AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Here’s Why

AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $29.31 and last traded at $29.14, with a volume of 21291 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $30.03.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Weiss Ratings lowered AMERISAFE from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Zacks Research downgraded AMERISAFE from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Wall Street Zen upgraded AMERISAFE from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, May 23rd. Citizens Jmp reduced their price target on shares of AMERISAFE from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a “market outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of AMERISAFE from $34.00 to $32.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $44.00.

AMERISAFE Stock Down 1.1%

The stock has a market cap of $538.40 million, a P/E ratio of 11.71 and a beta of 0.23. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $32.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is $33.59.

AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The insurance provider reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.52 by ($0.08). AMERISAFE had a return on equity of 14.87% and a net margin of 14.00%.The business had revenue of $91.97 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $85.09 million. Analysts anticipate that AMERISAFE, Inc. will post 1.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

AMERISAFE Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a $0.41 dividend. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. AMERISAFE’s payout ratio is presently 66.13%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AMERISAFE

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Auto Owners Insurance Co lifted its position in shares of AMERISAFE by 3,741.0% in the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 16,397,229 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $62,982,000 after buying an additional 15,970,329 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AMERISAFE by 55.4% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 696,095 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $26,737,000 after acquiring an additional 248,105 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its stake in shares of AMERISAFE by 176.3% in the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 191,825 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $8,410,000 after acquiring an additional 122,387 shares in the last quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd bought a new position in shares of AMERISAFE in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $4,345,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in AMERISAFE by 138.8% in the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 164,648 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $6,324,000 after purchasing an additional 95,687 shares during the last quarter. 97.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AMERISAFE Company Profile

Amerisafe, Inc (NASDAQ: AMSF) is a specialty provider of workers’ compensation insurance products and services in the United States. The company focuses on underwriting and managing workers’ compensation policies for small to mid-sized public and private businesses, particularly in higher-hazard industries such as retail, manufacturing, distribution and wholesale. Through its network of independent agents, Amerisafe delivers tailored coverage solutions that combine robust risk management support with loss prevention programs designed to enhance workplace safety.

In addition to core insurance offerings, Amerisafe provides extensive risk control resources, including safety training, on-site consultations and claims management services.