Property & Casualty Insurance

Wunderlich Securities reiterated its Meadowbrook Insurance (NYSE: MIG) Buy rating and $12 price target in a research report published today. In the report, Wunderlich Securities states, "Pricing trends in the workers compensation market are positive, especially in the California and Florida...

KBW is out with its report today on Meadowbrook Insurance Group (NYSE: MIG), reiterating Outperform. In its report, KBW writes, "Meadowbrook reported an in-line 2Q11 as stronger fee income largely offset weaker underwriting. Normalized for $0.08/share of favorable reserve development and $0.01/...

Stocks trading at or near 52-week highs and lows provide excellent trading opportunities, as volatility tends to increase at such levels and exit/entry points become more clearly defined. The following stocks hit new 52-week highs in Monday's trading session (listed from highest total volume to...

Wunderlich Securities reiterated its Buy rating on Amerisafe (NASDAQ: AMSF). At the same time, the rating agency left its price target on the company's stock unchanged at $25. On Monday, AMSF lost 3.65% of its value to finish the day at $20.73.

American International Group (NYSE: AIG) releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, August 4, 2011. Here's Benzinga's advanced look at American International Group's second quarter earnings report. Earnings and Revenue: Analysts are predicting an EPS reading of $1.01/share and...

Allstate Corp (NYSE: ALL) swung to a second quarter loss on Monday. Allstate reported a quarterly loss of $642 million, or $1.19 per share, versus a profit of $441 million, or $0.27 per share, in the year-earlier period. Its catastrophe losses surged to $2.34 billion, from $96.8 billion, in the...

CNA Financial Corporation (NYSE: CNA) released its results for the second quarter on Monday. CNA Financial reported its quarterly net operating income at $116 million, or $0.43 per share. It reported net income at $126 million, or $0.47 per share. Analysts were expecting earnings of $0.51 per...

KBW is out with its report today on EMC Insurance Group (NASDAQ: EMCI), lowering its PT from $22 to $21. In its report, KBW writes, "We are maintaining our 2011 and 2012 EPS estimates of a loss of $0.45, and a profit of $1.80, respectively. We are lowering our target price to $21 from $22 and...

SWS Group, Inc. (NYSE: SWS) today announced the completion of its $100 million capital raise with Hilltop Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTH) and Oak Hill Capital Partners. The capital will be used to address asset quality issues at its banking subsidiary, Southwest Securities, FSB, and for other corporate...

KBW is out with its report today on Amtrust Financial Services (NASDAQ: AFSI), downgrading AFSI from Outperform to Market Perform. In its report, KBW writes, "AmTrust's 2Q included strong top-line growth and a solid 90% combined ratio. Excluding foreign currency gains and a lower than expected tax...

KBW is out with its report today on Old Republic International (NYSE: ORI), lowering its PT from $15 to $11.50. In its report, KBW writes, "Following second quarter results at ORI, we are lowering our full-year 2011 and 2012 operating EPS estimates to ($0.51) and $0.59 from $0.19 and $0.95...

This is your Benzinga news summary and traders' outlook for Monday, August 1, 2011, covering headlines from overnight and Monday's pre-market session. Today in domestic pre-market trading, U.S. equity futures are trading higher and the U.S. Dollar lower after Republican and Democratic leaders in...

Wunderlich Securities reiterated its Buy rating on Aspen Insurance Holdings (NYSE: AHL). At the same time, the rating agency left its price target on the company's stock unchanged at $37. On Friday, AHL lost 1.63% of its value to end the week at $25.90.

Allstate Corp (NYSE: ALL) swung to a second quarter loss on Monday. Allstate reported a quarterly loss of $642 million, or $1.19 per share, versus a profit of $441 million, or $0.27 per share, in the year-earlier period. Its catastrophe losses surged to $2.34 billion, from $96.8 billion, in the...

US stock futures are higher this morning, after Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives reached an agreement to raise the nation's debt ceiling. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 119 points to 12,207.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 8.50...