Good Quarter for AFLAC, Despite Earnings Miss (AFL)

Eddy Elfenbein submits: AFLAC (AFL) reported earnings yesterday, saying that it netted of 59 cents a share (excluding charges) for the fourth quarter. This was slightly below Wall Street’s forecast of 63 cents a share. However, AFLAC lost three cents a share due to currency translation. The company does most of its business in Japan.

AFLAC is one of my favorite stocks. It’s one of those stocks that consistently delivers. The company also reiterated its EPS growth forecast of 15%-16% for this fiscal year, and raised its dividend from 11 cents to 13 cents a share.

Don’t let the earnings miss fool you, this was a good quarter for AFLAC. Assuming AFLAC earns $2.92 a share for this year, the stock is going for a very reasonable 16 times earnings, which is in line with its growth rate. This is a solid, steady grower. I wish I knew how to quit this stock.

AFL 1-yr Chart