The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. $THG Stake Lifted by Vest Financial LLC

Key Points

• Vest Financial LLC raised its stake in The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) by 48.1% in Q4 to 33,567 shares, now owning 0.09% of the company worth about $6.14 million.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but positive overall: four Buys and two Holds yield an average rating of "Moderate Buy" with a consensus target price of $197, amid recent target adjustments by major firms.
• THG trades at a P/E of 9.95

Vest Financial LLC grew its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG - Free Report) by 48.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 33,567 shares of the insurance provider's stock after purchasing an additional 10,897 shares during the quarter. Vest Financial LLC owned 0.09% of The Hanover Insurance Group worth $6,135,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of THG. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group in the third quarter worth about $26,000. Community Bank N.A. bought a new position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 300.0% in the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 200 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. Finally, Torren Management LLC acquired a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.61% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

THG has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a report on Monday, April 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on The Hanover Insurance Group from $200.00 to $190.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on The Hanover Insurance Group from $194.00 to $190.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $207.00 to $208.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut The Hanover Insurance Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, February 28th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $197.00.

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Performance

NYSE:THG opened at $180.88 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $176.00 and a 200-day moving average of $176.89. The company has a current ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.95 and a beta of 0.29. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $160.70 and a 1 year high of $188.18.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 20th. The insurance provider reported $5.46 earnings per share for the quarter. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 10.05% and a return on equity of 21.00%. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 16.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Investors 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The Hanover Insurance Group's payout ratio is 20.91%.

Insider Transactions at The Hanover Insurance Group

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

About The Hanover Insurance Group

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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