Selective Insurance Group (NASDAQ:SIGI) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Selective Insurance Group (NASDAQ:SIGI – Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Saturday morning,Wall Street Zen reports.

SIGI has been the topic of a number of other reports. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Selective Insurance Group from $72.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Selective Insurance Group from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Selective Insurance Group in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on Selective Insurance Group from $105.00 to $97.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 28th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on Selective Insurance Group from $101.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $101.00.

Read Our Latest Report on SIGI

Selective Insurance Group Stock Up 2.3%

Shares of SIGI opened at $98.79 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.87 and a beta of 0.26. Selective Insurance Group has a 12-month low of $72.78 and a 12-month high of $101.25. The company has a current ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $89.01 and a 200-day moving average price of $87.29.

Selective Insurance Group (NASDAQ:SIGI – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The insurance provider reported $2.37 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.91 by $0.46. The company had revenue of $1.33 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. Selective Insurance Group had a net margin of 9.40% and a return on equity of 15.60%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.85 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Selective Insurance Group will post 8.20 earnings per share for the current year.

Selective Insurance Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a $0.48 dividend. This represents a $1.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. This is a boost from Selective Insurance Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. Selective Insurance Group’s payout ratio is currently 20.67%.

Insider Transactions at Selective Insurance Group

In other Selective Insurance Group news, Director Cynthia Nicholson sold 3,691 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.71, for a total transaction of $364,338.61. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 17,463 shares in the company, valued at $1,723,772.73. This represents a 17.45% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.82% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Selective Insurance Group

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Selective Insurance Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. IFP Advisors Inc increased its holdings in Selective Insurance Group by 51.3% during the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 596 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 202 shares during the period. Westpac Banking Corp bought a new position in Selective Insurance Group in the second quarter worth approximately $72,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its stake in Selective Insurance Group by 51.2% in the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 812 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $68,000 after buying an additional 275 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC bought a new position in Selective Insurance Group in the second quarter worth approximately $89,000. Institutional investors own 82.88% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Selective Insurance Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Selective Insurance Group this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings beat expectations: Selective reported $2.37 in earnings per share versus the $1.91 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $1.33 billion, ahead of the $1.17 billion forecast. The results helped drive the stock to a new 52-week high. Selective Insurance Group Sets New 1-Year High on Better-Than-Expected Earnings
  • Positive Sentiment: Underwriting and investment income remain supportive: Standard commercial renewal pricing increased 5.7% year over year in the third quarter, while after-tax net investment income rose 16%. These trends, along with underwriting discipline and investment gains, helped offset softer top-line growth. Selective Insurance: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
  • Neutral Sentiment: Limited analyst upside: The reported consensus price target is $101, only modestly above the stock’s recent trading level, suggesting that much of the earnings optimism may already be reflected in the valuation. Selective Insurance Group Has Consensus Target Price of $101.00
  • Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data is unclear: One report describes a large increase in short interest but simultaneously lists total short interest at zero shares and a 0.0-day short-interest ratio, making the figure unlikely to represent meaningful bearish positioning.
  • Negative Sentiment: Director selling could weigh on sentiment: Director Cynthia Nicholson sold 3,691 shares for approximately $364,339, reducing her position by 17.45%. The sale is not necessarily evidence of deteriorating fundamentals, but it may temper investor confidence after the recent rally. Selective Insurance Group Insider Sale SEC Filing
  • Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley issued a Sell rating, adding an important bearish counterpoint to the earnings-driven optimism. Selective Insurance Group Receives a Sell from Morgan Stanley

Selective Insurance Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Selective Insurance Group, Inc is a holding company for a group of property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. Founded in 1926 and headquartered in Branchville, New Jersey, the company provides insurance products and related services primarily through a network of independent agents.

Selective serves commercial, personal and public-sector customers. Its commercial offerings include business owners policies, commercial automobile, workers’ compensation, general liability, commercial property and other specialty coverages.

Further Reading

Analyst Recommendations for Selective Insurance Group (NASDAQ:SIGI)

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