About Enact Holdings
Enact Holdings, Inc. operates as a private mortgage insurance company in the United States. The company is involved in writing and assuming residential mortgage guaranty insurance. It offers private mortgage insurance products primarily insuring prime-based, individually underwritten residential mortgage loans; and contract underwriting services for mortgage lenders. The company was formerly known as Genworth Mortgage Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Enact Holdings, Inc.
in May 2021. Enact Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. Enact Holdings, Inc. is a subsidiary of Genworth Holdings, Inc.
ACT operates in the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate | Insurance | headquartered in North Carolina | approximately 500 employees | led by CEO Rohit Gupta.
The $5.7B question: What happens when a company this good becomes this expensive?
On Wall Street, there are companies that move money, and then there are companies that are the money. Enact Holdings, Inc. falls squarely into the latter category — a financial infrastructure so embedded in the global economy that to bet against it feels almost like betting against commerce itself.
At $5.7B in market capitalization, Enact Holdings, Inc. (ACT) currently ranks #58 in our quantitative model, with a composite score of 78.7/100. That places it firmly in "Strong Buy" territory — our highest conviction rating.
But here's the thing about stocks priced for perfection: They leave no room for error.
The Numbers That Matter
Let's start with what's undeniably true. Our 6-factor model gives ACT the following scores:
| Factor | Score | Weight | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 91/100 | 30% | Exceptional |
| Value | 81/100 | 15% | Attractive |
| Momentum | 80/100 | 25% | Accelerating |
| Investment | 38/100 | 10% | Low |
| Stability | 72/100 | 10% | Solid |
| Short Interest | 49/100 | 10% | Normal |
The quality score of 91/100 is the headline here. It reflects profitability metrics that would make most CFOs weep with envy:
- ROE: 12.8%
- Net Margin: 52.5%
- Gross Margin: 88.5%
These aren't just good numbers. They're the kind of numbers that make ACT a "must-own" stock for institutional portfolios.
The Bull Case
"If you could design a business in a laboratory, it would look something like ACT."
The bull case writes itself:
- Quality is persistent. Academic research shows high-quality stocks outperform by 4-6% annually over long periods. ACT is quality defined.
- Momentum is real. With a momentum score of 80/100, the stock has been recognized by the market — and momentum tends to persist.
- The moat is deep. Companies with these margins don't lose them easily. The competitive position is entrenched.
The Bear Case
But here's what keeps value investors up at night:
- Valuation compression risk. At current levels, the stock is priced for continued perfection. Any stumble — a missed quarter, a competitive threat, a macro slowdown — could compress the multiple from 8.6x to the low 20s. That's a 20-30% decline without anything fundamentally "wrong."
- The crowded trade problem. When everyone owns a stock, who's left to buy? Momentum works until it doesn't.
- Mean reversion. Trees don't grow to the sky. At some point, growth decelerates.
The Valuation Framework
| Scenario | Assumption | Fair Value | Upside/Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear | Multiple compression to 20x | -20% | Downside |
| Base | Current trajectory continues | +10-15% | Modest upside |
| Bull | Momentum accelerates | +30-40% | Significant upside |
The risk-reward is ... fine. Not exceptional. Not terrible. Just fine.
The Bottom Line
Enact Holdings, Inc. is exactly what it appears to be: a high-quality business with strong momentum trading at a premium price. Whether that's attractive depends entirely on what kind of investor you are.
For long-term, buy-and-hold investors, ACT is a core holding. For value investors or short-term traders, look elsewhere.
The company is priced for perfection — and in markets, as in life, perfection is a fragile thing.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 5-Star Strong Buy
Score: 78.7/100 | Rank: #58 of 3,571 stocks
Sector: Financials
This analysis reflects the views of Blank Capital Research as of February 16, 2026. It is not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.