Oppenheimer moves to the sidelines on HCI Group, downgrades to Perform

As previously reported, Oppenheimer downgraded HCI Group (HCI) to Perform from Outperform. The firm notes that over the past two years, the stock is up 133% vs. the S&P’s 51% and is up 59% year-to-date vs. S&P’s 16%. While Oppenheimer’s still holds the company and its management in high regard, it thinks certain key fundamentals have changed since its Outperform rating. Specifically, key legislative reforms initiated in 2023 have dramatically improved the Florida homeowners market, leading to a more competitive environment today, which limits organic growth opportunities over the next 18-24 months, while growth from Citizens depopulation has largely played out, all of which put more pressure on core margins.