Latest News by Industry
COLUMBUS, Ga., Nov. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared the first quarter dividend of $0.42 per share, payable on March 1, 2023, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 15, 2023. This represents a 5.0% increase over the previously declared fourth quarter dividend.
Additionally, its Board of Directors authorized the purchase of up to 100 million shares of its common stock. This authorization is in addition to the 25.6 million shares as of September 30, 2022, that remained under the August 11, 2020 authorization, bringing the total number of shares available for purchase to approximately 125.6 million. The company anticipates that the repurchase of shares will be conducted from time to time in open market or negotiated transactions, depending on market conditions.
Commenting on the announcements, Aflac Incorporated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel P. Amos said: "I am pleased with the Board's action to increase the first quarter 2023 dividend. We treasure our record of 40 consecutive years of dividend increases, and our dividend track record is supported by the strength of our capital and cash flows. As an insurance company, our primary responsibility is to fulfill the promises we make to our policyholders. At the same time, we are listening to our shareholders and understand the importance of prudent liquidity and capital management. We remain committed to maintaining strong capital ratios on behalf of our policyholders and balance this financial strength with tactical capital deployment."
ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the U.S., Aflac is the number one provider of supplemental health insurance products1. Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. In 2021, Aflac Incorporated was proud to be included as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 16th consecutive year. Also in 2021, the company was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). In 2022, Aflac Incorporated was included on Fortune's list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 21st time and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the third consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to ESG and social responsibility at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."
1 LIMRA 2021 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. The company desires to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in communications with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," "outlook" or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements.
The company cautions readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements:
Analyst and investor contact - David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667 or dyoung@aflac.com
Media contact – Ines Gutzmer, 762.207.7601 or igutzmer@aflac.com
View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aflac-incorporated-announces-5-0-increase-in-the-first-quarter-2023-dividend-increase-in-shares-authorized-for-repurchase-301672204.html
SOURCE Aflac Incorporated