Insurance Stocks In Spotlight (RDN, AGO, Loews Corporation)

Radian Group Inc. (NYSE:RDN) dropped 2.65% to $7.34. This month, the company reported a third-quarter profit of $112.2 million, or 84 cents a share. That compared with a net loss of $70.5 million or 86 cents a share in the same period a year earlier.

The latest quarterly results included a gain of $229.8 million, or $1.12 a share, related to a change in the fair value of derivatives.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had forecast a quarterly loss of 66 cents a share, on average.

The stock went up more than 1% year-to-date.

Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO) added 1.10% to $17.48. The company said this month that third-quarter net income came in at $180.9 million, or 96 cents a share, versus a third quarter 2009 net loss of $35 million, or 22 cents a share.

Operating income, which excludes net realized investment gains and losses, was $222.8 million, or $1.19 a share. Excluding two items related to a recent acquisition, operating profit would have been 89 cents a share, the company added.

The company was expected to make 89 cents a share, according to the average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet.

Over the past 52-week, the stock traded within the range of $12.63-$28.14. The stock went down more than 19% year-to-date.

Loews Corporation (NYSE:L) went down 0.83% and closed at $38.08. This month, the company reported third-quarter net income fell 92% while adjusted profit declined 22%. Earnings fell to $36 million or 9 cents a share, from $468 million, or $1.08, in the year-earlier period. Shares outstanding fell 3.5% to 418.5 million. Adjusted earnings were $364 million compared with $468 million.

The 52-week range of the stock is $30.22-$40.34.