Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Major Shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan Sells 14,200 Shares

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 14,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.94, for a total transaction of $1,731,548.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 50,830,490 shares in the company, valued at $6,198,269,950.60. The trade was 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 the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a company’s stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases 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 shares were sold at an average price of $121.33, for a total transaction of $1,686,487.00.
• On Friday, August 14th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 14,100 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.43, for a total transaction 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 transaction of $1,574,170.00.
• On Monday, June 22nd, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 27,845 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.71, for a total value of $3,249,789.95.
• On Thursday, June 18th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 3,300 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $116.92, for a total value of $385,836.00.
• On Wednesday, June 17th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 26,300 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $116.62, for a total value 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 value of $3,521,700.00.
• On Monday, June 15th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 28,800 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.17, for a total value of $3,374,496.00.
• On Friday, June 12th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 53,000 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.74, for a total value of $6,240,220.00.
• On Thursday, June 11th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 48,500 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.20, for a total value of $5,684,200.00.

Aflac Stock Performance

NYSE:AFL opened at $116.16 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.12 and a quick ratio of 0.12. The firm has a market cap of $58.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.60. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $121.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $116.12. Aflac Incorporated has a 1-year low of $104.66 and a 1-year high of $130.22.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $4.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.11 billion. Aflac had a return on equity of 13.27% and a net margin of 26.91%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.78 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Aflac Incorporated will post 7.04 EPS for the current year.

Aflac Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be given a $0.61 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 19th. This represents a $2.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.15%.

Aflac News Roundup

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on AFL. Mizuho set a $116.00 target price on Aflac in a research note on Monday, August 10th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $124.00 price objective (up from $114.00) on shares of Aflac in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Aflac from $117.00 to $116.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $122.00 target price on Aflac and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Aflac from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $116.62.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Aflac

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AFL. Archer Investment Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Aflac in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Groupe la Francaise purchased a new position in Aflac during the first quarter worth $25,000. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. acquired a new position in shares of Aflac in the second quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Aflac in the first quarter valued at $25,000. 67.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Aflac Company Profile

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.