Triton Financial Group Inc Invests $2.04 Million in Aflac Incorporated $AFL

Triton Financial Group Inc bought a new position in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm bought 17,412 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $2,042,000. Aflac makes up 1.2% of Triton Financial Group Inc’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of AFL. Redwood Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Aflac during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,164,000. Parvin Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Aflac during the second quarter worth $117,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Aflac in the second quarter valued at $232,000. Pure Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Aflac in the second quarter valued at $1,666,000. Finally, Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Aflac during the second quarter valued at about $135,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.44% of the company’s stock.

Aflac Price Performance

AFL opened at $116.45 on Friday. Aflac Incorporated has a 1 year low of $104.66 and a 1 year high of $130.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.12 and a quick ratio of 0.12. The company has a market capitalization of $58.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.60. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $121.60 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $116.21.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.76 by ($0.01). Aflac had a net margin of 26.91% and a return on equity of 13.27%. The firm had revenue of $4.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.11 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.78 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Aflac Incorporated will post 7.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Aflac Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be given a $0.61 dividend. This represents a $2.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 19th. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio is presently 26.15%.

Insider Activity

In other news, major shareholder Post Holdings Co. Ltd. Japan sold 12,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.49, for a total value of $1,479,423.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 50,765,590 shares in the company, valued at $5,913,683,579.10. The trade was a 0.03% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.10, for a total value of $74,460.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 32,710 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,059,311. This represents a 1.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last quarter, insiders sold 502,125 shares of company stock valued at $58,965,806. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AFL has been the subject of several recent research reports. Mizuho set a $116.00 target price on shares of Aflac in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on shares of Aflac from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Barclays reiterated an “underweight” rating and set a $99.00 price target (up from $98.00) on shares of Aflac in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Wolfe Research began coverage on Aflac in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $103.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Aflac from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $116.62.

Aflac Profile

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.