Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Director Joseph Moskowitz Sells 1,000 Shares of Stock

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) Director Joseph Moskowitz sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.00, for a total transaction of $114,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 23,615 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,692,110. This trade represents a 4.06% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Aflac Stock Performance

AFL traded up $0.14 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $114.75. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 339,595 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,180,013. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $109.43 and a 200 day simple moving average of $105.85. The company has a current ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $60.14 billion, a PE ratio of 26.04, a PEG ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.83. Aflac Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $96.95 and a fifty-two week high of $115.43.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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 company had revenue of $5.91 billion for the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.88 EPS for the current year.

Aflac Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.61 per share. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 18th. This is a boost from Aflac’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.58. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.29%.

Aflac declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, August 12th that permits the company to repurchase 100,000,000 outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the financial services provider to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Aflac

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. True Wealth Design LLC grew its position in Aflac by 188.5% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 225 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 147 shares in the last quarter. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Aflac in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Chilton Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Aflac in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC increased its position in Aflac by 1,526.7% during the 2nd quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 244 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AlphaCore Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Aflac in the first quarter valued at approximately $28,000. 67.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Aflac from $107.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, November 7th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Aflac from $108.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, August 18th. Barclays restated an “underweight” rating and set a $104.00 price objective (up previously from $102.00) on shares of Aflac in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Aflac in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Aflac from $114.00 to $111.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $110.50.

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.