CENTRAL TRUST Co Trims Stock Position in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

CENTRAL TRUST Co trimmed its stake in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 6.3% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 21,754 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,475 shares during the period. CENTRAL TRUST Co’s holdings in Aflac were worth $2,250,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its position in shares of Aflac by 75.2% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 776,131 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $88,533,000 after purchasing an additional 333,083 shares in the last quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in Aflac by 79.7% during the 3rd quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 27,354 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $3,058,000 after buying an additional 12,131 shares during the last quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Aflac during the third quarter worth approximately $979,000. FMR LLC lifted its stake in Aflac by 4.0% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,202,104 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $134,395,000 after buying an additional 45,745 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fulton Breakefield Broenniman LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Aflac in the third quarter valued at approximately $250,000. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Aflac Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AFL opened at $107.31 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.08 and a current ratio of 0.08. Aflac Incorporated has a one year low of $75.07 and a one year high of $115.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $59.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.16, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.00. The company’s fifty day moving average is $105.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.46.

Aflac Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 19th will be given a dividend of $0.58 per share. This is a positive change from Aflac’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 19th. Aflac’s dividend payout ratio is presently 34.94%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AFL has been the subject of several research reports. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Aflac from $96.00 to $98.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Aflac from $103.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. StockNews.com upgraded Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Evercore ISI lowered their target price on Aflac from $104.00 to $102.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 4th. Finally, TD Cowen began coverage on Aflac in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. They set a “hold” rating and a $102.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Aflac currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $103.71.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aflac

In other news, EVP Audrey B. Tillman sold 24,744 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $23,018,701.20. The trade was a 10.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.