Mercury General Corporation logo

Mercury General Corporation(MCY)

Top Performer Top performer
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ADVISORIES YOU CAN VERIFY
QUALITY SIGNAL
4-STAR RATING
PASS
LAST CLOSE
$98.29
09/24/2026
(24-hour delay)

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*as per simulation (see disclosures)
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Upturn Advisory & Investor View for MCY

09/24/2026: MCY (4-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

Mercury General Corporation is a established provider of personal automobile and homeowners insurance, primarily operating through an independent agency network. The company is known for its conservative underwriting discipline and long-term stability in the competitive insurance sector. Its primary growth story involves balancing necessary premium increases with efforts to improve operational efficiency through digital upgrades. Key risks include significant geographic concentration in California, regulatory pressures, and competition from national carriers with greater scale. The stock is best suited for income-oriented investors who value a history of consistent dividends, though potential investors should monitor regulatory rate filings and catastrophic loss trends.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorWeak fitMercury is a mature insurance company focused on underwriting stability rather than high-growth scaling.
Momentum investorMixed fitMomentum is limited by the cyclical nature of insurance earnings and sensitivity to regulatory rate outcomes.
Value investorStrong fitThe stock often trades based on book value and consistent dividend history, appealing to valuation-conscious investors.
Dividend investorStrong fitA history of reliable dividend payments makes this an attractive option for income-focused portfolios.
Low-risk investorMixed fitWhile established, the company's concentration risk in California and insurance cycle volatility create moderate risk.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityMediumStock price moves in tandem with insurance industry cycles and interest rate changes.
Valuation riskLowAs a mature insurer, valuations are generally tied to book value, limiting extreme overvaluation.
Competition risk (national carriers)HighLarge national insurers have superior scale to subsidize aggressive pricing and digital marketing.
Business qualityMediumThe business relies on successful underwriting and conservative investment of float.
Dividend incomeLow / noneThe company has a strong record of maintaining dividends for shareholders.
Execution riskMediumSuccess depends on accurately pricing risk and navigating state-level regulatory rate approvals.

Price Behavior

Rolling Over
PRICE PATH

Rolling Over

The price momentum is slowing down and beginning to turn downward.

Smooth
PRICE STABILITY

Smooth

The stock has moved along a generally orderly path with only modest fluctuations.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit 177.95%
Avg. Invested days 75
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 5.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 5.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 09/24/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
MCY receives a 4-star rating, supported by solid unit economics, solid company fundamentals, solid quantitative characteristics, and solid analyst coverage. The rating is constrained by weak price momentum.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
MCY has solid overall fundamentals (4 stars), with moderate financial health, moderate growth momentum, and strong ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, solid earnings growth (+15.6%) and strong cash generation (FCF margin 17.2%) are partially offset by moderate revenue growth (+9.4%), soft profitability (net margin 9.0%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
MCY's financial health is supported by strong cash strength, including free-cash-flow generation of $1.0B (17.2% of revenue). Profitability is moderate (3 stars), which helps explain the 3-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Earnings growth is MCY's strongest growth driver at +15.6% FY2025 versus FY2024 (solid, 4 stars). Revenue growth (+9.4%, moderate) and free-cash-flow growth (+3.8%, moderate) are also constructive, though not equally high across every growth measure.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 48.1% and approximately 83.3% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable, supporting liquidity and institutional participation. Insider ownership of 52.03% supports management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

BlackRock Inc 7.79%
Dimensional Fund Advisors, Inc. 3.91%
Rubric Capital Management LP 3.89%
Vanguard Portfolio Management, LLC 3.10%
Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 2.21%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
MCY generates approximately $339 of gross profit, $111 of operating income, and $172 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Strong margins, cash conversion, and capital efficiency support the rating.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 18.47%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
MCY has a high-quality, liquid profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

Value-OrientedQuality TiltSmall / Mid Cap RiskHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Mid-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 5.42B USD
Price to earnings Ratio 5.79
1Y Target Price 120
Price to earnings Ratio 5.79
1Y Target Price 120
Volume (30-day avg) 280.0K shares
Beta 0.92
52 Weeks Range 73.30 - 112.70
Updated Date 09/24/2026
52 Weeks Range 73.30 - 112.70
Updated Date 09/24/2026
Dividends yield (FY) 1.30%
Basic EPS (TTM) 16.99

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Underwriting OperationsPremiums collected from personal auto and homeowners policies minus claim payments and operating expenses.This is the core business of collecting premiums and managing insurance risk.
Investment PortfolioIncome generated from the investment of insurance float in bonds and other fixed-income assets.The company earns money by investing the cash held between the time premiums are paid and claims are settled.
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Valuation

Trailing PE 5.79
Forward PE 19.76
Enterprise Value 4.69B
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.86
Enterprise Value 4.69B
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.86
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.74
Enterprise Value to EBITDA -
Shares Outstanding 55.39M
Shares Floating 46.12M
Shares Outstanding 55.39M
Shares Floating 46.12M
Percent Insiders 52.03
Percent Institutions 48.07

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Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

About Mercury General Corporation

Exchange NYSE
Headquarters Los Angeles, CA, United States
IPO Launch date 1990-03-26
CEO & Chairman of the Board Mr. Gabriel Tirador
Sector Financial Services
Industry Insurance - Property & Casualty
Full time employees 4380
Full time employees 4380

Mercury General Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in writing personal automobile insurance in the United States. It also writes homeowners, commercial automobile, commercial property, mechanical protection, and umbrella insurance products. The company's automobile insurance products include collision, property damage, bodily injury, comprehensive, personal injury protection, underinsured and uninsured motorist, and other hazards; and homeowners insurance products comprise dwelling, liability, personal property, and other coverages. It sells its policies through a network of independent agents and insurance agencies, as well as directly through internet sales portals in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. Mercury General Corporation was incorporated in 1961 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.