Benchmark Initiates Coverage on Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC)

Investment analysts at Benchmark assumed coverage on shares of Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) in a report issued on Tuesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm set a “buy” rating and a $87.00 price target on the insurance provider’s stock. Benchmark’s target price suggests a potential upside of 25.16% from the company’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the stock. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $88.00 price target on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, May 18th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Stewart Information Services to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price objective on shares of Stewart Information Services from $81.00 to $77.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Stewart Information Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Stewart Information Services from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $83.00.

Stewart Information Services Stock Performance

Shares of Stewart Information Services stock opened at $69.51 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.52 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 2.12, a quick ratio of 2.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Stewart Information Services has a 12 month low of $57.10 and a 12 month high of $78.61. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $67.17 and its 200-day moving average price is $66.84.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.63 by ($0.24). Stewart Information Services had a return on equity of 10.07% and a net margin of 4.19%.The business had revenue of $895.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $838.07 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.34 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 24.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Stewart Information Services will post 5.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Stewart Information Services

In other news, CFO David C. Hisey sold 10,992 shares of Stewart Information Services stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.28, for a total value of $783,509.76. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 61,929 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,414,299.12. The trade was a 15.07% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. acquired 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 1st. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $63.87 per share, for a total transaction of $63,870.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 25,034 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,598,921.58. The trade was a 4.16% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders own 2.94% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. ProShare Advisors LLC boosted its position in Stewart Information Services by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 5,407 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $380,000 after buying an additional 164 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue boosted its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 15,479 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $1,087,000 after acquiring an additional 234 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 28,704 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $2,105,000 after acquiring an additional 254 shares during the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System raised its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 7.0% during the first quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 4,378 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $270,000 after purchasing an additional 287 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund raised its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 1.9% during the first quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 16,116 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $992,000 after purchasing an additional 308 shares during the last quarter. 96.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Stewart Information Services Company Profile

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE: STC) is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.