AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) Downgraded by Zacks Research to “Strong Sell”

Zacks Research cut shares of AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of AMERISAFE from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 23rd. Citizens Jmp reduced their price target on shares of AMERISAFE from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a “market outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of AMERISAFE from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price objective on shares of AMERISAFE from $34.00 to $32.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $44.00.

AMERISAFE Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:AMSF opened at $30.61 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $567.51 million, a P/E ratio of 12.34 and a beta of 0.23. AMERISAFE has a 1 year low of $29.42 and a 1 year high of $47.86. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $32.28 and its 200-day moving average price is $33.73.

AMERISAFE (NASDAQ:AMSF) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The insurance provider reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.52 by ($0.08). AMERISAFE had a net margin of 14.00% and a return on equity of 14.87%. The business had revenue of $91.97 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $85.09 million. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that AMERISAFE will post 2 earnings per share for the current year.

AMERISAFE Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be issued a $0.41 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.4%. AMERISAFE’s payout ratio is presently 66.13%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Clearstead Advisors LLC boosted its position in AMERISAFE by 142.4% in the fourth 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 last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of AMERISAFE by 159.6% during the 4th quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 714 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 439 shares during the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of AMERISAFE by 5,714.3% during the 1st quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 814 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 800 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP lifted its stake in shares of AMERISAFE by 346.9% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 943 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 732 shares during the period. Finally, Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of AMERISAFE in the 4th quarter worth approximately $54,000. Institutional investors 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.