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

Key Points

• Shares gapped down — AMERISAFE opened at $29.90 after closing at $33.15 following a Q1 miss: EPS $0.50 vs. consensus ~$0.52 and revenue $80.09M vs. ~$90.49M.
• Dividend announced — The company declared a $0.41 quarterly dividend (annualized $1.64) implying a ~5.4% yield, with an ex-dividend date of June 12 and payment on June 19.
• Profitability concerns and mixed outlook — Management flagged underwriting softness and higher costs that pressured margins, while analysts remain split (MarketBeat consensus "Hold" with an average target near $44.67), suggesting potential longer‑term upside but near‑term risk.

AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF - Get Free Report)'s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Thursday following a weaker than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $33.15, but opened at $29.90. AMERISAFE shares last traded at $30.09, with a volume of 14,694 shares traded.

The insurance provider reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.52 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $80.09 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $90.49 million. AMERISAFE had a net margin of 14.86% and a return on equity of 15.89%.

AMERISAFE Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 19th. Investors of record on Friday, June 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 12th. AMERISAFE's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.40%.

More AMERISAFE News

Here are the key news stories impacting AMERISAFE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share (annualized yield ~5.5%), payable June 19 to shareholders of record June 12 — supports income investors and can be viewed as shareholder-friendly.
• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted strong premium growth and rising written premiums despite a competitive market, which supports top-line momentum if underwriting can stabilize. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views and targets are mixed but show upside to current price: two recent targets give a median near $40.5, indicating some analyst confidence longer term. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Large institutional portfolio moves were noted in recent filings (both additions and sizable reductions), which can increase near‑term volatility but don’t change fundamentals immediately. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 EPS and revenue missed consensus: EPS $0.50 (vs. est. ~$0.52–0.55) and revenue roughly $80–81.8M, below estimates — key immediate driver of the share decline. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Underwriting softness and higher costs pressured margins and profitability (management acknowledged weaker underwriting margins and elevated expenses on the call), raising near‑term earnings risk until pricing/claims mix improves. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sales and notable institutional reductions were reported (including recent insider sell activity), which can weigh on sentiment. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Full earnings call transcript shows management balancing optimism on premium growth with caution on margin recovery — investors will watch upcoming quarters for underwriting improvement. Read More.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on AMSF shares. Citizens Jmp reduced their target price on shares of AMERISAFE from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a "market outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Weiss Ratings downgraded AMERISAFE from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on AMERISAFE from $36.00 to $34.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley set a $55.00 target price on AMERISAFE in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Citigroup restated a "market outperform" rating on shares of AMERISAFE in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $44.67.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of AMSF. Clearstead Advisors LLC raised its holdings in AMERISAFE by 142.4% during the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 657 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 386 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of AMERISAFE by 159.6% in the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 714 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 439 shares during the period. Quarry LP grew its position in shares of AMERISAFE by 346.9% in the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 943 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 732 shares in the last quarter. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of AMERISAFE in the fourth quarter valued at $54,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of AMERISAFE by 38.6% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,633 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $72,000 after purchasing an additional 455 shares during the period. 97.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

AMERISAFE Stock Performance

The business has a 50 day moving average of $34.15 and a 200-day moving average of $37.60. The company has a market capitalization of $573.34 million, a P/E ratio of 12.31 and a beta of 0.31.

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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