Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Price Target Cut to $107.00 by Analysts at Mizuho

Key Points

• Mizuho lowered Aflac’s price target to $107 from $116 and maintained an “underperform” rating, implying about 5.1% downside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: Aflac has a consensus “hold” rating and an average price target of $116.15, despite several firms recently raising their targets.
• Aflac’s latest quarter slightly missed EPS expectations at $1.75 versus $1.76, while revenue exceeded estimates at $4.22 billion but declined 1% year over year.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL - Get Free Report) had its price target lowered by analysts at Mizuho from $116.00 to $107.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "underperform" rating on the financial services provider's stock. Mizuho's target price points to a potential downside of 5.13% from the company's previous close.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price objective on Aflac from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $122.00 price objective on Aflac and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "hold" rating and set a $108.00 price target (up from $100.00) on shares of Aflac in a report on Friday, July 10th. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $125.00 price target (up from $124.00) on shares of Aflac in a report on Tuesday. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a "hold" rating and set a $110.00 price objective (up from $101.00) on shares of Aflac in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $116.15.

Aflac Price Performance

Shares of AFL stock traded down $0.84 on Wednesday, hitting $112.78. 417,234 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,297,943. The stock has a market cap of $56.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.12 and a quick ratio of 0.12. The company has a 50 day moving average of $118.00 and a 200 day moving average of $116.75. Aflac has a 12 month low of $105.43 and a 12 month high of $130.22.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.76 by ($0.01). Aflac had a return on equity of 13.27% and a net margin of 26.91%.The firm had revenue of $4.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.11 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.78 EPS. The company's revenue was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Aflac will post 7.04 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 20,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.49, for a total value of $2,369,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 50,667,690 shares in the company, valued at $6,003,614,588.10. This trade represents a 0.04% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders sold 440,801 shares of company stock valued at $51,378,752. 0.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Aflac

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of AFL. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Groupe la Francaise purchased a new position in Aflac in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in shares of Aflac during the second quarter worth $26,000. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. purchased a new position in shares of Aflac during the second quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC bought a new stake in Aflac in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Aflac

Here are the key news stories impacting Aflac this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Aflac is expanding its workplace-benefits technology through bswift’s AI-powered tools, which are designed to simplify plan configuration and improve employee access to voluntary insurance products. The initiative could strengthen distribution and support longer-term premium growth, although no immediate financial impact was disclosed. Aflac bswift AI tools article
• Positive Sentiment: Aflac’s life-insurance and legacy-planning study found that one in three U.S. workers lacks a legacy plan. The sizable coverage and planning gap could create additional demand for life insurance and supplemental protection products, though the study does not provide a specific earnings forecast. Aflac legacy planning study
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $125 from $124 while retaining a Neutral rating. Barclays also increased its target, to $101 from $99, but maintained an Underweight rating. The changes suggest modest valuation adjustments rather than a strong shift in the investment outlook. UBS Aflac price target Barclays Aflac price target
• Negative Sentiment: Japan Post Holdings sold additional Aflac shares, including 13,000 shares on October 5 and 13,200 shares on October 2. The transactions were executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan and represent only a tiny fraction of its roughly 50.4 million-share position, limiting the fundamental concern but creating a modest supply overhang. Aflac shareholder SEC filing

About Aflac

Aflac Incorporated NYSE: AFL is an insurance company that provides supplemental health and life insurance products to individuals, employers and groups. Its coverage is designed to help policyholders manage expenses that may not be fully covered by major medical insurance, including costs associated with illness, injury and other qualifying events.

The company's products include accident, cancer, critical illness, hospital indemnity, disability, dental, vision and life insurance. Aflac distributes its policies through workplace benefits programs, independent agents, brokers and other distribution channels.

Founded in 1955 as American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus, Aflac has its headquarters in Columbus, Georgia.

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