Key Points
- CNA Financial EVP Mark Steven James sold 8,273 shares for approximately $439,710, reducing his holdings by 23.83% to 26,446 shares.
- CNA’s latest quarter exceeded expectations, with earnings per share of $1.19 versus the $1.08 consensus and revenue of $3.83 billion versus $2.97 billion expected. However, Property & Casualty underwriting weakened, as the combined ratio rose to 96.5% from 94.1%.
- The company maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.48 per share, equal to $1.92 annually and an approximately 3.7% yield; analysts’ overall rating remains “Moderate Buy,” despite mixed views.
CNA Financial Corporation (NYSE:CNA - Get Free Report) EVP Mark Steven James sold 8,273 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $53.15, for a total value of $439,709.95. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 26,446 shares in the company, valued at $1,405,604.90. This represents a 23.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.
CNA Financial Price Performance
CNA stock opened at $52.31 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The company has a market capitalization of $14.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.50, a PEG ratio of 7.15 and a beta of 0.28. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $48.68 and a 200-day simple moving average of $47.48. CNA Financial Corporation has a twelve month low of $41.53 and a twelve month high of $55.71.
CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The insurance provider reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.11. CNA Financial had a net margin of 8.16% and a return on equity of 11.34%. The firm had revenue of $3.83 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.97 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.23 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that CNA Financial Corporation will post 4.14 EPS for the current year.
CNA Financial Announces Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, August 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.48 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 17th. This represents a $1.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.7%. CNA Financial's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.95%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Research raised CNA Financial from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of CNA Financial from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CNA Financial
Hedge Funds Weigh In On CNA Financial
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its position in shares of CNA Financial by 34.6% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 2,101,092 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $96,482,000 after buying an additional 540,448 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in CNA Financial by 409.1% during the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 604,963 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $28,107,000 after acquiring an additional 486,127 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in CNA Financial by 1,509,521.9% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 483,079 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $23,062,000 after acquiring an additional 483,047 shares during the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp raised its position in CNA Financial by 8,100.7% during the fourth quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 484,580 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $23,134,000 after acquiring an additional 478,671 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of CNA Financial by 14.6% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,784,682 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $132,941,000 after purchasing an additional 354,076 shares in the last quarter. 98.45% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Trending Headlines about CNA Financial
Here are the key news stories impacting CNA Financial this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter earnings beat expectations. CNA reported core EPS of $1.19, ahead of the $1.08 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $3.83 billion versus expectations of $2.97 billion. Net income increased to $321 million from $299 million a year earlier. CNA second-quarter earnings report
- Positive Sentiment: Investment income and premium growth provided support. Net investment income rose to $701 million, and Property & Casualty net written premiums grew 4%. CNA also maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.48 per share, equivalent to a $1.92 annualized payout and roughly a 3.6% yield based on the provided stock price. Zacks CNA earnings analysis
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst opinion remains mixed. CNA has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, but recent commentary characterized the stock as “still a hold,” indicating that the earnings beat has not fully changed concerns about operating performance and valuation. CNA Financial Q2 review
- Negative Sentiment: Underwriting results weakened. Property & Casualty core income fell to $426 million from $448 million, while the combined ratio deteriorated to 96.5% from 94.1%. This suggests that higher investment income, rather than improved insurance profitability, was the primary earnings support.
- Negative Sentiment: Two executives sold sizable stakes. Chief Accounting Officer Daniel Paul Franzetti sold 22,656 shares for approximately $1.2 million, reducing his direct ownership by nearly 25%. Executive Vice President Mark Steven James separately sold 8,273 shares for about $440,000, cutting his ownership by approximately 24%. While these sales may be routine, their timing after the earnings release can weigh on sentiment. CNA insider sales
CNA Financial Company Profile
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Get Free Report)
CNA Financial Corporation is a leading U.S.-based commercial property and casualty insurance company offering a broad portfolio of risk management and insurance solutions. The company underwrites coverage for businesses of all sizes across a variety of industry sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, energy, technology, construction and real estate. In addition to core property and casualty insurance, CNA delivers specialized products such as surety bonds, professional liability, environmental liability and commercial auto coverage.
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, CNA traces its origins to the founding of Continental Casualty Company in 1897.
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