Erste Asset Management GmbH Sells 200 Shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

Erste Asset Management GmbH cut its position in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 1.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 20,200 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 200 shares during the quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in Aflac were worth $2,088,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of AFL. Whipplewood Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Aflac during the third quarter worth $34,000. BankPlus Trust Department purchased a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. Raelipskie Partnership acquired a new stake in shares of Aflac in the 3rd quarter worth $38,000. Finally, OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new position in Aflac during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. 67.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Charles D. Lake II sold 29,802 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.29, for a total value of $3,197,456.58. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 49,962 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,360,422.98. The trade was a 37.36 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Audrey B. Tillman sold 24,744 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.40, for a total value of $2,558,529.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 222,618 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,018,701.20. This represents a 10.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 55,546 shares of company stock worth $5,863,616. Corporate insiders own 0.90% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on Aflac from $122.00 to $118.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 7th. Evercore ISI decreased their price target on shares of Aflac from $104.00 to $102.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. StockNews.com raised shares of Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on Aflac from $107.00 to $104.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Aflac from $104.00 to $102.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $103.36.

Aflac Price Performance

Aflac stock opened at $107.44 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.08 and a current ratio of 0.10. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $105.37 and its 200 day moving average price is $107.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $58.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.19, a P/E/G ratio of 3.24 and a beta of 0.93. Aflac Incorporated has a 1 year low of $79.31 and a 1 year high of $115.50.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.63 by ($0.07). Aflac had a net margin of 28.76% and a return on equity of 16.20%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.