AXIS Capital (NYSE:AXS) Reaches New 1-Year High - Should You Consider Buying?

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (NYSE:AXS - Get Free Report) has recently achieved a new 52-week high during trading, hitting prices up to $98.26 before settling at $98.03. The trading volume reached 815,955 shares, a significant figure compared to its previous close at $95.00.

Recent Analyst Ratings

A variety of brokerages have published updates on AXIS Capital. StockNews.com recently upgraded the stock from a "hold" to a "buy" rating on March 4th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target for AXIS from $115.00 to $118.00 and categorized the stock as "outperform" on March 13th.

JMP Securities maintained a "market perform" rating on February 3rd, while BMO Capital Markets, which began coverage on AXIS on January 13th, set a "market perform" rating with a target of $93.00. On the other hand, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target from $89.00 to $85.00, retaining an "equal weight" rating. Currently, three analysts rate the stock as a hold while seven have issued buy ratings. Overall, MarketBeat indicates a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a target price of $100.25.

AXIS Capital's Stock Performance

AXIS Capital has a fifty-day moving average of $91.93 and a 200-day moving average of $87.12. The company exhibits a quick ratio and current ratio of 0.60, along with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. With a market capitalization of approximately $7.92 billion, the stock presents a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 7.94 and a price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio of 3.96. Notably, AXIS Capital reported earnings of $2.97 per share for its last quarter ended January 29th, surpassing analysts' expectations of $2.68.

Dividend Announcement from AXIS Capital

Additionally, AXIS Capital has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.44, set to be distributed on April 17th to shareholders of record as of March 31st. The ex-dividend date is also on March 31st, leading to an annualized dividend yield of 1.80%, representing a dividend payout ratio of 14.25%.

Insider Activity at AXIS Capital

In recent news, Director Charles A. Davis sold a notable 2,139,037 shares of the company's stock on March 5th, receiving around $199,999,959.50 from this transaction. Post-sale, he retains 2,404,133 shares valued at approximately $224,786,435.50, marking a significant 47.08% reduction in his holdings. This transaction has been disclosed through a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Insider ownership stands at 0.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investor Movements

Several institutional investors have made adjustments to their stakes in AXIS Capital. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holding by 0.4% in Q4, totaling 4,144,247 shares valued at $367,265,000 after acquiring 17,764 additional shares. Likewise, T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. also boosted its position by 0.4%, now holding 3,444,128 shares worth $305,219,000, following an addition of 12,571 shares.

American Century Companies Inc. expanded its stake by 1.7%, now owning 3,178,512 shares valued at $281,680,000 after purchasing 53,514 shares. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake by 5.3%, amassing 2,689,510 shares worth $238,344,000 after an acquisition of 134,157. Lastly, Janus Henderson Group PLC raised its holdings by 1.0%, owning 2,042,925 shares valued at $181,045,000 after acquiring 20,976 shares. In total, institutional investors hold 93.44% of the stock.

About AXIS Capital

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited operates through its subsidiaries to provide specialty insurance and reinsurance products globally. The company is divided into two segments: Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment includes products aimed at commercial enterprises, offering various types of liability coverage along with property insurance for different sectors.

Consideration for Investors

If you are weighing the option of investing in AXIS Capital, it's advisable to consider analyst ratings, recent stock performance, dividend information, and any insider activity before making a decision. Additionally, keep in mind that while AXIS Capital is currently rated as a "Moderate Buy", there are other potential investments that analysts may consider more favorable.

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