American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG) Stock Rated "Moderate Buy" by Wall Street Brokerages

Key Points

• Analyst sentiment is moderately positive: Two of four covering firms rate AFG a buy and two rate it a hold; the average 12-month price target is $159.
• Quarterly results beat expectations: American Financial Group reported EPS of $3.97 versus $3.80 expected and revenue of $2.58 billion versus $2.40 billion expected.
• The company declared a $3.50-per-share special dividend, payable November 25 to shareholders of record on November 16.

Shares of American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG - Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the four ratings firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $159.00.

AFG has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on American Financial Group from $166.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 5th. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of American Financial Group from $140.00 to $156.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of American Financial Group in a report on Wednesday, November 4th. Oppenheimer set a $150.00 target price on American Financial Group in a research report on Monday. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on American Financial Group from $147.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a report on Monday.

Insider Transactions at American Financial Group

In other news, CFO Brian Hertzman sold 301 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.29, for a total value of $46,742.29. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 1,553 shares of the company's stock, valued at $241,165.37. This trade represents a 16.24% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 16.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of American Financial Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of American Financial Group in the first quarter worth about $26,000. Heritage Family Offices LLP bought a new stake in shares of American Financial Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC purchased a new position in American Financial Group during the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in American Financial Group by 135.7% in the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 264 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of American Financial Group in the second quarter valued at about $42,000. 64.37% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

American Financial Group Trading Up 1.9%

NYSE:AFG opened at $160.85 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. American Financial Group has a 12 month low of $123.09 and a 12 month high of $161.10. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $145.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $137.29. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.12 and a beta of 0.55.

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, November 3rd. The insurance provider reported $3.97 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.80 by $0.17. American Financial Group had a return on equity of 22.56% and a net margin of 11.96%. The company had revenue of $2.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.40 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.69 earnings per share. Analysts expect that American Financial Group will post 12.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Financial Group Announces Dividend

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

American Financial Group Company 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.

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