The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) CEO John Roche Sells 8,358 Shares

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) CEO John Roche sold 8,358 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $193.74, for a total transaction of $1,619,278.92. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 141,011 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $27,319,471.14. The trade was a 5.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

The Hanover Insurance Group Trading Up 0.6%

The Hanover Insurance Group stock traded up $1.09 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $195.65. 279,165 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 328,286. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $160.70 and a fifty-two week high of $199.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.85 and a beta of 0.31. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $179.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $178.55. The company has a current ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The insurance provider reported $5.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.14 by $1.11. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 10.77% and a return on equity of 21.55%. The firm had revenue of $1.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.58 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $3.87 earnings per share. The Hanover Insurance Group’s revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 18.45 EPS for the current year.

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

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 was Friday, March 13th. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. The Hanover Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.12%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen cut shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 28th. Citizens Jmp lifted their price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $200.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Morgan Stanley set a $195.00 price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $205.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b+)” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, The Hanover Insurance Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $205.86.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in THG. Western Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $188,000. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 10.1% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 251,130 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $43,533,000 after buying an additional 22,978 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 5.5% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,127 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $195,000 after buying an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 30.7% during the 1st quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 43,399 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $7,523,000 after buying an additional 10,188 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 6.2% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 11,471 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $1,988,000 after buying an additional 667 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.61% of the company’s stock.

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.