AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF) Stake Lowered by Renaissance Technologies LLC

Renaissance Technologies LLC lowered its position in AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF - Free Report) by 4.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 179,400 shares of the insurance provider's stock after selling 9,200 shares during the quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned 0.94% of AMERISAFE worth $9,246,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in AMERISAFE by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,393,807 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $71,837,000 after purchasing an additional 50,441 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in AMERISAFE by 8.5% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 811,561 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $39,223,000 after acquiring an additional 63,638 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in AMERISAFE by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 661,795 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $34,109,000 after acquiring an additional 21,799 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in AMERISAFE by 18.4% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 536,836 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $27,675,000 after acquiring an additional 83,297 shares during the period. Finally, Royce & Associates LP bought a new position in shares of AMERISAFE in the fourth quarter worth $15,738,000. 97.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AMERISAFE Price Performance

Shares of AMSF traded down $0.26 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $49.13. The stock had a trading volume of 22,796 shares, compared to its average volume of 110,906. The company has a market capitalization of $935.93 million, a P/E ratio of 15.35 and a beta of 0.34. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $50.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $52.20. AMERISAFE, Inc. has a 52 week low of $41.97 and a 52 week high of $60.24.

AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The insurance provider reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.07. AMERISAFE had a net margin of 19.49% and a return on equity of 16.50%. The company had revenue of $73.51 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $77.37 million. On average, equities analysts forecast that AMERISAFE, Inc. will post 2.45 earnings per share for the current year.

AMERISAFE Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 21st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 7th were issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 7th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.18%. AMERISAFE's dividend payout ratio is 53.98%.

AMERISAFE Profile

AMERISAFE, Inc, an insurance holding company, underwrites workers' compensation insurance in the United States. The company provides benefits to injured employees for temporary or permanent disability, death, and medical and hospital expenses. It sells its products through retail and wholesale brokers and agents; and small and mid-sized employers engaged in hazardous industries, including construction, trucking, logging and lumber, agriculture, manufacturing, telecommunications, and maritime.