In this article, we discuss the 10 hot insurance stocks to buy now. If you want to read about some more hot insurance stocks to buy now, go directly to 5 Hot Insurance Stocks To Buy Now.
The insurance industry had a challenging year in 2022, with the COVID-19 pandemic leading to an increase in claims for areas such as business interruption and pandemic insurance. Even before 2020, the insurance sector was facing challenges. These challenges then became even more pressing in the year 2022. The 2nd largest insurance company, Ping An Insurance (China), was valued at around $140 billion by the end of 2022, and the price of its stock fell by –6.74% which is quite good compared to the rest of the market. The total insurance industry was worth $1.4 trillion at end of 2022.
In 2023, the insurance industry is expected to recover, with a focus on digital transformation and the use of data and analytics. A report by PwC predicts that the insurance industry will invest heavily in technology in 2023. The proliferation of digital platforms, the expansion of distribution channels through strategic alliances and integration options, and the improvement of data analysis are bringing markets together. The availability of regulatory choices will continue to increase and obstacles to market entry will become less of an issue.
According to McKinsey, the 2023 outlook remains favorable as a growing number of individuals are recognizing their personal responsibility for their health and retirement expenses. As government debt in developed economies rises and funding shortfalls occur in public health and retirement programs (e.g. Social Security in the US and National Pension System in Japan), a $41 trillion shortfall in global pensions has emerged. Despite this challenge, the industry presents opportunities for insurance providers.
Overall, the systemic risk within the insurance industry remains at a moderate level in 2023. However, there is a growing upward trend in the total systemic risk assessments of insurance companies, largely due to elevated exposures to assets that are illiquid, hard to determine in value, and involve over-the-counter derivatives, short-term funding, and intra-financial assets. In 2021, the solvency and financial performance of insurers improved due to favorable conditions in financial markets. However, since 2022, rising geopolitical tensions, inflation, stricter monetary policies, and a deteriorating economic outlook have led to a rise in market, credit, and liquidity risks.
According to experts, Blockchain can benefit insurance companies through cost savings, improved efficiency, increased transparency, and better product and market development. Blockchain enables the real-time sharing of data among parties in a secure and verifiable manner and can also facilitate new insurance practices. The adoption of blockchain represents an opportunity for positive change and growth in the competitive insurance industry. Some of the top insurance stocks to monitor in this context include Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM), Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI), and MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET).
It’s not surprising that AI can bring about change in the insurance industry as well. According to Forbes, AI will play a major role in transforming the insurance industry. As AI becomes more popular, it is becoming an increasingly important tool for companies in the sector. The use of AI can help companies analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, allowing them to make more informed decisions. The integration of technology, data, AI, and modern design has created a formidable force that is transforming the traditionally policy-focused industry into one that prioritizes the customer experience.
Our Methodology
For this article we first used stock screeners to identify insurance stocks that have gained at least 15% year to date in 2023. From this resultant dataset we picked the stocks with highest share price gains. We reported the number of hedge funds in each of these stocks, so you can determine which insurance stocks that hedge funds think are the best investments. The list is ranked in ascending order of year-to-date performance of each stock.
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Hot Insurance Stocks To Buy Now
10. Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 30
YTD Perf: 17.04%
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) provides various insurance products in the United States. On November 18, Fidelity National revealed that it is ready to acquire Titlepoint, a part of Black Knight’s data and analytics division, for $225 million in liquid cash. The stock of Black Knight advanced 3.3% after the report.
On January 6, 2023, Barclays analyst Mark DeVries maintained an Overweight rating on Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) stock and raised the price target to $53 from $50.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Chicago-based investment firm Brave Warrior Capital is a leading shareholder of Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) with 9.4 million shares worth more than $339.9 million.
Just like Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM), Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI), and MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET), Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) is one of the hot insurance stocks to buy now.
In its Q3 2022 investor letter, Third Avenue Management, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) (2.4% of Fund Assets), which is planning to distribute a 15% stake in its wholly-owned life-insurance subsidiary (F&G Annuities & Life) having now established the segment at a significant scale with approximately $40 billion of assets under management. This transaction will leave the FNF Group with a listed proxy for the value of its retained 85% stake in F&G, as well as a “net cash” balance sheet and market-leading position in US title insurance (and other transaction-related activity) through its wholly-owned Fidelity National Financial subsidiary.”
9. Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UVE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 7
YTD Perf: 20.30%
Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UVE) operates as an integrated insurance holding company in the United States. On November 14, Universal Insurance declared a quarterly dividend of $0.16 per share, which is consistent with its previous dividend payments. The forward yield is 6.39%.
On January 10, 2023, Piper Sandler analyst Paul Newsome maintained a Neutral rating on Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UVE) stock and raised the price target to $11 from $10, highlighting that the property-casualty insurers’ book values are expected to increase by 5.6% in the fourth quarter.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, 7 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $7.9 million in Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UVE), compared to 6 in the preceding quarter worth $7.95 million.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Greenwich, Connecticut-based firm AQR Capital Management is a leading shareholder in Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:HRTG) with 271,259 shares worth more than $2.7 million.
8. Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24
YTD Perf: 26.59%
Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN) primarily provides a suite of annuities to retail investors in the United States. On November 9, Jackson Financial announced the financial results for the third quarter of 2022. The company’s Non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) was $4.24, which exceeded analyst expectations by $1.34. The company also reported a revenue of $4.02 billion, which represents a 156.1% increase compared to the same quarter in the previous year and beat analyst expectations by $2.59 billion.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, London-based investment firm Marshall Wace LP is a leading shareholder in Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN) with 2.1 million shares worth more than $58.8 million.
In its Q3 2022 investor letter, Curreen Capital, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“We sold Jackson in large part because the inverted yield curve signals that a weak stock market and high volatility are likely to continue. High volatility increases Jackson’s cost of hedging the annuities that it has sold, and a weak stock market makes it difficult to sell new variable annuities. These operational headwinds make Jackson a weed. We sold at $31.11 per share.”
7. Midwest Holding Inc. (NASDAQ:MDWT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 2
YTD Perf: 27.39%
Midwest Holding Inc. (NASDAQ:MDWT) a financial services company, engages in the life and annuity insurance business in the United States. On November 14, Midwest Holdings posted earnings for the third quarter of the year. According to the release, the company’s earnings per share (EPS) were $1.96. The company also reported a revenue of $19 million, which represents a 227.6% increase compared to the same quarter in the previous year.
On December 20, 2022, Piper Sandler analyst John Barnidge maintained a Neutral rating on Midwest Holding Inc. (NASDAQ:MDWT) stock and lowered the price target to $14 from $16, noting that in the fourth quarter, equity markets supported the insurance industry.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, 2 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $5.3 million in Midwest Holding Inc. (NASDAQ:MDWT), compared to 1 in the previous quarter worth $143,000.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm Dorset Management is a leading shareholder in Midwest Holding Inc. (NASDAQ:MDWT) with 390,241 shares worth more than $5.2 million.
6. SelectQuote, Inc. (NYSE:SLQT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 11
YTD Perf: 28.32%
SelectQuote, Inc. (NYSE:SLQT) operates a technology-enabled, direct-to-consumer distribution platform that sells a range of insurance products and healthcare services in the United States. On November 3, SelectQuote Inc posted earnings for the first quarter, reporting losses per share of $0.26. The revenue over the period was $162.5 million.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, 11 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $24.5 million in SelectQuote, Inc. (NYSE:SLQT), compared to 9 in the previous quarter worth $87 million.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Stamford-based investment firm Brookside Equity Partners is a leading shareholder in SelectQuote, Inc. (NYSE:SLQT) with 17.7 million shares worth more than $12.9 million.
In addition to Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM), Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI), and MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET), Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) is one of the hot insurance stocks to buy now.
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Disclosure. None. 10 Hot Insurance Stocks To Buy Now is originally published on Insider Monkey.