Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Downgraded to “Sell” Rating by Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen cut shares of Aflac (NYSE:AFL) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report published on Saturday morning.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on AFL. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Aflac in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b+)” rating on shares of Aflac in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Morgan Stanley set a $120.00 price target on Aflac in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Barclays set a $101.00 price objective on shares of Aflac and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Aflac from $101.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $111.73.

Aflac Stock Performance

NYSE:AFL opened at $112.75 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.11 and a current ratio of 0.11. Aflac has a fifty-two week low of $96.95 and a fifty-two week high of $119.32. The firm has a market cap of $58.22 billion, a PE ratio of 16.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 0.67. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $111.52 and a 200-day moving average price of $110.03.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The financial services provider reported $1.57 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.69 by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $4.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.45 billion. Aflac had a return on equity of 14.35% and a net margin of 21.24%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.57 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Aflac will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Steven Kent Beaver sold 7,387 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.58, for a total value of $839,015.46. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 40,526 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,602,943.08. The trade was a 15.42% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders have sold 16,331 shares of company stock worth $1,817,720 in the last ninety days. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AFL. True Wealth Design LLC grew its stake in shares of Aflac by 188.5% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 225 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 147 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Navalign LLC bought a new stake in Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Aflac during the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Activest Wealth Management raised its holdings in Aflac by 95.6% in the fourth quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 311 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.44% of the company’s stock.

About Aflac

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.