Wells Fargo & Company Issues Positive Forecast for American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG) Stock Price

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG) had its target price increased by Wells Fargo & Company from $166.00 to $180.00 in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the insurance provider’s stock.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings raised shares of American Financial Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Piper Sandler raised their price target on American Financial Group from $140.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, August 10th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price target on American Financial Group from $153.00 to $147.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded American Financial Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, October 17th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, American Financial Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $156.25.

American Financial Group Stock Up 1.1%

AFG stock opened at $156.41 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $12.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.99 and a beta of 0.55. American Financial Group has a fifty-two week low of $123.09 and a fifty-two week high of $159.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 0.49. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $144.63 and a 200-day moving average of $136.88.

American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, November 3rd. The insurance provider reported $3.97 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.80 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $2.58 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.40 billion. American Financial Group had a net margin of 11.96% and a return on equity of 22.50%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.69 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that American Financial Group will post 12.29 earnings per share for the current year.

American Financial Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a special dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 25th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $3.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. American Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 33.92%.

Insider Activity at American Financial Group

In other news, CFO Brian Hertzman sold 950 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.87, for a total value of $135,726.50. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 11,123 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,589,143.01. This represents a 7.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 16.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Financial Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Parallel Advisors LLC lifted its stake in American Financial Group by 3.4% during the third quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,020 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $276,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc. increased its position in shares of American Financial Group by 4.9% during the 3rd quarter. ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 1,502 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $205,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in shares of American Financial Group by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 4,759 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $651,000 after buying an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. Keybank National Association OH raised its holdings in shares of American Financial Group by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 2,796 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $382,000 after buying an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Valmark Advisers Inc. lifted its position in American Financial Group by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. now owns 8,307 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $1,061,000 after buying an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. 64.37% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

American Financial Group News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting American Financial Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AFG reported Q3 earnings of $3.97 per share, above the $3.80 consensus estimate, while revenue of $2.58 billion also topped expectations. Specialty insurance growth and investment gains supported the results. Article: AFG Q3 2026 deep dive
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a $3.50-per-share special cash dividend, payable November 25 to shareholders of record November 16. The payout may enhance AFG’s appeal to income-focused investors. Article: AFG declares special cash dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $180 from $166 and reiterated an “overweight” rating, signaling continued analyst optimism. Article: Wells Fargo raises AFG price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Some coverage argues the shares may still offer value despite a substantial prior run, though that optimism should be weighed against the stock’s recent gains. Article: AFG stock could still be a bargain
• Negative Sentiment: The P&C combined ratio worsened by 90 basis points to 94%. It remains below 100%, but the deterioration points to some pressure on underwriting performance; investment gains also mean part of the earnings strength may not reflect core insurance operations. Article: AFG P&C combined ratio worsens

About American Financial Group

American Financial Group, Inc (NYSE:AFG) is an insurance holding company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through its Great American Insurance Group operations, the company primarily provides property and casualty insurance, with an emphasis on specialty commercial products and markets.

Its insurance offerings serve businesses, organizations and individuals across a range of industries. Product lines have included commercial property and liability coverage, workers’ compensation, transportation, agriculture and crop insurance, marine and other specialty risks.