Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI Sells 2,973 Shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI reduced its holdings in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) by 1.2% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 240,468 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 2,973 shares during the period. Aflac makes up about 2.0% of Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI’s holdings in Aflac were worth $24,874,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of AFL. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Aflac during the 4th quarter worth approximately $163,409,000. Amundi grew its holdings in Aflac by 81.1% during the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 2,753,513 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $285,181,000 after buying an additional 1,232,683 shares in the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund raised its position in Aflac by 471.4% in the 3rd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 600,000 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $67,080,000 after buying an additional 495,000 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in Aflac by 670.9% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 556,576 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $57,572,000 after acquiring an additional 484,378 shares in the last quarter. Finally, World Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Aflac during the 3rd quarter worth $42,290,000. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Audrey B. Tillman sold 24,744 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 222,618 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,018,701.20. This trade represents a 10.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AFL has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Aflac from $98.00 to $95.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded Aflac from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted 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. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on shares of Aflac in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $111.00 price target for the company. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price objective on shares of Aflac from $107.00 to $104.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $103.36.

Aflac Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AFL opened at $108.48 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $105.08 and a 200-day moving average of $107.72. The stock has a market cap of $59.29 billion, a PE ratio of 11.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.24 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.08 and a current ratio of 0.10. Aflac Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $79.31 and a fifty-two week high of $115.50.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.56 earnings per share 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%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current year.

Aflac 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.