Selective Beats on Q3 Operating EPS $2.37, Raises Dividend 12% and Authorizes New $200M Buyback
SIGI sits 26% above its 52-week low of $72.78.
Summary
Selective earned $2.37 of operating EPS on a 96.8% combined ratio, raised its dividend 12% to $0.48 a share and authorized a new $200 million buyback, even as net premiums written fell 7%.
Key Events · Earnings and Guidance · SIGI
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Q3 Operating EPS $2.37, Combined Ratio 96.8%
Non-GAAP operating income per diluted share was $2.37 versus $1.75 a year ago, and the GAAP combined ratio improved 1.8 points to 96.8% with no prior-year casualty reserve development.
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Dividend Raised 12% to $0.48
The quarterly common dividend rises to $0.48 per share payable December 1, 2026 to holders of record November 16, 2026 — the thirteenth consecutive annual increase.
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New $200M Buyback Authorized
The board approved a new $200 million repurchase authorization, which sits alongside $53 million remaining on the prior authorization as of September 30, 2026; $55 million, or 587,229 shares, were repurchased in the quarter at an average of $93.66.
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Premiums Written Down 7%
Net premiums written fell to $1,122.8 million from $1,207.9 million, driven by an 8% decline in Standard Commercial Lines as retention actions and lower new business cut volume; renewal pure price rose 5.6%.
Analysis · SIGI · Finance
Operating EPS of $2.37 came in well above the $1.75 reported a year ago, and the 96.8% combined ratio was 1.8 points better, helped by a lower loss ratio and no prior-year casualty reserve development. The capital return moves are the concrete news: the quarterly dividend rises 12% to $0.48 and the board added a new $200 million repurchase authorization on top of $53 million left on the old one. Offsetting that, net premiums written fell 7% as management deliberately shed underperforming business, so growth is being traded for margin. Guidance was tightened rather than transformed — combined ratio 96.5%-97.5% and after-tax investment income lifted to $490 million from $480 million.
How filings like this one have moved
In the 30 days to Oct 22, 2026, 29.3% of the 1526 measured filings Wiseek scored 7 moved their stock by 5% or more by the next session's close. The median move was -0.41%. These are measured outcomes after filings of this importance, not a forecast for this one.
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At the time of this filing, SIGI was trading at $91.74 on NASDAQ in the Finance sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $5.5B. The 52-week trading range was $72.78 to $100.40. This filing was assessed with positive market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10.