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BROBrown & Brown, Inc.Hold5.4·$68.30
BRO · Why this verdict

Why Brown & Brown (BRO) is rated HOLD

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results. How we score · Editorial policy

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictHOLD
Overall score5.4/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroRISK_OFF
TrendMatrix Research · core thesis

Engine thesis — one sentence

Brown & Brown has delivered four consecutive earnings beats on the back of strong margins and exceptional free cash flow conversion, but the shares are trading in a confirmed downtrend below the 200-day moving average—making the quality story intact but the near-term entry timing challenged.

Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.

Thesis pillars

The company has delivered four consecutive quarterly earnings beats with an average positive surprise of approximately 5.8%, indicating a sustained pattern of consistently under-promising and over-delivering on results.

↓Deteriorating
Earnings
Expectation
Continued positive EPS surprises and upward analyst estimate revisions over the next 12 months.

CounterA prolonged beat streak can reflect a low consensus bar rather than genuine earnings momentum; as estimates adjust higher, the surprise buffer narrows and a single miss could reset investor sentiment sharply.

Free cash flow equals roughly 133% of net income, signaling that reported earnings materially understate the cash the business actually generates—a hallmark of high earnings quality supported by an 18% operating margin and a strong financial health scorecard.

↓Deteriorating
Quality breakdown
Expectation
Free cash flow conversion remains above 100% of net income for the next four fiscal quarters.

CounterIf working capital dynamics shift or capital requirements increase, the premium cash conversion could compress toward or below net income, eroding the quality signal embedded in the current assessment.

Revenue is growing at 36% year-over-year, placing this company among the leading growers in its industry peer group and supporting continued multiple resilience as long as that trajectory holds.

↓Deteriorating
Growth breakdown
Expectation
Revenue growth remains above 20% year-over-year for at least two consecutive quarters over the next 12 months.

CounterA portion of the growth may be acquisition-driven rather than organic; if deal activity slows, organic growth could revert toward industry-average levels, removing the premium growth justification.

The share price is trading below its 200-day moving average with that trend line declining at approximately 7.2% over the past 30 days, confirming a near-term technical headwind that complicates fresh entry timing regardless of the quality of the underlying business.

↓Deteriorating
Momentum breakdown
Expectation
The share price reclaims and holds above the 200-day moving average for more than 20 consecutive trading days, signaling the downtrend has reversed.

CounterStrong fundamental momentum—four straight earnings beats, rising estimates, and high cash conversion—can reassert itself quickly if a catalyst triggers sector rotation back into financials, potentially leaving technical confirmation chasers behind.

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

7.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E6.2
P/S8.1
EV/EBITDA4.5
Fwd P/E8.4
PEG10.0
Analyst target4.0
  • ▸Forward P/E: 13.7x
  • ▸PEG: 0.27

Quality

6.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE3.3
ROA2.6
Gross margin6.0
Op margin9.6
Net margin8.9
Current ratio4.4
FCF quality7.0
Moat5.8
Piotroski F7.8
  • ▸Strong margins: 18%
  • ▸Strong Piotroski F-Score: 7/9

Growth

3.4/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth4.9
EPS growth1.8

Momentum

4.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI5.0
MACD8.8
OBV1.0
MA position8.0
Volume0.0
  • ▸Volume distribution (falling OBV)
  • ▸Above 200-MA but MA slope flat

Sentiment

5.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment4.5
Analyst rating5.0
Price target6.3

Insider

5.9/10data confidence 75%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.8
notable moves7.0
  • ▸No net insider activity — $0 (0.000% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

5.5/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank6.8
quality rank5.2
growth rank4.7

Technical

4.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger4.0
support resistance4.2
52w position4.3
gap5.0

Risk (lower is worse)

6.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest6.7
days to cover3.7
volatility3.8
put call5.8
implied vol5.7
beta9.4
debt equity7.1
news risk6.0

Catalyst

5.9/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history5.6
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg3.0
dividend safety8.5
news activity8.0
  • ▸Dividend aristocrat: 1.0% yield

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Maintain position. Not compelling to add more.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_HOLD
Passed (5)
  • MOMENTUM:4.6>=4.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:88d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
  • ASYMMETRY:-0.2=NEGATIVE
Warning (2)
  • MOMENTUM:4.6<5.5 (soft — BUY_NOW allowed but watch)
  • 8K_CSUITE_CHANGE:5.02 (officer departure/appointment)
Reward-to-Risk
-0.17
Upside
-2.2%
Downside
13.2%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupBreakout — Golden cross, above all MAs, RSI 61, MACD bullish

EdgeNo clear edge — No clear edge identified

SuitabilityModerate — Balanced profile

Investment implication

None of the engine's positive-conviction paths (C-quality, D-momentum) triggered — the F-path HOLD reflects balanced signals. Strongest-cleared gate: MOMENTUM:4.6>=4.5. Top dim: Value at 7.0; weakest: Growth at 3.4. No conviction either direction.

The strongest dimensions are Value at 7.0, Quality at 6.2, and Risk (lower is worse) at 6.0; the weakest are Growth at 3.4, Technical at 4.4, and Momentum at 4.6. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate with 2 warnings, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of -0.17 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

What would invalidate the thesis

Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.

  • P1Consistent Earnings Beat Streak

    Trip ifEPS surprise falls below 0% for 2 consecutive quarters.

  • P2Superior Free Cash Flow Conversion

    Trip ifFree cash flow as a percentage of net income compresses below 80% for 2 consecutive quarters.

  • P3Industry Leading Revenue Growth

    Trip ifRevenue growth falls below 15% year-over-year for 2 consecutive quarters.

  • P4Price Below 200ma Confirmed Downtrend

    Trip ifShare price closes above the 200-day moving average and holds there for more than 20 consecutive trading days.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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