First Trust Advisors LP Decreases Stock Position in CNO Financial Group, Inc. $CNO

First Trust Advisors LP reduced its holdings in shares of CNO Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CNO) by 86.7% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 67,770 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 440,857 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP’s holdings in CNO Financial Group were worth $2,783,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Richardson Financial Services Inc. acquired a new position in CNO Financial Group during the fourth quarter worth about $37,000. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its position in shares of CNO Financial Group by 75.4% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,133 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 487 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of CNO Financial Group by 123.1% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,176 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 649 shares in the last quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its stake in shares of CNO Financial Group by 39.2% during the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,194 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 336 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of CNO Financial Group by 637.4% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,438 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 1,243 shares in the last quarter. 95.43% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of CNO Financial Group in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on CNO Financial Group from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group cut CNO Financial Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $53.00 to $55.00 in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Evercore set a $48.00 price objective on CNO Financial Group and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, CNO Financial Group presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $52.50.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Gary C. Bhojwani sold 86,048 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.48, for a total transaction of $4,429,751.04. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 174,264 shares in the company, valued at $8,971,110.72. This trade represents a 33.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CMO Rocco F. Tarasi III sold 5,750 shares of CNO Financial Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $287,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 79,191 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,959,550. This represents a 6.77% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders have sold 95,106 shares of company stock worth $4,879,343. Corporate insiders own 3.44% of the company’s stock.

CNO Financial Group Stock Performance

NYSE:CNO opened at $55.50 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $51.67 and a 200-day simple moving average of $46.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 0.17 and a quick ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market cap of $5.18 billion, a PE ratio of 19.07 and a beta of 0.81. CNO Financial Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $35.81 and a 1-year high of $57.59.

CNO Financial Group (NYSE:CNO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.97 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $1.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $999.45 million. CNO Financial Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 18.76%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.87 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that CNO Financial Group, Inc. will post 4.61 EPS for the current year.

CNO Financial Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 10th. CNO Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 24.74%.

Key Stories Impacting CNO Financial Group

Here are the key news stories impacting CNO Financial Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Q2 performance and improved outlook: CNO reported quarterly EPS of $1.26, well above the $0.97 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 11.6% year over year to $1.29 billion. The company also highlighted higher EPS guidance and share repurchases, potentially strengthening the investment case by supporting earnings growth and reducing the share count. Strong Q2 Results, Buybacks And Higher EPS Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised earnings forecasts: Dowling & Partners increased its estimates to $4.75 EPS for fiscal 2026, $5.10 for fiscal 2027 and $5.60 for fiscal 2028, up from prior forecasts. The revisions indicate greater confidence in CNO’s earnings trajectory and are above or near broader consensus expectations. CNO Financial Group analyst estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Higher price target: Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised its price target for CNO to $57, providing additional support for the shares and signaling modest potential upside from recent trading levels. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Boosts CNO Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend declared: CNO’s board approved a $0.18-per-share quarterly dividend, equivalent to $0.72 annually and an approximately 1.3% yield based on the referenced share price. The payment underscores ongoing capital returns, although the dividend itself is unlikely to be a major near-term catalyst. CNO Financial Group Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand visibility increased: The CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon sold out its expanded field earlier than ever. The event may enhance local brand awareness, but it is unlikely to materially affect financial results or the stock. CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

CNO Financial Group Company Profile

CNO Financial Group is an Indiana‐based holding company that offers a range of insurance and retirement solutions through its operating subsidiaries. Its primary business activities include life insurance, annuities, and supplemental health insurance products designed to help individuals plan for retirement and manage health‐related expenses. The company serves middle‐income Americans, with particular emphasis on senior customers seeking guaranteed coverage and reliable income streams.

Originally founded as Conseco in 1979, the company underwent a financial restructuring and rebranded as CNO Financial Group in 2010.