CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA) Price Target Raised to $53.00

CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA) had its price target raised by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $48.00 to $53.00 in a research note released on Thursday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have a market perform rating on the insurance provider’s stock.

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded CNA Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 16th.

CNA Financial Stock Down 0.5 %

CNA stock opened at $48.89 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 0.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $45.95 and its 200 day simple moving average is $44.90. The stock has a market cap of $13.24 billion, a PE ratio of 10.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.34 and a beta of 0.64. CNA Financial has a fifty-two week low of $37.95 and a fifty-two week high of $50.79.

CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 29th. The insurance provider reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.19. The company had revenue of $3.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.08 billion. CNA Financial had a net margin of 9.27% and a return on equity of 14.02%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.13 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that CNA Financial will post 4.87 EPS for the current year.

CNA Financial Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th will be paid a $0.44 dividend. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 12th. CNA Financial’s dividend payout ratio is currently 38.43%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Susan Ann Stone 6,674 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In related news, CAO Daniel Paul Franzetti sold 23,301 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.78, for a total transaction of $1,043,418.78. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 63,996 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,865,740.88. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Susan Ann Stone 6,674 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The disclosure for this trade can be found here. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CNA Financial

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. CENTRAL TRUST Co acquired a new stake in shares of CNA Financial during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Blue Trust Inc. purchased a new position in CNA Financial in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. GAMMA Investing LLC acquired a new stake in CNA Financial during the 4th quarter worth about $39,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in CNA Financial during the fourth quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in CNA Financial by 39.1% during the first quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,756 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $80,000 after buying an additional 494 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.45% of the company’s stock.

About CNA Financial

CNA Financial Corporation provides commercial property and casualty insurance products in the United States and internationally. It operates through Specialty, Commercial, International, Life & Group, and Corporate & Other segments. The company offers professional liability coverages and risk management services to various professional firms, including architects, real estate agents, and accounting and law firms; directors and officers, employment practices, fiduciary, and fidelity and cyber coverages to small and mid-size firms, public and privately held firms, and not-for-profit organizations; professional and general liability, as well as associated casualty coverages for healthcare industry; surety and fidelity bonds; and warranty and alternative risks products.