W. R. Berkley's underwriting discipline, premium growth and investment income support long-term growth, while international exposure and intense competition remain risks.

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #insurance--AM Best has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to “a” (Excellent) from “a-” (Excellent), all associated Long-Term Issue Ratings (Long-Term IR) and indicative Long-Term IRs for securities issued by W. R. Berkley Corporation (W. R. Berkley) (Greenwich, CT) [NYSE: WRB]. At the same time, AM Best has upgraded the Long-Term ICR to “aa” (Superior) from “aa-” (Superior) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) of Berkley Insur.

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) today announced the appointment of John Enright as president of Berkley Specialty London and chief executive officer of W. R. Berkley Syndicate Management Limited, the Lloyd's managing agent for W. R. Berkley Syndicate 1967, effective July 1, 2026, subject to regulatory approval. He succeeds James Hastings, who will continue to serve in a corporate role at Berkley and support the transition. Mr. Enright has nearly 20 years.

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In this article series, I summarize dividend announcements of the past week. Six stocks in my database announced dividend increases, including one stock I own, and one declared a special dividend. W. R. Berkley stands out with an 11.1% dividend increase, a 50¢ special dividend, and the highest quality score this week. Medtronic offers the most value, trading 9% below fair value, but its dividend growth is modest at 1.4%.

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) today announced the appointment of Kirk A. Parker as president of Berkley North Pacific. The appointment is effective immediately. Mr. Parker has nearly 30 years of leadership experience in the property and casualty insurance industry focused on optimizing operations and accelerating profitable growth across distribution networks. He most recently served as senior vice president and regional president at a large, national.

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GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) announced with deep sadness the passing of its founder and Executive Chairman, William R. Berkley, today at the age of 80. Mr. Berkley founded the Company in 1967 and, over the course of nearly six decades, built it into a Fortune 500 company that is one of the world's leading commercial insurance organizations. His vision, discipline, and unwavering commitment to an entrepreneurial culture focused on underwriting excellen.

WRB is returning excess capital through dividends and buybacks while maintaining strong profitability and shareholder returns.

A weekly summary of dividend activity for Dividend Champions, Contenders, and Challengers. Companies which changed their dividends. Companies with upcoming ex-dividend dates.