AXIS Capital’s fourth-quarter earnings per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and improved year over year. Despite cat loss U.S. weather events in the quarter, the company witnessed improvement in the quality of book business as well as significant growth in the scale and profitability of recent initiatives. AXIS remains focused on strengthening its three businesses – Specialty Insurance, Reinsurance, and Accident and Health – for long-term growth. AXIS’s plans to ramp-up growth and boost shareholder value, and decision to shut down its Australian retail insurance operations to save costs bode well. However, stiff competition in the reinsurance industry slowing growth and lowering profitability along with escalating expenses eating into margins remain concerns.