Analysts Offer Predictions for RLI’s Q1 Earnings (NYSE:RLI)

RLI Corp. (NYSE:RLI) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research reduced their Q1 2026 earnings estimates for RLI in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, February 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the insurance provider will post earnings of $0.81 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $0.85. Zacks Research has a “Strong Sell” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for RLI’s current full-year earnings is $3.08 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for RLI’s Q2 2026 earnings at $0.74 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $0.55 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.76 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.69 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $2.70 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $2.51 EPS.

RLI (NYSE:RLI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 21st. The insurance provider reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $465.69 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $447.53 million. RLI had a net margin of 21.43% and a return on equity of 18.67%. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.41 earnings per share.

RLI has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Truist Financial set a $58.00 price objective on RLI in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $59.00 price target on RLI and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of RLI from an “underperform” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $52.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Citizens Jmp restated a “market perform” rating on shares of RLI in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their target price on shares of RLI from $85.00 to $81.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $65.20.

RLI Stock Down 1.4%

NYSE RLI opened at $61.58 on Thursday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $61.69 and its 200 day simple moving average is $63.44. RLI has a one year low of $55.80 and a one year high of $81.79. The firm has a market cap of $5.66 billion, a PE ratio of 14.12 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a current ratio of 0.32 and a quick ratio of 0.35.

Insider Transactions at RLI

In other RLI news, CEO Craig W. Kliethermes acquired 5,000 shares of RLI stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $57.45 per share, with a total value of $287,250.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 143,990 shares in the company, valued at $8,272,225.50. The trade was a 3.60% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, COO Jennifer L. Klobnak bought 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $57.99 per share, with a total value of $115,980.00. Following the acquisition, the chief operating officer directly owned 100,318 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,817,440.82. This trade represents a 2.03% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 2.16% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in RLI. Quent Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of RLI during the third quarter worth $26,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in RLI by 94.4% during the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 414 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 201 shares during the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its position in shares of RLI by 7,300.0% during the 2nd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 370 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 365 shares during the period. Clarity Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of RLI in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in shares of RLI by 3,645.5% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 412 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 401 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.89% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about RLI

Here are the key news stories impacting RLI this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its Q3 2027 EPS estimate slightly to $0.61 from $0.59, a modest upward revision that could be read as a small near-term improvement in earnings visibility for RLI. Note the firm still carries a “Strong Sell” rating, limiting the upside impact.
• Neutral Sentiment: FPA Queens Road Small Cap Value Fund published commentary on RLI, signaling investor interest from a small‑cap/value manager. The piece draws attention to the name but does not present a clear short‑term catalyst or recommendation that should materially move consensus by itself. FPA Queens Road Small Cap Value Fund’s Thoughts on RLI Corp. (RLI)
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research issued a series of downward EPS revisions across 2026–2028 and reiterated a “Strong Sell” stance. Highlights: Q4 2027 cut from $0.85 to $0.60; Q4 2026 from $0.74 to $0.66; Q2 2027 from $0.73 to $0.69; Q3 2026 from $0.58 to $0.55; Q2 2026 from $0.78 to $0.74; Q1 2026 from $0.85 to $0.81. They also trimmed FY2026 to $2.76 (from $2.94) and FY2027 to $2.70 (from $2.96), and set FY2028 at $2.51. These multiple cuts and the negative rating create downside pressure by lowering earnings expectations and signaling caution to investors.

About RLI

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.