STOCKCHASE

No one really knows what assets this company owns and what liabilities it really has. You are best to keep away.

2011-12-19

SPECULATIVE BUY

57.530

Jim Huang

A lot of people thought it would go to zero. AIG had some really solid assets. It is still a long way back to what it used to be. They are making a lot of progress. This is for very high-risk clients only.

2010-12-30

DON'T BUY

36.240

Far too speculative.

2010-03-10

DON'T BUY

24.400

Charles Lannon

Is a speculation. There are so many moving parts and so little transparency. Is not a foundation to build a next egg on.

2010-01-26

SELL

28.400

John Zechner

Can't see a real recovery coming in this one. Still need to raise more capital as well as paying back the money loaned to them by the government. There will be more dilution. A lot of internal problems.

2009-11-30

DON'T BUY

36.750

Trying to pull itself out of the ashes. There are a lot better places to go. Strictly a gamble.

2009-11-11

DON'T BUY

34.010

On government life support and nobody knows what the stock is worth. Doesn't expect anyone will know for at least 5 years. Immensely complicated situation. Pure speculation.

2009-10-27

SELL

36.250

Ross Healy

One of the US companies that has been most savaged by all of the funny financial instruments. Because of this they have been selling off bits and pieces and the probability of ever getting back up to $54 is practically nil.

2009-10-26

DON'T BUY

44.110

Charles Lannon

This is not investing, it is speculating. US government owns over 3/4 of the shares outstanding. Management team that is left is just going through the motions of selling off whatever business units they can.

2009-09-30

Comment

46.710

Doesn't think anybody has any idea of what is going on in this company. A completely black box as far as investments go. A speculation, not an investment.

2009-09-23

Comment

39.430

Stan Wong

Trading at 7X forward earnings, which is very cheap. Ranking not badly in terms of his outlook. Handily beat the Street on Aug 7. Might be a name to consider. Prefers Goldman Sachs (GS-N) or J.P. Morgan (JPM-N).

2009-09-17

DON'T BUY

37.550

Very impressed with their new CEO. As an investment, you don't know yet what is really in this company. More of a gamble than an investment.

2009-09-11

DON'T BUY

35.850

John Zechner

Some dilution. Not going out of business, but it’s a mystery investment. Risky bet. Income statement is still veiled.

2009-09-08

DON'T BUY

40.050

Andrew Guy, CFA

Very speculative. Have a huge insurance company that needs to break itself up. Has only kept going because of lifelines from the US government. The government has the right to convert its holdings into shares, which could reduce individual shareholders holdings.

2009-09-04

DON'T BUY

45.330

Jury is really out on this one. Very messy company. The government has put in a lot of money to it and this has to be repaid. Too many moving parts to be analyzed.

2009-08-31

DON'T BUY

33.850

(Market Call Minute.) You might as well put your money into a casino.

2009-08-24

SELL

13.750

Gavin Graham

This company is never coming back. If you own, consider tax loss selling.

2009-07-07

DON'T BUY

18.250

Paul Harris, CFA

You are really banking on them selling off their assets and making something out of that. So many difficult issues such as how much they owe the government, etc.

2009-07-02

DON'T BUY

1.840

This is strictly a gamble.

2009-05-06

DON'T BUY

1.460

Alan Kral , CFA, CIC

On it’s way to a liquidation and without any care to the shareholders.

2009-04-21

DON'T BUY

0.950

(Market Call Minute.) Could conceivably be zero for shareholders.

2009-03-30

DON'T BUY

1.020

Richard Croft

Thinks this one is 80% owned by the US government right now. Have a long road before they turn it around. A better way to play financials would be through the ProShare Ultra Financial E.T.F. (UYG-N), which will give you a basket of banks.

2009-03-27

DON'T BUY

1.620

Ken McCord

Short? Too many things are unknown right now. Pure speculation. Consider Manu Life (MFC-T) or Hartford Financial (HIG-N) instead.

2009-03-19

DON'T BUY

0.830

John Zechner

(Market Call Minute.) They're going to be dilutive. Why bother.

2009-03-16

DON'T BUY

1.030

Andrew Guy, CFA

Difficult one. US government has provided a lot of money to it. Any benefits they get from selling off bits and pieces of the business will likely go back to the government. Also think they will lose some of the best parts of the business.

2009-02-04

DON'T BUY

2.410

Kevin O'Leary

Doesn't know when we will get recovery and at what level insurance vs. banking is going to recover. Prefers Manulife (MFC-T) although it is not immune to problems.

2008-11-04

DON'T BUY

2.310

Duncan Stewart

This is a broken company even after they sell some assets. There will be a lot of land mines as they go through the workout process. A day trader’s stock.

2008-10-20

SPECULATIVE BUY

2.800

Hap (Robert) Sneddon FCSI

Was the world’s largest and best run and now it is literally the same as going to Vegas. It may turn out to be a fabulous investment, or nothing.

2008-10-14

VAGUE

3.190

No point in selling it today. Doesn’t think upside is large. You might see $5 if you are a buyer. They have the investigation. It’s probably a place for aggressive money.

2008-10-08

DON'T BUY

3.510

Don Reed

Trading below book value but there are a lot more cheap things to buy. Prefers Canadian Banks.

2008-10-07

DON'T BUY

3.310

Nobody knows what is in this company so it is impossible to put a proper value on the stock. Government bought 79%. Total gamble.

2008-09-24

DON'T BUY

17.550

Brian Acker, CA

Supposed to come out with a plan on September 25 on how they are going to fix things. Doesn't know if they will make it to September 25. This was the largest insurance company in the world and they got involved with the credit default swap market, writing contracts as if it were free money. $38.22 is his model price.

2008-09-11

BUY

17.500

Pat Naccarato

Does not believe this company will falter. In need of capital and expect they will have to continue to raise more capital in the next quarter. Insurance operations are still rock solid and they are making $4 a share from this.

2008-09-10

PARTIAL BUY

17.500

Company deals their default rate will be much less than what they are being forced to write off on a mark to market process. Would buy at this price, but it could go lower so limit what you buy.

2008-09-10

BUY

18.370

Alan Kral , CFA, CIC

Besides insurance they are very aggressive in derivative type securities. Almost all financial companies in that business had been struck. AIG has the added problem of a reputational risk. Although the insurance book of business is very good they are going to have to weather the next few months. Could see a nice bounce in the near future.

2008-09-09

Comment

33.680

Alan Kral , CFA, CIC

Their problem is very much like General Electric’s (GE-N). There’s a question if management can survive. If they can, the stock should do OK.

2008-06-12

Comment

35.870

David Garrity

The news that came out on their raising capital is quite compelling as to how attractive investors have found this company. Still have derivative exposures. Looking at where they are geographically in very significant growth markets such as China, he might start looking at this.

2008-06-02

DON'T BUY

39.160

Not sure the worst is over yet. It's an ongoing problem, not a single event. Too many unknowns.

2008-05-13

TOP PICK

47.300

Pat Naccarato

Global multi-line insurance business, property/casualty and life. AA balance sheet, so it gives you some protection. Have been caught up in the mortgage backed security business but stopped buying these in 2005 because they foresaw the risks. Currently trading at a 50% discount to what it is worth.

2008-04-07

TOP PICK

58.210

Jonathen Wellum, B. Comm, B. Sc

5-year growth targets are 10% to 12% on the earnings side. Doesn't have a lot of exposure to the financial problems. Trades at 8.5X earnings. Extremely cheap historically. Cheap because it's a financial and all financials are going out with the bathwater.

2007-12-12

DON'T BUY

71.380

Brian Acker, CA

-7% differential. Huge financial company, is not mispriced.

2007-06-07

TOP PICK

66.850

Has come down to 11-13 X earnings. One of the best insurance franchises in the world. Diversified with about 35-40% in the far east and 55% in the US. Not expensive.

2006-10-10

DON'T BUY

69.040

James Cole, BA, CFA

Had some accounting problems last year and the stock took a drop but has now recovered. Can find better value in other insurance companies.

2006-01-17

TOP PICK

55.710

Rob Callander

Had picked before Spitzer had accused them of fraud. The world's largest cap insurance company. There will be some fines, but they have the werewithall. The stock will be hit, but will recover to above its current price.

2005-05-26

BUY

53.270