Brokerages Set Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) Target Price at $97.53

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) has received an average rating of “Hold” from the fifteen research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $97.53.

Several analysts have issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Aflac from $90.00 to $106.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 10th. Truist Financial upped their target price on Aflac from $82.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. UBS Group upped their target price on Aflac from $84.00 to $109.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. TD Cowen began coverage on Aflac in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $102.00 target price for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Aflac from $91.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, August 19th.

Aflac Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of AFL opened at $112.02 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.10 and a current ratio of 0.10. Aflac has a one year low of $75.07 and a one year high of $115.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $63.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.36, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.95. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $110.03 and a 200 day moving average price of $96.48.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The financial services provider reported $1.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.60 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $5.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.10 billion. Aflac had a return on equity of 16.22% and a net margin of 28.35%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.58 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Aflac will post 6.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Aflac Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 2nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 21st were paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.79%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 21st. Aflac’s payout ratio is 22.08%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aflac

In other Aflac news, Director Thomas J. Kenny sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.94, for a total value of $197,880.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 18,158 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,796,552.52. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Aflac

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Y.D. More Investments Ltd purchased a new position in Aflac during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new position in Aflac during the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Dixon Mitchell Investment Counsel Inc. purchased a new position in Aflac during the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Cedar Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Aflac during the 1st quarter worth approximately $50,000. Finally, Fairscale Capital LLC purchased a new position in Aflac during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $54,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.44% 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.