Verisk Analytics, Inc. provides data analytics solutions in the United States and internationally. The company provides predictive analytics and decision support solutions to customers in rating, underwriting, claims, catastrophe and weather risk, global risk analytics, natural resources intelligence, economic forecasting, commercial banking and finance, and various other fields. It operates in three segments: Insurance, Energy and Specialized Markets, and Financial Services. The Insurance segment focuses on the prediction of loss, selection and pricing of risk, and compliance with their reporting requirements for property and casualty customers, as well as develops machine learned and artificially intelligent models to forecast scenarios and produce standard and customized analytics that help its customers to manage their businesses, including detecting fraud before and after a loss event, and quantifying losses. The Energy and Specialized Markets segment provides data analytics for the natural resources value chain, including energy, chemicals, metals, mining, power, and renewables sectors; research and consulting services focusing on supporting customer capital allocation decisions, asset valuation and benchmarking, commodity markets, and corporate analysis; and consultancy services in the areas of business environment, business improvement, business strategies, commercial advisory, and transaction support, as well as analysis and advice on assets, companies, governments, and markets. The Financial Services segment offers benchmarking, decisioning algorithms, business intelligence, and customized analytic services to financial institutions, payment networks and processors, alternative lenders, regulators, and merchants. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Verisk Analytics Stock Down 0.5 %
Verisk Analytics stock opened at $198.38 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $31.14 billion, a PE ratio of 30.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.40 and a beta of 0.85. Verisk Analytics has a 12 month low of $156.05 and a 12 month high of $231.57. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $176.02 and a 200-day simple moving average of $188.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 0.56 and a quick ratio of 0.47.
Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ:VRSK - Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 2nd. The business services provider reported $1.53 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.41 by $0.12. Verisk Analytics had a return on equity of 35.21% and a net margin of 34.37%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.17 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Verisk Analytics will post 5.73 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Verisk Analytics Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.31 per share. This represents a $1.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.63%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 14th. Verisk Analytics's payout ratio is 19.14%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research firms recently commented on VRSK. StockNews.com downgraded Verisk Analytics from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, July 28th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on Verisk Analytics from $215.00 to $220.00 in a report on Thursday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on Verisk Analytics from $255.00 to $226.00 in a report on Thursday, May 5th. Raymond James decreased their price target on Verisk Analytics from $220.00 to $215.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Verisk Analytics from $186.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a report on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $216.18.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, Director Christopher M. Foskett sold 2,888 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.18, for a total transaction of $485,703.84. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 30,548 shares in the company, valued at $5,137,562.64. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Verisk Analytics news, CEO Scott G. Stephenson sold 167,187 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.54, for a total transaction of $29,013,631.98. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 712,256 shares of the company's stock, valued at $123,604,906.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Christopher M. Foskett sold 2,888 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.18, for a total value of $485,703.84. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 30,548 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,137,562.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 181,545 shares of company stock worth $31,474,227. 1.78% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
