Selective Insurance is expected to report Q3 2026 earnings on October 22 with consensus EPS of $1.91 (up 9.1% YoY) and revenues of $1.35 billion (up 0.1% YoY). The company has a positive Earnings ESP of +3.28% combined with a Zacks Rank #3, suggesting it will likely beat consensus estimates. The company has beaten EPS estimates in 2 of the last 4 quarters, with the most recent quarter delivering a +13.37% surprise.

Cincinnati Financial and RLI are highlighted as Dividend Kings with 66 and 51 years of consecutive annual dividend increases, respectively. Cincinnati Financial offers a 2.3% yield but has higher equity exposure (40%) making it vulnerable in bear markets. RLI, with a 1.3% yield and 20% equity exposure, appears more attractively valued at a P/B ratio of 2.9x versus its 5-year average of 4x, and has a history of substantial special dividends.

The Federal Reserve's 25 basis point rate hike to 3.75-4% provides a tailwind to property and casualty insurers by boosting investment income as they reinvest maturing securities and operating cash flows at higher yields. This benefit is particularly significant for insurers with large fixed-income portfolios and shorter-duration investments, helping offset softer pricing growth and increased competition in the insurance market.

Skyward Specialty Insurance Group is using AI and technology to improve operational efficiency as insurance markets become more competitive. The company's expense ratio improved to 24.3% in Q2, with innovations like Sky View underwriting workstation and Bionic underwriting reducing submission time by 40% and improving quote speed by 35%. SkyScore and agentic AI automate surety tasks and risk assessment, helping underwriters focus on judgment-based decisions.

Palomar Holdings (PLMR) reported Q2 2026 earnings that beat consensus estimates with operating income of $2.36 per share (up 34.1% YoY) and revenues of $307.7 million (up 57.9% YoY). Strong net earned premiums and investment income drove results, though elevated losses and underwriting expenses pressured margins. The company initiated a quarterly dividend of $0.45 per share and provided 2026 guidance of $270-$280 million adjusted net income. Despite strong fundamentals, shares have underperformed the S&P 500 over the past month.

CNA Financial reported Q2 2026 earnings of $1.19 per share, beating consensus estimates by 14.4%, with revenues rising 3% to $3.46 billion. However, the company's underwriting margins narrowed significantly, with the combined ratio deteriorating 240 basis points to 96.5% due to increased loss ratios across segments. Despite strong investment income growth of 6%, shares have declined 8.1% since the earnings report, and analysts have revised estimates downward, resulting in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rating.

Radian Group (RDN) is navigating softer specialty insurance pricing following its February 2026 acquisition of Inigo, which significantly expanded its specialty insurance and reinsurance exposure. The company is prioritizing risk-adjusted profitability and selective capital deployment over premium growth to mitigate margin pressure. While RDN's underwriting discipline and analytics capabilities should help maintain profitability, the stock trades at a discount to peers with a forward P/B of 0.99X versus industry average of 2.67X, though analyst estimates have declined recently.

Palomar Holdings, a specialty insurer focusing on high-risk niches like earthquakes and floods, posted its strongest quarter with 42% growth in gross written premiums to $629.8 million and adjusted net income of $63 million. The company acquired Gray Surety to expand into surety bonds, funded by $450 million in new debt. While analysts remain bullish with a consensus Moderate Buy rating and 30% upside target, the rising combined ratio and increased leverage present risks.

The article highlights three dividend stocks with long histories of consistent dividend payments: Coca-Cola, Automatic Data Processing, and RLI. These companies offer stable income and growth potential through their strong business models and commitment to shareholder returns.

RLI Corp, a property and casualty insurer, has raised its dividend for the 50th consecutive year, becoming a Dividend King. Despite a 21% stock decline this year due to market challenges, the company maintains strong operating earnings and an underwriting profit.

In this challenging environment, dividend stocks are worthy of consideration. RLI and S&P Global are two high-quality companies that have consistently raised their dividend payouts over the past six recessions and delivered stellar returns for investors.

RLI Corp. (RLI) is expected to report strong earnings, as analysts have recently raised their estimates for the company. This positive earnings estimate revision activity suggests favorable trends for RLI, and the company's Zacks Earnings ESP of +17.65% indicates a potential earnings beat.