AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume – Still a Buy?

AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF) saw an uptick in trading volume on Thursday . 150,700 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 24% from the previous session’s volume of 199,429 shares.The stock last traded at $30.8650 and had previously closed at $30.15.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AMSF has been the subject of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings cut shares of AMERISAFE from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Truist Financial cut their target price on shares of AMERISAFE from $36.00 to $34.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Citizens Jmp lowered their target price on AMERISAFE from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a “market outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 13th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded AMERISAFE from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $44.67.

AMERISAFE Price Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $31.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $35.53. The stock has a market cap of $572.59 million, a PE ratio of 12.60 and a beta of 0.24.

AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The insurance provider reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.52 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $80.09 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $90.49 million. AMERISAFE had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 15.34%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that AMERISAFE, Inc. will post 2.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AMERISAFE Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 19th. Investors of record on Friday, June 12th will be given a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 12th. AMERISAFE’s dividend payout ratio is currently 67.49%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AMERISAFE

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Clearstead Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of AMERISAFE by 142.4% during the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 657 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 386 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in AMERISAFE by 159.6% in the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 714 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 439 shares during the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of AMERISAFE by 5,714.3% during the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 814 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 800 shares during the period. Quarry LP grew its holdings in AMERISAFE by 346.9% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 943 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 732 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of AMERISAFE by 148.2% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,571 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $52,000 after purchasing an additional 938 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.41% of the company’s stock.

AMERISAFE Company Profile

Amerisafe, Inc (NASDAQ: AMSF) is a specialty provider of workers’ compensation insurance products and services in the United States. The company focuses on underwriting and managing workers’ compensation policies for small to mid-sized public and private businesses, particularly in higher-hazard industries such as retail, manufacturing, distribution and wholesale. Through its network of independent agents, Amerisafe delivers tailored coverage solutions that combine robust risk management support with loss prevention programs designed to enhance workplace safety.

In addition to core insurance offerings, Amerisafe provides extensive risk control resources, including safety training, on-site consultations and claims management services.