Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Sets New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)’s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $119.64 and last traded at $119.6270, with a volume of 205381 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $118.67.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on AFL shares. Piper Sandler decreased their price target on Aflac from $130.00 to $125.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Mizuho set a $104.00 price objective on Aflac in a report on Monday, May 4th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of Aflac from $116.00 to $111.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Barclays set a $99.00 target price on shares of Aflac and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Aflac from $116.00 to $114.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $111.36.

Aflac Stock Down 1.0%

The firm has a market cap of $59.69 billion, a PE ratio of 13.31, a P/E/G ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 0.11 and a quick ratio of 0.11. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $112.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $111.53.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.80 by ($0.05). Aflac had a return on equity of 13.88% and a net margin of 25.60%.The business had revenue of $4.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.66 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 27.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Aflac Incorporated will post 7.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Aflac Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.61 per share. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 20th. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Aflac news, major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 166,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.38, for a total value of $18,655,080.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 51,723,100 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,812,641,978. This represents a 0.32% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 739,815 shares of company stock worth $82,996,891 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Aflac

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Aflac by 13.4% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 57,142,072 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $6,301,056,000 after buying an additional 6,759,169 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Aflac in the fourth quarter worth approximately $420,078,000. First Trust Advisors LP increased its holdings in Aflac by 161.9% in the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 3,184,801 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $349,405,000 after buying an additional 1,968,738 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Aflac by 1,184.5% during the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,264,090 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $141,199,000 after acquiring an additional 1,165,676 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP lifted its stake in Aflac by 390.7% in the fourth quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,111,711 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $122,588,000 after acquiring an additional 885,141 shares during the last quarter. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Aflac Company Profile

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.