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MGIC Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Miss, Insurance in Force Up Y/Y

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Key Takeaways

  • MTG beat EPS estimates by 2.7%, while operating revenues fell 0.9% year over year to $298.7 million.
  • Insurance in force grew 2.6% to $303.1 billion, and new insurance written increased 7.5% year over year.
  • Underwriting weakened as the loss ratio jumped to 13.2%, causing a 28.8% rise in total losses and expenses.

MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG - Free Report) reported fourth-quarter 2025 operating net income per share of 75 cents, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7%. The bottom line also improved 4.2% year over year.

Total operating revenues declined 0.9% year over year to $298.7 million, attributable to lower net premiums earned and other revenues. The top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.9%.

The quarterly results reflected stable investment income, partially offset by lower net premiums earned and other revenues.

MGIC Investment Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

MGIC Investment Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

MGIC Investment Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | MGIC Investment Corporation Quote

Operational Update

Insurance in force increased 2.6% year over year to $303.1 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $295.5 billion as well as our estimate of $295.6 billion. Meanwhile, primary delinquency rose 1.1% to 27,072 loans during the quarter.

Net premiums written declined 0.7% year over year to $230.5 million, missing our estimate of $234.3 million. Meanwhile, net investment income increased 0.5% year over year to $61.6 million, but came in below our estimate of $62.1 million and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $62.4 million.

Persistency, the percentage of insurance remaining in force from one year earlier was 84.8% as of Dec. 31, 2025, unchanged from the year-ago quarter’s level. Meanwhile, new insurance written increased 7.5% year over year to $17.1 billion.

Underwriting and other expenses, net, declined 6.7% year over year to $45.8 million. However, underwriting performance weakened materially, with the loss ratio surging to 13.2% from 3.6% in the prior-year quarter.

Total losses and expenses increased 28.8% year over year to $85.9 million, attributable to a sharp rise in losses incurred, net, which nearly doubled from the year-ago period.

Financial Update

Book value per share, a measure of net worth, increased 12.7% year over year to $23.47 as of Dec. 31, 2025. Shareholder equity was $5.1 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025, down 0.5% from the 2024-end level.

MGIC Investment's PMIERs Available Assets totaled $5.7 billion, or $2.5 billion above its Minimum Required Assets as of Dec. 31, 2025. Total assets were $6.6 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025, up 1.4% from 2024-end level. Senior notes totaled $646.1 million as of Dec. 31, 2025, reflecting a 0.2% increase from the 2024-end level.

Capital Deployment

The company repurchased 6.8 million shares of common stock for $189.1 million and paid a dividend of $400 million to the holding company. MGIC also paid a dividend of 15 cents per common share to shareholders.

MTG executed a traditional excess of loss reinsurance transaction effective Dec. 1, 2025, which provides $250 million of reinsurance coverage on NIW from 2021.

MTG also bought back shares worth $73.2 million in January 2026.

The board approved a 15 cents dividend per common share to shareholders of record on Feb. 17, 2026, to be paid on March 6, 2026.

In January, through an insurance-linked note transaction, MTG executed a $324 million excess of loss reinsurance agreement that covers certain policies written between Jan. 1, 2022, and March 31, 2025.

Full-Year Highlights

MTG reported full-year 2025 operating net income per share of $3.14, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.7%. The bottom line also increased 8.6% year over year.

Total operating revenues were $1.2 billion, up 0.5% year over year on higher net investment income. However, the figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.5%.

Net investment income increased 0.7% year over year to $246.26 million, but came in below our estimate of $246.8 million.

Zacks Rank

MTG currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performance of Other Insurers

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV - Free Report) reported fourth-quarter 2025 core income of $11.13 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 32% and improved 22% year over year. Travelers’ total revenues increased 3.2% from the year-ago quarter to $12.4 billion, primarily driven by higher premiums, net investment income and other revenues. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.08%.

Net written premiums increased 1% year over year to a record $10.8 billion. Net investment income increased 10.3% year over year to $1 billion. The figure matched the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

The Progressive Corporation’s (PGR - Free Report) fourth-quarter 2025 earnings per share of $4.67 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.2%. The bottom line increased 14.4% year over year.

Operating revenues increased 10.6% year over year to $22.49 billion and beat the consensus estimate by 2.5%. Net premiums written were $19.5 billion in the quarter, up 8% from $18.1 billion a year ago.

Selective Insurance Group (SIGI - Free Report) reported fourth-quarter 2025 operating income of $2.57 per share, which marginally beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.3%. The bottom line increased 59% year over year. The company’s quarterly performance reflects a huge underwriting income, average renewal pure price increase, and lower loss and loss expenses.

Total revenues of $1.4 billion increased 8.3% from the year-ago quarter’s level, driven primarily by higher net premiums earned and net investment income. The top line marginally exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.1%.

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