Welch & Forbes LLC Sells 5,387 Shares of Aflac Incorporated $AFL

Welch & Forbes LLC lowered its stake in shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 1.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 321,248 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 5,387 shares during the quarter. Welch & Forbes LLC’s holdings in Aflac were worth $35,424,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of AFL. Navalign LLC bought a new position in Aflac during the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Aflac during the second quarter worth $33,000. Activest Wealth Management increased its position in Aflac by 95.6% during the fourth quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 311 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 152 shares during the period. Westside Investment Management Inc. increased its position in Aflac by 100.0% during the third quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 324 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Finally, Park Square Financial Group LLC increased its position in Aflac by 80.6% during the fourth quarter. Park Square Financial Group LLC now owns 354 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 158 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 67.44% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 11,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.50, for a total value of $1,316,700.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 51,302,145 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,925,397,747.50. The trade was a 0.02% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Steven Kent Beaver sold 5,508 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.81, for a total transaction of $648,897.48. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 40,537 shares in the company, valued at $4,775,663.97. This represents a 11.96% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 910,436 shares of company stock worth $103,126,371. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Aflac Trading Down 0.2%

Shares of Aflac stock opened at $112.37 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $57.20 billion, a PE ratio of 12.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 0.11 and a quick ratio of 0.11. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $113.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $111.78. Aflac Incorporated has a 52-week low of $96.95 and a 52-week high of $119.81.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.80 by ($0.05). Aflac had a net margin of 25.60% and a return on equity of 13.88%. The business had revenue of $4.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.20 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.66 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 27.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Aflac Incorporated will post 7.08 EPS for the current year.

Aflac Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 20th will be paid a $0.61 dividend. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 20th. Aflac’s payout ratio is currently 27.70%.

Key Stories Impacting Aflac

Here are the key news stories impacting Aflac this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Aflac issued yen-denominated senior notes, which should improve financial flexibility and support capital management. Aflac Issues Yen-Denominated Senior Notes for Flexibility
• Positive Sentiment: Recent analyst estimates remain slightly above current consensus, with DOWLING & PARTN projecting modest earnings growth into FY2027 and FY2028, suggesting longer-term earnings momentum. Aflac analyst estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Several insider sales by Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan were disclosed, but they were pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 transactions and represent only small reductions in ownership. Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan Sells 31,100 Shares of Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: EVP Steven Kent Beaver also sold shares in a disclosed transaction, which may weigh on sentiment but does not appear to signal a fundamental change. Steven Kent Beaver Sells 5,508 Shares of Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Aflac’s last quarterly report missed EPS expectations, and some analysts have trimmed or only maintained cautious ratings, limiting upside enthusiasm. Aflac earnings and analyst coverage

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on AFL shares. Barclays set a $99.00 price target on shares of Aflac and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Aflac from $116.00 to $111.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of Aflac from $116.00 to $114.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Evercore raised shares of Aflac from a “strong sell” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $112.27.

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.