Skyward Specialty Announces Completion of Apollo Acquisition
Rhea-AI Summary
Skyward Specialty (Nasdaq: SKWD) announced on January 2, 2026 that it has completed its acquisition of Apollo Group Holdings Limited at the previously agreed upon terms.
The announcement confirms closing of the transaction but does not provide financial terms, integration details, or timing for next steps.
Positive
- Acquisition completed of Apollo on January 2, 2026
Negative
- None.
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Peers show mixed, mostly modest moves: several insurers (e.g., HMN -0.79%, TRUP -1.63%) are down while PRA (+0.21%) and BOW (+0.28%) are up, and momentum scanners did not flag a sector-wide move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 18 | AI partnership | Positive | +4.3% | Strategic AI underwriting partnership live across multiple units and product lines. |
| Dec 03 | Apollo approvals | Positive | -3.0% | Regulatory and minority approvals for Apollo deal plus detailed 2026 guidance. |
| Nov 19 | Leadership change | Positive | -1.1% | Promotion of John Burkhart to President, U.S. Property & Casualty. |
| Nov 11 | Board addition | Positive | +0.7% | Appointment of Christopher Peirce to the Board and Audit Committee role. |
| Oct 29 | Earnings report | Positive | -0.3% | Q3 2025 results with higher net income, premiums, and strong underwriting metrics. |
Recent news, including strong earnings and strategic deals, often saw muted or negative next-day moves, indicating a tendency toward selling or consolidation after positive announcements.
Over the last six months, Skyward Specialty reported stronger Q3 2025 earnings, advanced its Apollo acquisition, and expanded both leadership and AI capabilities. The Apollo transaction has been a multi-step process: initial agreement, regulatory and minority approvals with 2026 guidance, and now closing. Prior Apollo-related announcements on Sep 2, 2025 and Dec 3, 2025 saw modest negative price reactions, contrasting with the positive strategic framing of the deal and its projected financial benefits.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement confirms completion of the Apollo acquisition on previously agreed terms, closing a transaction that has been telegraphed through earlier deal, approval, and guidance updates. Investors following Skyward Specialty may focus on how reported results track against prior pro forma 2026 targets, as well as integration milestones and any future disclosures about underwriting performance, capital deployment, and operating efficiencies derived from combining the two businesses.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
HOUSTON, Jan. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or the “Company”), today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Apollo Group Holdings Limited (“Apollo”) at the previously agreed upon terms.
About Skyward Specialty
Skyward Specialty is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through nine underwriting divisions - Accident & Health, Agriculture and Credit (Re)insurance, Captives, Construction & Energy Solutions, Global Property, Professional Lines, Specialty Programs, Surety and Transactional E&S. SKWD stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, which represents the top fourth of all Nasdaq listed companies.
Skyward Specialty's insurance companies consist of Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, Great Midwest Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. Additional information about Skyward Specialty can be found on our website at www.skywardinsurance.com.
About Apollo
Apollo, a U.K. subsidiary of Skyward Specialty, is an innovation inspired insurance platform operating at Lloyd’s of London, offering data-driven and creative solutions to a wide variety of risks. The business provides high quality products and services to clients, and capital partners, enabling a resilient and sustainable world. Apollo offers products across Property, Casualty, Marine, Energy & Transportation, Specialty, Reinsurance, as well as Smart Follow and digital & embedded risk programs. Apollo’s experience and unique ecosystem give Platform Partners the best chance of success through the Lloyd’s new entrant process to the delivery of their long-term strategy. For more information about Apollo, please visit apollounderwriting.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for historical information, all other information in this news release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words "believe," "expect," "enable," "may," "will," "could," "intends," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "predict," "probable," "potential," "possible," "should," "continue," and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated, or implied. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the following possibilities: the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of one or both parties to terminate the definitive transaction agreement, the possibility that the anticipated benefits and synergies of the proposed transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas when Skyward Specialty and Apollo do business, the diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities, potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, as well as described in Skyward Specialty's Form 10-K, and include (but are not limited to) legislative changes at both the state and federal level, state and federal regulatory rule making promulgations and adjudications, class action litigation involving the insurance industry and judicial decisions affecting claims, policy coverages and the general costs of doing business, the potential loss of key members of our management team or key employees and our ability to attract and retain personnel, the impact of competition on products and pricing, inflation in the costs of the products and services insurance pays for, product development, geographic spread of risk, weather and weather-related events, other types of catastrophic events, our ability to obtain reinsurance coverage at prices and on terms that allow us to transfer risk and adequately protect our company against financial loss, and losses resulting from reinsurance counterparties failing to pay us on reinsurance claims. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.
Investor Contact
Kevin Reed
Skyward Specialty Insurance Group
713-206-7860
kreed@skywardinsurance.com
Media Contacts
Skyward Specialty Insurance Group
Haley Doughty
713-935-4944
hdoughty@skywardinsurance.com
Apollo
Haggie Partners
Peter Rigby, Caroline Klein, Bec Seaton
44 20 7562 4444
apollo@haggie.co.uk
This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.
FAQ
What did Skyward Specialty (SKWD) announce on January 2, 2026?
Has Skyward Specialty (SKWD) disclosed the purchase price or financial terms for Apollo?
When was the Apollo acquisition by Skyward Specialty (SKWD) completed?
Does the Skyward Specialty (SKWD) announcement include integration or next-step details for Apollo?
Where can investors find more details about Skyward Specialty's (SKWD) acquisition of Apollo?
