W.R. Berkley shares rise as Q4 earnings top estimates

Published 27/01/2025, 22:40
W.R. Berkley shares rise as Q4 earnings top estimates

NEW YORK - W.R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE:WRB) reported fourth quarter earnings that beat analyst expectations, sending shares up 1.35% in after-hours trading.

The property and casualty insurance company posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.13, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.99. Revenue came in at $3.01 billion, also topping expectations of $2.98 billion.

Net income for the quarter increased 45% YoY to $576 million, while operating income rose 15.5% to a record $453 million. The company reported a combined ratio of 90.2% for the quarter.

"The Company once again set new financial records in 2024," said W.R. Berkley in a statement. "Full year results were highlighted by record net income, with outstanding underwriting performance and net investment income, culminating in a 23.6% return on beginning of year equity."

Gross premiums written increased 8.2% YoY to $3.50 billion in Q4. For the full year 2024, gross premiums written grew 9.6% to a record $14.2 billion.

The company noted that average rate increases excluding workers' compensation were approximately 7.7% in the fourth quarter.

W.R. Berkley returned $287.8 million to shareholders during the quarter through dividends and share repurchases. For the full year, the company returned $835.6 million to shareholders.

Looking ahead, management expressed confidence in delivering "superior long-term risk-adjusted returns and enhanced shareholder value in 2025 and beyond" given the favorable property and casualty insurance and investment environments.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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