Selective Insurance Group shares closed at $95.93 on Friday, near their 52-week high of $100.40, reflecting investor confidence and upward momentum. The stock has gained 9.3% over the past year, outperforming the industry average of 5.2% and peers such as NMI Holdings, W.R. Berkley, and RLI Corp. The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects 2026 earnings per share to rise 5.8% year-over-year on revenues of $5.50 billion, with further growth of 13.3% and 3.1% respectively in 2027. Two of five analysts have raised estimates for both years, and the company's trailing-12-month return on equity of 13.7% nearly doubles the industry average of 7.4%. Selective Insurance continues to prioritize underwriting profitability, achieving a combined ratio of 89.5% in its Excess & Surplus segment and 92.8% in Personal Lines during the first quarter of 2026, while renewal rate increases of nearly 10% in general liability and almost 12% in commercial auto liability help offset loss-cost trends. The company is expanding its Standard Commercial Lines footprint to 36 states and the District of Columbia through an agent-based model with around 1,680 partners, and after-tax net investment income rose 18% year-over-year in the first quarter, with full-year 2026 expected to reach $465 million. Selective Insurance also invests in artificial intelligence to enhance underwriting and claims processing, and aims to return 20-25% of earnings to shareholders through dividends and repurchases.
Selective Insurance Group, Inc.Strong underwriting results, earnings growth outlook, and analyst estimate upgrades drive positive sentiment.
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