Citizens National Bank Trust Department Lowers Stock Position in Aflac Incorporated $AFL

Citizens National Bank Trust Department lessened its position in shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 77,673 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 230 shares during the period. Aflac makes up approximately 1.6% of Citizens National Bank Trust Department’s portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest position. Citizens National Bank Trust Department’s holdings in Aflac were worth $8,191,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NorthRock Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Aflac by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. NorthRock Partners LLC now owns 6,519 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $725,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Aflac by 24.4% during the 1st quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 495 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $55,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Duncan Williams Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Aflac by 5.0% during the second quarter. Duncan Williams Asset Management LLC now owns 2,065 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $218,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC increased its holdings in Aflac by 1.5% in the first quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 6,653 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $711,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Optas LLC raised its stake in Aflac by 3.5% in the first quarter. Optas LLC now owns 2,949 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $328,000 after buying an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.44% of the company’s stock.

Aflac Stock Down 0.2%

AFL stock opened at $112.85 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $60.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $106.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $105.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.11 and a quick ratio of 0.11. Aflac Incorporated has a 12 month low of $96.95 and a 12 month high of $115.44.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.78 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.07. Aflac had a net margin of 15.32% and a return on equity of 15.08%. The company had revenue of $4.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.30 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.83 earnings per share. Aflac’s quarterly revenue was down 19.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current year.

Aflac Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 20th were paid a dividend of $0.58 per share. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 20th. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio is 52.61%.

Aflac declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase program on Tuesday, August 12th that allows the company to buyback 100,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on AFL shares. Wall Street Zen raised Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 9th. Piper Sandler set a $125.00 target price on Aflac and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on Aflac from $106.00 to $108.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, August 11th. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Aflac from $114.00 to $111.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Aflac from $105.00 to $107.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, August 11th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $109.23.

Insider Activity at Aflac

In other news, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 1,000 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.57, for a total value of $102,570.00. Following the sale, the director owned 25,105 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,575,019.85. The trade was a 3.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

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.