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Enact Holdings, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted operating income rose to $179 million: Adjusted operating income was $179 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, up from $166 million, or $1.12 per diluted share, in the prior quarter. GAAP net income was $177 million, or $1.22 per diluted share. Source
  • New insurance written up 8% year-over-year: New insurance written was $14 billion, up 2% from the prior quarter and up 8% from the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Loss ratio fell to 7%: Losses incurred were $18 million, a 7% loss ratio, compared with $36 million and 15% in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net reserve release of $60 million: The fourth quarter net reserve release was $60 million, compared with $45 million in the third quarter and $56 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Claim rate expectation lowered to 8%: Management lowered its claim rate expectations from 9% to 8%, on both new and recent delinquencies, citing sustained favorable cure performance. Source
  • Expense ratio rose to 24%: Operating expenses were $59 million with a 24% expense ratio, compared with $53 million and 22% in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Returned $503 million in 2025: Capital returned in 2025 comprised $121 million of quarterly dividends and $382 million of share repurchases, with 10.5 million shares bought at a weighted average price of $36.25. Source
  • Affordability and rate volatility weigh: Management said affordability pressures and interest rate volatility continue to shape housing activity. Source

“Affordability pressures and interest rate volatility continue to shape housing activity.”

Rohit Gupta, President and CEO of Enact

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Share repurchases SourceNot specifiedup to $500 million of common stockNew
Quarterly dividend per share SourcePayable March 19, 2026 (record date February 26, 2026)$0.21 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Board approved a new $500 million share repurchase program. Source

Fourth quarter results and growth

  • Adjusted operating income rose to $179 million: Adjusted operating income was $179 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, up from $166 million, or $1.12 per diluted share, in the prior quarter. GAAP net income was $177 million, or $1.22 per diluted share. Source
  • Full-year diluted EPS reached $4.52: Full-year 2025 diluted net income per share was $4.52, compared with $4.37 for 2024. The table shows fourth quarter diluted net income per share of $1.22. Source
  • New insurance written up 8% year-over-year: New insurance written was $14 billion, up 2% from the prior quarter and up 8% from the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Primary insurance in-force reached $273 billion: Primary insurance in-force was $273 billion, up from $272 billion in the third quarter and up about 2% from $269 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Return on equity of 13.3%: Annualized return on equity was 13.3% and annualized adjusted operating return on equity was 13.5% for the quarter. Source

Premiums, persistency and loan mix

  • Net premiums earned held flat: Net premiums earned were $246 million, approximately flat from the third quarter of 2025 and the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Persistency fell to 80%: Persistency was 80%, down from 83% in the third quarter of 2025 and from 82% in the fourth quarter of 2024. Management described it as remaining elevated. Source
  • 22% of loans carry higher rates: About 22% of portfolio mortgages had rates at least 50 basis points above December 2025’s average mortgage rate of 6.2%. Source
  • Monthly premium and purchase mix: Current quarter new insurance written was 96% monthly premium policies and 81% purchase originations. Source

“The role of private mortgage insurance remains critical, and we continue to approach this environment from a position of strength.”

Rohit Gupta, President and CEO of Enact

Losses and reserve release

  • Loss ratio fell to 7%: Losses incurred were $18 million, a 7% loss ratio, compared with $36 million and 15% in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net reserve release of $60 million: The fourth quarter net reserve release was $60 million, compared with $45 million in the third quarter and $56 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Claim rate expectation lowered to 8%: Management lowered its claim rate expectations from 9% to 8%, on both new and recent delinquencies, citing sustained favorable cure performance. Source

Expenses, investment income and margins

  • Expense ratio rose to 24%: Operating expenses were $59 million with a 24% expense ratio, compared with $53 million and 22% in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Incentive pay drove expense increase: Management attributed the sequential increase in operating expenses to incentive-based compensation. Source
  • Investment income flat at $69 million: Net investment income was $69 million, flat sequentially and up from $63 million a year earlier, attributed to elevated interest rates and higher average invested assets. Source
  • Investment losses of $3 million: Net investment losses were $3 million, similar to the prior quarter. Management said the activity reflects selling assets that allow recoupment of losses through higher net investment income. Source

“Our strategy, solid capital position, and operating discipline have enabled us to support our customers, grow our business, and deliver sustainable value for our shareholders.”

Rohit Gupta, President and CEO of Enact

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Returned $503 million in 2025: Capital returned in 2025 comprised $121 million of quarterly dividends and $382 million of share repurchases, with 10.5 million shares bought at a weighted average price of $36.25. Source
  • Fourth quarter buybacks of $127 million: The company repurchased about 3.4 million shares at an average price of $37.66, for about $127 million in the quarter. Source
  • Buybacks continued into January 2026: Through January 30, 2026, the company repurchased 0.8 million shares for $31 million, leaving about $30 million of the $350 million authorization. Source
  • Cash and invested assets down $23 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $257 million and invested assets $370 million at year-end. The combined balance fell $23 million, mainly from capital return and a semi-annual interest payment, partly offset by the EMICO dividend. Source

Capital adequacy, reinsurance and ratings

  • PMIERs sufficiency held at 162%: PMIERs sufficiency was 162%, about $1.9 billion above requirements, unchanged from the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • EMICO paid $150 million dividend: EMICO completed a dividend of about $150 million in the fourth quarter, which management said will primarily support capital returns and financial flexibility. Source
  • Excess of loss reinsurance for 2027: The company announced an excess of loss reinsurance agreement with reinsurers providing about $170 million of coverage on part of expected 2027 book-year new insurance written. Source
  • Book value per share rose to $37.66: Book value per share was $37.66, and $37.87 excluding AOCI, compared with $36.53 at the end of the third quarter. Source

Market conditions and management view

  • Affordability and rate volatility weigh: Management said affordability pressures and interest rate volatility continue to shape housing activity. Source
  • Management frames private mortgage insurance: Management said private mortgage insurance remains critical and that the company approaches the environment from a position of strength. Source
  • Strategy and discipline cited: Management credited its strategy, capital position and operating discipline with supporting customers, growing the business and delivering value to shareholders. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Book value per share Source$37.66
Investment income Source$69 million in the fourth quarter
Prior-year reserve development Sourcenet reserve release of $60 million

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management named affordability pressures and interest rate volatility as factors shaping housing activity. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The third-quarter release anticipated about $500 million of 2025 capital return; this release reports more than that amount returned in 2025. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.