Hartford Financial Services Group Inc (HIG): Today's Featured Insurance Winner

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG) pushed the Insurance industry higher today making it today's featured insurance winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.9%. By the end of trading, Hartford Financial Services Group rose 23 cents (1.1%) to $21.18 on light volume. Throughout the day, 4.6 million shares of Hartford Financial Services Group exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 7.6 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $20.84-$21.25 after having opened the day at $21.01 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $20.95. Other companies within the Insurance industry that increased today were: MBIA (MBI), up 12.1%, National Interstate Corporation (NATL), up 9.2%, Kingsway Financial Services (KFS), up 4.3%, and Federated National (FNHC), up 4%.

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The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance and financial services primarily in the United States and Japan. Hartford Financial Services Group has a market cap of $9.1 billion and is part of the financial sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 22.7, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 28.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are seven analysts that rate Hartford Financial Services Group a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and eight rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Hartford Financial Services Group 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.

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For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the insurance industry could consider KBW Insurance ETF (KIE) while those bearish on the insurance industry could consider Proshares Short Financials (SEF).

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For more information on Hartford Financial Services Group Inc click any of the following:

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Stock Price

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Analyst Ratings

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Key Stats & Profile

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Earnings

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Ratio Comparison

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Growth Rates

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Balance Sheet

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Cash Flow

• Hartford Financial Services Group Inc Income Statement