Zacks Research Has Bearish Estimate for RLI Q3 Earnings

RLI Corp. (NYSE:RLI) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research reduced their Q3 2026 earnings estimates for RLI in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, August 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the insurance provider will post earnings per share of $0.51 for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $0.53. The consensus estimate for RLI’s current full-year earnings is $2.85 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for RLI’s Q4 2026 earnings at $0.67 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.84 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.67 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $0.70 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $0.52 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $0.79 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $2.73 EPS.

RLI (NYSE:RLI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The insurance provider reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.11. RLI had a return on equity of 17.61% and a net margin of 22.22%.The business had revenue of $575.57 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $568.70 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.82 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 15.2% on a year-over-year basis.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $74.00 price target (up from $70.00) on shares of RLI in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of RLI from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $57.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of RLI from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, August 1st. Weiss Ratings upgraded RLI from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, UBS Group set a $74.00 price target on RLI in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, RLI presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $63.00.

RLI Trading Up 0.7%

Shares of NYSE:RLI opened at $64.03 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $58.67 and a 200 day moving average of $57.67. The company has a market cap of $5.88 billion, a PE ratio of 13.45 and a beta of 0.38. RLI has a 12-month low of $47.26 and a 12-month high of $69.19.

Institutional Trading of RLI

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of RLI in the second quarter worth approximately $492,175,000. Wasatch Advisors LP purchased a new position in RLI during the 2nd quarter valued at $84,608,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in RLI in the 4th quarter valued at $66,997,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in RLI in the 2nd quarter valued at $46,855,000. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in RLI by 6,060.1% in 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 period. 77.89% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Craig W. Kliethermes bought 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 27th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $52.00 per share, for a total transaction of $104,000.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 150,990 shares in the company, valued at $7,851,480. This trade represents a 1.34% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Clark C. Kellogg purchased 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The stock was bought at an average price of $50.90 per share, with a total value of $152,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,502 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $229,151.80. The trade was a 199.73% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders acquired 16,500 shares of company stock valued at $858,955 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 2.39% of the company’s stock.

RLI Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 12th. Investors of record on Friday, May 29th were given a $0.18 dividend. This is an increase from RLI’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 29th. RLI’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.13%.

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.