Vise Technologies Inc. Takes $1.06 Million Position in The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. $THG

Vise Technologies Inc. bought a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 4,932 shares of the insurance provider’s stock, valued at approximately $1,056,000.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Clearstead Trust LLC purchased a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the second quarter worth about $36,000. McMillan Office Inc. purchased a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC raised its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 69.3% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 237 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the period. 86.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

The Hanover Insurance Group Price Performance

NYSE THG opened at $223.23 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $7.77 billion, a PE ratio of 10.66 and a beta of 0.27. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $166.54 and a 52 week high of $236.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $217.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $193.36.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The insurance provider reported $5.31 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.84 by $1.47. The firm had revenue of $1.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.65 billion. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 11.17% and a return on equity of 21.72%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $4.35 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 20.17 earnings per share for the current year.

The Hanover Insurance Group declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, May 13th that authorizes the company to repurchase $700.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the insurance provider to repurchase up to 10.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

The Hanover Insurance Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 26th. Investors of record on Friday, June 12th were paid a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 12th. The Hanover Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 18.14%.

Insider Activity at The Hanover Insurance Group

In related news, EVP Dennis Francis Kerrigan sold 6,551 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.79, for a total value of $1,446,395.29. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 12,003 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,650,142.37. This trade represents a 35.31% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Jane D. Carlin sold 1,000 shares of The Hanover Insurance Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $231.50, for a total transaction of $231,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 2,270 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $525,505. This represents a 30.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 9,655 shares of company stock valued at $2,145,846. 2.80% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on THG shares. Zacks Research upgraded shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. BMO Capital Markets lowered shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $194.00 to $203.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $220.00 to $222.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Citigroup reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on The Hanover Insurance Group from $215.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $225.71.

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.