Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) Hit a 52 Week High, Can the Run Continue?

Company Performance - Horace Mann (HMN) shares have increased by 5.1% over the past month, reaching a new 52-week high of $48.33, and have gained 19.2% since the start of the year, outperforming the Zacks Finance sector's 13.2% gain and the Zacks Insurance - Multi line industry's 3.9% return [1] - The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates, reporting EPS of $1.36 against a consensus estimate of $1.05 in its last earnings report on November 4, 2025 [2] Earnings Projections - For the current fiscal year, Horace Mann is expected to post earnings of $4.3 per share on revenues of $1.7 billion, reflecting a 35.53% change in EPS and a 6.32% change in revenues [3] - For the next fiscal year, the expected earnings are $4.57 per share on revenues of $1.81 billion, indicating year-over-year changes of 6.03% in EPS and 6.6% in revenues [3] Valuation Metrics - The stock currently trades at 10.9 times the current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is a premium compared to the peer industry average of 9.3 times [7] - On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock trades at 12 times versus the peer group's average of 11.7 times, positioning Horace Mann favorably among value investors [7] Zacks Rank and Style Scores - Horace Mann holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) due to rising earnings estimates, meeting the criteria for investors looking for stocks with strong potential [8] - The company has a Value Score of A, a Growth Score of C, and a Momentum Score of B, resulting in a combined VGM Score of A [6] Industry Comparison - The Insurance - Multi line industry is performing well, ranking in the top 27% of all industries, providing favorable conditions for both Horace Mann and its peers [11] - Hamilton Insurance Group, a peer, has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and has shown strong earnings performance, indicating competitive dynamics within the industry [9][10]