Travelers Posts First Loss Since 2004 After Tornado Claims

Travelers Cos., the lone insurer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, posted its first loss in seven years as U.S. tornadoes fueled catastrophe claims that cost the company more than Hurricane Katrina. The second-quarter net loss of $364 million, or 88 cents per share, compares with a profit of $670 million, or $1.35, a year earlier, the New York-based insurer said today in a statement. The operating loss, which excludes some investment results, was 91 cents a share, missing the 65-cent average loss estimate of 20 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.