Verisk Analytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) Shares Purchased by LGT Group Foundation

Key Points

• LGT Group Foundation increased its stake in Verisk Analytics by 2.2%, now owning 47,081 shares valued at approximately $14 million.
• Verisk reported better-than-expected earnings of $1.88 per share for the last quarter, surpassing analyst estimates by $0.11 and achieving a revenue increase of 7.8% year-over-year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.45 per share, with an ex-dividend date set for September 15th, representing an annual yield of 0.7%.

LGT Group Foundation increased its stake in shares of Verisk Analytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK - Free Report) by 2.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 47,081 shares of the business services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 1,011 shares during the period. LGT Group Foundation's holdings in Verisk Analytics were worth $14,012,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its position in shares of Verisk Analytics by 225.2% during the 1st quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 14,919 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $4,440,000 after purchasing an additional 10,331 shares during the last quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Verisk Analytics during the 1st quarter worth approximately $237,000. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Verisk Analytics during the 1st quarter worth approximately $202,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its position in shares of Verisk Analytics by 21.9% during the 1st quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 77,807 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $23,157,000 after purchasing an additional 13,995 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Summit Trail Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Verisk Analytics by 88.4% in the 1st quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 2,018 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $601,000 after acquiring an additional 947 shares during the last quarter. 90.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other Verisk Analytics news, insider Nicholas Daffan sold 5,419 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $300.86, for a total value of $1,630,360.34. Following the transaction, the insider owned 55,913 shares in the company, valued at $16,821,985.18. The trade was a 8.84% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Samuel G. Liss sold 11,656 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $313.06, for a total transaction of $3,649,027.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 67,244 shares in the company, valued at $21,051,406.64. This represents a 14.77% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 23,120 shares of company stock worth $7,192,416 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.46% of the company's stock.

Verisk Analytics Trading Up 1.3%

Shares of NASDAQ VRSK traded up $3.51 during trading on Thursday, hitting $267.70. 1,452,951 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,204,955. Verisk Analytics, Inc. has a 1 year low of $259.01 and a 1 year high of $322.92. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $296.12 and a 200-day moving average price of $296.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $37.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.25, a P/E/G ratio of 3.74 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a quick ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.34.

Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ:VRSK - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 30th. The business services provider reported $1.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.77 by $0.11. Verisk Analytics had a net margin of 30.67% and a return on equity of 460.89%. The company had revenue of $772.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $767.91 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.74 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Verisk Analytics, Inc. will post 6.63 EPS for the current year.

Verisk Analytics Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Monday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 15th. Verisk Analytics's dividend payout ratio is 27.73%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. UBS Group cut their price target on Verisk Analytics from $320.00 to $300.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 31st. Raymond James Financial set a $315.00 price target on Verisk Analytics and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Verisk Analytics from $317.00 to $319.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, July 31st. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Verisk Analytics from $320.00 to $335.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, May 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Verisk Analytics presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $305.60.

Verisk Analytics Company Profile

Verisk Analytics, Inc provides data analytics and technology solutions to the insurance markets in the United States and internationally. It offers policy language, prospective loss costs, policy writing and rating rules, and various underwriting solutions for risk selection and segmentation, pricing, and workflow optimization; property- and auto- specific rating and underwriting information solutions that allows clients to understand, quantify, underwrite, mitigate, and avoid potential loss for risks; catastrophe modeling solutions, which enables companies to identify, quantify, and plan for the financial consequences of catastrophes for use by insurers, reinsurers, intermediaries, financial institutions, and governments.