The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.92 EPS

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The insurance provider reported $5.25 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.33 by $0.92, Zacks reports. The Hanover Insurance Group had a return on equity of 21.00% and a net margin of 10.05%.The firm had revenue of $1.70 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.58 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.87 EPS. The Hanover Insurance Group’s quarterly revenue was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis.

The Hanover Insurance Group Price Performance

The Hanover Insurance Group stock traded down $2.82 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $177.89. 283,309 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 332,453. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.44 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $176.07 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $176.90. The company has a market capitalization of $6.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.79 and a beta of 0.29. The Hanover Insurance Group has a 12-month low of $160.70 and a 12-month high of $188.18.

The Hanover Insurance Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th were given a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 13th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The Hanover Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.91%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on THG shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded The Hanover Insurance Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 28th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price objective on The Hanover Insurance Group from $207.00 to $208.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on The Hanover Insurance Group from $200.00 to $190.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on The Hanover Insurance Group from $194.00 to $190.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $197.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Hanover Insurance Group

In other The Hanover Insurance Group news, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 24,420 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $178.92, for a total transaction of $4,369,226.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 32,174 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,756,572.08. This trade represents a 43.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Jane D. Carlin sold 1,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $180.91, for a total value of $217,092.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 2,423 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $438,344.93. The trade was a 33.12% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 2.80% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter worth $26,000. McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Danske Bank A S acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter worth $73,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter worth $78,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 229.3% during the fourth quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 629 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $115,000 after purchasing an additional 438 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.61% of the company’s stock.

The Hanover Insurance Group Company Profile

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.