American Financial Group, Inc. Announces the Offering of $350 Million of Senior Notes

Business Wire

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: AFG) announced today the registered offering of $350 million of 4.50% Senior Notes (the “Notes”) due June 15, 2047. The Notes were priced at 99.46% of their principal amount.

The Company intends to use a portion of the $344 million of net proceeds from this offering to redeem, on June 26, 2017, all of its $230 million aggregate outstanding principal amount of 6.375% Senior Notes due June 2042. The Company intends to use the balance for general corporate purposes, which may include, with the addition of cash on hand, the redemption of all or a portion of its $125 million aggregate outstanding principal amount of 5.75% Senior Notes due August 2042, which AFG intends to redeem when such notes become redeemable at AFG’s option, beginning on August 25, 2017.

The closing of the offering of the Notes is expected to occur on June 2, 2017, and is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.

The offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 2, 2015. Nothing herein shall constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offer, or solicitation to buy, will be made solely by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement filed with the SEC.

Copies of the prospectus and related prospectus supplement may be obtained at no cost by visiting the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies or information concerning this offering may be obtained by contacting the joint book-runners: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at 1-212-834-4533, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at 1-800-294-1322 or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at 1-800-645-3751.

About American Financial Group, Inc.

American Financial Group is an insurance holding company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio with assets over $55 billion. Through the operations of Great American Insurance Group, AFG is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialized commercial products for businesses, and in the sale of fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the retail, financial institutions and education markets. Great American Insurance Group’s roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American Insurance Company.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements in this press release not dealing with historical results are forward-looking and are based on estimates, assumptions and projections.

Actual results and/or financial condition could differ materially from those contained in or implied by such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: changes in financial, political and economic conditions, including changes in interest and inflation rates, currency fluctuations and extended economic recessions or expansions in the U.S. and/or abroad; performance of securities markets; new legislation or declines in credit quality or credit ratings that could have a material impact on the valuation of securities in AFG’s investment portfolio; the availability of capital; regulatory actions (including changes in statutory accounting rules); changes in the legal environment affecting AFG or its customers; tax law and accounting changes; levels of natural catastrophes and severe weather, terrorist activities (including any nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological events), incidents of war or losses resulting from civil unrest and other major losses; development of insurance loss reserves and establishment of other reserves, particularly with respect to amounts associated with asbestos and environmental claims; availability of reinsurance and ability of reinsurers to pay their obligations; trends in persistency and mortality; competitive pressures; the ability to obtain adequate rates and policy terms; changes in AFG’s credit ratings or the financial strength ratings assigned by major ratings agencies to AFG’s operating subsidiaries; the impact of the conditions in the international financial markets and the global economy (including those associated with the United Kingdom's expected withdrawal from the European Union, or "Brexit") relating to AFG’s international operations; and other factors identified in AFG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.