuote exited the first quarter of 2026 with cash and cash equivalents of $178.4 million, up 4.1% from the 2025-end level. Total assets were $323.9 million, down 0.9% from the 2025-end level. Total stockholders' equity increased 1.2% from the 2025-end level to $240.8 million. Cash from operations was $29.6 million, which increased 27% year over year. During the quarter, EVER repurchased 1.1 million shares of its common stock for approximately $19.9 million. For the second quarter of 2026, EverQuote guided revenues in the $185-$195 million range, implying 21% year-over-year growth. Management expects variable marketing dollars in the $55-$57 million range, suggesting 23% year-over-year growth. Adjusted EBITDA is projected at $28-$30...

Aon plc AON reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $6.48 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.4%. The bottom line advanced 14.3% year over year. Total revenues of $5 billion grew 6% year over year. The top line beat the consensus mark by 1.5%. Organic revenue growth was 5%. The positive quarterly results were driven by consistent execution, steady organic growth, strong retention rates, margin expansion, and improved cash generation, particularly in its core Risk Capital businesses, further supported by disciplined capital allocation. However, gains were partly offset by weakness in Wealth Solutions. Aon plc price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Aon plc Quote Total operating expenses inched up 2% year over year to $3.3 billion due to higher expenses related to organic revenue growth, investments in long-term growth and unfavorable foreign currency translation. This was partly offset by lower expenses associated with the sale of NFP Wealth. The metric was in line with our estimate. Adjusted operating income amounted to $1.97 billion, which improved 8% year over year and beat our estimate of $1.93 billion. The metric gained as a result of organic revenue growth and net restructuring savings. Adjusted operating margin improved 70 basis points year over year to 39.1%. Commercial Risk Solutions: Organic revenues rose 7% year over year in the first quarter on the back of new business and strong retention rates across North America and EMEA. Revenues in this solution line advanced 11% year over year to $2.2 billion, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.4%. Reinsurance Solutions: Organic revenues grew 4% year over year, driven by increased treaty placements, new business wins and strong client retention, along with growth in facultative placements. Revenues amounted to $1.3 billion, which improved 8% year over year and beat the consensus mark by 1.9%. Health Solutions: Organic revenues inched up 4% year over year as a result of new business growth, strong retention rates and positive market impact. The solution line’s revenues increased 9% year over year to $1.1 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.2%. Wealth Solutions: Organic revenue growth of 1% was driven by expansion in Retirement and sustained demand for advisory services in the UK and EMEA amid ongoing regulatory changes, partly offset by weaker a...

The Allstate Corporation ALL reported a first-quarter 2026 adjusted net income of $10.65 per share, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 43.3%. The bottom line surged 201.7% year over year. Operating revenues of $17.3 billion grew 3.2% year over year. However, the top line missed the consensus mark by 2%. Allstate’s quarterly results were driven by higher property and casualty insurance premiums, improved net investment income and lower catastrophe losses. Lower expenses and strong underwriting performance further aided results. The Allstate Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Allstate Corporation Quote Property and casualty insurance premiums improved 5.8% year over year to $15.6 billion. Net investment income of $938 million advanced 9.8% year over year on the back of a growing market-based portfolio. The metric beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $895 million and our estimate of $935 million. Market-based investment income rose 10% year over year to $791 million in the quarter under review. Total costs and expenses were $13.8 billion, which decreased 12.1% year over year and was lower than our estimate of $15.5 billion. The year-over-year decline was due to decreased property and casualty insurance claims and claims expenses, accident, health and other policy benefits and Pension and other postretirement remeasurement (gains) losses. Catastrophe losses of $1.2 billion dropped 43.7% year over year. Allstate’s pretax income increased significantly, up 332.3% year over year to $3.1 billion. As of Dec. 31, 2025, total policies in force were 212 million, up 2.5% year over year. The Property-Liability segment reported premiums earned of $14.8 billion in the first quarter, up 5.5% year over year, driven by higher average premiums in homeowners insurance and growth in policies in force. However, the metric missed both the Zacks Consensus Estimate and our estimate of $15.1 billion. Underwriting income in the segment surged 638.3% year over year to $2.7 billion. The underlying combined ratio improved 280 basis points to 80.3%. The Protection Services segment’s revenues advanced 7.2% year over year to $922 million, aided by Allstate Protection Plans and Roadside businesses. The metric lagged our estimate of $958.9 million. Adjusted net income of $47 million declined 14.5% year over year. Allstate exited the first quarter with a cash balan...

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited AXS reported first-quarter 2026 operating income of $3.42 per share, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23 and rose 7.9% year over year. The quarterly results benefited from higher net premiums earned and stronger underwriting income, partly offset by lower net investment income and higher expenses. Axis Capital Holdings Limited price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Axis Capital Holdings Limited Quote Total operating revenues of $1.7 billion marginally beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.4%. The top line rose nearly 7.7% year over year on higher premiums earned. Net premiums written increased 9% to $1.9 billion, driven by a 24% rise in the Insurance segment, partially offset by a 13% decline in the Reinsurance segment. Net investment income decreased 11.1% year over year to $184.7 million, due to lower income from cash. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at $225.1 million. Total expenses in the quarter increased 3.8% year over year to $1.3 billion due to higher net losses and loss expenses, acquisition costs and reorganization expenses. Our estimate was pegged at $1.4 billion. Pre-tax catastrophe and weather-related losses, net of reinsurance, totaled $48 million, including $33 million from natural catastrophes. The remaining $15 million was attributable to the Middle East conflict. AXIS Capital’s underwriting income of $187 million increased 15% year over year. The combined ratio improved to 89.8 in the quarter from 90.2 a year ago, reflecting stronger underwriting performance. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at 93.1. Our estimate was 92.6. Insurance: Gross premiums written improved 19.8% year over year to $2 billion. Our estimate was $1.8 billion. Net premiums earned increased 23.8% year over year to $1.3 billion, driven by higher gross premiums written and a lower cession rate in liability lines, partly offset by a higher cession rate in property lines. Our estimate was $1.1 billion. Underwriting income of $157.4 million increased 17% year over year. The combined ratio improved 40 basis points to 86.3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the combined ratio was pegged at 88.4. Reinsurance: Gross premiums written decreased 2.2% year over year to $1.1 billion, mainly due to non-renewals and reduced line sizes in liability and motor lines, in line with our estimate of $1.1 billion. Net premiums earned i...

Axis reported a strong Q1 with net income of $247 million, operating income of $257 million, an annualized operating ROE of about 18%, a combined ratio of 89.8%, and gross written premiums of $3.1 billion (up ~11% YoY), with short‑tail lines now ~60% of premiums. Growth is being driven by a shift into short‑tail business and structured capital solutions—insurance GWP rose ~20% led by expanded classes and AXIS Capacity Solutions (ACS) (including FAL and the Ryan deal)—while reinsurance is being pared back in long‑tail lines (reinsurance GWP down 2% overall, long‑tail down 24%), and management expects reinsurance premiums could be down double digits in 2026. Management highlighted efficiency and capital actions: consolidated G&A ratio improved to 10.7%, AI and workflow initiatives materially cut processing times, AXIS returned $93 million to shareholders and approved an additional $300 million buyback authorization, and executives said reserve levels remain comfortable despite unrealized investment losses weighing on book value. Interested in Axis Capital Holdings Limited? Here are five stocks we like better. A Quiet Outperformer With a Catastrophe Caveat Axis Capital (NYSE:AXS) reported a strong start to 2026 as management pointed to underwriting profitability, premium growth driven by short-tail lines, and improved operating efficiency during the company’s first-quarter earnings call. President and CEO Vincent Tizzio said the company entered 2026 “well-positioned” after a period of portfolio remediation, highlighting benefits from changes to AXIS’ operating model and investments in “products, distribution, technology, and talent.” Tizzio cited an annualized return on average common equity of 17%, a combined ratio of 89.8%, and gross written premiums (GWP) of $3.1 billion, up nearly 11% year-over-year. He added that short-tail lines now represent 60% of overall premiums. → Corning Beats Q1 Estimates but Drops 9% on Guidance Miss Chief Financial Officer Matt Kirk, appearing on his first AXIS earnings call in the role, reported net income available to common shareholders of $247 million, or $3.29 per diluted share. Operating income was $257 million, or $3.42 per diluted share, translating to an annualized operating ROE of 18%. Kirk said catastrophe losses were $48 million, producing a cat loss ratio of 3.2%, “largely driven from extreme winter weather in the U....

American International Group, Inc. AIG reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $2.11, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.90 per share. The bottom line surged 80.3% year over year. Adjusted operating revenues advanced 5.4% year over year to $6.97 billion. The top line beat the consensus mark by 1.2%. The strong quarterly results were driven by improved underwriting results in the North America Commercial and Global Personal segments, supported by lower catastrophe losses and reduced total losses and expenses. However, the upside was partly offset by lower investment income. American International Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | American International Group, Inc. Quote Net premiums written totaled $5.6 billion, reflecting 24% year-over-year growth, driven by 21% growth in Global Commercial and 11% growth in Global Personal. Total net investment income declined 36% year over year to $712 million, which missed the consensus mark by 29.7%. The decrease was primarily due to changes in the fair value of its investments in Corebridge and equity securities, partly offset by higher income from available-for-sale fixed maturity securities. AIG holds a 5.6% stake in Corebridge. Total benefits, losses and expenses amounted to $5.7 billion, down 2.7% year over year, mainly due to lower losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred. Adjusted return on equity improved 450 basis points year over year to 10.9%, reflecting enhanced profitability and capital efficiency. Underwriting income for the General Insurance segment rose to $774 million, reflecting a more than threefold increase over the previous year. This result significantly outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 33.9%. The segment’s combined ratio improved 850 basis points to 87.3%, reflecting significantly stronger underwriting performance compared with the prior-year quarter. The segment’s net premiums written increased 37% year over year to $1.6 billion in the first quarter. The uptick was driven by a combination of organic growth in high-priority areas, key renewals from the Everest Group partnership, and optimized reinsurance program changes. Underwriting income surged 153% year over year to $327 million. This increase was mainly driven by lower catastrophe-related losses and higher favorable prior-year development. The combined ratio improved 840 basis point...

Axis Capital (AXS) came out with quarterly earnings of $3.42 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23 per share. This compares to earnings of $3.17 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +5.99%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this insurance company would post earnings of $2.97 per share when it actually produced earnings of $3.25, delivering a surprise of +9.43%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. Axis Capital, which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, posted revenues of $1.67 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.38%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.55 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times 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. Axis Capital shares have lost about 6.3% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.3%. While Axis Capital 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 Axis Capital was favorable. 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 #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Ra...

Axis Capital (AXS) reported $1.67 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 7.7%. EPS of $3.42 for the same period compares to $3.17 a year ago. The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.38% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.66 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $3.23, the EPS surprise was +5.99%. While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health. Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance. Here is how Axis Capital performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: General and Administrative Expense Ratio - Total: 8.6% compared to the 12.8% average estimate based on two analysts. Net loss and loss expense ratio - Total: 58.6% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 59.8%. Combined Ratio - Total: 89.8% versus 93.1% estimated by two analysts on average. Acquisition Cost Ratio - Insurance: 19.6% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 19.2%. General and Administrative Expense Ratio - Insurance: 10.6% versus 12.7% estimated by two analysts on average. Combined Ratio - Reinsurance: 92.7% compared to the 101% average estimate based on two analysts. General and Administrative Expense Ratio - Reinsurance: 2.1% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 4.2%. Net investment income: $184.74 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $225.12 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -11.1%. Net premiums earned: $1.48 billion versus $1.43 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +10.4% change. Net Premiums Earned- Reinsurance Segment: $338.71 million compared to the $331.29 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +2.4% year over year. Net Premiums Earned- Insurance Segment: $1.14 billion compared to the $1.1 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +13% year o...