Why Verisk (VRSK) Stock Is Down Today

What Happened?

Shares of insurance data analytics provider Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ:VRSK) fell 4.4% in the afternoon session after analyst Russell Quelch from Rothschild & Co downgraded the stock from 'Neutral' to 'Sell' and sharply lowered its price target.

The price target for Verisk was cut by 21.43% from $280 to $220. This action was part of a recent trend, as Evercore ISI Group had also lowered its price target on the stock just two days prior.

The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunties to buy high-quality stocks. Is now the time to buy Verisk? Access our full analysis report here.

What Is The Market Telling Us

Verisk’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 2 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 3 months ago when the stock dropped 4.4% on the news that the company reported mixed second-quarter results, with a lowered full-year profit forecast overshadowing an otherwise solid quarter. While the data analytics firm's quarterly revenue came in line with expectations and its adjusted earnings per share (EPS) beat estimates, the positive news was not enough for investors. Verisk raised its full-year revenue outlook but trimmed its guidance for full-year adjusted EPS by 0.7% at the midpoint. Adding to investor concerns, the company also announced a definitive agreement to acquire AccuLynx, a software platform, for $2.35 billion. The large acquisition was set to be financed with debt, which can increase a company's financial risk.

Verisk is down 15% since the beginning of the year, and at $232.45 per share, it is trading 27.7% below its 52-week high of $321.33 from June 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Verisk’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,208.

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