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

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ESNT

Essent Group

(NYSE:ESNT)

Rating:81Outperform
Price Target:
$71.00
▲(11.11% Upside)
Essent Group's strong technical indicators and solid financial performance are the primary drivers of its stock score. While valuation metrics suggest the stock is undervalued, concerns from the earnings call about declining net income and rising defaults slightly temper the overall outlook.
Positive Factors
Capital Return
Essent Group has repurchased 6.8M shares for $387M, indicating strong capital return.
Earnings
The 2Q EPS of $1.93 was ahead of BofAe/consensus at $1.62/$1.70, driven by better credit, OpEx, and stronger top-line results.
Negative Factors
Credit Provisions
Credit provisions at $31M were higher than the forecast as lower prior period reserve releases and slightly higher in-period losses contributed to the miss.
Market Share
New insurance written of $12.5B came in below estimates, resulting in a loss of 170bps of market share quarter over quarter.

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:Aug 08, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: 12.07%|
Next Earnings Date:Oct 31, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlighted Essent Group's strong financial stability, evidenced by a high persistency rate, a Moody's ratings upgrade, and significant capital returns to shareholders. However, there were concerns regarding a year-over-year decrease in net income, rising default rates, and potential declines in home prices. Despite these challenges, the company's overall financial position remains strong.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Net Income
Essent Group reported net income of $195 million for Q2 2025, compared to $204 million a year ago, with diluted EPS of $1.93 versus $1.91 last year.
Increased Insurance in Force
U.S. mortgage insurance in force grew to $247 billion, marking a 3% increase year-over-year.
Persistency Rate Stability
The 12-month persistency rate remained high at 86%, consistent with the previous quarter.
Moody's Ratings Upgrade
Moody's upgraded Essent Guaranty's insurance financial strength rating to A2 and Essent Group's senior unsecured debt rating to Baa2.
Capital Return to Shareholders
The company declared a $0.31 dividend for Q3 2025 and repurchased nearly 7 million shares for approximately $390 million year-to-date.
Strong PMIERs Efficiency Ratio
Essent Guaranty's PMIERs efficiency ratio was robust at 176% with $1.6 billion in excess available assets.
Negative Updates
Decreased Net Income Year-Over-Year
Net income decreased from $204 million in Q2 2024 to $195 million in Q2 2025.
New Defaults Increase
New defaults were up 9% year-over-year, though the pace of increase decelerated.
Home Price Concerns
Potential for home prices to decline in certain markets by 5-10%, which may affect future pricing and vintages with less home price appreciation.
Operating Expense Uncertainty
While operating expenses were lower this quarter, future quarter fluctuations are expected due to production volumes and staffing levels.
Company Guidance
During the Essent Group Ltd. second quarter 2025 earnings call, the company reported net income of $195 million, compared to $204 million a year ago, translating into earnings of $1.93 per diluted share, up from $1.91 per share a year earlier. The company achieved an annualized return on average equity of 14% for the quarter. As of June 30, 2025, the U.S. mortgage insurance in force was $247 billion, marking a 3% increase from the previous year. The credit quality of the insured portfolio remained robust, with a weighted average FICO score of 746 and a weighted average original LTV of 93%. Persistency stood at 86%, unchanged from the previous quarter. Essent Group's consolidated cash and investments totaled $6.4 billion, with an annualized investment yield of 3.9% for the quarter. The company also reported a PMIER efficiency ratio of 176% and maintained liquidity with $5.7 billion in GAAP equity. Essent's Board approved a common dividend of $0.31 for the third quarter, and the company repurchased nearly 7 million shares for $390 million year-to-date through July 31.

Essent Group Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Essent Group presents a solid financial position with strong profitability, efficient cash flow management, and prudent leverage. While revenue growth is steady, attention should be given to the declining EBIT and EBITDA margins, which could impact future profitability.
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 Revenue1.01B1.27B1.13B1.02B1.03B955.15M
Gross Profit988.46M1.27B1.13B1.02B1.03B955.15M
EBITDA886.24M896.59M857.66M1.01B833.98M502.50M
Net Income714.85M729.40M696.39M831.35M681.78M413.04M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets7.22B7.11B6.43B5.72B5.72B5.20B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments6.06B131.48M141.79M4.82B5.04B4.67B
Total Debt494.63M493.96M421.92M420.86M419.82M321.72M
Total Liabilities1.55B1.51B1.32B1.26B1.49B1.34B
Stockholders Equity5.67B5.60B5.10B4.46B4.24B3.86B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow854.82M854.77M759.00M584.84M706.76M725.49M
Operating Cash Flow867.01M861.53M763.00M588.82M709.26M727.93M
Investing Cash Flow-500.23M-706.93M-525.57M-398.87M-583.17M-1.15B
Financing Cash Flow-472.07M-164.91M-176.88M-190.20M-147.43M457.97M

Essent Group Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price63.90
Price Trends
50DMA
58.89
Positive
100DMA
57.86
Positive
200DMA
56.70
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
1.32
Negative
RSI
64.18
Neutral
STOCH
82.30
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 63.9 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 59.33, above the 50-day MA of 58.89, and above the 200-day MA of 56.70, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 1.32 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 64.18 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 82.30 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
84
Outperform
$5.57B8.5713.47%2.04%3.15%5.70%
83
Outperform
$3.04B8.3416.91%9.99%11.47%
81
Outperform
$6.12B9.0512.94%1.89%4.79%-0.76%
78
Outperform
$4.73B8.7813.07%2.82%0.24%3.14%
75
Outperform
$6.35B9.0314.85%1.96%3.26%12.70%
68
Neutral
$17.56B11.6110.34%3.76%9.69%0.41%
65
Neutral
$6.60B35.833.80%3.25%14.28%-2.87%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ESNT
Essent Group
63.90
2.25
3.65%
FAF
First American Financial
66.46
4.50
7.26%
MTG
MGIC Investment
28.15
3.85
15.84%
RDN
Radian Group
35.48
0.57
1.63%
NMIH
NMI Holdings
40.34
0.54
1.36%
ACT
Enact Holdings
38.74
4.50
13.14%

Essent Group Corporate Events

Financial DisclosuresRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Essent Group Adopts New Financial Reporting Standards
Neutral
Mar 27, 2025

In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an update requiring public entities to disclose significant expenses of their reportable segments. Essent Group adopted this standard on a retrospective basis, disclosing annual segment information in its 2024 Form 10-K. The company will continue to provide quarterly and year-to-date segment information in its future filings. This change aims to improve transparency in financial reporting, impacting how Essent Group presents its financial performance to stakeholders.

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: Aug 19, 2025