Horizon Investments LLC Acquires 3,652 Shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. $THG

Horizon Investments LLC boosted its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) by 19.8% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 22,112 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after buying an additional 3,652 shares during the quarter. Horizon Investments LLC’s holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group were worth $4,041,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in THG. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Community Bank N.A. purchased a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group by 300.0% during the third quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 200 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Finally, Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $49,000. 86.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

THG has been the topic of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a report on Monday, April 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price 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. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $207.00 to $208.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Citizens Jmp upped their target price 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, Morgan Stanley set a $195.00 target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research report on Friday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $203.00.

The Hanover Insurance Group Price Performance

The Hanover Insurance Group stock opened at $187.06 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $6.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.41 and a beta of 0.31. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $176.32 and its 200 day moving average is $176.98. 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, Inc. has a 52-week low of $160.70 and a 52-week high of $191.66.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The insurance provider reported $5.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.14 by $1.11. The company 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 revenue was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.87 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 16.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared 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 yield of 2.0%. The Hanover Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 19.12%.

The Hanover Insurance Group News Roundup

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

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.