Aflac Incorporated $AFL Shares Sold by Mission Wealth Management LP

Mission Wealth Management LP cut its stake in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 4.3% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 80,792 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 3,629 shares during the quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP’s holdings in Aflac were worth $8,520,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. NorthRock Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Aflac by 1.5% in the first quarter. NorthRock Partners LLC now owns 6,519 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $725,000 after acquiring an additional 95 shares during the period. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Aflac by 24.4% in the first quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 495 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the period. Duncan Williams Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Aflac by 5.0% in the second quarter. Duncan Williams Asset Management LLC now owns 2,065 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $218,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares during the period. Stiles Financial Services Inc lifted its holdings in Aflac by 3.4% in the second quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc now owns 3,070 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $324,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Apexium Financial LP lifted its holdings in Aflac by 3.4% in the first quarter. Apexium Financial LP now owns 3,103 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $345,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares during the period. 67.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Aflac Stock Up 0.3%

Aflac stock opened at $107.19 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $57.33 billion, a PE ratio of 24.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.86. Aflac Incorporated has a 12 month low of $96.95 and a 12 month high of $115.43. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $108.61 and a 200-day simple moving average of $105.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.11 and a quick ratio of 0.11.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 27th. The financial services provider reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter. Aflac had a return on equity of 15.08% and a net margin of 15.32%.The business had revenue of $5.91 billion during the quarter. On average, analysts anticipate that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Aflac announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Tuesday, August 12th that permits the company to buyback 100,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization permits the financial services provider to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Aflac Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 20th were given a dividend of $0.58 per share. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 20th. Aflac’s payout ratio is presently 52.61%.

Insider Activity at Aflac

In related news, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.57, for a total transaction of $102,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 25,105 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,575,019.85. The trade was a 3.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.90% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on AFL shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Aflac from $96.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 8th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Aflac in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Aflac from $105.00 to $107.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, August 11th. Barclays restated an “underweight” rating and issued a $102.00 price objective (up from $100.00) on shares of Aflac in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 9th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $109.90.

About Aflac

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.