Hartford Financial reports Q3 core EPS $2.29, consensus $1.98

Reports Q3 revenue $6.168B, consensus $6.17B. The Hartford’s Chief Financial Officer Beth Costello said, “Commercial Lines had an outstanding quarter with an underlying combined ratio of 87.8. Personal Lines achieved sustained double-digit written pricing increases with acceleration in auto to 19.7 percent in the quarter. Group Benefits continues to deliver excellent results driven by 8 percent growth in fully insured ongoing premiums and a core earnings margin of 9.8 percent. Our investment performance remains strong benefiting from attractive new money yields. We announced an 11 percent increase in the common dividend and, in the third quarter, returned $481 million to shareholders.”