Algert Global LLC Takes $2.75 Million Position in The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. $THG

Key Points

• Algert Global LLC has acquired a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group, purchasing approximately 15,780 shares valued at $2.75 million.
• Recent analyst upgrades have been positive, with JMP Securities setting a price target of $205.00 and the company being rated as a "Moderate Buy" by analysts.
• The Hanover Insurance Group reported an EPS of $4.35 for the last quarter, significantly exceeding expectations of $3.07.

Algert Global LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 15,780 shares of the insurance provider's stock, valued at approximately $2,745,000.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Clearstead Trust LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 331.4% during the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 302 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $53,000 after acquiring an additional 232 shares during the period. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $53,000. True Wealth Design LLC raised its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 81.7% during the fourth quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 307 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 47.2% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 499 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $87,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.61% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on THG shares. JMP Securities set a $205.00 price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a report on Thursday, July 31st. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $170.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday, August 1st. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Citigroup reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Thursday, July 31st. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $188.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 9th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $185.13.

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Up 0.7%

THG stock opened at $173.8030 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $6.22 billion, a PE ratio of 11.44 and a beta of 0.45. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $132.93 and a 1 year high of $178.68. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $167.59 and a 200 day simple moving average of $166.47. The company has a current ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 30th. The insurance provider reported $4.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.07 by $1.28. The firm had revenue of $1.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.60 billion. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 8.67% and a return on equity of 20.24%. The Hanover Insurance Group's revenue for the quarter was up 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.88 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 14.37 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 27th. Investors of record on Friday, June 13th were issued a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 13th. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The Hanover Insurance Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 23.70%.

The Hanover Insurance Group Profile

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides various property and casualty insurance products and services in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Core Commercial, Specialty, Personal Lines, and Other. The Commercial Lines segment offers commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, workers' compensation, and other commercial lines coverage.

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