Insider Selling: Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Major Shareholder Sells $1,408,978.00 in Stock

Key Points

• Japan Post Holdings sold 12,200 Aflac shares at an average price of $115.49, generating $1.41 million; it still owns approximately 50.5 million shares. The sale was conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan and followed several similar September transactions.
• Aflac shares rose 0.4% to $115.03, with a market capitalization of about $57.7 billion and a 2.1% dividend yield. Analysts have a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $116.62.
• The company’s latest quarterly results were mixed: earnings of $1.75 per share narrowly missed estimates, while revenue of $4.22 billion exceeded forecasts but declined 1% year over year. Aflac continues to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.61 per share.

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL - Get Free Report) major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 12,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.49, for a total transaction of $1,408,978.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 50,519,290 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,834,472,802.10. This represents a 0.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a company's stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Friday, September 18th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 12,800 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.22, for a total transaction of $1,487,616.00.
• On Thursday, September 17th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 12,900 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.58, for a total value of $1,503,882.00.
• On Wednesday, September 16th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 13,800 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.49, for a total value of $1,621,362.00.
• On Monday, September 14th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 13,600 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.74, for a total value of $1,587,664.00.
• On Friday, September 11th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 14,000 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.14, for a total transaction of $1,611,960.00.
• On Thursday, September 10th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 13,300 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.32, for a total transaction of $1,520,456.00.
• On Tuesday, September 8th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 13,600 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.44, for a total transaction of $1,569,984.00.
• On Friday, September 4th, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 15,000 shares of Aflac stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.47, for a total transaction of $1,762,050.00.
• On Thursday, September 3rd, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 20,000 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.49, for a total value of $2,369,800.00.
• On Wednesday, September 2nd, Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 13,500 shares of Aflac stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total value of $1,582,065.00.

Aflac Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of NYSE AFL traded up $0.43 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $115.03. The stock had a trading volume of 198,963 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,328,460. The company has a quick ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 0.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. Aflac Incorporated has a 1-year low of $105.43 and a 1-year high of $130.22. The company has a market capitalization of $57.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.34, a PEG ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $120.31 and a 200 day moving average price of $116.51.

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

Aflac Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th were given a $0.61 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 19th. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Aflac's dividend payout ratio is presently 26.15%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Aflac

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Aflac in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $4,093,787,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Aflac in the fourth quarter valued at $420,078,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 2nd quarter valued at $404,639,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in shares of Aflac in the 2nd quarter worth $298,418,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in shares of Aflac during the second quarter worth $244,516,000. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on AFL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Aflac from $117.00 to $116.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $138.00 price target (up from $130.00) on shares of Aflac in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Mizuho set a $116.00 price target on shares of Aflac in a report on Monday, August 10th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Aflac from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, August 15th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a "hold" rating and issued a $110.00 target price (up from $101.00) on shares of Aflac in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $116.62.

Aflac News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Aflac this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Aflac’s cancer-screening campaign with designer Rachel Zoe features a scannable, check-patterned jacket intended to encourage screenings. The initiative strengthens Aflac’s brand in cancer insurance and may support long-term customer engagement, although it is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Aflac and Rachel Zoe cancer-screening campaign
• Neutral Sentiment: Aflac President Virgil Miller and former athlete Brian Jordan visited a children’s hospital to support families affected by cancer and sickle cell disease. The event may enhance corporate goodwill but has no clear immediate financial impact. Aflac hospital outreach event
• Neutral Sentiment: A life-insurance-sector recap continues to frame Aflac as a defensive, income-oriented insurer. Its valuation near 12 times earnings, 2.1% dividend yield and low beta may appeal to conservative investors, though the consensus analyst view remains “Hold.” Life-insurance stocks Q2 recap
• Negative Sentiment: Aflac’s latest quarterly results were mixed: adjusted earnings of $1.75 per share narrowly missed the $1.76 consensus estimate, while revenue of $4.22 billion exceeded expectations but declined 1% year over year. The earnings miss and lower revenue trend have weighed on investor sentiment. Aflac earnings miss and revenue beat
• Negative Sentiment: Japan Post Holdings sold another 12,800 Aflac shares for approximately $1.49 million, following several similar sales during September. The transaction reduced its ownership by only 0.03% and was conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its fundamental significance but creating a modest supply overhang. SEC filing on Japan Post Holdings sale

Aflac Company Profile

Aflac Incorporated is an insurance company that provides supplemental health and life insurance products. Its coverage is designed to help policyholders manage expenses that may not be fully covered by major medical insurance, including costs associated with accidents, illness, hospitalization, disability and critical illness.

Through its U.S. operations, Aflac markets policies to individuals, businesses and employees through workplace benefit programs, independent agents and brokers. The company is also a major provider of supplemental insurance in Japan, where it offers products focused primarily on cancer, medical and income-support coverage.

Founded in 1955 in Columbus, Georgia, as American Family Life Assurance Company, the business adopted the name Aflac in 1990.

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