The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The insurance provider reported $5.79 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.20 by $0.59, Zacks reports. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 9.71% and a return on equity of 21.73%. The company had revenue of $1.49 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.52 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $5.32 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Performance

Shares of THG stock opened at $173.93 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $6.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.06 and a beta of 0.32. The business has a 50 day moving average of $178.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $176.40. The Hanover Insurance Group has a 52 week low of $147.76 and a 52 week high of $188.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25.

The Hanover Insurance Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 12th were issued a $0.95 dividend. This is a boost from The Hanover Insurance Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 12th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The Hanover Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 21.98%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on THG shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Monday, November 24th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $200.00 price objective on the stock. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on The Hanover Insurance Group from $185.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on The Hanover Insurance Group from $198.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $199.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Denise Lowsley sold 1,619 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $181.47, for a total value of $293,799.93. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,511 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $637,141.17. This trade represents a 31.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 2.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of THG. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio raised its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 0.6% in the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 12,020 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $2,183,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC lifted its stake in The Hanover Insurance Group by 6.0% during the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,069 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $351,000 after purchasing an additional 118 shares during the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group by 30.6% during the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 739 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $126,000 after buying an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors grew its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 3.2% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 6,182 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $1,050,000 after buying an additional 189 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.61% of the company’s stock.

About The Hanover Insurance Group

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc (NYSE: THG) is a property and casualty insurance company that provides a range of commercial and personal insurance products. Through its subsidiary companies, Hanover offers coverage for businesses of all sizes, including workers’ compensation, general liability, commercial auto, and professional liability. On the personal lines side, the company underwrites homeowners, personal auto, flood, and umbrella policies designed to meet the needs of individuals and families.

In addition to its core commercial and personal insurance offerings, Hanover maintains a specialty arm that focuses on niche markets through tailored product solutions.