Zacks Research Reduces Earnings Estimates for Axis Capital

Axis Capital Holdings Limited (NYSE:AXS) – Zacks Research cut their Q3 2026 earnings per share estimates for shares of Axis Capital in a report issued on Tuesday, August 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the insurance provider will post earnings per share of $2.87 for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $3.38. The consensus estimate for Axis Capital’s current full-year earnings is $12.58 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Axis Capital’s Q4 2026 earnings at $3.45 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $12.58 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $3.43 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $3.29 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $13.64 EPS and Q2 2028 earnings at $3.76 EPS.

Axis Capital (NYSE:AXS) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The insurance provider reported $2.84 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.25 by ($0.41). Axis Capital had a net margin of 16.23% and a return on equity of 17.00%. The firm had revenue of $1.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.74 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.29 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings upgraded Axis Capital from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (a-)” rating in a report on Thursday, July 30th. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of Axis Capital from $131.00 to $126.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Axis Capital from $134.00 to $126.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Capital One Financial set a $108.00 price target on shares of Axis Capital in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of Axis Capital from $142.00 to $130.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Axis Capital presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $120.50.

Axis Capital Price Performance

AXS opened at $99.29 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $7.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.05, a PEG ratio of 4.33 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. Axis Capital has a 12-month low of $88.07 and a 12-month high of $119.99. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $107.27 and its 200-day simple moving average is $103.31.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Axis Capital

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Axis Capital by 30.9% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 4,592,270 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $491,786,000 after purchasing an additional 1,083,579 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Axis Capital during the 4th quarter valued at $103,001,000. Freestone Grove Partners LP purchased a new stake in shares of Axis Capital during the 3rd quarter valued at $56,705,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in shares of Axis Capital by 147.0% in the 4th quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 745,591 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $79,845,000 after purchasing an additional 443,761 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Axis Capital by 374.7% in the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 553,565 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $53,032,000 after purchasing an additional 436,944 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.44% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Axis Capital

Here are the key news stories impacting Axis Capital this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AXS continues to benefit from its specialty-insurance focus, premium growth and capital-return potential. Its valuation remains comparatively attractive, with a price-to-earnings ratio near 7 based on the provided data. However, catastrophe losses and competitive pressure could limit underwriting-margin expansion. AXS Lags Industry, Trades at a Discount: Here’s How to Play the Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks maintained its current full-year consensus estimate for 2026 at $12.58 per share and projects 2027 earnings of $13.64 per share. Those figures imply continued earnings growth, although the estimates were revised lower from prior forecasts.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks reduced its Q3 2026 EPS forecast to $2.87 from $3.38 and its Q4 2026 forecast to $3.45 from $3.58. The resulting 2026 estimate of $12.58 is down from $13.54 previously, signaling weaker near-term expectations for Axis Capital’s earnings.
• Negative Sentiment: Forecasts for 2027 were also cut: Q1 EPS fell to $3.25 from $3.40, Q2 to $3.43 from $3.71, Q3 to $3.29 from $3.69, and full-year EPS to $13.64 from $14.35. Such broad revisions may pressure the stock because they suggest analysts see less earnings momentum than previously expected.
• Negative Sentiment: Longer-term estimates were trimmed as well. Q1 2028 EPS declined to $3.59 from $3.78, Q2 2028 to $3.76 from $3.88, and FY2028 to $14.62 from $14.97. Although Zacks raised its Q4 2027 estimate modestly to $3.66 from $3.56, the overall pattern remains unfavorable.

About Axis Capital

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides various specialty insurance and reinsurance products in Bermuda, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers professional insurance products that cover directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions, employment practices, fiduciary, crime, professional indemnity, medical malpractice, and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and other professional service providers; and property insurance products for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, property in transit, onshore renewable energy installations, and physical damage and business interruption following an act of terrorism.