Lighthouse Investment Partners LLC Has $5.90 Million Holdings in American Financial Group, Inc. $AFG

Lighthouse Investment Partners LLC trimmed its holdings in American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG) by 54.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 40,466 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after selling 48,805 shares during the period. Lighthouse Investment Partners LLC’s holdings in American Financial Group were worth $5,897,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in AFG. Royal Bank of Canada increased its stake in American Financial Group by 11.1% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 75,421 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $9,905,000 after acquiring an additional 7,554 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of American Financial Group during the 1st quarter valued at $2,330,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its holdings in shares of American Financial Group by 145.8% during the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,278 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $168,000 after purchasing an additional 758 shares in the last quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of American Financial Group during the 2nd quarter worth $221,000. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp increased its position in shares of American Financial Group by 4.8% in the second quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 35,707 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $4,507,000 after purchasing an additional 1,633 shares during the period. 64.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

American Financial Group Trading Up 0.1%

AFG opened at $128.22 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $10.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.73 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The company’s 50 day moving average is $130.30 and its 200-day moving average is $135.24. American Financial Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $114.73 and a 1-year high of $150.02.

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The insurance provider reported $3.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.18 by $0.47. American Financial Group had a net margin of 10.30% and a return on equity of 18.64%. The business had revenue of $2.06 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.79 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.12 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that American Financial Group, Inc. will post 10.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Financial Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a special dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 16th were issued a dividend of $1.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. American Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio is 34.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AFG has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings downgraded American Financial Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of American Financial Group from $165.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, American Financial Group has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $141.25.

Insider Activity at American Financial Group

In related news, CFO Brian S. Hertzman sold 1,663 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.70, for a total transaction of $222,343.10. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 12,073 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,614,160.10. This trade represents a 12.11% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 17.40% of the company’s stock.

About American Financial Group

American Financial Group, Inc (NYSE: AFG) is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Through its flagship subsidiary, Great American Insurance Company, the firm underwrites a broad range of specialty insurance products for commercial and industrial clients, including inland marine, excess and surplus lines, executive liability, and environmental liability coverage. In addition, American Financial Group offers supplemental accident and health insurance and assumes reinsurance risks from other insurers, helping to diversify its underwriting portfolio.

The company traces its roots to 1946, when it was founded by Carl Lindner, Sr.