NEW YORK (AP) - Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. reports earnings for the first quarter after the close of the market on Thursday. Following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

OVERVIEW: Hartford derives about 55 percent of its earnings from life insurance and 45 percent from property and casualty insurance. The property and casualty insurance sector is coming off a miserable hurricane season in which it paid a record $57.7 billion in catastrophe losses, more than double the total for the previous year. Property and casualty stocks are under the threats of another bad hurricane season, regulatory issues and rising reinsurance premiums, making it more expensive for primary insurers to spread catastrophic risk.

Life insurers are benefiting from an improvement in the investment environment for conservative, liquid holdings where insurers park excess capital. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 3.7 percent in the first quarter, and rising yields on 10-year Treasury bonds give insurers better opportunities to profit off the premiums they collect.

Hartford hiked its quarterly dividend 33 percent to 30 cents per share during the quarter.

BY THE NUMBERS: Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect Hartford to report operating earnings of $2.11 per share in the first quarter on $7.41 billion in revenue. Last year the company reported operating earnings of $1.93 per share. The company forecasts earnings for 2006 to be in a range of $8.20 per share and $8.50 per share.

ANALYST TAKE: Credit Suisse analyst Thomas Gallagher has an "Outperform" rating on Hartford and sets a price target of $103 on the stock. He notes the market is worried about the threat of another devastating hurricane season, rising reinsurance rates and regulatory issues although these issues primarily face property and casualty insurers. Hartford derives more than half of its revenue from its life insurance operations.

While the stock is pricey for a property and casualty insurer, Gallagher said, Hartford trades at a discount to other life insurers.

"Investors are valuing Hartford almost as a pure play property and casualty insurer and not giving the company sufficient credit for its attractive life insurance assets," Gallagher wrote in a report March 28.

STOCK PERFORMANCE: Hartford shares opened 2006 at $86.33 and spent much of the first quarter in the low to mid-80's. Hartford shares traded in a 52-week range of $66 to $89.49.

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© 2006 The Associated Press