Property & Casualty Insurance

RLI (NYSE: RLI) announced on December 22, 2010 that it would acquire Contractors Bonding Insurance Company for approximately $137 million in cash. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and expected to close in early 2011.

RLI Corp. (NYSE: RLI) reported fourth quarter 2010 operating earnings of $35.1 million ($1.66 per share), versus $25.3 million ($1.17 per share) for the comparable period last year. For the year ended December 31, 2010, operating earnings were $112.3 million ($5.29 per share), compared to $102.1...

Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: HALL) today announced an increase in its stock buyback program initially adopted in April, 2008. The Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to an additional 3,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock over the original 1,000,000 shares...

Someone e-mailed me an article from Barrons: With cash pouring in, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway may do something big this year -- maybe even pay a dividend. A flush Berkshire Hathaway is in its best shape ever and piling up cash so quickly that it could be sitting on close to $50 billion at...

RBC Capital Markets Downgrades Meadowbrook Insurance (NYSE: MIG) from Outperform to Sector Perform. The price target is maintained at $10.

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT) was downgraded by BofA/Merrill from "buy" to "neutral." WIT's shares closed at $14.98 yesterday. Wipro's PEG ratio is 2.49. Synaptics Incorporated (NASDAQ: SYNA) was downgraded by JP Morgan from "overweight" to "neutral." SYNA's stock closed at $32.05 yesterday. Synaptics...

On the back of lackluster performance at the Casualty segment along with escalating expenses we are downgrading RLI Corp. (RLI) to Underperform. The Casualty segment was under pressure owing to difficult economic conditions, especially in construction and transportation-related coverages....

On the back of lackluster performance at the Casualty segment along with escalating expenses we are downgrading RLI Corp. (RLI) to Underperform. The Casualty segment was under pressure owing to difficult economic conditions, especially in construction and transportation-related coverages....

Standard & Poors announced changes to its U.S. indexes. Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited (NYSE: AHL) is going into the MidCap 400 for Baldor Electric Company (NYSE: BEZ). Vitamin Shoppe, Inc. (NYSE: VSI) is entering the $VOL in SmallCap 600 for Volt Information Sciences, Inc. (NYSE: VOL).

Progressive Corp.'s (PGR) earnings per share for fourth quarter 2010 were 45 cents, up 9 cents from the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 36 cents. The result of the reported quarter was a penny lower from the prior-year quarter. Net income for the quarter was $299.2 million, down 2% from $305 million...

Progressive Corp.'s (PGR) earnings per share for fourth quarter 2010 were 45 cents, up 9 cents from the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 36 cents. The result of the reported quarter was a penny lower from the prior-year quarter. Net income for the quarter was $299.2 million, down 2% from $305 million...

On Wednesday, markets sunk lower to close in the red after disappointing results from Goldman Sachs' (NYSE:GS) and Cree Inc (NASDAQ:CREE). Results from these companies pressured financial and tech stocks to fall and the market slid from the record highs it touched on Tuesday.   The Dow Jones...

On Wednesday, markets sunk lower to close in the red after disappointing results from Goldman Sachs' (NYSE:GS) and Cree Inc (NASDAQ:CREE). Results from these companies pressured financial and tech stocks to fall and the market slid from the record highs it touched on Tuesday.   The Dow Jones...

Progressive (NYSE: PGR) reports Q4 EPS of $.45 vs. estimates of $.36.