Aflac Inc Stock Price, News & Analysis

Aflac supports the recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday, celebrating the end of slavery in the U.S. The company commends Congress and President Biden for this historic decision. In 2021, Aflac will provide employees with a paid floating holiday to reflect on the significance of fairness and freedom. Starting in 2022, June 19 will be added to Aflac's annual paid holidays, further exemplifying the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

AM Best has revised the outlook for Aflac's Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (ICR) to positive from stable and affirmed its Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior). Aflac's operating performance, balance sheet strength, and risk management practices are recognized as strong. The positive outlook reflects improvements in enterprise risk management and Aflac's ability to navigate challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The company’s pre-tax net gains for 2020 were $4.2 billion, slightly lower than the previous year. Aflac is a leader in the Japanese insurance market and has diversified its offerings.

Aflac has released its 2021 Men's Health Issues Survey, highlighting a disparity between men's health perceptions and realities. Although 90% of men believe they lead healthy lifestyles, CDC data shows nearly half have high blood pressure, and 43% are obese. The study reveals that while spouses often encourage men to seek medical care, 58% hold beliefs that deter them from proactive health check-ups. Key barriers include perceived costs and misconceptions about masculinity. Aflac emphasizes the need for more education on men's health and suggests supplemental insurance to alleviate treatment costs.

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) announced the appointment of Takeko Uemoto as senior vice president and enterprise corporate actuary, effective May 10, 2021. Uemoto will oversee regulatory and economic capital management modeling and actuary analysis for Aflac's U.S. and Japan subsidiaries. With over 20 years of experience in actuarial and financial leadership, Uemoto previously held key roles at Prudential Insurance and Goldman Sachs. Aflac aims to strengthen its capital management and actuarial analysis to enhance shareholder value and policyholder support.

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) reported Q1 2021 revenues of $5.9 billion, up from $5.2 billion year-over-year. Net earnings surged to $1.3 billion ($1.87 per share), driven by $304 million in adjusted net investment gains versus losses of $448 million in Q1 2020. Adjusted earnings reached $1.1 billion, a 20.0% increase. Aflac Japan saw a 3.6% decline in net premium income, while U.S. net premium income dropped 4.1%. The board declared a dividend of $0.33 per share.

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) will release its first quarter financial results after market close on April 28, 2021. Earnings materials will be accessible on the company's Investor Relations website. A conference call is scheduled for April 29, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. ET, where executives will discuss the results and outlook influenced by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Aflac is a leading supplemental insurer in the U.S. and Japan, providing financial protection to over 50 million people.

AM Best has assigned a Long-Term Issue Credit Rating of 'a-' to Aflac's new yen-denominated senior unsecured notes totaling JPY 82.0 billion. This includes notes with varying maturities from 2031 to 2051. The stable outlook reflects Aflac's sound financial metrics, despite an expected temporary increase in financial leverage to around 21%. The proceeds will be used to prefund a forthcoming USD 700 million debt repayment. Aflac maintains a strong liquidity position with over USD 5.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents.