HMN Q2 Deep Dive: Margin Recovery and Strategic Growth Initiatives Drive Outperformance

Educator-focused insurance company Horace Mann Educators (NYSE:HMN) missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q2 CY2025, but sales rose 6.1% year on year to $411.7 million. Its non-GAAP profit of $1.06 per share was 78.2% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

Is now the time to buy HMN? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

StockStory’s Take

Horace Mann Educators delivered a second quarter that exceeded market expectations for profitability, with non-GAAP earnings per share significantly above analyst forecasts despite missing on revenue. Management attributed this performance to improved underwriting in property and casualty insurance, lower catastrophe losses compared to prior years, and strong investment returns. CEO Marita Zuraitis noted that, “all businesses are at or near profitability targets,” highlighting actions to reduce property volatility and increased productivity across distribution channels. The market responded positively, reflecting confidence in the company’s operational improvements and risk management.

Looking ahead, Horace Mann’s strategy centers on scaling its educator-focused business through targeted investments in technology, brand partnerships, and agent productivity. Management believes continued growth will come from expanding points of distribution, leveraging the Catalyst technology platform, and deepening educational partnerships such as the recent collaboration with Crayola. CFO Ryan Greenier emphasized caution regarding catastrophe losses, maintaining guidance based on historical averages due to weather unpredictability. Zuraitis stated, “We have the products, distribution and infrastructure in place to deliver on our vision to be the leading financial services provider for educators in the years to come.”

Key Insights from Management’s Remarks

Management credited the quarter’s improved margins and earnings to underwriting actions, favorable claims experience, and gains from strategic investments in technology and partnerships.

• Underwriting and claims discipline: The company saw lower catastrophe losses and improved claims severity, especially in property and auto, due to changes like higher deductibles and enhanced water claim management. These underwriting actions helped the property and casualty segment achieve a combined ratio improvement of nearly 15 points year-over-year.
• Investment income tailwinds: Strong returns from limited partnership and commercial mortgage loan investments boosted profitability in the Life and Retirement segment. New money yields in the fixed portfolio continued to exceed book yields for the fourteenth consecutive quarter, signaling ongoing reinvestment opportunities in a favorable rate environment.
• Supplemental segment growth: Individual Supplemental insurance sales grew 43% year-over-year, attributed to increased agent productivity and broader salesforce reach. The segment’s performance is expected to drive higher return on equity over time.
• Distribution and digital expansion: The company expanded its points of distribution through both traditional agency and digital channels, supported by Catalyst, a proprietary lead management system that enhances agent effectiveness and conversion rates.
• Educator-focused partnerships: New collaborations with organizations such as Crayola and Lakeshore Learning are increasing brand awareness and engagement among educators. These initiatives, including sponsorships and classroom makeovers, have driven a 75% increase in website traffic and strengthened lead generation.

Drivers of Future Performance

Management’s outlook for the remainder of the year emphasizes disciplined catastrophe planning, continued investment in growth channels, and sustained profitability across all segments.

• Catastrophe loss management: The company continues to base its catastrophe loss guidance on a five-year historical average, reflecting the unpredictability of weather events. CFO Ryan Greenier reiterated that, despite favorable results year-to-date, it is prudent to maintain this approach given the volatility of hurricane season in the second half of the year.
• Salesforce and agent productivity: Management plans to scale the business by growing its exclusive agency force and supporting them with tools like Catalyst, aiming to further improve agent retention and new business conversion. CEO Marita Zuraitis highlighted that increased lead generation and higher agent Net Promoter Scores are expected to support stable or growing policy counts in coming quarters.
• Supplemental and group benefits expansion: The Individual Supplemental segment is expected to sustain its growth trajectory, while Group Benefits, though smaller, is anticipated to deliver improved sales in the second half due to a strong pipeline and long sales cycle visibility.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In upcoming quarters, the StockStory team will be watching (1) whether policy retention and auto policy counts stabilize and shift to growth as anticipated, (2) the pace and impact of new educator-focused partnerships and digital initiatives on lead generation and sales, and (3) the performance of the supplemental and group benefits segments, particularly as the business targets higher returns and more diversified earnings streams. Progress on catastrophe risk management and investment income trends will also be closely tracked as indicators of sustainable margin improvement.

Horace Mann Educators currently trades at $44.24, up from $42.29 just before the earnings. Is there an opportunity in the stock?Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

Now Could Be The Perfect Time To Invest In These Stocks

When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2025, markets tanked as investors feared a full-blown trade war. But those who panicked and sold missed the subsequent rebound that’s already erased most losses.

Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.