Company Description
Argo Group International Holdings, Inc. (historically NYSE: ARGO) is an underwriter of specialty insurance products in the property and casualty market. According to company disclosures, Argo focuses on offering a full line of products and services tailored to the coverage and claims-handling needs of business customers. The company operates in the finance and insurance sector and is classified among direct property and casualty insurance carriers.
Argo has described its operations as specialty property and casualty insurance, with an emphasis on meeting the unique requirements of commercial clients. Over time, Argo has discussed its business in terms of distinct segments, including U.S. operations and international operations, and has reported on metrics such as gross written premiums, net written premiums, earned premiums, loss and loss adjustment expenses, and expense ratios. These disclosures highlight the company’s focus on underwriting performance, catastrophe exposure, reserve development, and expense management.
In its public communications, Argo has emphasized a U.S.-focused specialty property and casualty strategy and has referred to its surety business as an important part of its specialty portfolio. The company has also discussed efforts to optimize its business mix by exiting certain lines, selling specific operations, and shifting toward areas where it retains more risk on a net basis. These actions have been reflected in reductions in gross written premiums from exited businesses and changes in loss and expense ratios.
Argo is a wholly owned subsidiary within a broader insurance and reinsurance platform. Company news releases state that Argo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Reinsurance Ltd. and, in more recent communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd. The group has also reported that Argo and its insurance subsidiaries are rated “A-” by Standard & Poor’s, and that Argo’s insurance subsidiaries are rated “A-” by A.M. Best, indicating the financial strength assessments cited in its public statements.
Historically, Argo’s common shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ARGO. A Business Wire announcement dated November 16, 2023, states that Brookfield Reinsurance completed an all-cash acquisition of Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd., and that Argo’s common shares ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange in connection with that transaction. Following the acquisition, Argo has been described as forming part of Brookfield Reinsurance’s expanding U.S. property and casualty operations.
Subsequent company communications describe Argo as a U.S.-focused specialty property and casualty company, with leadership changes and strategic initiatives aimed at optimizing profitability, reducing catastrophe volatility, and managing expenses. Quarterly earnings releases have highlighted trends such as changes in combined ratios, catastrophe losses, reserve development, investment income, and book value per share, as well as the impact of business disposals and exits on international operations.
On August 15, 2025, Argo announced the planned full redemption of all outstanding shares of its 7.00% Resettable Fixed Rate Preferred Stock, Series A, and the related depositary shares, along with the full redemption of all outstanding 6.500% Senior Notes due September 15, 2042 issued by Argo Group US, Inc. The same announcement stated that, in connection with these redemptions, Argo intended to delist the depositary shares and the notes from the New York Stock Exchange and to deregister them with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
On September 15, 2025, Argo filed a Current Report on Form 8-K describing the filing of a Certificate of Elimination for the Series A preferred stock and confirming that all outstanding shares of the Series A preferred stock and the corresponding depositary shares, as well as all outstanding principal of the 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042, had been redeemed in accordance with their terms. On the same date, Form 25 filings were submitted to remove from listing and registration on the New York Stock Exchange the depositary shares representing interests in the Series A preferred stock and the 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042, in connection with voluntary withdrawal and the exchange’s rules.
These developments mean that, while Argo continues to operate as an underwriter of specialty property and casualty insurance products and as a wholly owned subsidiary within the Brookfield-related group, its previously listed securities referenced in the filings have been redeemed and removed from NYSE listing and registration. Historical information about Argo’s stock and debt securities, including its former NYSE listing, acquisition by Brookfield Reinsurance, and subsequent corporate actions, remains relevant for investors researching the company’s background and capital structure evolution.
Business focus and operations
Based on the company’s own descriptions in news releases and financial reports, Argo’s core activity is underwriting specialty property and casualty insurance for businesses. The company has highlighted U.S. operations as a key focus, with international operations reduced through the sale of certain subsidiaries and exits from specific markets. Its reporting has distinguished between ongoing business and businesses sold or exited, reflecting a strategy aimed at concentrating on selected specialty lines.
Argo’s financial disclosures reference metrics commonly used in the property and casualty insurance industry, such as loss ratios, expense ratios, combined ratios, current accident year loss ratios excluding catastrophes (CAY ex-CAT), catastrophe losses, and prior year reserve development. These indicators provide insight into underwriting performance, the impact of catastrophe events, and the effectiveness of cost control measures.
Ownership and corporate status
Following the completion of the all-cash acquisition by Brookfield Reinsurance, Argo’s common shares ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Later company descriptions identify Argo as a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Reinsurance Ltd. and then as a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd. The August 15, 2025, announcement and the subsequent Form 8-K and Form 25 filings relate specifically to preferred stock depositary shares and senior notes, rather than to common equity, and document the redemption and delisting of those securities.
Regulatory filings and ratings
Argo’s SEC filings, including Form 8-K and Form 25, provide official confirmation of material events such as the elimination of preferred stock designations, full redemption of preferred and debt securities, and removal of classes of securities from NYSE listing and registration. Company news releases consistently note that Argo and its insurance subsidiaries hold financial strength ratings of “A-” from Standard & Poor’s, and that Argo’s insurance subsidiaries are rated “A-” by A.M. Best, as part of the company’s public profile.
FAQs about Argo (ARGO)
- What does Argo Group International Holdings, Inc. do?
Argo is described in its public communications as an underwriter of specialty insurance products in the property and casualty market, offering a line of products and services designed to address the coverage and claims-handling needs of business customers. - Is Argo still a publicly traded company?
A Business Wire release dated November 16, 2023, states that Brookfield Reinsurance completed its acquisition of Argo in an all-cash transaction and that Argo’s common shares ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange in connection with that transaction. - Who owns Argo?
Company news releases describe Argo as a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Reinsurance Ltd., and later as a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd., indicating its ownership within that group. - What types of insurance does Argo focus on?
Argo characterizes itself as an underwriter of specialty property and casualty insurance products for businesses. Its communications refer broadly to specialty property and casualty lines and to a surety business, without detailing specific product lists in the provided materials. - How is Argo rated by credit rating agencies?
According to multiple company news releases, Argo and its insurance subsidiaries are rated “A-” by Standard & Poor’s, and Argo’s insurance subsidiaries are rated “A-” by A.M. Best. - What happened to Argo’s preferred stock and related depositary shares?
An August 15, 2025, announcement and a Form 8-K filed on September 15, 2025, state that all outstanding shares of Argo’s 7.00% Resettable Fixed Rate Preferred Stock, Series A, and the corresponding depositary shares were fully redeemed on September 15, 2025, and that a Certificate of Elimination was filed to remove the related designations from the company’s certificate of incorporation. - What happened to Argo Group US, Inc.’s 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042?
The same Form 8-K reports that all outstanding principal of Argo Group US, Inc.’s 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042 was redeemed on September 15, 2025, in accordance with the applicable indenture. - Why were certain Argo securities delisted from the New York Stock Exchange?
The August 15, 2025, press release states that Argo intended to delist the depositary shares representing interests in its Series A preferred stock and the 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042 from the New York Stock Exchange and to deregister them with the SEC in connection with their full redemption. Form 25 filings dated September 15, 2025, document the removal of those classes of securities from listing and registration. - Does Argo still operate after its acquisition?
The November 16, 2023, acquisition announcement describes Argo as an underwriter of specialty insurance products and notes that Argo’s U.S. specialty platform contributes to Brookfield Reinsurance’s U.S. property and casualty operations, indicating that Argo continues to operate within the acquiring group. - What industry is Argo in?
Argo is in the finance and insurance sector and is described as an underwriter of specialty property and casualty insurance products, which aligns with the direct property and casualty insurance carriers industry classification provided.