CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• CNA stock crossed above its 200-day moving average, trading as high as $47.71 (200‑day MA $46.74) with the last trade near $47.43 on volume of about 320,277 shares.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed—Weiss Ratings upgraded to a "buy" while Wall Street Zen and Zacks cut their ratings—giving the stock an overall MarketBeat average of "Moderate Buy".
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $1.16 (missing the $1.20 consensus) while revenue beat at $3.83 billion versus $2.88 billion expected, and it recently declared a $2.00 annual dividend with a payout ratio of 40.94%.

Shares of CNA Financial Corporation (NYSE:CNA - Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $46.74 and traded as high as $47.71. CNA Financial shares last traded at $47.4270, with a volume of 320,277 shares trading hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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

CNA Financial Stock Performance

The company's 50-day simple moving average is $47.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $46.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.28, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The stock has a market cap of $12.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.11, a PEG ratio of 6.81 and a beta of 0.35.

CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The insurance provider reported $1.16 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.20 by ($0.04). CNA Financial had a return on equity of 12.23% and a net margin of 8.53%.The firm had revenue of $3.83 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.88 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.25 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that CNA Financial Corporation will post 4.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CNA Financial Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity at CNA Financial

In related news, SVP Jeffrey John Neuenschwander sold 3,287 shares of CNA Financial stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.97, for a total value of $151,103.39. Following the sale, 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 SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.29% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CNA Financial

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new stake in shares of CNA Financial in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Alpine Bank Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of CNA Financial by 70.0% in 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 period. Covestor Ltd raised its holdings in shares of CNA Financial by 129.7% in 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 period. Ameriflex Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of CNA Financial by 100.0% in 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 period. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new stake in CNA Financial during the 3rd quarter valued at $48,000. Institutional investors own 98.45% of the company's stock.

CNA Financial Company Profile

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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