Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.26 EPS

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The insurance provider reported $0.78 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.26, FiscalAI reports. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 3.95% and a return on equity of 9.32%. The business had revenue of $778.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $730.43 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.25 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Stewart Information Services Stock Performance

NYSE STC opened at $68.08 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $2.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.85 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a 50 day moving average of $64.97 and a 200-day moving average of $68.81. The company has a current ratio of 2.21, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Stewart Information Services has a 1-year low of $56.39 and a 1-year high of $78.61.

Stewart Information Services Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th were paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 16th. Stewart Information Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 51.98%.

Insider Activity

In other Stewart Information Services news, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. bought 1,000 shares of Stewart Information Services stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $65.34 per share, with a total value of $65,340.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 21,243 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,388,017.62. The trade was a 4.94% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Company insiders own 2.94% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of STC. Vident Advisory LLC grew its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 1,204.5% during the fourth quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 52,689 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $3,702,000 after purchasing an additional 48,650 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter valued at about $645,000. Zimmer Partners LP acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the 4th quarter worth about $24,901,000. VARCOV Co. acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the 4th quarter worth about $461,000. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Stewart Information Services during the 4th quarter worth about $230,000. 96.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on STC shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Friday, March 27th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their target price on Stewart Information Services from $82.00 to $78.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 10th. Citizens Jmp started coverage on Stewart Information Services in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. They set a “market outperform” rating and a $80.00 target price for the company. Stephens raised Stewart Information Services from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $82.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Stewart Information Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 11th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat, Stewart Information Services presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $80.00.

About Stewart Information Services

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE: STC) is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.