The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. $THG Shares Sold by Vanguard Group Inc.

Key Points

• Vanguard Group Inc. trimmed its stake in The Hanover Insurance Group by 1.1% in Q4, selling 42,269 shares and still holding 3,660,213 shares (10.29% of the company) valued at about $668.98 million.
• Hanover posted a strong Q1 beat with operating EPS of $5.25 versus $4.14 expected and revenue of $1.70 billion, aided by lower catastrophe losses and a roughly 21.6% return on equity, helping drive the stock toward 12‑month highs.
• Analysts hold a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $203 (several firms raised targets to as high as $205), and the company pays a $0.95 quarterly dividend (about a 2.0% yield).

Vanguard Group Inc. decreased its stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG - Free Report) by 1.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 3,660,213 shares of the insurance provider's stock after selling 42,269 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. owned 10.29% of The Hanover Insurance Group worth $668,977,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of THG. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Community Bank N.A. acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in the third quarter worth $27,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 300.0% in the third quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 200 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in the third quarter worth $43,000. Finally, Quent Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in the third quarter worth $69,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.61% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on THG. Morgan Stanley set a $195.00 target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Friday. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Friday. Citizens Jmp raised their price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $200.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a "market outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, February 28th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, The Hanover Insurance Group currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $203.00.

The Hanover Insurance Group Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of NYSE:THG opened at $187.06 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $6.58 billion, a PE ratio of 9.41 and a beta of 0.31. The company's 50-day moving average price is $176.32 and its 200 day moving average price is $176.98. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $160.70 and a fifty-two week high of $191.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The insurance provider reported $5.25 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.14 by $1.11. The firm had revenue of $1.70 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.58 billion. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 10.77% and a return on equity of 21.55%. The Hanover Insurance Group's quarterly revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.87 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 16.92 earnings per share for the current year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th were paid a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 13th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. The Hanover Insurance Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.12%.

Key The Hanover Insurance Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting The Hanover Insurance Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat and strong profitability — Hanover reported operating EPS of $5.25 (vs. consensus ~$4.14) and revenue of $1.70B, with double-digit ROE (reported ~21.8%), which investors view as confirmation of improving pricing and loss trends. MarketBeat: Q1 Earnings Release
• Positive Sentiment: Lower catastrophe losses helped operating EPS rise ~36%, a technical reason analysts cite for the beat and for improved underwriting metrics. Zacks: Q1 Earnings Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades / price-target increases — Citizens JMP raised its price target to $205 (market outperform) and RBC raised its target to $195 (sector perform), giving upside to current levels and supporting bullish sentiment. Benzinga: Price Target Raises
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction to upgrades pushed THG to a 12-month high in some sessions, reflecting investor appetite for the improved results and analyst support. American Banking News: Hits New 12-Month High
• Neutral Sentiment: Company-provided materials and the full earnings-call transcript/slide deck are available for deeper due diligence (useful but informational rather than a catalyst). Seeking Alpha: Q1 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly snapshot pieces summarize metrics and year-over-year trends; they help validate the beat but don't change the underlying thesis by themselves. Caledonian Record: Q1 Snapshot
• Negative Sentiment: Some outlets reported that Hanover missed certain sales expectations, creating a headline that can temper investor enthusiasm despite the EPS beat — this mixed message likely contributed to the stock trading lower. MSN: Misses Q1 Sales Expectations

Insider Activity

In other The Hanover Insurance Group news, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 24,420 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $178.92, for a total transaction of $4,369,226.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 32,174 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,756,572.08. This trade represents a 43.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Jane D. Carlin sold 1,200 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $180.91, for a total transaction of $217,092.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 2,423 shares in the company, valued at approximately $438,344.93. The trade was a 33.12% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 2.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

The Hanover Insurance Group 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.

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