Valtrion Capital Management LLC Buys New Shares in Aflac Incorporated $AFL

Valtrion Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 8,102 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $950,000. Aflac comprises about 0.7% of Valtrion Capital Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Aflac in the first quarter valued at $25,000. Groupe la Francaise acquired a new position in shares of Aflac during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. purchased a new position in shares of Aflac in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Aflac in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.44% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 12,900 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.28, for a total transaction of $1,500,012.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 50,791,790 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,906,069,341.20. This trade represents a 0.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 600 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.10, for a total value of $74,460.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 32,710 shares in the company, valued at $4,059,311. This trade represents a 1.80% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 494,225 shares of company stock valued at $57,960,715 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Aflac Stock Down 1.7%

AFL stock opened at $116.17 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $58.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $121.56 and a 200 day moving average price of $116.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.12 and a quick ratio of 0.12. Aflac Incorporated has a 12 month low of $104.66 and a 12 month high of $130.22.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.76 by ($0.01). The business 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 company’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.78 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Aflac Incorporated will post 7.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Aflac Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.61 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 19th. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio is 26.15%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on AFL shares. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Aflac from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Barclays reiterated an “underweight” rating and issued a $99.00 price target (up from $98.00) on shares of Aflac in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Mizuho set a $116.00 target price on shares of Aflac in a report on Monday, August 10th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $122.00 target price on shares of Aflac and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $110.00 target price (up from $101.00) on shares of Aflac in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $116.62.

About Aflac

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.