Creekmur Asset Management LLC Boosts Stake in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

Creekmur Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 50.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 17,621 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,888 shares during the quarter. Aflac makes up about 0.4% of Creekmur Asset Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. Creekmur Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Aflac were worth $1,823,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of AFL. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Aflac in the 4th quarter valued at about $349,699,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter worth approximately $163,409,000. Amundi increased its holdings in Aflac by 81.1% in the 4th quarter. Amundi now owns 2,753,513 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $285,181,000 after purchasing an additional 1,232,683 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Aflac by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 51,340,298 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,310,640,000 after purchasing an additional 653,275 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in Aflac by 670.9% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 556,576 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $57,572,000 after purchasing an additional 484,378 shares in the last quarter. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aflac

In other news, Director Charles D. Lake II sold 29,802 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.29, for a total value of $3,197,456.58. Following the sale, the director now 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 1,000 shares of the 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 directly owns 25,393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,733,048.59. This represents a 3.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Aflac Trading Up 1.1 %

NYSE AFL opened at $112.44 on Wednesday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $106.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $107.71. Aflac Incorporated has a one year low of $79.31 and a one year high of $115.50. 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 firm has a market cap of $61.37 billion, a PE ratio of 11.71, a P/E/G ratio of 3.24 and a beta of 0.93.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 28.76% and a return on equity of 16.20%. Analysts expect that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Barclays dropped their target price on Aflac from $98.00 to $95.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 7th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Aflac in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $111.00 price objective on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their target price on Aflac from $107.00 to $104.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Aflac from $90.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Aflac from $104.00 to $102.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Aflac has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price 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.