American Financial Corporate Bonds and Leverage Analysis

QFI Stock  EUR 134.00  1.00  0.74%   
American Financial holds a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.316. . American Financial's financial risk is the risk to American Financial stockholders that is caused by an increase in debt.

Asset vs Debt

Equity vs Debt

American Financial's liquidity is one of the most fundamental aspects of both its future profitability and its ability to meet different types of ongoing financial obligations. American Financial's cash, liquid assets, total liabilities, and shareholder equity can be utilized to evaluate how much leverage the Company is using to sustain its current operations. For traders, higher-leverage indicators usually imply a higher risk to shareholders. In addition, it helps American Stock's retail investors understand whether an upcoming fall or rise in the market will negatively affect American Financial's stakeholders.
For most companies, including American Financial, marketable securities, inventories, and receivables are the most common assets that could be converted to cash. However, for American Financial Group, the most critical issue when managing liquidity is ensuring that current assets are properly aligned with current liabilities. If they are not, American Financial's management will need to obtain alternative financing to ensure there are always enough cash equivalents on the balance sheet to meet obligations.
  
Check out the analysis of American Financial Fundamentals Over Time.
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Given the importance of American Financial's capital structure, the first step in the capital decision process is for the management of American Financial to decide how much external capital it will need to raise to operate in a sustainable way. Once the amount of financing is determined, management needs to examine the financial markets to determine the terms in which the company can boost capital. This move is crucial to the process because the market environment may reduce the ability of American Financial Group to issue bonds at a reasonable cost.

American Financial Debt to Cash Allocation

Many companies such as American Financial, eventually find out that there is only so much market out there to be conquered, and adding the next product or service is only half as profitable per unit as their current endeavors. Eventually, the company will reach a point where cash flows are strong, and extra cash is available but not fully utilized. In this case, the company may start buying back its stock from the public or issue more dividends.
American Financial Group has accumulated 1.5 B in total debt with debt to equity ratio (D/E) of 0.32, which is about average as compared to similar companies. American Financial has a current ratio of 1.13, suggesting that it may have difficulties to pay its financial obligations in time and when they become due. Debt can assist American Financial until it has trouble settling it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. So, American Financial's shareholders could walk away with nothing if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt. However, a more frequent occurrence is when companies like American Financial sell additional shares at bargain prices, diluting existing shareholders. Debt, in this case, can be an excellent and much better tool for American to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we think about American Financial's use of debt, we should always consider it together with cash and equity.

American Financial Assets Financed by Debt

Typically, companies with high debt-to-asset ratios are said to be highly leveraged. The higher the ratio, the greater risk will be associated with the American Financial's operation. In addition, a high debt-to-assets ratio may indicate a low borrowing capacity of American Financial, which in turn will lower the firm's financial flexibility.

American Financial Corporate Bonds Issued

Most American bonds can be classified according to their maturity, which is the date when American Financial Group has to pay back the principal to investors. Maturities can be short-term, medium-term, or long-term (more than ten years). Longer-term bonds usually offer higher interest rates but may entail additional risks.

Understaning American Financial Use of Financial Leverage

American Financial's financial leverage ratio helps determine the effect of debt on the overall profitability of the company. It measures American Financial's total debt position, including all outstanding debt obligations, and compares it with American Financial's equity. Financial leverage can amplify the potential profits to American Financial's owners, but it also increases the potential losses and risk of financial distress, including bankruptcy, if American Financial is unable to cover its debt costs.
American Financial Group, Inc., an insurance holding company, provides specialty property and casualty insurance products in the United States. American Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1872 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. AMER FINL operates under InsuranceProperty Casualty classification in Germany and is traded on Frankfurt Stock Exchange. It employs 7300 people.
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Additional Information and Resources on Investing in American Stock

When determining whether American Financial is a strong investment it is important to analyze American Financial's competitive position within its industry, examining market share, product or service uniqueness, and competitive advantages. Beyond financials and market position, potential investors should also consider broader economic conditions, industry trends, and any regulatory or geopolitical factors that may impact American Financial's future performance. For an informed investment choice regarding American Stock, refer to the following important reports:
Check out the analysis of American Financial Fundamentals Over Time.
You can also try the Equity Valuation module to check real value of public entities based on technical and fundamental data.
Please note, there is a significant difference between American Financial's value and its price as these two are different measures arrived at by different means. Investors typically determine if American Financial is a good investment by looking at such factors as earnings, sales, fundamental and technical indicators, competition as well as analyst projections. However, American Financial's price is the amount at which it trades on the open market and represents the number that a seller and buyer find agreeable to each party.

What is Financial Leverage?

Financial leverage is the use of borrowed money (debt) to finance the purchase of assets with the expectation that the income or capital gain from the new asset will exceed the cost of borrowing. In most cases, the debt provider will limit how much risk it is ready to take and indicate a limit on the extent of the leverage it will allow. In the case of asset-backed lending, the financial provider uses the assets as collateral until the borrower repays the loan. In the case of a cash flow loan, the general creditworthiness of the company is used to back the loan. The concept of leverage is common in the business world. It is mostly used to boost the returns on equity capital of a company, especially when the business is unable to increase its operating efficiency and returns on total investment. Because earnings on borrowing are higher than the interest payable on debt, the company's total earnings will increase, ultimately boosting stockholders' profits.

Leverage and Capital Costs

The debt to equity ratio plays a role in the working average cost of capital (WACC). The overall interest on debt represents the break-even point that must be obtained to profitability in a given venture. Thus, WACC is essentially the average interest an organization owes on the capital it has borrowed for leverage. Let's say equity represents 60% of borrowed capital, and debt is 40%. This results in a financial leverage calculation of 40/60, or 0.6667. The organization owes 10% on all equity and 5% on all debt. That means that the weighted average cost of capital is (.4)(5) + (.6)(10) - or 8%. For every $10,000 borrowed, this organization will owe $800 in interest. Profit must be higher than 8% on the project to offset the cost of interest and justify this leverage.

Benefits of Financial Leverage

Leverage provides the following benefits for companies:
  • Leverage is an essential tool a company's management can use to make the best financing and investment decisions.
  • It provides a variety of financing sources by which the firm can achieve its target earnings.
  • Leverage is also an essential technique in investing as it helps companies set a threshold for the expansion of business operations. For example, it can be used to recommend restrictions on business expansion once the projected return on additional investment is lower than the cost of debt.
By borrowing funds, the firm incurs a debt that must be paid. But, this debt is paid in small installments over a relatively long period of time. This frees funds for more immediate use in the stock market. For example, suppose a company can afford a new factory but will be left with negligible free cash. In that case, it may be better to finance the factory and spend the cash on hand on inputs, labor, or even hold a significant portion as a reserve against unforeseen circumstances.

The Risk of Financial Leverage

The most obvious and apparent risk of leverage is that if price changes unexpectedly, the leveraged position can lead to severe losses. For example, imagine a hedge fund seeded by $50 worth of investor money. The hedge fund borrows another $50 and buys an asset worth $100, leading to a leverage ratio of 2:1. For the investor, this is neither good nor bad -- until the asset price changes. If the asset price goes up 10 percent, the investor earns $10 on $50 of capital, a net gain of 20 percent, and is very pleased with the increased gains from the leverage. However, if the asset price crashes unexpectedly, say by 30 percent, the investor loses $30 on $50 of capital, suffering a 60 percent loss. In other words, the effect of leverage is to increase the volatility of returns and increase the effects of a price change on the asset to the bottom line while increasing the chance for profit as well.