MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) Stock Price & How to Invest

Last updated October 2026

Short answer

You can invest in MGIC Investment Corp (NYSE: MTG) by buying shares or fractional shares at any major broker, through a financials or insurance ETF that holds it, or as one holding in a thematic basket. MGIC is the largest U.S. private mortgage insurer, earning recurring premium income from a large insurance-in-force portfolio, and the investment picture centers on steady underwriting profits, a low valuation, and heavy capital return balanced against its sensitivity to the housing and credit cycle. As of October 16, 2026 the shares closed around $27.75, down about 5% year to date, for a market cap near $5.7 billion and a trailing P/E under 9x.

MTG stock price

As of 2026-10-20, MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) last closed at $28.17, up 3.7% over the past year. Over the past 52 weeks it has traded between $24.86 and $31.47.

MTG last close
$28.17
1 day
+1.62%
1 month
-5.12%
1 year
+3.68%
52-week range
$24.86 to $31.47
Last close
2026-10-20

Prices are daily closing prices from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. For the live quote, check your broker or MGIC Investment Corporation's investor relations page. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.

What does MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) do?

MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) is the holding company for Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation, one of the largest private mortgage insurers in the United States. Private mortgage insurance protects lenders and investors against losses when borrowers with high loan-to-value mortgages (typically less than a 20% down payment) default, which lets more people buy homes with smaller down payments. MGIC earns recurring premium income from its large insurance-in-force portfolio (roughly $303 billion as of early 2026), and policies generally stay in force until borrowers refinance, sell, or build enough equity to cancel coverage. It remained the No. 1 private mortgage insurer by market share heading into 2026.

The investment picture combines high current profitability with cyclical exposure. MGIC produces low-to-mid-teens returns on equity, trades at a low earnings multiple (about 8.7x trailing and 8x forward as of October 2026) and about 1.1x book value, and returns large amounts of capital through share buybacks and a rising dividend, backed by strong capital levels well inside regulatory limits. The counterweight is that its core business is tied to the health of the housing market and employment: in a serious downturn, delinquencies and claims can rise quickly, as the 2008 crisis showed. The stock therefore tends to behave like a well-capitalized but economically sensitive specialty insurer.

The most recent quarter, Q2 2026, delivered net income of about $182 million and EPS of $0.87, well ahead of the ~$0.76 consensus, even though revenue of about $295 million was down roughly 3% year over year as premiums earned kept edging lower. Trailing twelve-month revenue is about $1.2 billion and net income about $708 million. The share price has drifted lower in 2026 (down about 5% year to date, up about 4.5% over one year), and AM Best affirmed the ratings of MGIC's operating subsidiaries in early October. Third-quarter results are scheduled for November 4, 2026, with consensus EPS near $0.82.

What's driving MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG)?

1. Recurring premium from insurance-in-force

MGIC's earnings are driven by premiums on a large, sticky insurance-in-force base that grew about 3% year over year to roughly $303 billion in early 2026. Because policies persist for years, this base provides a relatively predictable revenue stream even when new mortgage origination volume slows.

2. Aggressive capital return

The board authorized a new $750 million share repurchase program running through the end of 2028 and raised the dividend, which now runs at an annual rate of about $0.68 per share (a yield near 2.5% as of October 2026 and a payout ratio under 20%). Steady buybacks shrink the share count and support book value per share, which rose about 10% year over year to roughly $24.

3. Benign credit and strong balance sheet

Q1 2026 showed favorable loss-reserve development (about $31 million) driven by higher-than-expected cure rates on prior delinquency notices. MGIC's risk-to-capital ratio of about 9.6-to-1 is less than half the 25-to-1 statutory maximum, giving it substantial cushion and flexibility for capital return. Q2 2026 net income of about $182 million rose from the first quarter, and EPS beat estimates by about $0.11.

4. Market-share leadership

MGIC held the top position among the six approved private mortgage insurers, an industry with high, stable concentration. New insurance written jumped meaningfully year over year in early 2026, helped by competitive pricing and established lender relationships.

What are the risks to MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG)?

MGIC's core business is highly dependent on the housing market and employment, so its main structural risk is the credit cycle. If unemployment rises or home values fall, delinquencies and insurance claims can increase quickly, pressuring earnings and capital. As mortgage originations and refinancing activity stay subdued, growth in insurance in force and premiums earned can slow, and revenue was down about 3% year over year in Q2 2026 as net premiums earned kept declining. Housing affordability remains a persistent headwind to new business volume. Competition on pricing among the six major insurers, plus regulatory and capital-requirement changes, adds further uncertainty.

What is the MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) forecast?

5 analysts publish price targets on MTG, averaging $31.40 against a $27.85 price as of October 2026, or +12.7%. The published targets run from $29.00 to $35.00, a narrow spread, and the ratings split 1 buy, 4 hold, 1 sell. Over the last six months there have been 3 raises and 1 cut among the published actions. A price target is what an analyst published on a date, not a prediction, and sell-side ratings skew positive across the whole market.

Read the full MTG forecast and price target for the target table, the recent rating actions by firm, and how the consensus has shifted.

Is MTG a buy or a sell?

We give no verdict on MGIC Investment Corporation. Both cases are real, which is why the question is contested at all, so here is the strongest version of each.

The case for buying. Recurring premium from insurance-in-force. MGIC's earnings are driven by premiums on a large, sticky insurance-in-force base that grew about 3% year over year to roughly $303 billion in early 2026. The most optimistic published target, $35.00, assumes this works close to its best case.

The case against. MGIC's core business is highly dependent on the housing market and employment, so its main structural risk is the credit cycle. The most pessimistic target, $29.00, is roughly what MTG is worth if this bites instead.

Read the full bull and bear case on MTG, including what would have to change to break either one. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

Has MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) split its stock?

No. MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) has not split its stock in the last 10 years. That is a statement about the window we check rather than about the company’s entire history, so an older split is possible. It also matters less than it once did: fractional shares mean a high price per share no longer keeps smaller investors out, which removed most of the practical reason to split.

How is MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) valued? (approximate, October 2026)

A simple financial snapshot. These are approximations and refresh quarterly; for current figures see MGIC Investment Corporation's investor relations page or your broker.

  • Revenue (TTM): ~$1.2B
  • Revenue growth (latest quarter, YoY): ~-3%
  • Net income (TTM): ~$708M
  • Q2 2026 net income: ~$182M ($0.87/sh vs ~$0.76 est.)
  • Operating / profit margin: ~81% / ~59%
  • P/E (trailing / forward): ~8.7x / ~8x
  • Dividend yield: ~2.5%
  • Market cap: ~$5.7B

MGIC trades at under 9x trailing earnings and about 1.1x book value, the market's usual discount for cyclical mortgage-insurance earnings, even as margins stay very high. Revenue is shrinking slowly (down about 3% year over year in Q2 2026) while earnings per share keep rising, which is mostly the effect of favorable loss experience and buybacks shrinking the share count. Valuation figures are approximate and move with the stock price; the analyst mean target was about $31.40 in mid-October 2026.

Who competes with MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG)?

Private mortgage insurers

MGIC's direct peers are the other approved private mortgage insurers: Arch Capital's US MI unit, Essent Group (ESNT), NMI Holdings (NMIH), Radian Group (RDN), and Enact Holdings (ACT). These six dominate the market and compete on pricing, underwriting, financial strength, and lender relationships.

Government mortgage insurance

Federal programs such as FHA loans (and VA and USDA guarantees) offer low-down-payment mortgage insurance that competes with private coverage. Shifts in FHA pricing or policy can move borrowers between government-backed and private mortgage insurance.

Broader specialty and title insurers

As a housing-linked specialty insurer, MGIC is often compared with title and mortgage-related insurers like First American (FAF) and Fidelity National Financial (FNF), which are also sensitive to mortgage volume and the real-estate cycle though in different segments.

What stocks are similar to MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG)?

Other names that sit close to MTG: same theme, named as a direct competitor, or held beside it in the same funds. Each entry says which. Worth a look if you are thinking about diversification within a thesis rather than concentration on one ticker.

How to invest in MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG)

There are three common ways to get MTG exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) directly at any major broker. Hold an ETF that includes it, which spreads the position across many companies. Or build it into a focused thematic portfolio, so MTG sits alongside other stocks that express the same thesis.

Walnut takes the portfolio route. Describe a thesis where MTG fits (for example “AI infrastructure” or “dividend-growth large-caps”) and the AI proposes 5 to 6 constituents with target weights. You review the plan and fund it through your own broker when you're ready.

New to this? Start with how to invest in stocks, see how to analyze a stock with AI, or compare the best AI stock analyzers.

The bottom line on MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG)

MGIC is a highly profitable, low-multiple private mortgage insurer generating low-to-mid-teens returns on equity (net margins near 59% in 2026) and returning capital aggressively through buybacks and a growing dividend, while remaining structurally exposed to housing downturns and rising unemployment.

More on MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG)

Whether MTG is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, what would have to go right, and the risks in is MTG a buy or a sell?, and where the stock could go from here in the MTG stock forecast.

For income investors, whether MTG pays a dividend and how the payout looks is covered in does MTG pay a dividend? And to weigh MTG against a peer, read the full side-by-side comparisons: MTG vs ESNT and MTG vs NMIH.

Wondering how MTG fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.

Investing in MGIC Investment Corporation with AI

Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how MTG fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.

FAQ

What does MGIC Investment Corp do?

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MGIC is the holding company for Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation, one of the largest U.S. private mortgage insurers. It insures lenders against losses when borrowers with less than a 20% down payment default, earning recurring premiums on its large insurance-in-force portfolio.

How do I invest in MTG stock?

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MTG trades on the New York Stock Exchange, so you can buy shares or fractional shares through any major broker. You can also gain exposure indirectly through financials or insurance ETFs that hold it, or hold it as one position in a thematic basket.

Does MGIC pay a dividend?

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Yes. MGIC pays a quarterly cash dividend at an annual rate of about $0.68 per share as of October 2026, a yield of roughly 2.5% at recent prices and less than 20% of earnings. The dividend has been raised gradually over the past few years alongside large share buybacks.

Is MGIC profitable?

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Yes. MGIC generated about $708 million of net income over the trailing twelve months through June 2026, including roughly $165 million in Q1 2026 and $182 million in Q2 2026, with a profit margin near 59%. Its earnings come mainly from insurance premiums minus losses and expenses.

How did MGIC do in its latest quarter?

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In Q2 2026 MGIC reported net income of about $182 million, or $0.87 per share, ahead of the ~$0.76 consensus, on revenue of about $295 million, down roughly 3% year over year. Third-quarter results are due November 4, 2026, with consensus EPS near $0.82.

How has MTG stock performed in 2026?

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As of the October 16, 2026 close of about $27.75, MTG was down roughly 5% year to date and up about 4.5% over one year, within a 52-week range of about $24.69 to $31.89. Past performance does not predict future returns, and Walnut is not an investment adviser.

What is MGIC's valuation?

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As of October 2026, MGIC has a market cap around $5.7 billion and trades at roughly 8.7 times trailing and 8 times forward earnings, at about 1.1 times book value. Cyclical mortgage-insurance earnings typically carry a valuation discount.

Who are MGIC's main competitors?

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MGIC competes with the other approved private mortgage insurers: Arch, Essent, NMI Holdings, Radian, and Enact. It also competes with government programs like FHA insurance for low-down-payment borrowers.

What are the biggest risks to MGIC?

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The main risk is the housing and credit cycle. Rising unemployment or falling home prices can quickly increase delinquencies and claims. Slower mortgage origination and refinancing, affordability pressure, and pricing competition among insurers are additional risks.

How does MGIC return capital to shareholders?

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MGIC combines a growing quarterly dividend with substantial share repurchases. In 2026 its board authorized a new $750 million buyback program through the end of 2028, supported by strong capital levels well inside statutory limits.

Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Financial figures on this page are approximations; always verify current numbers with MGIC Investment Corporation's investor relations page or your broker before making investment decisions.