Key Points
- Sumitomo Insurance, a >10% shareholder, bought 195,000 WRB shares on Jan. 8 at an average of $70.16 (~$13.68M), raising its stake to 51,640,463 shares (a 0.38% increase) and forming part of roughly 671k shares purchased by the investor Jan. 5–9.
- The board increased the share repurchase authorization to 25 million shares, a move that supports buyback-driven EPS/book‑value accretion and may boost investor confidence.
- W.R. Berkley beat quarterly EPS estimates ($1.10 vs. $1.07), delivered revenue up 10.8% year‑over‑year, trades at a P/E of about 14.4, and carries a consensus "Hold" rating with a $72.87 target amid mixed analyst views.
W.R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE:WRB - Get Free Report) major shareholder Sumitomo Insurance Co Mitsui purchased 195,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 8th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $70.16 per share, for a total transaction of $13,681,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 51,640,463 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,623,094,884.08. This trade represents a 0.38% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a company's shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.
W.R. Berkley Trading Down 2.5%
Shares of WRB stock opened at $68.45 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.37 and a quick ratio of 0.37. The company has a market cap of $26.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.38, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.39. W.R. Berkley Corporation has a 1 year low of $55.97 and a 1 year high of $78.96. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $72.41 and a 200-day moving average price of $72.33.
W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, October 20th. The insurance provider reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.07 by $0.03. W.R. Berkley had a return on equity of 18.86% and a net margin of 13.01%.The company had revenue of $3.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.16 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.93 EPS. W.R. Berkley's revenue for the quarter was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that W.R. Berkley Corporation will post 4.33 earnings per share for the current year.
W.R. Berkley Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 29th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th were given a $0.09 dividend. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. W.R. Berkley's dividend payout ratio is presently 7.56%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several research analysts recently weighed in on WRB shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of W.R. Berkley from $73.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a report on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on W.R. Berkley from $76.00 to $75.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of W.R. Berkley in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley set a $75.00 price target on W.R. Berkley in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $84.00 price objective on shares of W.R. Berkley and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $72.87.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on W.R. Berkley
Trending Headlines about W.R. Berkley
Here are the key news stories impacting W.R. Berkley this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Major shareholder Sumitomo (a >10% holder) has been buying materially—multiple purchases Jan. 5–9 totaling roughly 671k shares—signaling confidence from a large, strategic investor and providing steady demand. Read More.
- Positive Sentiment: The board increased the share repurchase authorization to 25 million shares, which supports buyback-driven EPS/book‑value accretion expectations and likely lifted sentiment among income/capital-return focused holders. Read More.
- Positive Sentiment: Some analysts/shops remain constructive — e.g., Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised its price target — helping offset negative notes and giving investors a visible upside case. Read More.
- Neutral Sentiment: W.R. Berkley set its Q4 and full‑year 2025 earnings release for Jan. 26 (after‑market) with a conference call — this is a clear near‑term catalyst that could swing the stock either way. Read More.
- Negative Sentiment: Evercore ISI downgraded WRB to "underperform" citing EPS pressure and set a ~$69 target — high‑profile downgrades can trigger selling or reduce conviction among momentum investors. Read More.
- Negative Sentiment: Bank of America and other shops have trimmed targets or maintained cautious stances, adding to mixed analyst sentiment and limiting upside from current levels. Read More.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On W.R. Berkley
Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in shares of W.R. Berkley in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Hilltop National Bank bought a new stake in W.R. Berkley during the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in W.R. Berkley during the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in W.R. Berkley during the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of W.R. Berkley in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Institutional investors own 68.82% of the company's stock.
W.R. Berkley Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) is a publicly traded insurance holding company that underwrites and sells commercial property and casualty insurance, specialty insurance products, and reinsurance. Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, the company operates a portfolio of underwriting businesses that focus on niche and specialty commercial risks, offering coverage tailored to industries such as transportation, construction, professional services and other commercial lines.
The company's product mix includes primary and excess casualty, property, professional liability, environmental and other specialty lines, together with treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions.
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