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NMI Holdings (NMIH) Soars to 52-Week High, Time to Cash Out?

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Have you been paying attention to shares of NMI Holdings (NMIH - Free Report) ? Shares have been on the move with the stock up 20.8% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $33.54 in the previous session. NMI Holdings has gained 79.2% since the start of the year compared to the 17.8% move for the Zacks Finance sector and the 11% return for the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry.

What's Driving the Outperformance?

The stock has an impressive record of positive earnings surprises, as it hasn't missed our earnings consensus estimate in any of the last four quarters. In its last earnings report on November 6, 2019, NMI Holdings reported EPS of $0.71 versus consensus estimate of $0.61.

For the current fiscal year, NMI Holdings is expected to post earnings of $2.51 per share on $365.86 million in revenues. This represents a 51.2% change in EPS on a 33.03% change in revenues. For the next fiscal year, the company is expected to earn $3.06 per share on $447.85 million in revenues. This represents a year-over-year change of 22.01% and 22.41%, respectively.

Valuation Metrics

NMI Holdings may be at a 52-week high right now, but what might the future hold for the stock? A key aspect of this question is taking a look at valuation metrics in order to determine if the company is due for a pullback from this level.

On this front, we can look at the Zacks Style Scores, as they provide investors with an additional way to sort through stocks (beyond looking at the Zacks Rank of a security). These styles are represented by grades running from A to F in the categories of Value, Growth, and Momentum, while there is a combined VGM Score as well. The idea behind the style scores is to help investors pick the most appropriate Zacks Rank stocks based on their individual investment style.

NMI Holdings has a Value Score of C. The stock's Growth and Momentum Scores are B and A, respectively, giving the company a VGM Score of B.

In terms of its value breakdown, the stock currently trades at 12.8X current fiscal year EPS estimates. On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock currently trades at 16.8X versus its peer group's average of 14X. This isn't enough to put the company in the top echelon of all stocks we cover from a value perspective.

Zacks Rank

We also need to look at the Zacks Rank for the stock, as this supersedes any trend on the style score front. Fortunately, NMI Holdings currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) thanks to rising earnings estimates.

Since we recommend that investors select stocks carrying Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B, it looks as if NMI Holdings meets the list of requirements. Thus, it seems as though NMI Holdings shares could have potential in the weeks and months to come.

How Does NMI Holdings Stack Up to the Competition?

Shares of NMI Holdings have been soaring, and the company still appears to be a decent choice, but what about the rest of the industry? Some of its industry peers are also looking good, including W.R. Berkley (WRB - Free Report) , The Allstate (ALL - Free Report) , and The Hanover Insurance Group (THG - Free Report) , all of which currently have a Zacks Rank of at least #2 and a VGM Score of at least B, making them well-rounded choices.

However, it is worth noting that the Zacks Industry Rank for this group is in the bottom half of the ranking, so it isn't all good news for NMI Holdings. Still, the fundamentals for NMI Holdings are promising, and it still has potential despite being at a 52-week high.

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