Key Points
- Japan Post Holdings, Aflac’s major shareholder, sold 14,200 shares for approximately $1.73 million at an average price of $121.94. The Rule 10b5-1 transaction reduced its stake by just 0.03%, leaving it with more than 50.8 million shares.
- Aflac’s latest results were mixed: quarterly revenue of $4.22 billion exceeded estimates, but earnings per share of $1.75 narrowly missed expectations and declined year over year. Shares opened at $116.16, near the analyst consensus price target of $116.62.
- Aflac declared a quarterly dividend of $0.61, equivalent to $2.44 annually and a 2.1% yield. Analyst sentiment remains generally neutral, with a consensus “Hold” rating, while Wolfe Research initiated coverage with an “Underperform” rating and a $103 target.
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL - Get Free Report) major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 14,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.94, for a total value of $1,731,548.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 50,830,490 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,198,269,950.60. This trade represents a 0.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a company's stock are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.
Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan also recently made the following trade(s):
- On Monday, August 17th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 13,900 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.33, for a total value of $1,686,487.00.
- On Friday, August 14th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 14,100 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.43, for a total value of $1,712,163.00.
- On Thursday, August 13th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 13,000 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.09, for a total value of $1,574,170.00.
- On Monday, June 22nd, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 27,845 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $116.71, for a total transaction of $3,249,789.95.
- On Thursday, June 18th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 3,300 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.92, for a total transaction of $385,836.00.
- On Wednesday, June 17th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 26,300 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.62, for a total transaction of $3,067,106.00.
- On Tuesday, June 16th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 30,000 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.39, for a total transaction of $3,521,700.00.
- On Monday, June 15th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 28,800 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.17, for a total transaction of $3,374,496.00.
- On Friday, June 12th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 53,000 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.74, for a total transaction of $6,240,220.00.
- On Thursday, June 11th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 48,500 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.20, for a total transaction of $5,684,200.00.
Aflac Stock Down 0.3%
Shares of AFL opened at $116.16 on Friday. Aflac Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $104.66 and a fifty-two week high of $130.22. The company's fifty day moving average is $121.58 and its two-hundred day moving average is $116.12. The firm has a market cap of $58.24 billion, a PE ratio of 12.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 0.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29.
Aflac (NYSE:AFL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.76 by ($0.01). Aflac had a return on equity of 13.27% and a net margin of 26.91%.The firm had revenue of $4.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.11 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.78 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Aflac Incorporated will post 7.04 earnings per share for the current year.
Aflac Announces Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be paid a $0.61 dividend. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 19th. Aflac's payout ratio is currently 26.15%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on shares of Aflac in a research report on Wednesday. They set an "underperform" rating and a $103.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Aflac from a "buy (a-)" rating to a "buy (b+)" rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "hold" rating and issued a $108.00 price objective (up from $100.00) on shares of Aflac in a research report on Friday, July 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Aflac from $117.00 to $116.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed an "underweight" rating and set a $99.00 price target (up from $98.00) on shares of Aflac in a research report on Friday, August 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Aflac presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $116.62.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Aflac
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Aflac
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Secure Asset Management LLC grew its position in Aflac by 1.7% in the second quarter. Secure Asset Management LLC now owns 6,697 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $785,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Bedel Financial Consulting Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Aflac during the second quarter worth $534,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Aflac in the second quarter valued at $232,000. Nwam LLC purchased a new position in shares of Aflac in the second quarter valued at $655,000. Finally, Teza Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Aflac by 33.3% during the 2nd quarter. Teza Capital Management LLC now owns 2,542 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $298,000 after purchasing an additional 635 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.44% of the company's stock.
Key Aflac News
Here are the key news stories impacting Aflac this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Aflac continues to offer a defensive income profile, with 43 consecutive years of dividend increases. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 5.2% earlier this year, bringing the annualized payout to $2.44 per share and the yield to roughly 2.1%. This Dividend Stock Has a Realistic Shot at Becoming a Dividend King
- Neutral Sentiment: Recent quarterly results were mixed: earnings per share of $1.75 narrowly missed estimates, while $4.22 billion in revenue exceeded forecasts. However, revenue declined 1% year over year and EPS fell from $1.78 in the prior-year period, limiting the earnings-related support for the stock.
- Negative Sentiment: Wolfe Research began coverage at “underperform” with a $103 target, citing a valuation or outlook that appears less attractive than other analysts’ views. The target is below Aflac’s 200-day moving average and the current consensus target near $116. Wolfe Research Starts Aflac at Underperform
- Negative Sentiment: Japan Post Holdings, a major Aflac shareholder, disclosed several sales totaling about 42,000 shares during August 14–18, including a $1.73 million sale on August 18. The transactions were executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan and reduced its position by only about 0.03%, so the direct supply impact is limited, but the repeated selling may weigh on sentiment. Major AFLAC Stakeholder Makes Bold Move With High-Value Stock Sale
Aflac Company Profile
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Get Free Report)
Aflac Incorporated (American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus) is a provider of supplemental insurance products designed to help policyholders manage out-of-pocket health care and living expenses. The company underwrites a range of individual and group policies that typically pay cash benefits directly to insureds when covered events occur, enabling greater financial flexibility for medical treatment, hospital stays, critical illness, and related costs. Aflac's product mix includes supplemental health insurance, life insurance and other specialty coverages intended to complement primary medical plans.
Founded in the mid-20th century and headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, Aflac distributes its products through a combination of employer-sponsored programs, independent brokers and agents, and direct marketing.
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