CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA) Share Price Passes Above 200-Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• CNA Financial passed above its 200-day moving average, trading as high as $48.95 versus a 200‑day MA of $46.82 and last trading around $48.76.
• In the latest quarter the company reported $1.16 EPS, slightly missing estimates of $1.20 while revenue beat at $3.83 billion versus $2.88 billion expected; analysts forecast $4.63 EPS for the fiscal year.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed—recent upgrades and downgrades leave one Buy and one Hold on record, with a MarketBeat consensus rating of Moderate Buy.

CNA Financial Corporation (NYSE:CNA - Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $46.82 and traded as high as $48.95. CNA Financial shares last traded at $48.7640, with a volume of 294,294 shares trading hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have weighed in on CNA shares. Zacks Research cut CNA Financial from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 1st. Weiss Ratings raised CNA Financial from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut CNA Financial from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Sunday, February 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".

CNA Financial Stock Up 1.5%

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $47.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $46.82. The company has a market cap of $13.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.40, a PEG ratio of 6.93 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26.

CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The insurance provider reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by ($0.04). CNA Financial had a return on equity of 12.23% and a net margin of 8.53%.The company had revenue of $3.83 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.88 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.25 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that CNA Financial Corporation will post 4.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CNA Financial Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared an annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 12th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 23rd were given a $2.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 23rd. This represents a dividend yield of 409.0%. CNA Financial's payout ratio is currently 40.94%.

Insider Buying and Selling at CNA Financial

In related news, SVP Jeffrey John Neuenschwander sold 3,287 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.97, for a total transaction of $151,103.39. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 7,277 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $334,523.69. The trade was a 31.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.29% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CNA Financial

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in shares of CNA Financial during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Alpine Bank Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of CNA Financial by 70.0% during the 3rd quarter. Alpine Bank Wealth Management now owns 556 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its position in shares of CNA Financial by 129.7% during the 3rd quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 712 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 402 shares during the last quarter. Ameriflex Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of CNA Financial by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Ameriflex Group Inc. now owns 820 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC acquired a new position in shares of CNA Financial during the 3rd quarter worth about $48,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.45% of the company's stock.

About CNA Financial

CNA Financial Corporation is a leading U.S.-based commercial property and casualty insurance company offering a broad portfolio of risk management and insurance solutions. The company underwrites coverage for businesses of all sizes across a variety of industry sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, energy, technology, construction and real estate. In addition to core property and casualty insurance, CNA delivers specialized products such as surety bonds, professional liability, environmental liability and commercial auto coverage.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, CNA traces its origins to the founding of Continental Casualty Company in 1897.

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