The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Has $10.14 Million Position in American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG)

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lessened its position in American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG - Free Report) by 4.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 74,078 shares of the insurance provider's stock after selling 3,715 shares during the quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company owned about 0.09% of American Financial Group worth $10,144,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of AFG. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in American Financial Group by 86.8% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 340 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 158 shares in the last quarter. Natixis acquired a new position in American Financial Group in the fourth quarter worth about $47,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in American Financial Group by 91.2% during the fourth quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 520 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 248 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP boosted its holdings in American Financial Group by 301.1% during the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 702 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $94,000 after purchasing an additional 527 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of American Financial Group by 31.6% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,059 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $145,000 after purchasing an additional 254 shares during the period. 64.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target on American Financial Group from $126.00 to $125.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday.

American Financial Group Price Performance

NYSE AFG traded down $0.65 on Friday, hitting $122.15. 526,042 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 379,340. The company has a current ratio of 0.53, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $126.51 and a two-hundred day moving average of $131.86. American Financial Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $114.73 and a 1-year high of $150.19. The company has a market cap of $10.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.56 and a beta of 0.72.

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The insurance provider reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.17 by ($0.36). American Financial Group had a net margin of 10.66% and a return on equity of 20.30%. The business had revenue of $1.58 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.74 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.76 EPS. The business's revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that American Financial Group, Inc. will post 10.5 EPS for the current year.

American Financial Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 25th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 15th were issued a dividend of $0.80 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, April 15th. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.62%. American Financial Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.27%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Gregory G. Joseph bought 3,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 20th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $121.00 per share, for a total transaction of $363,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 57,477 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,954,717. The trade was a 5.51 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 17.40% of the company's stock.

American Financial Group Company Profile

American Financial Group, Inc, an insurance holding company, provides specialty property and casualty insurance products in the United States. The company offers property and transportation insurance products, such as physical damage and liability coverage for buses and trucks, inland and ocean marine, agricultural-related products, and other commercial property and specialty transportation coverages; specialty casualty insurance, including primarily excess and surplus, executive and professional liability, general liability, umbrella and excess liability, and specialty coverage in targeted markets, as well as customized programs for small to mid-sized businesses and workers' compensation insurance; and specialty financial insurance products comprising risk management insurance programs for lending and leasing institutions, fidelity and surety products, and trade credit insurance.