/Verisk%20Analytics%20Inc%20on%20phone-by%20rafapress%20via%20Shutterstock.jpg)
Valued at a market cap of $40.3 billion, Verisk Analytics, Inc. (VRSK) provides data analytics and technology solutions to the insurance industry. The Jersey City, New Jersey-based company offers predictive analytics and decision support solutions to customers in rating, underwriting, claims, catastrophe and weather risk, natural resources intelligence and economic forecasting. It is expected to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Wednesday, May 7.
Prior to this event, analysts project this analytics company to report a profit of $1.67 per share, up 2.5% from $1.63 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has a solid trajectory of consistently beating Wall Street’s bottom-line estimates in each of the last four quarters. Its earnings of $1.61 per share in the previous quarter marginally outpaced the consensus estimates.
For the full year, analysts expect VRSK to report EPS of $7.01, up 5.6% from $6.64 in fiscal 2024. Furthermore, its EPS is expected to grow 11.1% year over year to $7.79 in fiscal 2026.
VRSK has rallied 29.7% over the past 52 weeks, considerably outpacing both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 8.2% rise, and the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLI) 5.7% uptick over the same time frame.
On Feb. 26, shares of VRSK plunged 3.9% after its Q4 earnings release, despite delivering a better-than-expected performance. The company reported revenue of $735.6 million and adjusted EPS of $1.61, both surpassing analyst estimates. Moreover, its top line improved 8.6% year-over-year, driven by solid growth in underwriting and claims, while its adjusted earnings advanced 15% from the year-ago quarter. Its adjusted EBITDA grew 9.8% year-over-year to $397.6 million, while a 1.7% decline in operating expenses further supported profitability.
However, its fiscal 2025 revenue and adjusted EPS guidance came in below analysts’ estimates, which might have dampened investor confidence. VRSK expects revenues in the band of $3 billion to $3.1 billion, and projects adjusted EPS to be between $6.80 and $7.10, both falling short of consensus expectations at the midpoint.
Wall Street analysts are moderately optimistic about VRSK’s stock, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 19 analysts covering the stock, six recommend "Strong Buy," two indicate “Moderate Buy,” 10 suggest “Hold,” and one gives a “Moderate Sell” rating. The mean price target for VRSK is $307.24, which indicates a 6.6% potential upside from the current levels.
