Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat: I’d like to get your opinion on AIG as a buying opportunity.

Article Excerpt

American International Group, $35.05, symbol AIG on New York (Shares outstanding: 1.5 billion; Market cap: $52.6 billion; www.aig.com), operates through three divisions: Chartis (insurance), SunAmerica Financial Group (financial services) and Aircraft Leasing. AIG has sold a lot of assets and has now fully repaid the $182.3 billion bailout it received from the U.S. government in September 2008. These deals include the company’s recent sale of its final stake in Asian insurer AIA Group for $6.5 billion. It’s also selling up to 90% of its International Lease Finance Corp. airplane leasing unit to a Chinese investor group for about $5.3 billion. The sale is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013. Repaying the bailout money gives the company a lot more flexibility and lowers its interest costs. As well, this move could let AIG meet its goal of paying a small dividend this year. Results are also improving at the company’s insurance operations. However, the company still faces significant risks. In the…