AFLAC: Comfortable With Our Current Capital Position
January 22 2009 - 12:45PM
Dow Jones News
Stung by a falling share price after an analyst expressed
concern over its exposure to European bank hybrid debt securities,
an Aflac Inc. (AFL) spokeswoman said Thursday the insurer is
"comfortable with our current capital position and are constantly
monitoring our investment portfolio."
She said the company will offer more "specific details" along
with its earnings release Feb. 2.
Shares of Aflac Inc. dropped to their lowest level since
mid-2000 Thursday after Morgan Stanley analyst Nigel Dally said in
a research note that the insurer's exposure to hybrid securities
issued by European banks, including Royal Bank of Scotland Group
PLC (RBS), is a "rapidly escalating concern."
Aflac shares fell as much as 39% to $22.08 in morning trading
after Dally told the firm's clients to avoid Aflac's stock owing to
its $7.9 billion of exposure to securities that have been sharply
marked down after European financial firms announced large losses
this week.
Shares of Aflac recently traded down 31.1% to $24.95.
-By Ed Welsch, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5244;
edward.welsch@dowjones.com and Lavonne Kuykendall, Dow Jones
Newswires; (312) 750 4141; lavonne.kuykendall@dowjones.com
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