Verisk Analysts, Lackluster Initiations (VRSK)

Verisk Analytics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSK) is seeing some very cautious or at least unexciting analyst initiations now that its quiet period has ended.  This post-IPO has at least held its value, which is more than many other post-IPOs can claim.  The risk management suite of actuarial data came public in early-October in a $1.9 billion IPO after it sold 85.25 million shares at $22.00 per share.

It turns out that many felt it was a fully priced deal.  Yet the stock popped above the pricing and has never gone back close to it.  Since the deal opened, it has traded in a trading range of $26.10 to $30.00.  The problem is that today’s slate of analyst initiations has failed to give investors any solid endorsement nor any solid hope of a real growth of shares.

BofA Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley were the lead underwriters.  J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo Securities were senior co-managers, and William Blair, Fox-Pitt Kelton, and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods were all acting co-managers.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch started it as “Neutral”
Wells Fargo started coverage as “Market Perform”
KBW has started the rating as Market Perform
Fox-Pitt Kelton started the rating as “In-Line”

The good news is that today’s share price is only down 0.4% at $28.77.  But that is also on a day where the broad market is up about 1.5% and when most shares are higher.

JON C. OGG