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Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Operating EPS rose to $5.31: Operating income was $189.2 million, or $5.31 per diluted share, compared with $158.7 million, or $4.35, a year earlier. Source
  • Combined ratio 91.2%, 85.5% ex-catastrophes: Combined ratio was 91.2%, against 92.5% a year earlier. Excluding catastrophes it was 85.5%, the same as the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Core Commercial combined ratio 95.7%: Core Commercial operating income before income taxes was $77.5 million, against $83.9 million. Catastrophe losses were 4.6 points of the segment combined ratio. Source
  • Personal Lines combined ratio 88.9%: Personal Lines operating income before income taxes was $104.9 million, against $57.4 million. Catastrophe losses were 8.5 points, down from 11.1 points a year earlier. Source
  • Catastrophe losses $91.8 million: Catastrophe losses were $91.8 million, or 5.7 points of the combined ratio, against 7.0 points a year earlier. Personal Lines accounted for $55.4 million of the total. Source
  • Favorable prior-year reserve development: Prior-year reserve development was 1.3 points favorable, against 1.2 points in the prior-year quarter, with favorability across the segments. Source
  • Roche served nine years as CEO: Roche said he has served as chief executive for nine years and that he and Dick Lavey will work closely together through the rest of 2026. Source

“Our very successful second quarter is a testament to the strength of our business model, the durable earnings power we have built across The Hanover and the disciplined execution of our team,”

John C. Roche, president and chief executive officer at The Hanover

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Share repurchases Sourceremaining capacity after the May 13, 2026 authorizationapproximately $660 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Roche said he plans to retire at the end of 2026. The company said Dick Lavey is positioned to lead The Hanover into its next chapter. Source

Earnings and returns for the quarter

  • Operating EPS rose to $5.31: Operating income was $189.2 million, or $5.31 per diluted share, compared with $158.7 million, or $4.35, a year earlier. Source
  • Net income and return on equity: Net income was $191.6 million, or $5.38 per diluted share. Net return on equity was 21.2% and operating return on equity 19.8% for the quarter. Source
  • Combined ratio 91.2%, 85.5% ex-catastrophes: Combined ratio was 91.2%, against 92.5% a year earlier. Excluding catastrophes it was 85.5%, the same as the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Net investment income up 13.4%: Net investment income rose to $119.6 million, reflecting cash flows invested from operations and higher earned yields on fixed maturities. Source

Core Commercial segment results

  • Core Commercial combined ratio 95.7%: Core Commercial operating income before income taxes was $77.5 million, against $83.9 million. Catastrophe losses were 4.6 points of the segment combined ratio. Source
  • Liability loss selections raised: Management said it increased loss ratio selections in liability coverages. The prior-year quarter benefited from lower-than-usual property losses. Source
  • Core Commercial premiums up 7.2%: Net premiums written rose 7.2% to $574.8 million, with small commercial up 6.0% and middle market up 9.4%, about 7% excluding non-recurring items. Source

“The profitability of our business continues to build capital, enabling increased share repurchases while maintaining the balance sheet strength and financial flexibility”

Jeffrey M. Farber, executive vice president and chief financial officer at The Hanover

Specialty and Personal Lines results

  • Specialty combined ratio 88.3%: Specialty operating income before income taxes was $68.4 million, against $71.2 million. Prior-year reserve development, excluding catastrophes, was 3.0 points favorable. Source
  • Personal Lines combined ratio 88.9%: Personal Lines operating income before income taxes was $104.9 million, against $57.4 million. Catastrophe losses were 8.5 points, down from 11.1 points a year earlier. Source
  • Personal Lines expense ratio rose: The expense ratio rose 1.3 points to 26.3%, reflecting timing of variable agency compensation given results to date that were better than expected. Source

Catastrophes and reserve development

  • Catastrophe losses $91.8 million: Catastrophe losses were $91.8 million, or 5.7 points of the combined ratio, against 7.0 points a year earlier. Personal Lines accounted for $55.4 million of the total. Source
  • Favorable prior-year reserve development: Prior-year reserve development was 1.3 points favorable, against 1.2 points in the prior-year quarter, with favorability across the segments. Source
  • Loss ratio down 1.7 points: The loss and LAE ratio was 60.2%, 1.7 points below the prior-year quarter. The current accident year ratio excluding catastrophes was 55.8%, 0.3 points below the prior year. Source

“This quarter reflects the talent of our employees, the strength of our leadership team, the depth of our agency relationships and the trust our customers place in us every day”

John C. Roche, president and chief executive officer at The Hanover

Pricing by business line

  • Personal Lines renewal pricing 8.7%: Personal Lines renewal price increases averaged 8.7%, with average rate increases of 4.8%. Source
  • Core Commercial renewal pricing 7.8%: Core Commercial renewal price increases averaged 7.8%, with average rate increases of 7.0%. Source
  • Specialty renewal pricing 3.6%: Specialty renewal price increases averaged 3.6%, with average rate increases of 2.1%. Source

Premium growth and policies in force

  • Personal Lines growth from new business: Personal Lines net premiums written rose 2.6% to $697.6 million, mainly from higher new business, with renewal price increases a lesser contributor. Source
  • Policies in force flat: Personal Lines policies in force were essentially flat compared with the first quarter of 2026. Source
  • Specialty premiums up 4.4%: Specialty net premiums written were $384.4 million, up 4.4%, an acceleration from the first quarter of 2026. Source

Investment income and book value

  • Investment yields higher year on year: Net investment income grew on continued investment of operating cash flows and higher earned yields; the average fixed maturity yield was 4.45%. Source
  • Book value per share $105.40: Book value per share was $105.40, up 3.5% from March 31, 2026. Excluding unrealized depreciation on fixed maturities, it rose 3.8%. Source
  • Cash and invested assets $11.2 billion: The company held $11.2 billion in cash and invested assets, with fixed maturities and cash about 93% of the portfolio and about 95% of fixed maturities investment grade. Source

Share repurchases and dividends

  • 291,000 shares repurchased in quarter: Share repurchases in the quarter totaled about 291,000 shares, for about $55 million. Source
  • Year-to-date buybacks reach $149 million: Through July 24, 2026, about 827,000 shares had been repurchased year to date, for about $149 million. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends offset earnings: Management listed share repurchases and the ordinary quarterly cash dividends among items that partially offset earnings in book value per share. Source

Leadership transition and strategy

  • Roche served nine years as CEO: Roche said he has served as chief executive for nine years and that he and Dick Lavey will work closely together through the rest of 2026. Source
  • Lavey cited as strategy architect: Roche described Dick Lavey as one of the key architects of the strategy and the transformation of the company. Source
  • Confidence entering second half: Farber said the company enters the second half of 2026 with confidence, supported by varied earnings streams, a resilient balance sheet and disciplined capital allocation. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 July 2026

  • Virtual session on September 17: Virtual session on September 17 covering the next chapter, strategic priorities and updated long-term financial targets, with live questions. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Combined ratio Source91.2%
Net premiums written Source$1,656.8 million
Prior-year development Source(1.3)%
Catastrophe losses Source$91.8 million
Investment income Source$119.6 million
Book value per share Source$105.40

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management described market conditions as evolving and said it is working through them while achieving pricing gains. Source
  • Financial: Net unrealized losses on fixed maturities rose to $259.5 million before tax, reducing book value per share. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the Specialty current accident year loss ratio was consistent with its long-term expectations for the segment. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.