The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) has been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the seven brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $200.60.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Wall Street Zen downgraded The Hanover Insurance Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 28th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on The Hanover Insurance Group from $207.00 to $208.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other The Hanover Insurance Group news, Director Jane D. Carlin sold 1,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $180.91, for a total value of $217,092.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 2,423 shares in the company, valued at $438,344.93. This trade represents a 33.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 24,420 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 32,174 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,756,572.08. The trade was a 43.15% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 2.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in THG. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Community Bank N.A. bought a new position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Clearstead Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group by 300.0% during the third quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 200 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing 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 Price Performance

Shares of The Hanover Insurance Group stock opened at $169.15 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $173.77 and a 200-day simple moving average of $177.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.31 and a beta of 0.31. The Hanover Insurance Group has a 1-year low of $147.76 and a 1-year high of $188.18.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 20th. The insurance provider reported $5.46 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 10.05% and a return on equity of 21.00%. On average, sell-side analysts expect that The Hanover Insurance Group will post 14.37 earnings per share for the current year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th were paid a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 13th. 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 20.91%.

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.