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  • Dividend Achievers for the Long Haul, Part 2

    By Greg Williamson - June 18, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, MDT, SYK, UNH

    This is part 2 (click here to view part 1) of a series of articles on companies within the dividend achievers index that I consider to be the "best of the best." This index contains approximately 200 companies that include some of the best dividend-paying opportunities in the U.S.

    In order for a company to be included in this index, it must increase its annual dividend for a minimum more »

  • 3 Insurance Companies Focusing on Future Growth

    By Shweta Dubey - June 13, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, AIZ, UNM

    According to a research by MarketLine, the global insurance sector is expected to reach $5.1 trillion in 2015. This growth will be mainly driven by the recovery in developed countries like the U.S. The companies within this sector foresee growth opportunities through focusing on products with new insurable risk, international expansions, and regulatory changes. I have analyzed three companies from the industry and observed how they are framing more »

  • To Protect Yourself Against Falling Markets, Consider Dollar Cost Averaging

    By Robert Ciura - June 7, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, JNJ, MCD

    Investors are always looking for new strategies to beat the market over time and build wealth to ensure their financial futures. Unfortunately, many investors get caught in overly complex investment strategies that end up losing them money over the long-term. One time-tested strategy that is both simple and extremely effective is the concept of dollar-cost averaging.

    For buy-and-hold investors who understand the merits of slow-and-steady investing and the amazing power more »

  • 3 Dividend Stocks For a Happy Retirement Portfolio

    By Nur Tarkak - June 4, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, XOM, JNJ

    Investing in dividend stocks may help grow your retirement fund, but there are risks, as well. After all, every investment comes with risk. However, you can minimize the risk if you set the criteria for your investment. These filters can help create a safety net for your investment.

    There are many parameters used by many investors when investing in the quite volatile stock market. This includes the market capitalization, the more »

  • Legg Mason's Latest Shakeups

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 27, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, AAPL, COF, JPM, TGT

    Legg Mason Capital is a publicly traded mutual fund, overseeing some $3.8 billion. The fund was founded by Ernie Kiehne and Bill Miller in the early 80s. Outlined below are some of the key takeaways and interesting moves that caught my attention in Legg Mason's recent SEC filing that revealed its public-equity holdings (see Legg's portfolio here).

    Dumping the duck

    Legg Mason sold off its entire stake more »

  • This Fund Is Bullish on These Top Stocks

    By Meena Krishnamsetty - May 20, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, BRK-B, MSFT, WMT, WFC

    Steven Check, the founder and Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Check Capital Management, relies on financial stocks, with the fund heavily invested in Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B). Management has made additions to their holdings in Wells Fargo and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT). Let us take a look at how the five biggest positions in Check Capital Management's equity portfolio have done in 2013, and where more »

  • Three Stocks For A Safe Retirement Portfolio

    By siraj sarwar - May 7, 2013 | Tickers: MMM, AFL, EPD

    Approximately 40 percent of the total returns of the stock market going all the way back to 1930 have come from dividends. Dividends consistently paid out indicate that a company’s stock is a good investment--this represents one of the very few universal truths in investing. Investors who focus on buying consistent dividend-paying stocks are able to make it through stormy years of ups and downs in the market. In more »

  • Is This Insurer a Sure Thing?

    By Marshall Hargrave - April 16, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, CI, PFG, WLP

    When looking for solid dividend-paying stocks, Aflac (NYSE: AFL) should be on every investors list. This Dividend Aristocrat also happens to be rather cheap. 

    The list of Dividend Aristocrats include companies that have raised their dividend payouts to shareholders every single year for at least a quarter-century -- this exclusive list only includes a few dozen stocks. Aflac upped its dividend payment by 6.1% in late 2012, marking the 30th more »

  • Will the Insurance Giants Survive the Japanese Tsunami?

    By Adnan Khan - April 14, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, AIG, GNW, MET, PRU

    The first quarter of the current year saw a few events that had significant impact on the operating performances of the US life insurance giants. In this article you will see how the events impacted different insurers and what analysts are expecting the insurers will report at the end of the first quarter of the current year.

    What Happened During 1Q13?

    Some of the events include the negative impact from more »

  • Aflac: High-Risk With Long-Term Optimism

    By Zach Carvalho - April 8, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, FXY

    Sales Growth

    Aflac (NYSE: AFL) has seen continued growth in their Japanese sales force primarily driven by internal agency growth. Since 2010 the number of sales agencies contracting with Aflac has held a range between 19,300 and 20,000; however, the number of agents employed by these agencies has grown 13% over the same period representative of the growth in agents per agency to 6.50 in 2012 from more »

  • What Companies Benefit (Or Not) From A Weaker Yen?

    By Pierre De Vitton - April 8, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, COH, INTC, TM

    The yen has been a strong currency for the past four decades, quadrupling in value against the dollar. Despite the fact that Japan has had a bad economy since the early 1990s, low inflation, a savings surplus, and competitive industries have sustained the yen's strength.

    However, the situation is now changing for three reasons.

    Reason number one: a deteriorating corporate sector

    Japan's nominal GDP in 2012 was 9 more »

  • Can the Breakout Rally in Insurance Stocks Continue?

    By John Macris - April 1, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, LNC, UNM

    Insurance stocks have been one of the hottest sectors so far in 2013, with the SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (NYSEMKT: KIE) posting an impressive 15%+ gain before the conclusion of March. Specific insurance stocks, such as Aflac, Lincoln National, and Unum outlined below, have all risen at least 25% in less than 3 months.

    In an environment of rising interest rates, I am focused on gaining exposure to money more »

  • This Great Company Still Has 3 Ways to Get Better

    By Chad Henage - March 15, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, AIG, ALL, TRV

    When investors consider a company, it makes sense to look for both strengths and weaknesses. The company's strengths need to be examined to determine if they are sustainable. On the other hand, if a company has a weakness, this could either be a problem to keep an eye on, or an area for improvement in the future. When I look at a company like Aflac (NYSE: AFL), I see more »

  • This Insurer is a Long Term Buy

    By Anh HOANG - March 12, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, LFC, MET

    Aflac (NYSE: AFL) was featured in Today’s 3 Worst Stocks of The Motley Fool when it dropped by nearly 2.8% in one trading day. However, since the bottom of 2009, Aflac has gained more than 270%, from $13.50 per share in Mar 09 to $50.15 per share currently. Interestingly, the company has been known as a consistent and increasing dividend payer for the past ten years more »

  • Get Boring! How to Look for Boring Stocks That Will Win

    By Ash Anderson - March 7, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, GOOG, HRB

    With the markets soaring to their new all-time highs over the past couple of weeks there have been many doubters wondering if we’re even in a position to sustain such levels. Maybe we are, maybe we aren’t. Like Warren Buffett, we shouldn’t care what Mr. Market is up to, we should just be looking for a bargain. So, are there bargains out there, even at these high more »

  • Buy These 3 Undervalued "Elephant" Stocks...Before Buffett Does

    By Adem Tahiri - March 7, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, BRK-B, NOV, TOL

    Warren Buffett wants an Elephant.

    In Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-B) 2012 letter to shareholders, Buffett again stressed his desire to make a large acquisition. Given that Berkshire's book value returns have trailed the S&P 500 during three of the last four years, it's increasingly likely that a large acquisition will be made in 2013. At Berkshire's size, a large acquisition is simply the easiest way more »

  • Companies With A Buying Opportunity

    By Tyler Wofford - March 5, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, INTC, IBM

    I just completed a series of what I believe to be the top ten American companies, but there are a companies I couldn't leave out of the mix. You can view these as "honorable mentions", or you can view these as companies providing great investment opportunities. While compiling this list, I was looking for companies that provide opportunity for customers, employers, and investors. Let's take a look.

    One more »

  • Insure Your Portfolio With This Stock

    By Robert Ciura - February 28, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, MET, TRV

    Insurance companies enjoy a two-sided business model: they earn cash from premiums paid on the policies they write and then again through investing the large pools of their accumulated capital. Many insurance companies are trading at attractive price-to-earnings and price-to-book valuations and also pay dividends to shareholders.  Unfortunately, the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy of historically low interest rates has kept a lid on the returns on capital most more »

  • This Insurer Belongs in Your Portfolio

    By Matthew Frankel - February 15, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, HIG, PRU

    AFLAC (NYSE: AFL) is the number one provider of worksite insurance in the United States, and their products are marketed at worksites and on TV (everyone knows the duck), intended to fill gaps in primary coverage.  What a great deal of American investors don’t realize is that AFLAC is also the number one issuer of individual insurance policies in Japan, with over 50 million customers.  In fact, about 80 more »

  • The Real Duck Dynasty

    By Diane Alter - February 15, 2013 | Tickers: AFL, HUM, WLP

    Aflac (NYSE: AFL) shares slumped after reporting fourth quarter results that signaled slowing growth. But don't get your feathers ruffled--Aflac should keep investors happy as a duck in water.

    The supplemental health and life insurer, best recognized by its signature mascot (a pristine white duck), reported that Q4 revenue rose 6.6% to 6.4 billion and net earnings were $581 million, or $1.24 a share. That was more »

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