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Craig R. Smiddy, the President and CEO of Old Republic International Corp (NYSE:ORI), a $9.27 billion market cap insurance company trading at an attractive P/E ratio of 11.5x and offering a 3.1% dividend yield, recently sold 5,296 shares of the company’s common stock. The shares were sold at a price of $38.605 each, totaling $204,452. This transaction was part of a series of moves on March 3, 2025, which also included the acquisition of 12,500 shares through stock options at $15.26 per share, valued at $190,750, and a "net exercise" transaction involving 7,204 shares at $38.51 per share, totaling $277,426. According to InvestingPro, the stock is trading near its 52-week high, with management actively buying back shares. Following these transactions, Smiddy now holds 138,222 shares directly, including 78,074 unvested Restricted Stock Awards, and an additional 41,461 shares indirectly through a 401K plan. The company has maintained dividend payments for 55 consecutive years and currently shows GREAT financial health based on InvestingPro’s comprehensive analysis, which includes 8 additional key insights available to subscribers.
In other recent news, Old Republic International Corporation reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings, surpassing analysts’ expectations with an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.90, compared to the forecasted $0.73. The company’s revenue for the quarter was $2 billion, slightly below the $2.06 billion forecast. The fourth quarter report highlighted an approximately 11% growth in consolidated net premiums and fees earned, along with better-than-expected underwriting results. Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James responded by raising Old Republic’s stock price target from $38.00 to $40.00, maintaining an Outperform rating, while JMP Securities reiterated a Market Perform rating. Old Republic’s Title Insurance segment delivered underwriting results that exceeded expectations, with a $39 million result compared to the expected $24 million. However, net investment income of $170 million fell slightly short of the estimated $172 million. Analysts at Raymond James have expressed confidence in Old Republic’s potential for continued success, particularly within its specialty segment, which is anticipated to keep driving robust top-line growth.
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