Guidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE) Board of Directors Declares Stock Buyback Plan
by Mitch Edgeman · The Markets DailyGuidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE – Get Free Report) announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Thursday, January 8th, RTT News reports. The company plans to buyback $500.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the technology company to reacquire up to 3.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several research firms have recently weighed in on GWRE. Citizens Jmp reiterated a “market outperform” rating and set a $281.00 price objective on shares of Guidewire Software in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Guidewire Software from $275.00 to $250.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $250.00 price objective on shares of Guidewire Software in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Zacks Research downgraded Guidewire Software from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Guidewire Software in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Guidewire Software presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $269.50.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Guidewire Software
Guidewire Software Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE:GWRE opened at $185.18 on Friday. Guidewire Software has a 1 year low of $165.08 and a 1 year high of $272.60. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $206.92 and its 200 day simple moving average is $222.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 176.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 12.06 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 3.48 and a quick ratio of 3.48.
Guidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, December 3rd. The technology company reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.66. Guidewire Software had a net margin of 7.23% and a return on equity of 10.15%. The company had revenue of $332.64 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $316.62 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.43 EPS. Guidewire Software’s revenue was up 26.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Guidewire Software will post 0.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Guidewire Software News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Guidewire Software this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Board authorizes $500M share repurchase (completes prior program). Management approved a new $500.0 million buyback and completed the prior authorization, which can reduce float and support EPS and the stock price; this is the primary near-term catalyst for investor buying. Guidewire Announces $500.0 Million Share Repurchase Program and Completion of Prior Authorization
- Positive Sentiment: Market commentary frames the buyback as a meaningful bullish signal — analysts and media are debating whether the $500M program changes the bull case, which amplifies investor interest and buying momentum. Does Guidewire’s New US$500 Million Buyback Authorization Change The Bull Case For GWRE?
- Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting why GWRE is trading up ties the buyback, volume and company fundamentals together—helping attract short-term and momentum buyers. Guidewire Software (GWRE) Stock Trades Up, Here Is Why
- Positive Sentiment: Insurtech ecosystem activity: Tempo Labs was named to Guidewire’s Insurtech Vanguards program—incremental validation of the platform strategy and partner momentum. Tempo Labs Inc. Named to Guidewire Insurtech Vanguards Program
- Neutral Sentiment: Unusual options activity: Claims of a large lift in call-option volume (1,297 calls, well above average) suggest speculative bullish positioning by traders but don’t guarantee follow-through. Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Guidewire Software Call Options (NYSE:GWRE)
- Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo lowered its price target from $275 to $250 (still an Overweight rating). The cut is a modest negative signal for longer-term target expectations even though the bank retains a constructive view. Wells Fargo Lowers Guidewire Price Target
Insider Transactions at Guidewire Software
In other news, CEO Michael George Rosenbaum sold 6,015 shares of Guidewire Software stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $192.08, for a total value of $1,155,361.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 240,743 shares in the company, valued at $46,241,915.44. This trade represents a 2.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, President John P. Mullen sold 7,975 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $192.08, for a total transaction of $1,531,838.00. Following the sale, the president owned 141,983 shares in the company, valued at $27,272,094.64. The trade was a 5.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 52,740 shares of company stock worth $10,859,052 over the last 90 days. 0.46% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Guidewire Software Company Profile
Guidewire Software, Inc develops software products and cloud services for property and casualty (P&C) insurance carriers. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company’s offerings are designed to help insurers manage the core functions of their business—policy administration, billing and claims—while supporting digital engagement, analytics and operational modernization.
Guidewire’s core product portfolio is commonly known as the InsuranceSuite, which includes PolicyCenter for policy administration, BillingCenter for billing and receivables, and ClaimCenter for claims management.