American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” from Brokerages

Shares of American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG) have earned an average rating of “Hold” from the five ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $142.50.

Several research analysts have commented on AFG shares. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of American Financial Group from $130.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of American Financial Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on American Financial Group in a report on Thursday. They set an “overweight” rating and a $165.00 target price for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “hold” rating and set a $142.00 price objective on shares of American Financial Group in a report on Tuesday, November 11th.

Insider Activity at American Financial Group

In related news, CFO Brian S. Hertzman sold 1,777 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $142.51, for a total transaction of $253,240.27. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 11,300 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,610,363. This represents a 13.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 17.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Financial Group

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of American Financial Group by 421.1% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 198 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the period. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp bought a new stake in American Financial Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Alpine Bank Wealth Management purchased a new stake in American Financial Group during the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in American Financial Group during the third quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in American Financial Group by 165.0% in the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 273 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. 64.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

American Financial Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:AFG opened at $131.57 on Thursday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $136.64 and its 200 day moving average is $134.73. American Financial Group has a 12 month low of $114.73 and a 12 month high of $150.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The company has a market capitalization of $10.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.82 and a beta of 0.70.

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The insurance provider reported $2.69 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.35 by $0.34. American Financial Group had a net margin of 9.66% and a return on equity of 18.05%. The business had revenue of $2.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.02 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.31 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that American Financial Group will post 10.5 EPS for the current year.

American Financial Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 27th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.88 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. American Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.97%.

American Financial Group Company Profile

American Financial Group, Inc (NYSE: AFG) is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Through its flagship subsidiary, Great American Insurance Company, the firm underwrites a broad range of specialty insurance products for commercial and industrial clients, including inland marine, excess and surplus lines, executive liability, and environmental liability coverage. In addition, American Financial Group offers supplemental accident and health insurance and assumes reinsurance risks from other insurers, helping to diversify its underwriting portfolio.

The company traces its roots to 1946, when it was founded by Carl Lindner, Sr.