Zacks Research Has Pessimistic Outlook of RLI Q2 Earnings

RLI Corp. (NYSE:RLI) – Research analysts at Zacks Research reduced their Q2 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for RLI in a report released on Wednesday, March 18th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the insurance provider will earn $0.68 per share for the quarter, down from their previous estimate of $0.74. Zacks Research has a “Strong Sell” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for RLI’s current full-year earnings is $3.08 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for RLI’s FY2026 earnings at $2.72 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.80 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.67 EPS and Q3 2027 earnings at $0.62 EPS.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on RLI. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of RLI from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Citizens Jmp reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of RLI in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Truist Financial set a $58.00 price objective on shares of RLI in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of RLI from an “underperform” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $52.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $59.00 target price on shares of RLI and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, RLI currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $65.20.

RLI Trading Down 0.1%

NYSE RLI opened at $58.03 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $5.33 billion, a PE ratio of 13.31 and a beta of 0.50. RLI has a 12 month low of $55.80 and a 12 month high of $81.79. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $60.34 and a 200-day moving average of $62.37.

RLI (NYSE:RLI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The insurance provider reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $465.69 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $447.53 million. RLI had a return on equity of 18.67% and a net margin of 21.43%.During the same period last year, the company earned $0.41 earnings per share.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of RLI. Wasatch Advisors LP acquired a new stake in RLI during the second quarter worth about $84,608,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of RLI in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $66,997,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of RLI by 6,060.1% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 739,709 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $47,327,000 after acquiring an additional 727,701 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its holdings in shares of RLI by 3,664.4% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 368,384 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $23,569,000 after acquiring an additional 358,598 shares during the period. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP boosted its position in shares of RLI by 353.1% during the 3rd quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 446,378 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $29,113,000 after acquiring an additional 347,858 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.89% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, COO Jennifer L. Klobnak bought 2,000 shares of RLI stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The shares were bought at an average cost of $57.99 per share, with a total value of $115,980.00. Following the acquisition, the chief operating officer owned 100,318 shares in the company, valued at $5,817,440.82. This trade represents a 2.03% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Craig W. Kliethermes bought 5,000 shares of RLI stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The shares were bought at an average cost of $57.45 per share, for a total transaction of $287,250.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 143,990 shares in the company, valued at $8,272,225.50. This represents a 3.60% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 2.16% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

RLI Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 2nd. RLI’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 14.68%.

About RLI

RLI Corporation (NYSE:RLI) is a specialty property and casualty insurance company focused on underwriting niche risks for businesses and individuals. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, the company operates through a network of independent agents and brokers, offering customized coverage solutions. RLI’s approach emphasizes disciplined underwriting, targeted product development and strong customer service to maintain profitability and long-term growth.

Founded in 1965 as Replacement Lens, Inc, RLI initially provided insurance for contact lens manufacturers before shifting its focus to specialty insurance in the 1980s.