Hartford Insurance Stock: Is HIG Underperforming the Financial Sector?

Company Overview - The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (HIG) is valued at $37.3 billion and provides insurance and financial services in the U.S., U.K., and internationally, categorizing it as a large-cap stock [1] Stock Performance - HIG stock reached an all-time high of $135.17 on September 4 and is currently trading 2% below that peak, with a nearly 5% gain over the past three months, slightly underperforming the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) which returned 5.5% [2] - Over the longer term, HIG stock has increased by 21.1% in 2025 and 15.1% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming XLF's 11.3% gains in 2025 but lagging behind its 21.2% surge over the past year [3] Financial Performance - Following the release of impressive Q2 results on July 28, HIG stock prices gained 2.8%, with a 7.7% year-over-year growth in revenues to approximately $7 billion, surpassing Street expectations [4] - Core earnings per share surged 36.4% year-over-year to $3.41, exceeding consensus estimates by 23.1% [4] Competitive Position - Despite solid returns, HIG has lagged behind W. R. Berkley Corporation (WRB), which saw a 26.1% surge in 2025 and 27.8% gains over the past 52 weeks [5] - HIG maintains a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating among 23 analysts, with a mean price target of $139.15, indicating a modest 5% upside potential from current price levels [5]