Hartford (HIG) (IEX) (MT) (OVTI) Price Targets Changed

Hartford Financial (NYSE: HIG), IDEX Corp (NYSE: IEX), ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) and OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI) price targets adjusted by analysts.

Hartford Financial (HIG) had its price target lowered by Argus from $36.00 to $26.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the company.

IDEX Corp. (IEX) had its price target lowered by Oppenheimer from $55.00 to $50.00. They have an “Outperform” rating on the company.

ArcelorMittal (MT) had its price target lowered by Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) from $38.50 to $24.50. They have a “Hold” rating on the company.

OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (OVTI) had its price target lowered by Needham & Company from $45.00 to $30.00. They have a “Strong Buy” rating on the company.

Waters (WAT) (ENER) (GEOI) (HIG) (HEI) Ratings Reiterated

Waters (NYSE:WAT), Energy Conversion (NASDAQ:ENER), GeoResources (NASDAQ:GEOI), Hartford Financial (NYSE:HIG) and HEICO (NYSE:HEI) had ratings on them reiterated by analysts.

Wedbush reiterated its rating on Waters (WAT). They have an "Neutral" rating on the company, and cut its price target from $$37 to $32.

Ardour Capital reiterated its rating on (ENER). They have a "Reduce" rating on the company, and cut its price target from $1 to $0.50.

Rodman & Renshaw reiterated its rating on GeoResources (GEOI). They have an "Outperform" rating on the company, and slashed their price target on them from $33 to $29.

Argus reiterated its rating on Hartford Financial (HIG). They have a "Buy" rating on the company, and lowered their price target from $36 to $26.

Wedbush reiterated its rating on HEICO (HEI). They have an "Outperform" rating on the company, and raised their price target from $55 to $57.

Petsmart (PETM) (HIG) (IRF) (NOV) EPS Estimates Changed

Petsmart Inc (NASDAQ: PETM), Hartford Financial (NYSE: HIG), International Rectifier (NYSE: IRF) and National-Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NYSE: NOV) EPS estimates adjusted by analysts.

UBS AG (UBS) boosted its EPS estimates on Petsmart Inc. (PETM). They have a “Buy” rating and a price target of $52.00 on the company.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) lowered its EPS estimates on Hartford Financial (HIG). They have an “Equal Weight” rating on the company.

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) cuts its EPS estimates on International Rectifier (IRF). They have a “Neutral” rating and a price target of $23.00 on the company.

Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) raised its EPS estimates on National-Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NOV). They have an “Outperform” rating and a price target of $95.00 on the company.

Dividends on (UVV) (TWC) (PAI) (HIG) (LO) Declared

Universal Corp. (NYSE:UVV), Time Warner Cable, Inc. (NYSE:TWC), Western Asset Income Fund (NYSE:PAI), Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE:HIG) and Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE:LO) declare dividends.

The Board of Directors of Universal Corp. (UVV) declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.48 per share payable 8/8/11 to shareholders of record at the close of business on 7/11/11.

The Board of Directors of Time Warner Cable, Inc. (TWC) declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.48 per share payable 6/15/11 to shareholders of record at the close of business on 5/31/11.

The Board of Directors of Western Asset Income Fund (PAI) declared a June 11 common stock dividend of $0.06 per share payable 6/24/11 to shareholders of record at the close of business on 6/17/11.

The Board of Directors of Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.10 per share payable 7/1/11 to shareholders of record at the close of business on 6/1/11.

The Board of Directors of Lorillard, Inc. (LO) declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $1.30 per share payable 6/10/11 to shareholders of record at the close of business on 6/1/11.

Dividend Yields for (AIZ) (MET) (UNM) (HIG) (AON)

Indicated dividend yields for Standard & Poor's 500 Index companies Assurant Inc (AIZ), MetLife Inc (MET), Unum Group (UNM), Hartford Financial Services (HIG) and AON (AON).

These dividend data indicate dividend yields of companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index as of Saturday, April 30. The yield is determined by taking the latest declared dividend, annualized and divided by the price of the stock. Payout ratios are calculated based on latest quarterly dividend paid divided by earnings.

Assurant Inc (AIZ) has a dividend yield of 1.61 percent on a declared dividend of $0.16. The payout ratio is 11.4 percent.

MetLife Inc (MET) has a dividend yield of 1.58 percent on a declared dividend of $0.74. The payout ratio is 1564.6 percent.

Unum Group (ACE) has a dividend yield of 1.40 percent on a declared dividend of $0.09. The payout ratio is 13.0 percent.

Hartford Financial Services has a dividend yield of 1.38 percent on a declared dividend of $0.10. The payout ratio is 3.7 percent.

AON Corp (AON) has a dividend yield of 1.15 percent on a declared dividend of $0.15. The payout ratio is 21.0 percent.

Aflac (AFL), Hartford Financial (HIG), MetLife (MET), Prudential Financial (PRU) Down on Japan Exposure

Shares of insurance companies with significant exposure in Japan closed down on Tuesday, with Aflac Inc. (NYSE:AFL), Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE:HIG), MetLife Inc. (MET) and Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) all feeling the nuclear heat.

Aflac is getting hit the most, as they have the most exposure to the Japanese market, followed by Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. , MetLife Inc. and Prudential Financial Inc.

Uncertainty as to the amount having to be paid out will keep pressure on insurers and reinsurers, and at that time it could get worse, depending on how deeply the damage goes, which is obviously extensive.

Aflac closed Tuesday at $50.89, losing $3.01, or 5.58 percent. Hartford closed at $25.60, dropping $1.22, or 4.55 percent. MetLife was lower, ending at $43.40, falling $1.34, or 3.00 percent. Prudential closed the day at $60.09, down $1.17, or 1.91 percent.

Insurers (HIG), (AFL) (PRU) Drop on Japan Exposure

Insurance companies with strong exposure in Japan have been pressured today, as the markets are weighing the Japan play more than any other factor, for obvious reasons, as shares of Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG), Aflac Inc. (AFL) and Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) were all down today by about 3 percent of more.

Concerns were over the death claims to the unknown exposure to cancer claims from the damage to nuclear facilities.

Even so, Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) said, “The financial implications for U.S. life insurers with large Japanese operations are not likely to be material to annual earnings or capital.” Long-term issues are probably more the risk, although it's unclear if there is any exposure at this time to radioactivity in any meaningful numbers, as far as measured by financial risk.

Credit Suisse did add that the insurers could face the “potential for elevated hospitalization claims and given concerns over damaged nuclear plants, elevated cancer claims over the next few years.”

Aflac, which has by far the most exposure in Japan of American insurers, said, “As we look to the remainder of 2011, we expect Aflac Japan sales will only be minimally impacted by these events. Our earnings guidance for the year remains unchanged.”

Prudential was trading at $61.19, down $1.91, or 3.03 percent, as of 2:43 PM EDT. Aflac was trading at $53.60, falling $1.95, or 3.51 percent. Hartford was at $26.78, down $0.82, or 2.97 percent.

SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:GLD), AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU), Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Citigroup (NYSE:C), Hartford Financial Services (NYSE:HIG) Top Ho

Even though gold prices have been getting hit hard so far in 2011, that hasn't stopped John Paulson from keeping about 25 percent of his fund loaded with gold, including his top holding of SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:GLD), which accounts for 17.6 percent of the fund, and AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU), which accounts for 8.28 percent of the fund. Other top holdings include Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Citigroup(NYSE:C) and Hartford Financial Services Group (NYSE:HIG) Bank of America makes up 7.8 percent of Paulson & Co.; Citigroup 7.24 percent; and Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. 4.41 percent, making up the top five holdings in the fund as of the last filing.

Paulson's fund has been soaring since 2007, rising by 175 percent while the Dow was losing 15 percent. As of the end of the fourth quarter of 2010, the fund was valued at $22.9 billion.

what's caught the eye of investors is this growth occured during one of the worst market downturns in the last century.