Aflac Boosts Dividend, Guidance Despite Premium Declines
Insurance is a complex business, and there are many segments of the industry that have relatively little exposure to everyday people. Aflac's (NYSE: AFL) supplemental insurance products help flesh out the more basic health and disability insurance coverage that many Americans get through work-based group benefit plans, and Japanese customers also benefit from Aflac's extensive product lineup across the Pacific. Investors have come to rely on Aflac to deliver consistent results year after year as it navigates the changing insurance markets in the countries it serves.
Coming into Wednesday's third-quarter financial report, Aflac investors were prepared to see declines in both revenue and profit from the insurance giant. Yet Aflac's bottom line was able to weather lower sales, and positive moves from the company included upgraded guidance for the remainder of the year and a much hoped-for dividend boost that kept long-term shareholders happy. Let's take a closer look Aflac and its recent performance.
Image source: Aflac.
Source: Fool.com