Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.07 EPS

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) announced its earnings results on Wednesday. The financial services provider reported $1.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.63 by ($0.07), Zacks reports. Aflac had a net margin of 22.02% and a return on equity of 16.34%.

Aflac Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:AFL traded up $0.57 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $107.33. 1,566,478 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,650,421. The firm has a market capitalization of $59.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.99. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $105.23 and a 200-day moving average price of $106.74. Aflac has a 1 year low of $75.69 and a 1 year high of $115.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.08 and a quick ratio of 0.08.

Aflac Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 19th will be given a $0.58 dividend. This is a positive change from Aflac’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 19th. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio is 30.12%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AFL has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. TD Cowen started coverage on shares of Aflac in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. They set a “hold” rating and a $102.00 price objective for the company. Barclays lifted their price objective on Aflac from $96.00 to $98.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Aflac from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on shares of Aflac from $108.00 to $107.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $103.71.

Insider Transactions at Aflac

In other Aflac news, EVP Audrey B. Tillman sold 24,744 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.40, for a total value of $2,558,529.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 222,618 shares in the company, valued at $23,018,701.20. This trade represents a 10.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Aflac Company Profile

Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, provides supplemental health and life insurance products. The company operates through Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S. segments. The Aflac Japan segment offers cancer, medical, nursing care, work leave, GIFT, and whole and term life insurance products, as well as WAYS and child endowment plans under saving type insurance products in Japan.