AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF) to Issue $0.41 Quarterly Dividend

Key Points

• AMERISAFE declared a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, payable on September 25 to shareholders of record as of September 11. The dividend implies an annualized yield of about 4.8%.
• The company has raised its dividend every year for the last 12 years, and its payout ratio of 74.5% suggests the dividend is currently covered by earnings. Analysts expect AMERISAFE to earn enough next year to continue supporting the payout.
• Shares were down slightly after the announcement, and the latest earnings report showed $0.44 EPS, below estimates, even though revenue came in ahead of expectations. Analysts currently view the stock as a Moderate Buy with an average target price of $44.67.

AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF - Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, July 21st. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be given a dividend of 0.41 per share by the insurance provider on Friday, September 25th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th.

AMERISAFE has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 0.1%annually over the last three years and has increased its dividend every year for the last 12 years. AMERISAFE has a dividend payout ratio of 74.5% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect AMERISAFE to earn $2.05 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.64 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 80.0%.

AMERISAFE Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of AMERISAFE stock opened at $33.98 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $635.43 million, a P/E ratio of 13.98 and a beta of 0.23. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $32.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $33.99. AMERISAFE has a 12-month low of $29.42 and a 12-month high of $47.86.

AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The insurance provider reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.52 by ($0.08). AMERISAFE had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 15.34%. The company had revenue of $91.97 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $85.09 million. Sell-side analysts anticipate that AMERISAFE will post 2.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AMSF has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of AMERISAFE from a "strong sell" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, May 23rd. Truist Financial cut their price objective on AMERISAFE from $36.00 to $34.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Weiss Ratings upgraded AMERISAFE from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Citizens Jmp lowered their target price on AMERISAFE from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a "market outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $44.67.

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.

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