UMB Bank n.a. Decreases Stake in Verisk Analytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK)

UMB Bank n.a. lowered its position in Verisk Analytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK – Get Rating) by 8.4% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 9,111 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 836 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a.’s holdings in Verisk Analytics were worth $1,607,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in Verisk Analytics in the fourth quarter worth approximately $268,000. Yousif Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Verisk Analytics by 8.9% in the fourth quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 28,331 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $4,998,000 after acquiring an additional 2,304 shares during the last quarter. Crestmont Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Verisk Analytics in the fourth quarter worth approximately $243,000. Values First Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Verisk Analytics by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Values First Advisors Inc. now owns 2,935 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $500,000 after buying an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bridgefront Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Verisk Analytics by 41.9% during the 3rd quarter. Bridgefront Capital LLC now owns 2,467 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $421,000 after buying an additional 729 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.89% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Verisk Analytics

In other Verisk Analytics news, Director David B. Wright sold 4,912 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.37, for a total value of $895,801.44. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 14,909 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,718,954.33. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, Director David B. Wright sold 4,912 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.37, for a total transaction of $895,801.44. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 14,909 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,718,954.33. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Christopher M. Foskett sold 6,733 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $180.00, for a total transaction of $1,211,940.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 20,327 shares in the company, valued at $3,658,860. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 11,752 shares of company stock valued at $2,127,210. 1.78% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Verisk Analytics Stock Performance

Shares of VRSK opened at $180.07 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $27.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.21, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.84. The company’s fifty day moving average is $180.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $178.48. Verisk Analytics, Inc. has a 1 year low of $156.05 and a 1 year high of $222.11.

Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ:VRSK – Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 1st. The business services provider reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.17 by $0.26. The company had revenue of $630.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $615.30 million. Verisk Analytics had a net margin of 32.92% and a return on equity of 41.53%. Verisk Analytics’s revenue was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.47 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Verisk Analytics, Inc. will post 5.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Verisk Analytics Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th will be paid a $0.34 dividend. This is a boost from Verisk Analytics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.76%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 14th. Verisk Analytics’s payout ratio is currently 22.82%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Redburn Partners assumed coverage on shares of Verisk Analytics in a research report on Wednesday, January 11th. They set a “sell” rating for the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Verisk Analytics from $181.00 to $186.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Credit Suisse Group boosted their price objective on shares of Verisk Analytics from $165.00 to $187.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, March 6th. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Verisk Analytics from $185.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Verisk Analytics from $191.00 to $188.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Verisk Analytics currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $201.09.

About Verisk Analytics

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Verisk Analytics, Inc engages in the provision of data analytics services. It serves insurance customers and focuses on the prediction of loss, the selection and pricing of risk, and compliance. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Jersey City, NJ.