Aflac Incorporated $AFL Shares Sold by GWN Securities Inc.

GWN Securities Inc. cut its position in shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 83.4% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 9,276 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 46,577 shares during the period. GWN Securities Inc.’s holdings in Aflac were worth $980,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Aflac by 1,526.7% during the second quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 244 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 229 shares in the last quarter. Chilton Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Aflac during the second quarter worth $26,000. AlphaCore Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Aflac during the first quarter worth $28,000. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Aflac during the second quarter worth $26,000. Finally, Hilltop National Bank purchased a new stake in Aflac during the second quarter worth $32,000. 67.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Aflac Stock Performance

AFL opened at $106.70 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 0.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The company has a market cap of $57.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.20, a PEG ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 0.86. Aflac Incorporated has a 52-week low of $96.95 and a 52-week high of $115.43. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $108.70 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $105.62.

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

Aflac Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 20th were paid a $0.58 dividend. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 20th. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 52.61%.

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler set a $125.00 price target on shares of Aflac and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. Evercore ISI set a $110.00 price target on shares of Aflac and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on shares of Aflac from $108.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Aflac from $114.00 to $111.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, August 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Aflac has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $109.45.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aflac

In other news, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.57, for a total value of $102,570.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 25,105 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,575,019.85. This trade represents a 3.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate 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.