The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) EVP Sells $800,472.75 in Stock

Key Points

• EVP Denise Lowsley sold shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, unloading 4,175 shares for about $800,473 at an average price of $191.73. The transaction cut her direct ownership by more than half.
• THG stock rose 1.5% to $194.83, near its 52-week high of $195.74, as trading activity remained slightly below average.
• The company reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings of $5.25 per share and announced a $700 million share repurchase program, signaling confidence in the stock’s value.

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG - Get Free Report) EVP Denise Lowsley sold 4,175 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $191.73, for a total value of $800,472.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,883 shares in the company, valued at approximately $744,487.59. The trade was a 51.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Denise Lowsley also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Friday, May 8th, Denise Lowsley sold 1,062 shares of The Hanover Insurance Group stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $188.43, for a total value of $200,112.66.

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Up 1.5%

THG stock traded up $2.96 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $194.83. The stock had a trading volume of 308,406 shares, compared to its average volume of 329,519. The company has a current ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $160.70 and a 1-year high of $195.74. The company has a fifty day moving average of $178.05 and a 200 day moving average of $177.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.81 and a beta of 0.31.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The insurance provider reported $5.25 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.14 by $1.11. The Hanover Insurance Group had a return on equity of 21.55% and a net margin of 10.77%.The company had revenue of $1.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.58 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.87 EPS. The business's revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 18.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Hanover Insurance Group declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, May 13th that permits the company to repurchase $700.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the insurance provider to repurchase up to 10.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often an indication that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

The Hanover Insurance Group Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Trading of The Hanover Insurance Group

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Community Bank N.A. bought a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. McMillan Office Inc. bought a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Clearstead Advisors LLC boosted its stake in The Hanover Insurance Group by 300.0% during the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 200 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 86.61% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently issued reports on THG. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on The Hanover Insurance Group from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Citizens Jmp upped their price target on The Hanover Insurance Group from $200.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a "market outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on The Hanover Insurance Group from $208.00 to $211.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Wall Street Zen downgraded The Hanover Insurance Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, February 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $195.00 price target on The Hanover Insurance Group in a research note on Friday, May 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $203.60.

The Hanover Insurance Group Company 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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