Kemper Corporation (NYSE:KMPR) Stock Rated "Reduce" by Sell-Side Brokerages

Key Points

• Analysts collectively rate Kemper “Reduce.” Of nine analysts, three recommend selling, four advise holding, and two recommend buying; the average 12-month price target is $43.25.
• Kemper’s latest quarterly results were mixed: EPS of $0.45 exceeded estimates of $0.34, but revenue fell 10.8% year over year to $1.09 billion and the company reported a negative net margin.
• The stock opened at $25.79, near its 12-month low, while Kemper maintained a quarterly dividend of $0.32 per share, representing a 5.0% annualized yield. Insiders also purchased 14,000 shares over the past 90 days.

Shares of Kemper Corporation (NYSE:KMPR - Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of "Reduce" by the nine research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $43.25.

Several equities analysts have commented on the company. UBS Group cut their price target on Kemper from $44.00 to $43.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 10th. Weiss Ratings lowered Kemper from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "sell (d)" rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Zacks Research upgraded Kemper from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Kemper from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, September 27th. Finally, TD Cowen reduced their target price on Kemper from $81.00 to $42.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 27th.

Kemper Price Performance

NYSE KMPR opened at $25.79 on Tuesday. Kemper has a twelve month low of $22.69 and a twelve month high of $50.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 0.17 and a current ratio of 0.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.52 billion, a PE ratio of -3.07 and a beta of 1.07. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $27.35 and a 200 day simple moving average of $28.43.

Kemper (NYSE:KMPR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The insurance provider reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.11. Kemper had a negative net margin of 10.84% and a positive return on equity of 2.89%. The business had revenue of $1.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.16 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.30 earnings per share. Kemper's revenue was down 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Kemper will post 2.02 EPS for the current year.

Kemper Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 21st were paid a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 21st. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.0%. Kemper's dividend payout ratio is currently -15.24%.

Insider Activity at Kemper

In other Kemper news, Director Jason N. Gorevic purchased 5,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $25.91 per share, with a total value of $129,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 31,802 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $823,989.82. This trade represents a 18.66% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Stephen J. Mcanena purchased 3,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $26.50 per share, with a total value of $79,500.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 30,945 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $820,042.50. This trade represents a 10.74% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders purchased 14,000 shares of company stock worth $367,880 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.61% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kemper

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in KMPR. Engineers Gate Manager LP lifted its position in shares of Kemper by 24.9% during the 2nd quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP now owns 100,312 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $2,704,000 after buying an additional 19,999 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC bought a new stake in Kemper in the second quarter valued at $226,000. IFP Advisors Inc grew its position in Kemper by 456.6% in the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,436 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 1,178 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP raised its stake in Kemper by 76.8% during the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 3,081 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $83,000 after acquiring an additional 1,338 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nykredit A S acquired a new position in Kemper during the second quarter worth $31,000. 86.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Kemper

Kemper Corporation is an insurance holding company that provides property and casualty, life, and health insurance products through its operating subsidiaries. Its offerings include automobile insurance, homeowners and renters insurance, and other personal and commercial insurance solutions designed for individuals, families, and businesses.

The company distributes its products through independent agents, affiliated agencies, and other insurance distribution partners. Kemper primarily serves customers across the United States, with its businesses focused on personal insurance markets and selected commercial insurance opportunities.

Kemper traces its corporate history to Unitrin, which changed its name to Kemper Corporation in 2015.

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