I hold these stock.

DYOH (do your own homework.)

To-day there was a slight drop in price, but number of analysts are giving favourable reports.

What triggered my interest was better than expected results and if I am right looking at charts it shows an inverted head and shoulders. Hopefully a good sign. Also the current rate of Share price growth is about 90% pa over the last 5weeks. This is unlikely to continue indefinitely but SP could hit 850p over next few weeks.

To-day at close, there were some large buys of about 5million shares. 40million approx.

Another trigger for me was the following which should increase earnings.

Aviva to form JV in Taiwan with First FinancialAFX
LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Aviva PLC, the UK's largest insurer, said it has entered into a joint venture with First Financial Holding Co Ltd to sell insurance and pension products in Taiwan. The joint venture company, First-Aviva, will distribute long-term savings and pension products in Taiwan through an exclusive agreement with First Financial's flagship unit, First Commercial Bank. Aviva, which will have a 49 pct stake in the joint venture, added that the initial paid up capital of the new company will be 34 mln stg.First Commercial Bank is Taiwan's second largest bank network, with five mln retail customers, it added.TFN.newsdesk@thomson.comkkb/faj/slm




Date: Wednesday 25 Apr 2007
LONDON (ShareCast) - If the message gets home that Aviva will not bid for Prudential, the stock should rebound strongly, especially if Aviva can sustain its current impressive performance. There is still work to be done but, at 794.5p, the shares are a strong buy says the Independent.
Date: Tuesday 24 Apr 2007
LONDON (ShareCast) - Aviva stood out among the risers on a tough day for blue chip stocks. The life insurer posted an upbeat first quarter statement with brokers pleased with the numbers.



DYOH

Harry - I was tempted to sell in the 440 area again this morning, but held fire - whatever else, this and possibly NG, is probaly been my best SIPP investment over the last year.

Nice one skinny!
On the subject of AV., having sold the RAC and focussed their strategy on specific insurance/pension risks, I would be very surprised if they are taken over. They are now a global brand (having dropped the Norwich Union tag) and I would suspect they are on the acquisition trail themselves, possibly in emerging markets. Press boredom and pressure to produce a story, imo.

I think you are probably right - but a little bit of me hopes - hence I'll hold for now :-)

StockMarketWire.com
Insurance giant Aviva this morning reported a strong performance with total operating profit up 5% to 1.337bn in the half-year to end-June (2010: 1.27bn).

Operating profits in Europe were up 21% to 525m despite financial and economic difficulties in the eurozone.

Operating earnings per share increased to 29.1p, although total earnings per share of 4.1p are lower primarily as a result of unrealised Delta Lloyd investment variances.

Pro forma MCEV NAV, including the impact of the sale of RAC, was up 33p from 2010 to 575p per share.

Group return on equity was strong at 12.8% (FY10: 14.8% on a lower equity base).

There was a 5% increase in interim dividend to 10p. Aviva reported a 14% life insurance new business internal rate of return (IRR), against a target of 12%.

There was a 96% group combined operating ratio (COR), against a target of 97%.

The group saw 0.8bn net operational capital generation in H1 towards the 1.5bn full-year target; now targeting between 1.5bn and 1.8bn in 2011.

Aviva said it was on track to deliver 400m cost and efficiency savings by 2012. The group said the sale of RAC at 17x earnings for 1bn will realise significant shareholder value.

Reduced shareholding and deconsolidation of Delta Lloyd will raise 0.4bn and further de-risking the balance sheet.

The pro forma economic capital surplus, including the impact of the sale of the RAC, was up 23% at 6.9bn (2010: 5.6bn). Andrew Moss, CEO, commented: "This has been a successful six months. We are beating all our operational targets. Operating profits rose in the UK and have increased by 21% in Europe despite tough economic conditions.

"After recent disposals, Aviva is fitter, stronger and well-positioned to be the undisputed leader in the UK market and to build on our strong European franchises.

"Markets may well continue to be volatile, but our strong balance sheet and capital position underpins our confidence in our continued momentum and our plans for growth."

RNS Number : 1890M

Aviva PLC

11 August 2011

11 August 2011

AVIVA ANNOUNCES SALE OF AVIVA INVESTORS' EQUITY BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA

Aviva today announces the sale of Aviva Investors Australia Ltd ("AIAL") to nabInvest, National Australia Bank's direct asset management business.

The sale is consistent with Aviva Investors' strategy to focus on growing its Asian regional hub in Singapore, and consistent with Aviva group's strategy to focus on 12 priority markets.

The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.

AIAL had IFRS gross assets of A$32 million at 31 December 2010 and assets under management of approximately A$5.5 billion at 31 July 2011.

Sp approaching 2 year low of trading range 300-450p.
Employees share option price is currently 268p.
Also, ex-divi 21st Sept '11, 10p.

Harry a few days too late! I'm not sure of the 2year low, but the one year low is/was 297.60 on Tuesday.

84.8K Director buys in the last two days..... Not a massive amount but it could be taken as a positive sign.

In fact looking at my own records, I bought @294.12 on 25th May last year.

Are you trading this skinny or holding for better times? Looks like we may get sub 300p again soon.

I've traded it half a dozen times or so over the last 18 months - ultimately its nearly always in my SIPP. The yield is 8.03% at this level (assuming it is maintained) and as you point out above - 10p on the 21st.

If you are looking for yields, its worth looking at VOD - with the verizon dividend now coming into play.

In at 302p, for the divi plus a bit of profit, hopefully, though DOW not helping much atm!

CHEERS SKINNY . VOD INFO.

12 month low hit earlier 284.60.

Question is, will this tank tomorrow when it goes ex-divi? Not much point getting the divi but taking a capital loss. Decisions, decisions.............

Harry - I've got the same dilemma with COST and IRV.

I came across this on another site. Aviva: Fears for up to 700 jobs as company moves HQ

Note from Panmure Gordon:
Life on Mars
Following the recent equity market correction, we have assessed the impact on our universe of stocks. The chief impact, we believe, is on the life companies and their embedded values. We adjust our target prices for these (generally modest) changes, but our recommendations remain unchanged. The critical point, we believe, to understand is the resilience that insurers earnings have demonstrated through the credit crisis and beyond. While slowing economic activity impacts all insurers volumes whether they are selling life or general insurance products, sales do not collapse.
While 2009 saw some profits dip, a recovery was well established by 2010 and has been sustained during 2011 as evidenced by the interim results. This demonstrates that there is an underlying core of insurance business which continues to be transacted whatever occurs in the wider economy. Of more significance to much of our universe is the squeeze on earnings that is applied by volatile and falling investment markets. Shareholders are no longer directly exposed to equity markets in any meaningful way; equity risk largely remains with policyholders. However, as a barometer of economic well-being, equity markets matter to an insurers customers and affects their insurance spend.

The sector has challenges other than slip-sliding equity markets, such as distressed Sovereign debt issuers and Solvency II, but these, we believe, are already reflected in share prices given that they are relatively old issues. In our view, current share prices reflect a 10% haircut to our forecast year end embedded value and, given the recent market correction, this seems entirely appropriate as a base case valuation. However, we believe selective buying opportunities remain given the low valuations. Our note this morning illustrates this impact of the market correction to date, and the potential impact of a further downward shift in equities.
We remain sellers of Admiral (TP 843p) and believe that a PER of 15.3x 2011E and 14.1x 2012E is too expensive for an insurance company focused on a highly commoditised product (motor insurance) in a cyclical market. On the Buy tack, we continue to recommend buying Aviva (TP 521p) with what we view as a safe yield on our forecasts of 8.8%, and the 8% forecast yield at Resolution (Buy, TP 604p) ignores the special dividend that will be paid in 1H 2012. Both these names offer significant and we believe, safe income opportunities.

Credit Suisse Raises Aviva, Legal and General

starting to look cheap.