Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Reaches New 52-Week High at $86.20

Shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $86.20 and last traded at $86.06, with a volume of 72587 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $85.62.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on AFL shares. Raymond James upped their price target on shares of Aflac from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Aflac from $61.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Aflac from $82.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Evercore ISI lowered Aflac from an “in-line” rating to an “underperform” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $76.00 to $78.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on Aflac from $80.00 to $84.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $80.36.

Aflac Trading Up 0.4 %

The company has a current ratio of 0.06, a quick ratio of 0.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $81.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $80.74. The stock has a market cap of $49.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.91.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by ($0.22). Aflac had a net margin of 24.92% and a return on equity of 17.59%. The company had revenue of $3.78 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.44 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.29 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Aflac

In other Aflac news, SVP Albert Riggieri sold 8,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.34, for a total transaction of $666,720.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 32,825 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,735,635.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Aflac news, Director Thomas J. Kenny sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.62, for a total transaction of $423,100.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 17,920 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,516,390.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Albert Riggieri sold 8,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.34, for a total transaction of $666,720.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 32,825 shares in the company, valued at $2,735,635.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 46,493 shares of company stock worth $3,765,706. Company insiders own 0.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Aflac

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Flputnam Investment Management Co. raised its position in shares of Aflac by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 25,031 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,065,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Aflac by 4.3% during the fourth quarter. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,974 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $245,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Aflac by 24.1% in the third quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 675 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. Dominguez Wealth Management Solutions Inc. raised its stake in Aflac by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Dominguez Wealth Management Solutions Inc. now owns 24,969 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,916,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in Aflac by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,156 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $472,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Aflac

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.