Universal Insurance (NYSE:UVE) & Maiden (NASDAQ:MHLD) Head to Head Comparison

Institutional & Insider Ownership

66.6% of Universal Insurance shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 21.8% of Maiden shares are owned by institutional investors. 17.5% of Universal Insurance shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 8.2% of Maiden shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Universal Insurance and Maiden’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Universal Insurance	4.82%	15.43%	2.37%
Maiden	-71.58%	-16.55%	-2.70%

Dividends

Universal Insurance pays an annual dividend of $0.64 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.5%. Maiden pays an annual dividend of $0.20 per share and has a dividend yield of 15.0%. Universal Insurance pays out 27.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Maiden pays out -9.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Maiden is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Risk & Volatility

Universal Insurance has a beta of 0.76, suggesting that its share price is 24% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Maiden has a beta of 1.6, suggesting that its share price is 60% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Universal Insurance and Maiden”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Universal Insurance	$1.55 billion	0.46	$66.82 million	$2.29	11.03
Maiden	$87.70 million	1.51	-$38.57 million	($2.03)	-0.66

Universal Insurance has higher revenue and earnings than Maiden. Maiden is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Universal Insurance, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Universal Insurance beats Maiden on 9 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Universal Insurance

Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated insurance holding company in the United States. It develops, markets, and underwrites insurance products for personal residential insurance, such as homeowners, renters/tenants, condo unit owners, and dwelling/fire; and offers allied lines, coverage for other structures, and personal property, liability, and personal articles coverages. The company also advises on actuarial issues, oversees distribution, administers claims payments, performs policy administration and underwriting, and assists with reinsurance negotiations; places and manages reinsurance programs for the insurance entities; and operates Clovered.com, a digital agency for various carrier partners and utilization of digital applications for adjusting claims. It offers its products through a network of independent agents, as well as direct-to-consumer online solutions, including digital insurance agency. The company was formerly known as Universal Heights, Inc. and changed its name to Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. in January 2001. Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

About Maiden

Maiden Holdings, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty insurance and reinsurance solutions to regional and specialty insurers in Europe, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diversified Reinsurance and AmTrust Reinsurance. The company writes treaties on a quota share basis and excess of loss basis. It also offers auto and credit life insurance products through its insurer partners to retail clients; and underwrites risks on a retroactive basis, which provides a range of legacy services to small insurance entities. Maiden Holdings, Ltd. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda.