Volume Spike Investor

Insurance company Aegon NV (AEG) shares are up about 4% and have traded more than half their usual daily volume in roughly the past 5 minute as of 11:50 a.m. Eastern. Market chatter is that there was an intraday upgrade of the stock that is responsible for the move. Assuming that the company can make balance sheet improvements, there is a historical valuation argument to be made, with the stock trading at about 5 times forward 12-month earnings, roughly half its 10-year average.