Wunderlich Securities Has Buy Rating On Amerisafe (AMSF)

Wunderlich Securities has a Buy rating and a $25 price target on shares of Amerisafe, Inc. AMSF. In a note to clients, Wunderlich writes, "Wunderlich Securities recently hosted an investor marketing trip with CEO Allen Bradley and CFO Janelle Frost of AMERISAFE, Inc. (AMSF). Discussion focused on the improving market conditions for AMSF's high-hazard workers' compensation insurance market with increasing rates and a recovery in demand. AMSF should be a beneficiary of the improving conditions and gain market share. However, near-term results are expected to reflect the difficult current conditions. Consequently, we are lowering our EPS estimates for 1Q11 to $0.37 from $0.44 and full-year 2011 to $1.70 from $1.85. Longer term, we anticipate top-line growth and better underwriting margins will drive earnings and ROE." Shares of AMSF lost 8 cents on Friday to close at $22.06, a loss of 0.36%.