Loews (NYSE:L) Reaches New 52-Week High - Still a Buy?

Loews Co. (NYSE:L - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $92.13 and last traded at $91.51, with a volume of 567650 shares. The stock had previously closed at $91.40.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com cut Loews from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th.

Loews Stock Down 1.1 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 0.34. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $86.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $83.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.22 and a beta of 0.80.

Loews (NYSE:L - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The insurance provider reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter. Loews had a net margin of 8.08% and a return on equity of 8.04%.

Loews Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 26th were issued a $0.0625 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 26th. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.27%. Loews's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 3.91%.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Loews

In other Loews news, Director Andrew H. Tisch sold 7,533 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.35, for a total transaction of $635,408.55. Following the transaction, the director now owns 1,568,191 shares of the company's stock, valued at $132,276,910.85. The trade was a 0.48 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Jonathan M. Tisch sold 47,636 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.88, for a total transaction of $4,043,343.68. Following the transaction, the director now owns 6,705,529 shares in the company, valued at approximately $569,165,301.52. The trade was a 0.71 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 158,860 shares of company stock worth $13,486,463. Corporate insiders own 18.70% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Loews

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Loews by 10.6% during the fourth quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,237 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $105,000 after buying an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. Gilder Gagnon Howe & Co. LLC increased its holdings in shares of Loews by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Gilder Gagnon Howe & Co. LLC now owns 3,884 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $329,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Wedmont Private Capital raised its stake in Loews by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 3,065 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $249,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares during the period. Mather Group LLC. lifted its holdings in Loews by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 2,248 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $190,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Perigon Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Loews by 5.9% during the fourth quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,306 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $285,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the period. 58.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Loews Company Profile

Loews Corporation provides commercial property and casualty insurance in the United States and internationally. The company offers specialty insurance products, such as management and professional liability, and other coverage products; surety and fidelity bonds; property insurance products that include standard and excess property, marine and boiler, and machinery coverages; and casualty insurance products, such as workers' compensation, general and product liability, and commercial auto, surplus, and umbrella coverages.