American Financial Group, Inc. $AFG Shares Sold by Ethic Inc.

Ethic Inc. cut its holdings in American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG) by 34.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,811 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after selling 4,016 shares during the quarter. Ethic Inc.’s holdings in American Financial Group were worth $1,068,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of American Financial Group during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Heritage Family Offices LLP acquired a new position in American Financial Group during the third quarter worth $29,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new position in American Financial Group during the second quarter worth $32,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in American Financial Group by 135.7% during the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 264 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 152 shares during the period. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in American Financial Group during the second quarter valued at $42,000. 64.37% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

American Financial Group Price Performance

American Financial Group stock opened at $161.05 on Friday. American Financial Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $123.09 and a 52-week high of $163.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.14 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $146.58 and a 200-day simple moving average of $137.79. The company has a quick ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 3rd. The insurance provider reported $3.97 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.80 by $0.17. American Financial Group had a net margin of 11.96% and a return on equity of 22.56%. The firm had revenue of $2.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.40 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.69 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that American Financial Group, Inc. will post 12.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Financial Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a special dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 25th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a $3.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. American Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.65%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AFG has been the subject of a number of research reports. Oppenheimer set a $150.00 target price on shares of American Financial Group in a research note on Monday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price objective on American Financial Group from $147.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Monday, November 9th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on American Financial Group from $166.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, November 5th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of American Financial Group in a research report on Wednesday, November 4th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price target on American Financial Group from $140.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $159.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at American Financial Group

In other news, CFO Brian Hertzman sold 950 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $142.87, for a total transaction of $135,726.50. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 11,123 shares in the company, valued at $1,589,143.01. The trade was a 7.87% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 16.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

American Financial Group Profile

American Financial Group, Inc. is an insurance holding company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through Great American Insurance Group, it provides property and casualty insurance, with a focus on specialty commercial markets and coverage tailored to specific industries and customer needs. Its products include insurance for businesses, farms and agricultural operations, and individuals, offered through a network of independent agents and brokers. AFG’s insurance operations serve customers primarily in the United States, with some products and services available internationally.