White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE:WTM) Short Interest Update

White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE:WTM) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest during the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 69,433 shares, a decline of 14.7% from the January 29th total of 81,413 shares. Approximately 2.8% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 17,824 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.9 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 17,824 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.9 days. Approximately 2.8% of the shares of the company are short sold.

White Mountains Insurance Group Stock Performance

NYSE:WTM traded up $15.19 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $2,230.28. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 14,006 shares, compared to its average volume of 17,216. The business’s fifty day moving average is $2,111.79 and its two-hundred day moving average is $1,966.69. The stock has a market cap of $5.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.75. White Mountains Insurance Group has a 1 year low of $1,648.00 and a 1 year high of $2,264.70.

White Mountains Insurance Group (NYSE:WTM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 6th. The insurance provider reported $39.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $379.45 by ($339.68). The company had revenue of $1.60 billion during the quarter. White Mountains Insurance Group had a net margin of 29.62% and a return on equity of 8.41%.

White Mountains Insurance Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a dividend of $1.00 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a dividend yield of 4.0%. White Mountains Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 0.23%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Weiss Ratings raised White Mountains Insurance Group from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b+)” rating in a report on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy”.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Philip A. Gelston sold 165 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,048.51, for a total value of $338,004.15. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,568 shares in the company, valued at $3,212,063.68. This trade represents a 9.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 3.00% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On White Mountains Insurance Group

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Gendell Jeffrey L purchased a new stake in White Mountains Insurance Group during the fourth quarter worth $67,578,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of White Mountains Insurance Group during the 4th quarter worth about $66,879,000. Cooke & Bieler LP boosted its stake in shares of White Mountains Insurance Group by 40.5% during the 3rd quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 107,851 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $180,275,000 after acquiring an additional 31,070 shares in the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp acquired a new stake in shares of White Mountains Insurance Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,545,000. Finally, River Road Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of White Mountains Insurance Group by 10.3% in the 4th quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC now owns 120,880 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $251,192,000 after purchasing an additional 11,292 shares in the last quarter. 88.65% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About White Mountains Insurance Group

White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. is a Bermuda-based diversified insurance and financial services holding company organized in 1985 and headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. The company operates through a portfolio of insurance, reinsurance and specialty finance businesses, offering a blend of underwriting expertise and investment management to institutional clients worldwide. As a publicly traded entity on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: WTM), White Mountains seeks to generate long-term shareholder value by combining disciplined capital management with strategic acquisitions and organic growth initiatives.

Through its principal operating subsidiaries—most notably Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd.