Aegon (NYSE:AEG) Hits New 1-Year High - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Aegon shares hit a new 52-week high of $8.20 on Thursday, last trading at $8.1950 on volume of about 1.64 million shares and up roughly 2.9% intraday.
• Analysts hold a consensus of Moderate Buy with an average price target of $10.00, based on a mix of 1 Strong Buy, 3 Buy and 3 Hold ratings and recent coverage changes from firms including Morgan Stanley and BNP Paribas Exane.
• The company announced a $0.2469 per-share dividend payable July 6 (ex-dividend June 15) and reported a striking 671.0% yield

Aegon NV (NYSE:AEG - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $8.20 and last traded at $8.1950, with a volume of 1643105 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $8.02.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on AEG shares. Weiss Ratings downgraded Aegon from a "buy (a-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Aegon in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. They set a "hold" rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Aegon in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Aegon from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, February 21st. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane began coverage on shares of Aegon in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $10.00 price target on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $10.00.

Aegon Trading Up 2.9%

The company has a current ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 0.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The business's 50-day moving average is $7.43 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.59. The firm has a market cap of $16.56 billion, a P/E ratio of -51.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.79.

Aegon Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 6th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.2469 per share. This represents a yield of 671.0%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. Aegon's dividend payout ratio is presently -237.50%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. ABC Arbitrage SA bought a new position in Aegon in the 3rd quarter worth about $16,634,000. New York State Common Retirement Fund bought a new position in Aegon in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,223,000. Factory Mutual Insurance Co. bought a new position in Aegon in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,747,000. XY Capital Ltd bought a new position in Aegon in the 3rd quarter worth about $5,478,000. Finally, Arrowpoint Investment Partners Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new position in Aegon in the 3rd quarter worth about $15,408,000. 4.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Aegon

Aegon N.V. is a multinational financial services company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, specializing in life insurance, pensions and asset management. Established in 1983 through the merger of AGO and Ennia, Aegon has built a reputation for offering retirement solutions, savings products and protection plans aimed at helping customers secure their financial futures. The company operates under well-known brands, including Transamerica in the United States, and serves both individual and corporate clients.

Throughout its history, Aegon has pursued strategic acquisitions and partnerships to strengthen its market position and broaden its service offerings.

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