AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) Shares Gap Down After Earnings Miss

Key Points

• AMERISAFE shares fell after the company reported quarterly earnings of $0.44 per share, missing Wall Street expectations of about $0.52, which triggered the gap down in early trading.
• The insurer posted revenue of $91.97 million, which beat analyst estimates of $85.09 million, showing stronger-than-expected top-line performance despite the earnings miss.
• AMERISAFE also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, equal to a roughly 5.1% annualized yield, reinforcing its appeal to income-focused investors.

Shares of AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF - Get Free Report) gapped down prior to trading on Wednesday following a weaker than expected earnings announcement. 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 changing hands.

The insurance provider reported $0.44 earnings per share 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 business had revenue of $91.97 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $85.09 million.

AMERISAFE Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a $0.41 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.1%. AMERISAFE's payout ratio is presently 67.49%.

More AMERISAFE News

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.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AMERISAFE

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in shares of AMERISAFE by 124.7% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 4,916 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $166,000 after purchasing an additional 2,728 shares during the period. Parallel Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of AMERISAFE by 5,714.3% during the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 814 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 800 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in shares of AMERISAFE by 6.7% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 623,697 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $20,788,000 after buying an additional 39,168 shares during the period. Amundi purchased a new position in AMERISAFE during the 1st quarter worth approximately $292,000. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its stake in AMERISAFE by 19.3% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 261,375 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $8,712,000 after acquiring an additional 42,375 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.41% of the company's stock.

AMERISAFE Price Performance

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

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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