Essent Group (ESNT)
NYSE:ESNT
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Essent Group (ESNT) AI Stock Analysis

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ESNT

Essent Group

(NYSE:ESNT)

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Outperform 73 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:73Outperform
Price Target:
$68.00
▲(10.55% Upside)
Essent Group's solid financial performance and attractive valuation are key strengths, supported by a robust capital strategy. However, technical indicators suggest a lack of strong momentum, and challenges such as declining margins and increased default rates temper the overall outlook.
Positive Factors
Strong Financial Position
The growth in mortgage insurance in force indicates a stable demand for Essent's services, supporting long-term revenue and market position.
Robust Capital Strategy
The share repurchase program reflects confidence in the company's financial health and enhances shareholder value over time.
High Persistency and Credit Quality
High persistency and credit quality indicate stable customer retention and low risk, supporting long-term profitability and risk management.
Negative Factors
Declining Net Income
The decline in net income suggests potential challenges in maintaining profitability, which could impact future earnings stability.
Increased Default Rate
Rising default rates could lead to higher claims, impacting profitability and necessitating more provisions for losses.
Higher Provision for Losses
Increased provisions for losses may indicate rising risk exposure, potentially affecting future financial performance and stability.

Essent Group (ESNT) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Essent Group Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionEssent Group Ltd. is a leading provider of private mortgage insurance (PMI) and related services in the United States. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, Essent operates primarily in the financial services sector, focusing on mitigating risk for lenders and facilitating homeownership for borrowers. The company's core products include mortgage insurance, which protects lenders against borrower default, as well as reinsurance and other risk management solutions.
How the Company Makes MoneyEssent generates revenue primarily through the sale of private mortgage insurance policies. When lenders issue loans, they often require PMI to protect against the risk of borrower default. Essent charges premiums for these insurance policies, which can be paid upfront or monthly. The company also earns income through reinsurance arrangements, where it shares risk with other insurers, and from investment income generated on the premiums it collects before claims are paid out. Significant partnerships with mortgage lenders and servicers enhance its market reach and contribute to its earnings by providing a steady stream of premium income. Additionally, the overall health of the housing market and interest rates can impact the volume of mortgage originations, thereby affecting Essent's revenue.

Essent Group Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Sep 30, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Feb 13, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflected a strong financial position and robust capital strategy with continued share repurchases and dividend payouts. Despite a decline in net income and an increase in default rates and provisions for losses, the company's credit quality and persistency rates remain high. The overall sentiment is balanced, highlighting resilience amidst some challenges.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Financial Position
As of September 30, the U.S. Mortgage Insurance in force was $249 billion, a 2% increase from a year ago. The company's consolidated cash and investments totaled $6.6 billion with an annualized investment yield of 3.9%.
Robust Capital Strategy
Essent Group repurchased nearly 9 million shares for over $500 million year-to-date through October 31 and announced a new $500 million share repurchase authorization through year-end 2027. A common dividend of $0.31 for the fourth quarter of 2025 was approved.
High Persistency and Credit Quality
The 12-month persistency rate was 86% as of September 30, with a weighted average FICO of 746 and a weighted average original LTV of 93%.
Strong Earnings and Cash Flow
The company generated a 12-month operating cash flow of $854 million, maintaining a strong balance sheet to navigate market volatility.
Negative Updates
Decrease in Net Income
Net income for the third quarter was $164 million, down from $176 million a year ago.
Increased Default Rate
The default rate on the U.S. Mortgage Insurance portfolio increased to 2.29%, up 17 basis points from 2.12% at June 30, 2025.
Higher Provision for Losses
The U.S. Mortgage Insurance provision for losses and loss adjustment expenses was $44.2 million in the third quarter, compared to $15.4 million in the second quarter of 2025 and $29.8 million a year ago.
Higher Tax Rate
The estimated annual effective tax rate increased from 15.4% to 16.2% due to withholding taxes incurred on a third quarter dividend.
Company Guidance
In Essent Group Ltd.'s third-quarter earnings call for 2025, the company reported a net income of $164 million, down from $176 million a year ago, with a diluted earnings per share of $1.67 compared to $1.65 last year. The U.S. Mortgage Insurance in force grew 2% to $249 billion, with a persistency rate of 86%. The weighted average FICO score was 746, and the portfolio default rate slightly increased to 2.29%. Essent's consolidated cash and investments totaled $6.6 billion, with an annualized investment yield of 3.9%. The company maintained a strong balance sheet with $5.7 billion in GAAP equity and $1.4 billion in excess of loss reinsurance. Essent repurchased nearly 9 million shares for over $500 million year-to-date and announced a new $500 million share repurchase authorization. Additionally, a common dividend of $0.31 for the fourth quarter of 2025 was approved. The company continues to focus on a conservative capital strategy, balancing business investment with returning capital to shareholders.

Essent Group Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Essent Group demonstrates strong profitability with high margins and efficient cash flow management. However, declining EBIT and EBITDA margins and a slight increase in liabilities relative to assets warrant attention.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Essent Group demonstrates strong profitability with high gross and net profit margins, indicating efficient operations and cost management. The TTM data shows a slight revenue growth, suggesting stability in revenue generation. However, the declining EBIT and EBITDA margins over the years could indicate rising operational costs or competitive pressures.
Balance Sheet
78
Positive
The company maintains a low debt-to-equity ratio, reflecting prudent financial leverage and a strong equity base. Return on equity is healthy, indicating effective use of shareholder funds to generate profits. However, the equity ratio shows a slight decline, suggesting an increase in liabilities relative to assets.
Cash Flow
80
Positive
Essent Group exhibits strong cash flow management with consistent free cash flow growth and a high free cash flow to net income ratio, indicating efficient conversion of profits into cash. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is robust, although it shows some fluctuations, which could suggest variability in cash flow generation relative to earnings.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.31B1.27B1.13B1.02B1.03B955.15M
Gross Profit1.17B1.19B1.10B1.19B997.45M653.86M
EBITDA870.39M896.59M857.66M1.01B833.98M502.50M
Net Income702.89M729.40M696.39M831.35M681.78M413.04M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets7.35B7.11B6.43B5.72B5.72B5.20B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments91.41M131.48M141.79M333.27M5.04B4.67B
Total Debt0.00493.96M421.92M420.86M419.82M321.72M
Total Liabilities1.61B1.51B1.32B1.26B1.49B1.34B
Stockholders Equity5.74B5.60B5.10B4.46B4.24B3.86B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow836.72M854.77M759.00M584.84M706.76M725.49M
Operating Cash Flow853.67M861.53M763.00M588.82M709.26M727.93M
Investing Cash Flow-220.85M-706.93M-525.57M-398.87M-583.17M-1.15B
Financing Cash Flow-650.71M-164.91M-176.88M-190.20M-147.43M457.97M

Essent Group Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price61.51
Price Trends
50DMA
61.87
Negative
100DMA
60.56
Positive
200DMA
58.52
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.11
Negative
RSI
52.90
Neutral
STOCH
88.30
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ESNT, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 61.51 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 60.70, below the 50-day MA of 61.87, and above the 200-day MA of 58.52, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.11 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 52.90 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 88.30 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ESNT.

Essent Group Risk Analysis

Essent Group disclosed 51 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Essent Group reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Essent Group Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
82
Outperform
$2.89B7.8916.17%8.86%9.51%
80
Outperform
$5.40B8.5912.75%2.14%2.40%1.18%
78
Outperform
$6.33B9.0914.40%1.97%2.20%9.90%
77
Outperform
$4.79B8.8212.56%2.85%-3.68%3.65%
73
Outperform
$6.10B9.0212.35%1.99%2.78%-0.50%
68
Neutral
$18.00B11.429.92%3.81%9.73%1.22%
60
Neutral
$6.51B13.729.28%3.47%25.99%426.44%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ESNT
Essent Group
61.51
5.81
10.43%
FAF
First American Financial
63.84
1.84
2.97%
MTG
MGIC Investment
28.47
4.30
17.79%
RDN
Radian Group
35.40
1.92
5.73%
NMIH
NMI Holdings
37.55
-0.64
-1.68%
ACT
Enact Holdings
37.64
4.10
12.22%

Essent Group Corporate Events

Essent Group Ltd. Earnings Call Highlights Stability
Aug 13, 2025

The recent earnings call for Essent Group Ltd. painted a picture of stability and resilience, despite some challenges. The company showcased its ability to maintain a high-quality portfolio and received a commendable upgrade from Moody’s. However, there were slight setbacks, including a decrease in net income and provisions for losses. Overall, the outlook remains positive, supported by a solid balance sheet and strong credit quality.

Essent Group Ltd. Reports Q2 2025 Earnings and Dividend
Aug 9, 2025

Essent Group Ltd. is a Bermuda-based holding company specializing in private mortgage insurance, reinsurance, and title insurance services, primarily serving the housing finance industry. In its latest earnings report, Essent Group Ltd. announced a net income of $195.3 million for the second quarter of 2025, slightly down from $203.6 million in the same period last year. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.31 per share, reflecting its commitment to shareholder returns.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Nov 08, 2025