Dow Today: Travelers Companies (TRV) Leads The Day Higher, Pfizer (PFE) Lags

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) is trading down 13.0 points at 13,200 as of Tuesday, May 1, 2012, 9:35 a.m. ET. During this time, 25.6 million shares of the 30 Dow components have changed hands vs. an average daily trading volume of 743.8 million. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,468 issues advancing vs. 1,199 declining with 178 unchanged.

The Dow component leading the way higher looks to be Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV), which is sporting a 38-cent gain (+0.6%) bringing the stock to $64.70. Volume for Travelers Companies currently sits at 94,538 shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 3.1 million shares.

Travelers Companies has a market cap of $24.9 billion and is part of the financial sector and insurance industry. Shares are up 8.7% year to date as of Monday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 2.9%.

The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals primarily in the United States. The company has a P/E ratio of 18.6, below the average insurance industry P/E ratio of 18.8 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates Travelers Companies as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels, good cash flow from operations and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity.

• You can view the full Travelers Companies Ratings Report.

Holding back the Dow today is Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), which is lagging the broader Dow index with a 26-cent decline (-1.1%) bringing the stock to $22.64. This single loss is lowering the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 1.97 points or roughly accounting for 15.2% of the Dow's overall loss. Volume for Pfizer currently sits at 2.8 million shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 34.8 million shares.

• See our dividend calendar or top-yielding stocks list.

Pfizer has a market cap of $173.96 billion and is part of the health care sector and drugs industry. Shares are up 5.8% year to date as of Monday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 3.8%.

Pfizer Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of medicines for people and animals worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 20.8, above the average drugs industry P/E ratio of 18 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates Pfizer as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, expanding profit margins, notable return on equity and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

• You can view the full Pfizer Ratings Report.

For more information on Pfizer Inc click any of the following:

• Pfizer Inc Stock Price

• Pfizer Inc Analyst Ratings

• Pfizer Inc Key Stats & Profile

• Pfizer Inc Earnings

• Pfizer Inc Ratio Comparison

• Pfizer Inc Growth Rates

• Pfizer Inc Balance Sheet

• Pfizer Inc Cash Flow

• Pfizer Inc Income Statement