Arch Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:ACGL) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Arch Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:ACGL) saw a large growth in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 7,051,817 shares, a growth of 21.5% from the January 15th total of 5,804,460 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,595,739 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.7 days. Currently, 2.0% of the company’s shares are sold short. Currently, 2.0% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,595,739 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.7 days.

Arch Capital Group Stock Down 0.8%

ACGL stock opened at $98.06 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $35.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.44, a P/E/G ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.42. Arch Capital Group has a twelve month low of $82.44 and a twelve month high of $103.39. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $95.55 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $92.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13.

Arch Capital Group (NASDAQ:ACGL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 9th. The insurance provider reported $2.98 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.34 by $0.64. The company had revenue of $3.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.94 billion. Arch Capital Group had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 22.07%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.26 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Arch Capital Group will post 8.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Arch Capital Group

In other Arch Capital Group news, insider John M. Pasquesi sold 8,800 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.17, for a total value of $828,696.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 289,556 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $27,267,488.52. The trade was a 2.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Maamoun Rajeh sold 47,430 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.12, for a total value of $4,558,971.60. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 433,589 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $41,676,574.68. This trade represents a 9.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 268,096 shares of company stock worth $25,287,645 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 4.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ACGL. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV lifted its stake in Arch Capital Group by 30.2% in the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 69,093 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $6,627,000 after purchasing an additional 16,027 shares during the last quarter. Summit Global Investments increased its position in Arch Capital Group by 96.4% during the fourth quarter. Summit Global Investments now owns 15,663 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $1,502,000 after buying an additional 7,689 shares during the last quarter. Vident Advisory LLC raised its stake in Arch Capital Group by 14.8% in the fourth quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 12,896 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $1,237,000 after buying an additional 1,666 shares during the period. Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Arch Capital Group by 3.0% in the fourth quarter. Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC now owns 7,364 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $706,000 after buying an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Tennessee Department of Treasury boosted its stake in shares of Arch Capital Group by 32.8% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury now owns 147,496 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $14,166,000 after acquiring an additional 36,424 shares during the period. 89.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ACGL has been the subject of several research reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $100.00 price objective (up previously from $97.00) on shares of Arch Capital Group in a research report on Tuesday. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $120.00 target price (up from $113.00) on shares of Arch Capital Group in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Weiss Ratings raised Arch Capital Group from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price target on Arch Capital Group from $108.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Arch Capital Group from $111.00 to $117.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $109.20.

Arch Capital Group Company Profile

Arch Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: ACGL) is a Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance holding company that underwrites a broad range of property and casualty, mortgage, and specialty risk products. The company operates through a group of underwriting subsidiaries and platforms to provide insurance, reinsurance and related risk solutions tailored to commercial, institutional and individual clients.

Arch’s product mix includes treaty and facultative reinsurance, primary casualty and property insurance, mortgage insurance and other specialty lines.