AXIS Capital (NYSE:AXS) Rating Increased to Buy at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of AXIS Capital (NYSE:AXS - Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Monday.

A number of other equities analysts have also issued reports on AXS. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of AXIS Capital from $92.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on shares of AXIS Capital from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of AXIS Capital from $89.00 to $85.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of AXIS Capital from $118.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, JMP Securities reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of AXIS Capital in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $99.88.

AXIS Capital Stock Performance

Shares of AXIS Capital stock traded down $1.26 on Monday, reaching $89.99. The stock had a trading volume of 367,528 shares, compared to its average volume of 673,020. AXIS Capital has a fifty-two week low of $60.06 and a fifty-two week high of $94.89. The business's 50-day moving average price is $89.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $83.64. The stock has a market cap of $7.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.01 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.60.

AXIS Capital (NYSE:AXS - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The insurance provider reported $2.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.68 by $0.29. AXIS Capital had a net margin of 18.16% and a return on equity of 18.89%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that AXIS Capital will post 11.36 EPS for the current year.

AXIS Capital Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st were issued a $0.44 dividend. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.96%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. AXIS Capital's payout ratio is 14.25%.

Insider Transactions at AXIS Capital

In related news, Director Charles A. Davis sold 2,234,636 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.50, for a total transaction of $199,999,922.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 4,543,170 shares in the company, valued at $406,613,715. This represents a 32.97 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AXS. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in AXIS Capital during the 3rd quarter worth about $40,000. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC acquired a new position in AXIS Capital during the 4th quarter valued at about $53,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in AXIS Capital by 24.0% during the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 671 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in AXIS Capital by 73.8% during the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 671 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 285 shares during the period. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in AXIS Capital during the 4th quarter valued at about $60,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.44% of the company's stock.

AXIS Capital Company Profile

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides various specialty insurance and reinsurance products in Bermuda, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers professional insurance products that cover directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions, employment practices, fiduciary, crime, professional indemnity, medical malpractice, and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and other professional service providers; and property insurance products for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, property in transit, onshore renewable energy installations, and physical damage and business interruption following an act of terrorism.