DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Aflac Inc.'s (AFL) fourth-quarter net income dropped 48% on $262
million in investment losses - highlighted by losses on three
nationalized Icelandic banks - and the company issued a cautious
outlook for sales this year.
Aflac's shares, down about half this year, reached their lowest
level since April 2000 last month, as analysts expressed concern
about the supplemental-insurance company's exposure to hybrid
securities issued by European banks. Aflac has defended its
business strategy, saying it has a strong balance sheet.
Following the news Monday, shares rose 7.5% to $24.75 in
after-hours trading.
For the quarter, Aflac reported net income of $197 million, or
42 cents a share, down from $382 million, or 78 cents a share, a
year earlier.
The latest results included investment losses of $262 million,
or 56 cents a share, compared with a loss of $1 million from a year
earlier. About $117 million of the loss was from the company's
investment in the Icelandic banks. The company also reported losses
of $125 million related to certain collateralized debt
obligations.
Operating earnings, which exclude investment gains and losses,
rose to 98 cents a share from 78 cents. The stronger yen boosted
operating earnings by 7 cents a share. Revenue rose 6% to $4.26
billion.
In October, Alfac projected operating earnings of 95 cents to 97
cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected
per-share earnings of $1 on revenue of $4.58 billion.
Premium income in yen grew 3.3% in the company's large Japanese
operations. Reflecting the stronger yen, premium income in dollars
increased 22% to $2.9 billion. Aflac Japan accounts for more than
two-thirds of the company's total revenue.
Alfac U.S. posted a 7% increase in total premium income to $1.1
billion. Total revenue in the U.S. grew 6.2% to $1.2 billion. Alfac
said the weak economy continued to pose challenges in the U.S., but
said it was expanding its sales force, adding more than 6,000 new
associates during the quarter. Looking ahead, Aflac maintained it
expected to boost its operating earnings for the year by 13% to 15%
to $4.51 to $4.59 a share, excluding the impact of the yen. Aflac
said it expects sales in the U.S. and Japan to be flat to up 5% in
2009.
The growing trend toward government takeovers of banks calls
into question the status of hybrid securities, or bank-issued notes
that have elements of both equity and debt, amid concerns that
European issuers of these securities would come under government
control, destroying the value of securities.
Aflac already recorded a write-down from its exposure to the
Icelandic banks, and its ties to other banks, including Royal Bank
of Scotland PLC (RBS), are a growing concern. Morgan Stanley said
about 80% of Aflac's $7.9 billion hybrid securities come from
European financial institutions.
-By John Kell, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5285;
john.kell@dowjones.com
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