Is VRSK a Buy? What to Consider in 2026

Last updated July 2026

Short answer

The bull case for Verisk Analytics traces back to 1971 as the Insurance Services Office (VRSK) rests on Recurring, subscription-heavy revenue: About 83% of Verisk's revenue is recurring and client retention exceeds 95%, which gives the model unusual visibility and resilience through insurance cycles. Revenue (TTM) is ~$3.1B. If you believe that thesis holds, the real questions become position sizing and overlap, not timing. The main risk to that view: The most cited risk is valuation versus growth: the stock trades at a premium multiple while organic growth sits in the mid-single digits, so any deceleration can pressure the multiple. Whether VRSK is a buy comes down to whether you believe the thesis. This is informational, not a recommendation, and Walnut is not an investment adviser.

Verisk Analytics traces back to 1971 as the Insurance Services Office (ISO), a non-profit ratings and data cooperative for property and casualty insurers, and it has since become a for-profit data-and-analytics company that sells almost exclusively into insurance. It operates through two main lines, Underwriting solutions (the larger piece, around $552 million in Q1 2026) and Claims solutions (around $231 million), providing risk-scoring data, policy-language standards, catastrophe and property analytics, fraud detection, and claims-estimating tools. Roughly 83% of revenue is recurring subscription-style, client retention runs above 95%, and the company generates over $3.1 billion in annual revenue at very high margins. The investment picture is one of quality and predictability rather than explosive growth. Verisk targets 6 to 8 percent annual revenue growth with steady margin expansion and returns capital through dividends and large buybacks (it launched a $1.5 billion accelerated repurchase in 2026 and raised its dividend about 11 percent). The debate centers on whether mid-single-digit organic growth (around 4.7% organic constant-currency in Q1 2026) justifies a premium multiple, and whether AI both threatens and augments its proprietary-data moat. Bulls see an entrenched insurance-data utility with pricing power; skeptics point to decelerating growth and a valuation that leaves little room for disappointment.

What's the case for buying VRSK?

1. Recurring, subscription-heavy revenue

About 83% of Verisk's revenue is recurring and client retention exceeds 95%, which gives the model unusual visibility and resilience through insurance cycles. Subscription revenue grew roughly 7% in Q1 2026, faster than the transactional book. This recurring base is the core of the bull thesis.

2. Entrenched position in insurance data

Verisk owns proprietary datasets, policy-language standards, and catastrophe and claims tools that insurers embed deeply into their workflows. Switching costs are high because the data feeds underwriting and pricing decisions across the P&C industry. That embeddedness supports steady price increases and high margins.

3. Margin expansion and capital returns

Management targets ongoing adjusted EBITDA margin expansion (about 60 basis points in Q1 2026) alongside 6 to 8 percent revenue growth. Verisk returns significant cash through a growing dividend (raised about 11% to roughly $2.00 annualized) and a $1.5 billion accelerated share repurchase. Buybacks and margin gains support per-share earnings growth above headline revenue growth.

4. AI and new-data monetization

Verisk is layering AI and machine learning onto its proprietary data to expand into new analytics use cases across underwriting and claims. Success here could re-accelerate organic growth and deepen the moat. It is also a two-sided factor, since AI could eventually let insurers build alternatives in-house.

What are the risks to VRSK?

The most cited risk is valuation versus growth: the stock trades at a premium multiple while organic growth sits in the mid-single digits, so any deceleration can pressure the multiple. Verisk's near-total concentration in insurance means an industry downturn, consolidation among carriers, or pricing pushback would hit it broadly. Free cash flow softened in Q1 2026 (down roughly 17% year over year), a metric worth watching. Competition from Fair Isaac, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, CoreLogic, and Moody's RMS in catastrophe modeling could erode share in specific niches. Finally, AI is a double-edged sword that could either widen or, over time, commoditize parts of its data moat.

How is VRSK valued? (as of July 2026)

Price

$193.17

Market cap

$25.31B

P/E (TTM)

29.45

Forward P/E

22.28

Beta

0.69

52-week range

$155.94 to $300.94

Snapshot for VRSK as of July 2026, sourced from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. Valuation figures move with price and earnings; verify the current numbers with your broker before deciding.

Revenue (TTM): ~$3.1B
2026 revenue guidance: ~$3.19B to $3.24B
2026 adjusted EPS guidance: ~$7.45 to $7.75
Market cap: ~$25B
Trailing P/E: ~28x
Forward P/E: ~24x

Verisk reported Q1 2026 revenue of about $783 million (up roughly 4%) with diluted adjusted EPS of about $1.82, and reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance. The stock traded near $185 in early July 2026 with a market cap around $25 billion, an EV/EBITDA near 19, and a dividend around $2.00 per share. The premium multiple reflects the recurring-revenue quality, while the modest top-line growth is why some observers flag valuation risk.

How do you decide if VRSK is a buy?

Rather than asking whether VRSK is a buy in the abstract, it tends to help to answer four questions:

Thesis: do you believe the case above, and is it still true today?
Time horizon: a single stock can be volatile, so a longer horizon absorbs more of the swings.
Position sizing: a thesis can be right and the sizing still wrong; decide how much of your portfolio one name should be.
Overlap: check whether you already hold VRSK indirectly through an index or sector ETF before adding more.

For the full picture, see the VRSK stock guide (what the company does, the ETFs that hold it, similar stocks, and the themes it fits). In Walnut you can ask its AI about VRSK against your real portfolio and see your actual exposure before deciding.

The bottom line on VRSK

The bottom line: Verisk Analytics traces back to 1971 as the Insurance Services Office's story right now is Recurring, subscription-heavy revenue, with revenue (ttm) at ~$3.1B. If you believe that narrative continues, the call is about sizing VRSK sensibly and checking overlap with what you own; if you doubt it (the risk: the most cited risk is valuation versus growth: the stock trades at a premium multiple while organic growth sits in the mid-single digits, so any deceleration can pressure the multiple.), it is not for you. Decide from the thesis, not the ticker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

Build a basket around VRSK with Walnut

Use Verisk Analytics traces back to 1971 as the Insurance Services Office as one constituent in a thematic basket Walnut's AI helps you assemble. Describe a thesis you believe in, the AI proposes the holdings and weights, and you approve before any broker order.

Create a free Walnut account

FAQ

Is VRSK a good stock to buy right now?

The case for Verisk Analytics traces back to 1971 as the Insurance Services Office right now is Recurring, subscription-heavy revenue, with revenue (ttm) at ~$3.1B. If you believe that thesis holds, VRSK is a way to own it and the real questions are sizing and overlap, not timing; the main risk to that view is the most cited risk is valuation versus growth: the stock trades at a premium multiple while organic growth sits in the mid-single digits, so any deceleration can pressure the multiple. So it comes down to whether you believe the thesis. Walnut is not an investment adviser and this is not a recommendation.

What does Verisk Analytics traces back to 1971 as the Insurance Services Office do?

Verisk Analytics traces back to 1971 as the Insurance Services Office (ISO), a non-profit ratings and data cooperative for property and casualty insurers, and it has since become a

What are the main risks of VRSK?

What does Verisk Analytics do?

Verisk sells data, analytics, and software to the insurance industry, mainly property and casualty insurers. Its two core segments are Underwriting solutions (risk scoring, policy standards, catastrophe and property data) and Claims solutions (fraud detection and claims-estimating tools).

Is VRSK a stable or a high-growth stock?

It is generally viewed as a stable, quality compounder rather than a high-growth name. Verisk targets 6 to 8 percent annual revenue growth with high recurring revenue (about 83%) and margin expansion, and organic growth ran around 4.7% in Q1 2026.

How does Verisk make money?

The bulk of revenue is recurring, subscription-style access to proprietary datasets and analytics that insurers embed into underwriting, pricing, and claims workflows. Client retention exceeds 95%, and subscription revenue grew about 7% in Q1 2026.

What is VRSK's valuation?

In July 2026 the stock traded near $185 with a market cap around $25 billion, a trailing P/E near 28x, and a forward P/E near 24x. That premium reflects its recurring-revenue quality, though it leaves limited room for growth disappointments.

Walnut is informational and is not an investment adviser. This page is educational and not a recommendation to buy or sell VRSK; figures are approximate and dated, and your own situation, time horizon, and risk tolerance should drive any decision. Verify current data before investing.