Insider Selling: CNA Financial Co. (NYSE:CNA) CAO Sells 12,991 Shares of Stock

CNA Financial Co. (NYSE:CNA) CAO Daniel Paul Franzetti sold 12,991 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.06, for a total transaction of $637,338.46. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 75,612 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,709,524.72. This represents a 14.66 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

CNA Financial Stock Performance

CNA stock traded down $0.31 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $49.03. 280,203 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 333,198. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. CNA Financial Co. has a 52 week low of $42.33 and a 52 week high of $52.36. The business has a 50-day moving average of $48.60 and a two-hundred day moving average of $48.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.28 billion, a PE ratio of 13.93, a P/E/G ratio of 9.23 and a beta of 0.68.

CNA Financial (NYSE:CNA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The insurance provider reported $1.25 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.14. CNA Financial had a net margin of 6.72% and a return on equity of 12.90%. As a group, equities analysts predict that CNA Financial Co. will post 4.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CNA Financial Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th were given a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 24th. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.75%. This is a positive change from CNA Financial’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.44. CNA Financial’s dividend payout ratio is currently 52.27%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of CNA Financial by 102.7% during the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 20,269 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $980,000 after buying an additional 10,269 shares during the last quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of CNA Financial during the fourth quarter valued at about $387,000. Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor INC. raised its position in CNA Financial by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor INC. now owns 129,991 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $6,288,000 after purchasing an additional 950 shares in the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in CNA Financial in the fourth quarter worth about $1,655,000. Finally, Vident Advisory LLC raised its position in CNA Financial by 102.4% in the fourth quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 35,134 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $1,699,000 after purchasing an additional 17,779 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.45% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on CNA shares. StockNews.com cut shares of CNA Financial from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price target on shares of CNA Financial from $54.00 to $53.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 12th.

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.