ESNT (Essent Group) Moat Score: 5/10 (As of Aug. 15, 2026)

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ESNT Essent Group Ltd ESNT
89 GF Score
Price $69.57
GF Value $71.63
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Essent Group Moat Score?

Essent Group ESNT +0.42% 89 Moat Score is 5 as of Aug. 15, 2026. GuruFocus rates ESNT with a GF Score™ of 89/100 and a GF Value™ of $71.63 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 594 Insurance companies, Essent Group ranks better than 88.72% on this metric.

Essent Group has the Moat Score of 5, which implies that the company might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

Essent Group has Narrow Moat: Essent Group Ltd has a solid position in the mortgage insurance market with some customer switching costs and regulatory barriers. The company benefits from economies of scale, but its market share and pricing power are not strong enough to warrant a wide moat classification.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes Essent Group might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

Essent Group  (NYSE:ESNT) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

Essent Group Moat Score Related Terms

ESNT vs MTG, ACT, RYAN: Moat Score Comparison

For the Insurance - Specialty subindustry, Essent Group's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.

Essent Group Moat Score vs Insurance Industry

For the Insurance industry and Financial Services sector, Essent Group's Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Essent Group's Moat Score falls into.


ESNT
89GF Score
Essent Group Ltd ESNT
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 5 mean?
Essent Group (ESNT) has a Moat Score of 5 as of Aug. 15, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, Essent Group ranks #67 out of 594 companies in the Insurance industry, placing it in the top 11.3%.
Is Essent Group's Moat Score too high?
Essent Group's current Moat Score is 5. Based on the distribution chart, Essent Group ranks #67 out of 594 companies in the Insurance industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Essent Group has a GF Score™ of 89/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Essent Group's Moat Score compare to MTG and ACT?
According to the Insurance industry distribution chart, Essent Group ranks #67 out of 594 companies for Moat Score. This places Essent Group in the top 11% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for an Insurance company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Insurance industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. Essent Group's current Moat Score is 5. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Essent Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Essent Group (ESNT) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $71.63, compared to a current price of $69.57 — trading 2.9% below its estimated fair value. The current Moat Score is 5. Essent Group's overall GF Score™ is 89/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Essent Group (ESNT), the current Moat Score is 5 as of Aug. 15, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Essent Group (ESNT) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Essent Group stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $69.57 is trading 2.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of $71.63. GuruFocus considers Essent Group to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for ESNT:

  • Moat Score: 5
  • GF Value™: $71.63 vs. price of $69.57 (2.9% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 89/100 with 5 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the ESNT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.

Essent Group Business Description

Other Exchanges 0U95:UKEG0:Germany
Address 2 Church Street, Clarendon House, Hamilton, BMU, HM 11
Essent Group Ltd serves the housing finance industry by providing private mortgage insurance, reinsurance, risk management products, title insurance, and settlement services to mortgage lenders, borrowers, and investors to support homeownership. It provides credit protection to lenders and mortgage investors by covering a portion of the unpaid principal balance of a mortgage and certain related expenses in the event of a default. By providing capital to mitigate mortgage credit risk, the company allows lenders to make additional mortgage financing available to prospective homeowners.
89GF Score

Get the complete analysis for ESNT

Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$69.57
Price
$71.63
GF Value