American Financial Group pays special dividend
American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG) will pay a another special dividend of $2.00 per share in 2021. This comes after a special dividend $14.00 per share announced earlier in 2021 because of the closing of the sale of its Annuity Businesses. Last year AFG paid a $2.00 per share special dividend and raised its quarterly dividend by 11.1 percent to 50 cents per share.
The dividend is payable on August 2, 2021 to holders of record on July 26, 2021. The regular annual dividend rate of $2.00 per share yields 1.6% at a stock price of $125.49.
AFG Co-CEOs S. Craig Lindner and Carl H. Lindner III stated: “Returning excess capital to shareholders in the form of this $2.00 special dividend is a key component of AFG’s capital management strategy; it reflects AFG’s strong financial position and our confidence in the Company’s financial future. Our Specialty P&C businesses continue to produce strong core operating earnings and generate excess capital. Our excess capital remains at a significant level, which affords us the financial flexibility to grow our Specialty P&C business organically and through acquisitions and start-ups that meet our target return thresholds, make opportunistic repurchases of AFG’s stock and pay additional dividends.”
American Financial Group is an insurance holding company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through the operations of Great American Insurance Group, AFG is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialized commercial products for businesses. Great American Insurance Group’s roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American Insurance Company. American Financial Group has paid an uninterrupted dividend to its shareholders every year since at least 1986.
