Kinsale Capital Group (NYSE:KNSL) Downgraded to "Sell" Rating by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Kinsale Capital Group was downgraded by Wall Street Zen from hold to sell, adding to a broader wave of cautious analyst sentiment on the stock.
• Several other firms have also trimmed their views or price targets, and the stock now carries a consensus Hold rating with an average target price of $390.18.
• Despite the bearish tone, Kinsale’s latest earnings were solid: it beat EPS estimates and posted strong profitability metrics, though analysts flagged that slower premium growth may be weighing on the shares.

Kinsale Capital Group (NYSE:KNSL - Get Free Report) was downgraded by Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

A number of other research analysts also recently commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Kinsale Capital Group from a "market perform" rating to an "underperform" rating and set a $348.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Weiss Ratings cut Kinsale Capital Group from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Truist Financial reduced their target price on Kinsale Capital Group from $450.00 to $405.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on Kinsale Capital Group from $385.00 to $375.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Kinsale Capital Group from $450.00 to $410.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $390.18.

Kinsale Capital Group Stock Performance

Kinsale Capital Group stock opened at $306.35 on Friday. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $326.94 and its 200 day moving average price is $363.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.06 billion, a PE ratio of 13.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.10 and a current ratio of 0.10. Kinsale Capital Group has a one year low of $287.20 and a one year high of $512.76.

Kinsale Capital Group (NYSE:KNSL - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.70 by $0.41. Kinsale Capital Group had a return on equity of 25.82% and a net margin of 27.48%.The company had revenue of $466.71 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $410.25 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.71 EPS. Kinsale Capital Group's quarterly revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Kinsale Capital Group will post 20.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Kinsale Capital Group

In related news, CEO Michael P. Kehoe sold 22,576 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $302.66, for a total transaction of $6,832,852.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 308,048 shares in the company, valued at $93,233,807.68. This trade represents a 6.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Salmaan K. Allibhai sold 250 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $311.17, for a total value of $77,792.50. Following the transaction, the insider owned 3,645 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,134,214.65. This trade represents a 6.42% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 5.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kinsale Capital Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Kinsale Capital Group by 76.2% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 835 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $397,000 after purchasing an additional 361 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Kinsale Capital Group by 72.9% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 102 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. raised its position in Kinsale Capital Group by 7.9% in the 2nd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 1,117 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $541,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC raised its position in Kinsale Capital Group by 136.9% in the 2nd quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 1,097 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $531,000 after purchasing an additional 634 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC raised its position in Kinsale Capital Group by 45.3% in the 2nd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 5,021 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $2,430,000 after purchasing an additional 1,566 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 85.36% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Kinsale Capital Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Kinsale Capital Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kinsale’s Q1 2026 results were still strong, with net income and investment income rising and the combined ratio improving to 77.4%, underscoring continued underwriting discipline and profitability. Kinsale Capital: A Top Insurer, But The Easy Growth Is Over
• Positive Sentiment: Several commentary pieces said the recent selloff has been driven more by slower premium growth than by underwriting deterioration, suggesting the business model remains intact even as growth normalizes. Kinsale Capital: The Selloff Is About Growth, Not Underwriting
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks Research trimmed earnings estimates for FY2027 and FY2028 slightly, reflecting a more cautious outlook for future growth, but the revisions were modest and still leave forecasts above current-year consensus.
• Neutral Sentiment: An earnings roundup noted Kinsale remains part of a broader property & casualty insurance group that is being watched for how Q1 results translate into the rest of the year. Q1 earnings roundup: Kinsale Capital Group NYSE: KNSL and the rest of the property & casualty insurance segment
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts highlighted that the “easy growth” phase may be over, with gross written premiums down slightly in Q1 and valuation still dependent on Kinsale sustaining premium growth alongside its premium profitability.

About Kinsale Capital Group

Kinsale Capital Group, Inc NYSE: KNSL is a specialty property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 2009, the company focuses on underwriting complex and underserved risks across the United States. Kinsale operates through a network of wholesale brokers and independent agencies, offering tailored coverage solutions for a range of niche industries.

The company's product portfolio includes general liability, business auto, professional liability, environmental liability, inland marine, cyber liability, and other specialty lines.

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