Oct 23, 2026 earnings call — Strong underwriting and multi-state growth
Company reported a 32.7% annualized return on common equity driven by underwriting and revenue performance.
Revenue $0.4B (est $0.6B) · EPS $1.93 (est $1.57)
Key quotes
"In the quarter, we delivered a very strong 32.7% annualized return on common equity, driven by solid underwriting and revenue performance."
"The increase stems from 18.5% growth in other states, partially offset by a 3.3% decrease in Florida."
"On July 8th, 2026, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per share of common stock payable on August 7, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on July 31, 2026."
Analyst Q&A 1
growth inside and outside Florida; capital use
Q (Jon Paul Newsome · Piper Sandler): The analyst asked how competitive conditions look in Florida and other states and how Universal expects to grow there. He also asked how the company plans to allocate the capital it is accumulating after high ROEs.
A: Management said they are writing business at a strong pace and are confident in their organic growth across the states they serve. They said Florida legislation helped the whole market and that outside Florida they pick niches where rates are adequate rather than chasing business. On capital, they plan to keep returning value via dividends, will discuss the small repurchase plan of 1.1 million with the board, and prioritize keeping insurance entities adequately capitalized to protect policyholders and support premium generation.
"We continue to write business at a very good clip, as you saw in our release, and we feel very confident about our organic growth model across all the states that we currently serve." — Stephen Donaghy (CEO)