Aflac (NYSE:AFL) Price Target Cut to $95.00 by Analysts at Barclays

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) had its price objective lowered by Barclays from $98.00 to $95.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “underweight” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Barclays‘s price objective points to a potential downside of 8.32% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Bank of America increased their target price on shares of Aflac from $115.00 to $124.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on Aflac in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $111.00 target price on the stock. Evercore ISI dropped their target price 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. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price target on Aflac from $108.00 to $107.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Aflac from $103.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $103.21.

Aflac Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:AFL traded up $0.54 during trading on Friday, reaching $103.62. 2,761,584 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,804,674. The company has a quick ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 0.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Aflac has a fifty-two week low of $77.01 and a fifty-two week high of $115.50. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $104.87 and a 200-day simple moving average of $106.72. The firm has a market cap of $57.56 billion, a PE ratio of 15.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.99.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last issued its quarterly 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 16.34% and a net margin of 22.02%. As a group, analysts predict that Aflac will post 7.26 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Audrey B. Tillman sold 24,744 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.40, for a total transaction of $2,558,529.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 222,618 shares in the company, valued at $23,018,701.20. This trade represents a 10.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Aflac

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Whipplewood Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Aflac during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. BankPlus Trust Department purchased a new stake in shares of Aflac in the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. Raelipskie Partnership purchased a new position in Aflac in the third quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.44% of the company’s stock.

Aflac Company Profile

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.