Harbour Investments Inc. Raises Stake in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

Harbour Investments Inc. increased its stake in shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 3.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,629 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 204 shares during the period. Harbour Investments Inc.’s holdings in Aflac were worth $582,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in AFL. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Aflac in the third quarter worth $34,000. BankPlus Trust Department bought a new stake in shares of Aflac in the fourth quarter valued at $34,000. Raelipskie Partnership purchased a new position in shares of Aflac during the 3rd quarter valued at $38,000. Finally, OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new position in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Institutional investors own 67.44% of the company’s stock.

Aflac Price Performance

Shares of Aflac stock opened at $108.66 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.10 and a quick ratio of 0.08. Aflac Incorporated has a one year low of $79.31 and a one year high of $115.50. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $105.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $107.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $59.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.24 and a beta of 0.93.

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

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.63, for a total transaction of $107,630.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 25,393 shares in the company, valued at $2,733,048.59. The trade was a 3.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Audrey B. Tillman sold 24,744 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.40, for a total value of $2,558,529.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 222,618 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,018,701.20. This trade represents a 10.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 55,546 shares of company stock valued at $5,863,616. Insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AFL has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Aflac from $98.00 to $95.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Aflac from $90.00 to $94.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Aflac from $98.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 28th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective 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. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $103.36.

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.