The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) CEO John Roche Sells 5,251 Shares of Stock

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) CEO John Roche sold 5,251 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $198.06, for a total value of $1,040,013.06. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 141,011 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $27,928,638.66. This trade represents a 3.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Down 1.8%

Shares of THG opened at $193.95 on Wednesday. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $160.70 and a 52-week high of $199.59. The company has a market capitalization of $6.79 billion, a PE ratio of 9.76 and a beta of 0.31. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $179.06 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $178.38. The company has a quick ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The insurance provider reported $5.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.14 by $1.11. The Hanover Insurance Group had a return on equity of 21.55% and a net margin of 10.77%.The business 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 company earned $3.87 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 18.45 EPS for the current year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th were given a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 13th. The Hanover Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.12%.

The Hanover Insurance Group announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase program on Wednesday, May 13th that allows the company to buyback $700.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the insurance provider to purchase up to 10.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price objective on The Hanover Insurance Group from $208.00 to $211.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Citigroup reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. BMO Capital Markets downgraded The Hanover Insurance Group from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $194.00 to $203.00 in a research report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings raised The Hanover Insurance Group from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b+)” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on The Hanover Insurance Group from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $203.50.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Community Bank N.A. acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Clearstead Advisors LLC grew its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 300.0% in the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 200 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. 86.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.