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NEW YORK (The Street) -- Insurance stocks are the second-most volatile of any industry after banking shares, ensuring there's still money to be made on prudent picks.
TheStreet.com's recommended insurance-stock portfolio from five weeks ago, based on price-to-book value, has surged 50%, compared with a 4.2% gain in the S&P 500 and a 7% increase in the benchmark index's insurance subset. There are still opportunities to be had, as the economy rebounds, pushing up premiums, and as insurers restock capital, giving them a cushion. (Price-to-book value is calculated by taking a company's share price and dividing it by book value per share. Book value is the net asset value of a company, measured by total assets minus intangible assets (patents, goodwill) and liabilities.
Insurers' shares rise and fall frequently, as seen by their so-called beta value of 1.49 versus the S&P 500. Only banking stocks, such as Citigroup and Bank of America, are higher, at 1.51. Industrial companies, represented by General Electric and Boeing, have a beta of 1.08, and consumer staples, which include Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola, are at 0.53.
The star insurance performer was the Phoenix Cos., up 80% over five weeks. PMI Group rose 77%, Conseco increased 76% and Radian Group jumped 75%. Since June 24, Radian has soared almost five-fold.
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