Insider Selling: The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) EVP Sells 24,420 Shares of Stock

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) EVP Richard Lavey sold 24,420 shares of The Hanover Insurance Group stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $178.92, for a total value 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 represents a 43.15% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

The Hanover Insurance Group Price Performance

Shares of THG stock traded down $1.80 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $176.26. 489,808 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 443,320. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. The firm has a market cap of $6.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.70 and a beta of 0.32. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $178.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $176.40. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $147.76 and a fifty-two week high of $188.18.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The insurance provider reported $5.79 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.20 by $0.59. The company had revenue of $1.49 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.52 billion. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 10.05% and a return on equity of 21.00%. The firm’s revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $5.32 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 14.37 EPS for the current year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 26th. Investors of record on Friday, December 12th were issued a $0.95 dividend. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 12th. This is a positive change from The Hanover Insurance Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The Hanover Insurance Group’s payout ratio is presently 20.91%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Community Bank N.A. purchased a new position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter worth about $27,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC raised 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 purchasing an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 56.6% during the second quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 224 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the period. 86.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently commented on THG shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Monday, November 24th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $200.00 target price for the company. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $198.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $199.00.

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.