Erste Asset Management GmbH Has $219,000 Stake in American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG)

Erste Asset Management GmbH trimmed its stake in shares of American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG) by 11.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,600 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after selling 200 shares during the period. Erste Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in American Financial Group were worth $219,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in American Financial Group by 86.8% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 340 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 158 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its holdings in American Financial Group by 91.2% in the fourth quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 520 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $71,000 after buying an additional 248 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in American Financial Group by 301.1% in the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 702 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $94,000 after buying an additional 527 shares during the period. iA Global Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in American Financial Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $125,000. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new stake in American Financial Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $130,000. 64.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods downgraded shares of American Financial Group from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and lowered their target price for the company from $164.00 to $144.00 in a research note on Friday, February 7th.

American Financial Group Stock Up 1.8 %

Shares of AFG stock opened at $127.25 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $129.35 and a 200-day moving average of $134.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. American Financial Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $118.97 and a 12-month high of $150.19. The company has a market capitalization of $10.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.04 and a beta of 0.79.

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The insurance provider reported $3.12 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.15 by ($0.03). American Financial Group had a return on equity of 20.30% and a net margin of 10.66%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that American Financial Group, Inc. will post 10.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Financial Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a special dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Investors of record on Monday, March 17th will be issued a dividend of $2.00 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 17th. American Financial Group’s payout ratio is 30.27%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Gregory G. Joseph purchased 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 20th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $121.00 per share, for a total transaction of $363,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 57,477 shares in the company, valued at $6,954,717. The trade was a 5.51 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 14.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.