The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:HIG) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:HIG) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the seventeen analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eight have given a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $147.0667.

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of The Hartford Insurance Group from $147.00 to $140.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on shares of The Hartford Insurance Group in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $145.00 target price on the stock. Argus raised their price target on shares of The Hartford Insurance Group from $143.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of The Hartford Insurance Group from $143.00 to $146.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of The Hartford Insurance Group from $151.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 8th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other The Hartford Insurance Group news, CFO Beth Ann Costello sold 35,339 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $136.58, for a total value of $4,826,600.62. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 77,574 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,595,056.92. This represents a 31.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Lori A. Rodden sold 7,841 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.41, for a total value of $959,816.81. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 18,400 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,252,344. The trade was a 29.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Hartford Insurance Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in The Hartford Insurance Group in the first quarter worth approximately $207,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of The Hartford Insurance Group by 9.9% during the first quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 5,771 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $714,000 after buying an additional 520 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of The Hartford Insurance Group by 7.9% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 6,001 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $743,000 after acquiring an additional 441 shares during the last quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in The Hartford Insurance Group by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC now owns 7,474 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $925,000 after acquiring an additional 141 shares during the period. Finally, Intrua Financial LLC purchased a new position in The Hartford Insurance Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $214,000. 93.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

The Hartford Insurance Group Stock Down 1.2%

NYSE:HIG opened at $136.20 on Friday. The Hartford Insurance Group has a one year low of $104.93 and a one year high of $140.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.32 and a quick ratio of 0.32. The company has a market cap of $37.95 billion, a PE ratio of 11.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.61. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $134.88 and its 200 day simple moving average is $130.39.

The Hartford Insurance Group (NYSE:HIG) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 27th. The insurance provider reported $3.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.02 by $0.76. The firm had revenue of $1.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.17 billion. The Hartford Insurance Group had a net margin of 12.75% and a return on equity of 21.07%. The company’s revenue was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.53 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that The Hartford Insurance Group will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

The Hartford Insurance Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. This is an increase from The Hartford Insurance Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 1st. The Hartford Insurance Group’s dividend payout ratio is 19.61%.

The Hartford Insurance Group Company Profile

The Hartford Financial Services Group, commonly known as The Hartford, is a U.S.-based insurance and investment company that provides a broad range of commercial and personal insurance products and employee benefits. Its core businesses include property and casualty insurance for businesses and individuals, group benefits such as group life, disability and dental plans, and retirement and investment solutions offered through affiliated asset-management operations. The company also delivers risk management, claims-handling and loss-prevention services designed to support policyholders across a variety of industries.

Founded in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1810, The Hartford is one of the oldest insurance organizations in the United States and has a long history of underwriting and product development across multiple insurance lines.