The Hartford Financial Services Group - HIG Stock Forecast, Price & News

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. provides insurance and financial services to individual and business customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. Its Commercial Lines segment offers workers' compensation, property, automobile, liability, umbrella, bond, marine, livestock, and reinsurance; and customized insurance products and risk management services, including professional liability, bond, surety, and specialty casualty coverages through regional offices, branches, sales and policyholder service centers, independent retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents, and reinsurance brokers. The company's Personal Lines segment provides automobile, homeowners, and personal umbrella coverages through direct-to-consumer channel and independent agents. Its Property & Casualty Other Operations segment offers coverage for asbestos and environmental exposures. The company's Group Benefits segment provides group life, disability, and other group coverages to members of employer groups, associations, and affinity groups through direct insurance policies; reinsurance to other insurance companies; employer paid and voluntary product coverages; disability underwriting, administration, and claims processing to self-funded employer plans; and a single-company leave management solution. This segment distributes its group insurance products and services through brokers, consultants, third-party administrators, trade associations, and private exchanges. Its Hartford Funds segment offers investment products for retail and retirement accounts; exchange-traded products through broker-dealer organizations, independent financial advisers, defined contribution plans, financial consultants, bank trust groups, and registered investment advisers; and investment management and administrative services, such as product design, implementation, and oversight. The company was founded in 1810 and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Price Performance

Shares of HIG opened at $68.96 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $22.28 billion, a PE ratio of 11.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.30. The Hartford Financial Services Group has a fifty-two week low of $61.59 and a fifty-two week high of $78.17. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $65.40 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $68.99.

The Hartford Financial Services Group (NYSE:HIG - Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 28th. The insurance provider reported $2.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.52 by $0.63. The business had revenue of $3.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.53 billion. The Hartford Financial Services Group had a net margin of 9.42% and a return on equity of 15.03%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.33 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that The Hartford Financial Services Group will post 7.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 1st will be issued a $0.385 dividend. This represents a $1.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 31st. The Hartford Financial Services Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 25.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of The Hartford Financial Services Group to $78.00 in a research note on Tuesday, August 9th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of The Hartford Financial Services Group from $77.00 to $72.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 12th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on shares of The Hartford Financial Services Group from $77.00 to $71.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 1st. Credit Suisse Group boosted their price target on shares of The Hartford Financial Services Group from $93.00 to $104.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, June 3rd. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on shares of The Hartford Financial Services Group in a research report on Monday, May 23rd. They set a "buy" rating and a $81.00 price target on the stock. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $80.27.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Scott R. Lewis sold 2,558 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.04, for a total value of $166,372.32. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 18,396 shares in the company, valued at $1,196,475.84. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 1.80% of the company's stock.