Zacks Research Issues Positive Estimate for RLI Earnings

RLI Corp. (NYSE:RLI) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research boosted their Q3 2026 earnings per share estimates for RLI in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, March 18th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the insurance provider will post earnings per share of $0.57 for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $0.55. Zacks Research has a “Strong Sell” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for RLI’s current full-year earnings is $3.08 per share.

RLI (NYSE:RLI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 21st. The insurance provider reported $0.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.18. RLI had a return on equity of 18.67% and a net margin of 21.43%.The business had revenue of $465.69 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $447.53 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.41 EPS.

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on RLI. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised shares of RLI from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $59.00 target price on shares of RLI and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of RLI from an “underperform” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $52.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Truist Financial set a $58.00 price target on shares of RLI in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Citizens Jmp restated a “market perform” rating on shares of RLI in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $65.20.

RLI Stock Down 0.5%

RLI stock opened at $57.70 on Monday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $60.31 and a 200 day moving average price of $62.23. The stock has a market cap of $5.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.23 and a beta of 0.50. RLI has a fifty-two week low of $55.80 and a fifty-two week high of $81.79.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On RLI

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in RLI. Wasatch Advisors LP acquired a new stake in RLI during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $84,608,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of RLI in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $66,997,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of RLI by 6,060.1% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 739,709 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $47,327,000 after purchasing an additional 727,701 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its stake in shares of RLI by 3,664.4% during the fourth quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 368,384 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $23,569,000 after purchasing an additional 358,598 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP lifted its holdings in shares of RLI by 353.1% during the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 446,378 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $29,113,000 after purchasing an additional 347,858 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.89% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other RLI news, COO Jennifer L. Klobnak bought 2,000 shares of RLI stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $57.99 per share, with a total value of $115,980.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief operating officer owned 100,318 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,817,440.82. This represents a 2.03% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Craig W. Kliethermes bought 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The shares were acquired at an average price of $57.45 per share, with a total value of $287,250.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 143,990 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,272,225.50. This trade represents a 3.60% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 2.16% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

RLI Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. RLI’s dividend payout ratio is currently 14.68%.

RLI Company Profile

RLI Corporation (NYSE:RLI) is a specialty property and casualty insurance company focused on underwriting niche risks for businesses and individuals. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, the company operates through a network of independent agents and brokers, offering customized coverage solutions. RLI’s approach emphasizes disciplined underwriting, targeted product development and strong customer service to maintain profitability and long-term growth.

Founded in 1965 as Replacement Lens, Inc, RLI initially provided insurance for contact lens manufacturers before shifting its focus to specialty insurance in the 1980s.