Aflac Inc Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (AFL)

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Aflac (NYSE:AFL) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of B . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity, attractive valuation levels and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 0.7%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 16.0%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• AFL's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.26 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels.
• The return on equity has improved slightly when compared to the same quarter one year prior. This can be construed as a modest strength in the organization. In comparison to the other companies in the Insurance industry and the overall market, AFLAC INC's return on equity significantly exceeds that of the industry average and is above that of the S&P 500.
• Powered by its strong earnings growth of 77.58% and other important driving factors, this stock has surged by 39.81% over the past year, outperforming the rise in the S&P 500 Index during the same period. Regarding the stock's future course, although almost any stock can fall in a broad market decline, AFL should continue to move higher despite the fact that it has already enjoyed a very nice gain in the past year.

Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiary, American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus, provides supplemental health and life insurance. The company has a P/E ratio of 8.4, equal to the average insurance industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Aflac has a market cap of $21.48 billion and is part of the financial sector and insurance industry. Shares are up 6.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

You can view the full Aflac Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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