The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) Plans $0.95 Quarterly Dividend

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, February 24th. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th will be given a dividend of 0.95 per share by the insurance provider on Friday, March 27th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th.

The Hanover Insurance Group has increased its dividend payment by an average of 0.1%per year over the last three years and has raised its dividend annually for the last 20 consecutive years. The Hanover Insurance Group has a payout ratio of 23.6% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect The Hanover Insurance Group to earn $15.75 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.80 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 24.1%.

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Performance

The Hanover Insurance Group stock traded up $0.88 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $174.44. The stock had a trading volume of 55,928 shares, compared to its average volume of 376,276. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $176.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $177.02. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.13 billion, a PE ratio of 9.60 and a beta of 0.32. The Hanover Insurance Group has a 12 month low of $147.76 and a 12 month high of $188.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 20th. The insurance provider reported $5.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The Hanover Insurance Group had a return on equity of 21.00% and a net margin of 10.05%.The business had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter. As a group, research analysts predict that The Hanover Insurance Group will post 14.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other The Hanover Insurance Group news, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 24,420 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 approximately $5,756,572.08. The trade was a 43.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 2.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of The Hanover Insurance Group

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group by 3.5% in the fourth quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 1,880 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $344,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the period. Ballentine Partners LLC grew its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 3.4% during the fourth quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 2,026 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $370,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group by 0.6% in the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 12,020 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $2,183,000 after buying an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 1,294 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $234,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp increased its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 4.7% during the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,610 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $294,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.61% 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.