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Verisk Analytics, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 18 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 10 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 5.9% in quarter: Fourth-quarter revenue was $779 million, up 5.9% reported and 5.2% on an OCC basis. Full-year revenue was $3,073 million, up 6.6%, with OCC growth also 6.6%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.8% in quarter: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA was $437 million, up 9.8%, or 6.2% on an OCC basis. Full-year adjusted EBITDA was $1,727 million, up 9.6%, or 8.5% on an OCC basis. Source
  • Underwriting drove quarterly growth: Underwriting revenue was $556 million in the fourth quarter, up 8.7% reported and 7.2% on an OCC basis. Life and specialty business solutions also contributed. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin widened: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was 56.1%, against 54.1% a year earlier. Full-year margin was 56.2%, against 54.7%. Management credited operating leverage and cost discipline. Source
  • Quarterly free cash flow up 38%: Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $343 million, up 34.4%. Free cash flow was $276 million, up 38.0%, reflecting higher operating profit, timing of cash payments and interest income. Source
  • First full-year 2026 guidance issued: Management gave full-year 2026 ranges for total revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin and diluted adjusted EPS, with the tax rate range shown alongside. Source
  • Generative and agentic AI deployed: Management said generative and agentic AI solutions have been deployed and are used by clients, and that Verisk believes it is positioned to create value with them. Source

“Verisk delivered a solid fourth quarter result, capping off another year of growth in line with our long-term financial targets.”

Lee Shavel, President and CEO, Verisk

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceFull year 2026$3,190 million to $3,240 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$1,790 million to $1,830 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull year 202656.0% to 56.5%New
Diluted adjusted EPS SourceFull year 2026$7.45 to $7.75New
Tax rate SourceFull year 202623.0% to 26.0%New
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$260 million to $280 millionNew
Fixed asset depreciation and amortization SourceFull year 2026$270 million to $290 millionNew
Intangible amortization SourceFull year 2026$60 millionNew
Interest expense SourceFull year 2026$190 million to $200 millionNew
Dividend per share SourceFull year 2026$2.00New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First full-year guidance for 2026 issued. The prior release gave guidance for 2025 only. Source
  • Ended: Verisk delivered a notice in December 2025 terminating the agreement to acquire AccuLynx, which the prior release had described as pending. Source
  • Ended: Verisk Marketing Solutions, part of the underwriting subsegment, was sold in the fourth quarter. Source
  • New: Board increased the share repurchase authorization to $2.5 billion in total. Source
  • New: Management expects to implement a $1.5 billion accelerated share repurchase program in the near term. Source
  • New: Quarterly cash dividend raised to 50 cents per share from 45 cents, an 11% increase. Source

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Revenue rose 5.9% in quarter: Fourth-quarter revenue was $779 million, up 5.9% reported and 5.2% on an OCC basis. Full-year revenue was $3,073 million, up 6.6%, with OCC growth also 6.6%. Source
  • Net income fell on prior-year gains: Fourth-quarter net income was $197 million, down 6.2%, against gains recognized in the prior year. Full-year net income was $908 million, down 5.1%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.8% in quarter: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA was $437 million, up 9.8%, or 6.2% on an OCC basis. Full-year adjusted EBITDA was $1,727 million, up 9.6%, or 8.5% on an OCC basis. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up, GAAP EPS down: Fourth-quarter diluted adjusted EPS was $1.82, up 13.0%. Diluted GAAP EPS was $1.42, down 1.4%. Full-year diluted adjusted EPS was $7.16, up 7.8%. Source

Underwriting and claims segments

  • Underwriting drove quarterly growth: Underwriting revenue was $556 million in the fourth quarter, up 8.7% reported and 7.2% on an OCC basis. Life and specialty business solutions also contributed. Source
  • Full-year underwriting growth of 7.7%: Full-year underwriting revenue increased 7.7% reported, and 7.0% on an OCC basis. Source
  • Claims revenue flat in quarter: Claims revenue was $223 million in the fourth quarter, down 0.7% reported and up 0.5% on an OCC basis. Lower property estimating revenue was offset by anti-fraud growth. Source
  • Claims grew 4.1% for full year: Full-year claims revenue increased 4.1% reported and 5.7% on an OCC basis, led by anti-fraud, property estimating and casualty solutions. Source

“We continue to have confidence in our ability to deliver results in line with our long-term growth targets for 2026 and beyond.”

Lee Shavel, President and CEO, Verisk

Margins and operating costs

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin widened: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was 56.1%, against 54.1% a year earlier. Full-year margin was 56.2%, against 54.7%. Management credited operating leverage and cost discipline. Source
  • Selling and administrative costs rose: Selling, general and administrative expense was $132.2 million in the fourth quarter, against $100.3 million a year earlier. Full-year expense was $458.2 million, against $408.7 million. Source
  • Tax rate lower in quarter: Effective tax rate was 19.5% in the fourth quarter, against 26.0% a year earlier. The full-year rate was 22.5%, against 22.6%. Source
  • Asset sale losses recorded: Loss on sale of assets, net was $18.4 million in the fourth quarter, against $12.1 million a year earlier. The full-year figure was also $18.4 million. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Quarterly free cash flow up 38%: Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $343 million, up 34.4%. Free cash flow was $276 million, up 38.0%, reflecting higher operating profit, timing of cash payments and interest income. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow up 29.5%: Full-year operating cash flow was $1,436 million, up 25.5%. Free cash flow was $1,192 million, up 29.5%, with lower cash tax payments cited as a driver. Source
  • Repurchases of $224 million in quarter: In the fourth quarter the company repurchased $223.8 million of stock, receiving 1,022,624 shares. $967.5 million remained under the prior authorization at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Senior notes repaid in January: On January 6, 2026, $1,500.0 million of 2030 and 2036 Senior Notes were repaid under the special mandatory redemption tied to the AccuLynx termination. Year-end short-term debt was $1,508.9 million. Source
  • Year-end cash balance rose: Cash and cash equivalents were $2,178.2 million at December 31, 2025, against $291.2 million a year earlier. Source

2026 full-year guidance

  • First full-year 2026 guidance issued: Management gave full-year 2026 ranges for total revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin and diluted adjusted EPS, with the tax rate range shown alongside. Source
  • Capital and amortization ranges given: Capital expenditures, fixed asset depreciation and amortization, and intangible amortization were guided for 2026, with interest expense shown in the same table. Source
  • Dividend per share guided at $2.00: The 2026 dividend per share was given at $2.00 in the guidance table, with the same figure in both the low and high columns. Source

Portfolio actions and AI strategy

  • Marketing Solutions unit sold: Verisk Marketing Solutions, part of the underwriting subsegment, was sold in the fourth quarter. It contributed $68.0 million to consolidated revenue in 2025. Source
  • AccuLynx deal terminated after FTC review: Verisk delivered a termination notice in December 2025. The notice followed the FTC's notification that its review was not complete by the agreement's termination date. Source
  • Generative and agentic AI deployed: Management said generative and agentic AI solutions have been deployed and are used by clients, and that Verisk believes it is positioned to create value with them. Source

Coming up, as management said on 18 February 2026

  • Dividend payable March 31, 2026: The 50-cent dividend is payable March 31, 2026 to holders of record as of March 13, 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited low weather activity in 2025 as a temporary factor that reduced growth. Source
  • Financial: Higher net interest and depreciation expense partly offset the full-year diluted adjusted EPS gain from a lower share count. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said 2025 closed in line with its long-term growth targets. The October 2025 release had described 2025 as on track for the same targets. 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.