It's been a great stock to swing trade on! I continue to hold a core position of 10K shares @ 227p which I've averaged down from ~235.

I suspect the "bottom" of the stock will move from 215 to 225p based on the latest news but no guarantees.

From the announcement link posted earlier:-

"L&G therefore expects to return the equivalent of c. 40% of its market cap to shareholders over 2025-2027 through a combination of dividends and buybacks. The remaining net proceeds from the Transaction would be retained and invested to support the delivery of the Group's growth strategy."

I take it you are not a believer in their growth strategy then? :-)

I'm assuming they are looking to build on the recent investment in Taurus, and use the war chest to continue to expand their international portfolio/ US real estate.

Before I retired at the end of last year, a colleague who is also due to retire soon told me has was looking at buying LGEN shares with his pension TFLS for the dividends by opening an account is his wife's name and she would draw the dividends to within her tax allowance so it would all be tax free each year.

So, we sat down and I plotted out the last 5 years performance of LGEN with dividends vs VUAG (S&P500) taking the same money from each, the LGEN dividends only and drawing down capital from VUAG.

The difference in final capital value was crap for LGEN vs VUAG.

I really don't get the attraction for high dividend paying stocks and much prefer total return and capital drawdown. Even in a market crash like 2022, there is a risk dividends will be reduced, or even if they do continue, in the long run, total return wins.

Divis are not free money.

Normally, insurance companies should do well, i.e. outperform the market, during rising/high interest rates. Don't see much out-performance here for LGEN. Suggests a poor business.

Don't get trapped with this "free dividends" fallacy. Focus should be on the business. Without looking in detail (insurers are complex businesses to understand and value), seems given lack of performance during this recent rate hiking cycle, LGEN is one to avoid.

L&G’s PE ratio and dividend yield certainly make it an interesting consideration, especially in an uncertain market. With inflation concerns still lingering, many investors are looking for strong dividend payers as a hedge. If you're after diversification, sector-specific ETFs or income-focused funds could be worth considering—something like Vanguard FTSE UK Equity Income might provide broader exposure while still capturing companies like L&G.

For those with a long-term outlook, real estate investments can also offer a solid hedge against inflation. The Dagenham property market, for example, has seen growing investor interest due to its strong rental demand and ongoing regeneration projects. Some investors diversify by allocating part of their portfolio to income-generating property assets alongside equities.

Has anyone here considered blending stock market investments with real estate for a balanced approach?