W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.01 EPS

W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB) announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday. The insurance provider reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.14 by ($0.01), Zacks reports. W.R. Berkley had a net margin of 13.01% and a return on equity of 18.86%. The company had revenue of $3.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.18 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.13 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from W.R. Berkley’s conference call:

• Record 2025 financial results: Q4 operating earnings were $450M ($1.13/share) and full-year net income was $1.8B, delivering a 21.4% return on beginning-of-year equity and strong operating cash flow ($3.6B for 2025).
• Underwriting strength and efficiency: Record quarterly pre-tax underwriting income, a current accident‑year combined ratio ex‑cats of 87.9% (calendar year 89.4%) and an improved expense ratio of 28.2% with guidance to remain comfortably below 30% in 2026.
• Capital returns and balance‑sheet flexibility: Management returned $971M to shareholders in 2025 (including $608M in Q4), retains a historically low financial leverage ratio of 22.6%, and says buybacks/dividends will remain opportunistic.
• Investments and portfolio positioning: Invested assets rose 11.4% to $33.2B with fixed-maturity income up quarter-over-quarter, duration extended to ~3 years and credit quality AA‑, but results included $32M of investment fund losses driven by one disappointing fund.
• Market headwinds and line‑specific pressure: Persistent weakness in auto liability, intense competition in large account property/reinsurance (notably a 19% risk‑adjusted rate decrease on its main cat treaty) and pressure in some professional lines (D&O, A&E) raise near‑term underwriting risk and could spill into casualty markets.

W.R. Berkley Stock Performance

WRB opened at $66.92 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $70.76 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $72.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 0.39. W.R. Berkley has a 12-month low of $57.75 and a 12-month high of $78.96.

W.R. Berkley Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 29th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.09 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. W.R. Berkley’s dividend payout ratio is presently 7.56%.

Insider Activity at W.R. Berkley

In other W.R. Berkley news, major shareholder Sumitomo Insurance Co L. Mitsui acquired 368,000 shares of W.R. Berkley stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The stock was bought at an average cost of $66.96 per share, with a total value of $24,641,280.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 54,589,504 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,655,313,187.84. The trade was a 0.68% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders purchased 5,782,916 shares of company stock worth $399,073,250 in the last three months. 23.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of W.R. Berkley

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in W.R. Berkley by 33.4% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,892,799 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $374,886,000 after purchasing an additional 1,224,363 shares during the last quarter. Holocene Advisors LP acquired a new stake in W.R. Berkley during the second quarter worth about $29,617,000. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. bought a new position in W.R. Berkley during the second quarter valued at about $20,169,000. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in W.R. Berkley by 15.9% in the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,787,573 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $131,333,000 after acquiring an additional 245,324 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its holdings in W.R. Berkley by 228.6% in the 3rd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 241,783 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $18,525,000 after acquiring an additional 168,210 shares in the last quarter. 68.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently commented on WRB. BMO Capital Markets downgraded W.R. Berkley from a “market perform” rating to an “underperform” rating and set a $64.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Morgan Stanley set a $75.00 price objective on shares of W.R. Berkley in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of W.R. Berkley in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company set a $68.00 price target on W.R. Berkley and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Evercore ISI set a $69.00 price target on W.R. Berkley and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, W.R. Berkley currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $71.47.

Key Headlines Impacting W.R. Berkley

Here are the key news stories impacting W.R. Berkley this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Large insider buying reported: two major-shareholder purchases totaling roughly $46.9M signal confidence from insiders, which can support sentiment. W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB) Major Shareholder Buys $22,258,500.00 in Stock W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB) Major Shareholder Purchases $24,641,280.00 in Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Company reports stronger underwriting and investment income pushed quarterly operating income higher, supporting core profitability metrics (net margin ~13%, ROE ~18.9%). W. R. Berkley quarterly operating income rises on strong underwriting, investment income
• Neutral Sentiment: Company press release: Q4 and full-year 2025 results show modest top-line growth (gross and net premiums written increased year-over-year) and a small EPS change vs. prior year; read the release for segment detail. W. R. Berkley Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Market summaries/earnings snapshots note EPS essentially flat year-over-year ($1.13) with revenue up ~2.1%; small beats/misses vs. different consensus figures leave the print mixed. W.R. Berkley: Q4 Earnings Snapshot
• Negative Sentiment: Caveat for short-term sentiment: several outlets and Zacks flagged that results and revenues ran slightly below certain analyst estimates (Zacks shows a $0.01 EPS miss vs. its consensus and some reports call Q4 sales below expectations), which likely pressured the stock intraday. W.R. Berkley (WRB) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Lag Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst notes and previews signaled reduced near-term earnings expectations and at least one firm adjusted its view/price target, adding pressure as the headline EPS/revenue print removed clarity for beat-driven upside. Why Analysts See A Shifting Story For W. R. Berkley (WRB) After The New Price Target

W.R. Berkley Company Profile

W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) is a publicly traded insurance holding company that underwrites and sells commercial property and casualty insurance, specialty insurance products, and reinsurance. Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, the company operates a portfolio of underwriting businesses that focus on niche and specialty commercial risks, offering coverage tailored to industries such as transportation, construction, professional services and other commercial lines.

The company’s product mix includes primary and excess casualty, property, professional liability, environmental and other specialty lines, together with treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions.