Zacks Research Comments on RLI’s Q4 Earnings (NYSE:RLI)

RLI Corp. (NYSE:RLI) – Research analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q4 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for RLI in a research report issued on Wednesday, February 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the insurance provider will earn $0.66 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $0.74. 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 Q3 2027 earnings at $0.61 EPS and Q4 2027 earnings at $0.60 EPS.

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

RLI Stock Down 1.4%

RLI stock opened at $61.58 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $5.66 billion, a PE ratio of 14.12 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a quick ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05. RLI has a 52 week low of $55.80 and a 52 week high of $81.79. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $61.69 and a 200 day simple moving average of $63.41.

RLI (NYSE:RLI) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The insurance provider reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.18. RLI had a return on equity of 18.67% and a net margin of 21.43%.The firm had revenue of $465.69 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $447.53 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.41 EPS.

Insider Activity at RLI

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On RLI

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in RLI. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of RLI in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its holdings in RLI by 94.4% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 414 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 201 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its stake in RLI by 7,300.0% in the second quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 370 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. Clarity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of RLI during the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in shares of RLI by 3,645.5% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 412 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 401 shares in the last quarter. 77.89% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

RLI News Summary

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.