Kemper Corporation (NYSE:KMPR) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Reduce” by Analysts

Kemper Corporation (NYSE:KMPR) has earned an average rating of “Reduce” from the eight research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $56.50.

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. William Blair cut shares of Kemper from a “market perform” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Citigroup lowered shares of Kemper to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Citizens Jmp lowered Kemper from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Wall Street Zen cut Kemper from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 14th. Finally, UBS Group set a $56.00 target price on Kemper in a research report on Monday, February 9th.

Kemper Stock Performance

KMPR stock opened at $29.40 on Friday. Kemper has a twelve month low of $28.41 and a twelve month high of $69.25. The firm has a market cap of $1.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.42 and a beta of 1.16. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $34.31 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $41.24. The company has a quick ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 0.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35.

Kemper (NYSE:KMPR) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The insurance provider reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.85 by ($0.60). The company had revenue of $1.13 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.22 billion. Kemper had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 8.02%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.78 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Kemper will post 6.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Kemper Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 3rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th were paid a dividend of $0.32 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 17th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.4%. Kemper’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 58.45%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its stake in Kemper by 1,098.0% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 587 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 538 shares during the last quarter. Huntington National Bank lifted its position in shares of Kemper by 187.1% during the fourth quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 646 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 421 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its holdings in shares of Kemper by 73.5% in the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 656 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 278 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Kemper in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Danske Bank A S purchased a new position in shares of Kemper in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. 86.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Kemper

Kemper Corporation (NYSE:KMPR) is a diversified insurance holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Formed through the rebranding of Unitrin in 2010, Kemper has established a nationwide presence by offering a broad array of property and casualty insurance products. The company distributes its products through independent agents, brokers and direct-to-consumer channels, serving both individual policyholders and commercial clients.

The personal insurance segment provides coverage for automobiles, homeowners, renters and umbrella lines, while the commercial business focuses on liability, workers’ compensation and specialty property solutions tailored to small and mid-sized enterprises.