Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish on W. R. Berkley Stock?
/W_R_%20Berkley%20Corp_%20phone%20and%20site-by%20T_Schnedier%20via%20Shutterstock.jpg)
Greenwich, Connecticut-based W. R. Berkley Corporation (WRB) is an insurance holding company that operates as a commercial line writer worldwide. With a market cap of $28 billion, the company operates in two segments: Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess.
Shares of WRB have significantly outpaced the broader market over the past 52 weeks. WRB has soared 39.6% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 12.5%. Moreover, shares of WRB are up 26.1% on a YTD basis, compared to SPX’s 1.4% rise.
Looking closer, W. R. Berkley has also outperformed the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLF) 21.5% surge over the past 52 weeks and a 6.8% rise on a YTD basis.
W. R. Berkley stock rose 5.2% following the release of its solid Q1 2025 on Apr. 21. The company reported revenue of $3.6 billion, up 8.9% year-over-year, surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.5 billion. Net premiums written increased 9.9% from the year-ago quarter to $3.1 billion. However, its adjusted EPS declined 2.9% from the prior-year quarter to $1.01, aligning with Wall Street expectations.
Additionally, on Mar. 28, the stock climbed 7.5% following the news that Japan-based Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance plans to acquire a 15% stake in WRB through open market purchases or private third-party transactions.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December 2025, analysts expect WRB’s adjusted EPS to increase 2.9% year-over-year to $4.26. The company's earnings surprise history is strong. It beat or met the consensus estimates in the past four quarters.
Among the 17 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on seven “Strong Buy” ratings, nine “Holds,” and one “Strong Sell.”
This configuration is less bullish than three months ago, with nine “Strong Buy” ratings on the stock.
On May 19, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst Meyer Shields raised WRB’s price target to $75 while maintaining an “Market Perform” rating.
As of writing, W. R. Berkley is trading above the mean price target of $68.94. The Street-high price target of $80 implies a potential upside of 8.4% from the current price levels.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.