Aflac Q4 Profit Tops Estimate

(RTTNews) - Aflac Inc. (AFL) reported net income for the fourth quarter of $675 million or $1.45 per share, compared with $581 million or $1.24 per share for the year-ago quarter.

Excluding items, operating earnings for the fourth quarter were $651 million or $1.40 per share, compared with $697 million or $1.48 per share in the prior year quarter.

Total revenues for the fourth quarter fell 9.0% to $5.80 billion from $6.38 billion a year ago, reflecting the weaker yen/dollar exchange rate.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $1.39 per share on revenue of $5.91 billion for the fourth quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Aflac Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Amos said, "I want to reiterate that our primary financial objective for 2014 is to increase operating earnings per diluted share 2% to 5% on a currency neutral basis."