Market Insider

Aflac shares slide; KBW downgrades stock

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Shares of Aflac dipped 0.3 percent Monday after analysts at KBW questioned whether the stock can keep trucking higher.

"We believe a premium multiple is warranted for AFL's lower risk liabilities, high margins, and improved capital deployment. However, at 10.2x next-12-month operating [earnings per share], we think valuation fairly balances these positive attributes against a challenging growth outlook, peak margins and increasing economic hedging costs," KBW said in a Friday note to clients.

"AFL has enjoyed a string of favorable claims experience, and a key question is whether this can persist."

Todd Evans, animal handler with Dawn Animal Agency, holds the Aflac Duck on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York.
High health plan costs may boost Aflac: CEO

KBW downgraded the stock to "market perform" from "outperform," but kept its price target unchanged.

Still, Aflac shares have been on a roll this year, rising more than 14 percent.

AFL in 2016

Source: FactSet

Disclosure: KBW makes a market in Aflac shares.