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UNITED STATES FORM 8-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported) October 24, 2005
Aflac Incorporated |
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) |
GEORGIA |
001-07434 |
58-1167100 |
(State or other jurisdiction |
(Commission |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
of incorporation) |
File Number) |
|
1932 Wynnton Road, Columbus, Georgia |
31999 |
|
(Address of principal executive offices) |
(Zip Code) |
706.323.3431 |
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code) |
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report) |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: |
|
[ ] |
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
[ ] |
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
[ ] |
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
[ ] |
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
ITEM 2.02 RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION
Aflac Incorporated is providing its press release dated October 24, 2005 in which it reported its third quarter results and its Third Quarter Report to Shareholders herein as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2.
In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information included or incorporated in this report (including Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2) shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be set forth by specific reference in such filing.
ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(c) |
Exhibits. |
|
99.1 - |
Press release of Aflac Incorporated dated October 24, 2005 |
|
99.2 - |
Third Quarter Report to Shareholders 2005 |
|
1
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Aflac Incorporated |
||
October 24, 2005 |
/s/ Ralph A. Rogers, Jr. |
|
(Ralph A. Rogers, Jr.) |
||
Senior Vice President, Financial Services |
||
Chief Accounting Officer |
||
2
EXHIBIT INDEX:
|
99.1 |
- |
Press release of Aflac Incorporated dated October 24, 2005 |
|
99.2 |
- |
Third Quarter Report to Shareholders 2005 |
3
EXHIBIT 99.1
AFLAC INCORPORATED ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER RESULTS,
DECLARES FOURTH QUARTER CASH DIVIDEND
COLUMBUS, Georgia - October 24, 2005 - Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) today reported its third quarter results.
Total revenues were $3.7 billion in the third quarter, or 10.5% higher than a year ago. Net earnings were $455 million, or $.90 per diluted share, compared with $293 million, or $.57 per share, a year ago. Net earnings in the third quarter of 2005 included realized investment gains of $89 million, or $.18 per diluted share, compared with realized investment losses of $5 million, or $.01 per share, a year ago. The significant realized investment gains in the quarter resulted from the execution of bond swaps that were designed to take advantage of tax loss carryforwards and improve investment income in future periods. In addition, net earnings in the third quarter included a loss of $1 million, or $.01 per diluted share, resulting from the change in fair value of the interest rate component of the cross-currency swaps related to the company's senior notes, as required by SFAS 133. In the third quarter of 2004, the impact from SFAS 133 increased net earnings by $6 million, or $.01 per diluted share. Ne t earnings in the third quarter of 2005 benefited by $34 million, or $.07 per diluted share, from the release of a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets.
We believe that an analysis of operating earnings, a non-GAAP financial measure, is vitally important to an understanding of Aflac's underlying profitability drivers. We define operating earnings as the profits we derive from our operations before realized investment gains and losses, the impact from SFAS 133, and nonrecurring items.
Management uses operating earnings to evaluate the financial performance of Aflac's insurance operations because realized gains and losses, the impact from SFAS 133, and nonrecurring items tend to be driven by general economic conditions and events, and therefore may obscure the underlying fundamentals and trends in Aflac's insurance operations.
Operating earnings in the third quarter were $333 million, compared with $292 million a year ago. On a per-share basis, operating earnings rose 15.8% to $.66 per diluted share, compared with $.57 per share in the third quarter of 2004. Although the yen was slightly weaker to the dollar compared with the third quarter of 2004, the impact of foreign currency translation on a per-share basis was not material in the quarter.
For the first nine months of 2005, total revenues rose 9.8% to $10.8 billion. Net earnings were $1.1 billion, or $2.20 per diluted share, compared with $856 million, or $1.65 per share, a year ago. Operating earnings were $994 million, or $1.96 per diluted share, compared with $860 million, or $1.66 per share, in 2004. Although the yen weakened to the dollar in the third quarter, the yen was slightly stronger than a year ago for the nine months. Excluding the benefit of $.02 per diluted share from the stronger yen, operating earnings per share increased 16.9% for the first nine months of 2005, which is ahead of our annual target of a 15% increase before the effect of the yen.
The board of directors declared the fourth quarter cash dividend of $.11 per share. The dividend is payable on December 1, 2005, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 18, 2005.
Commenting on the company's results, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel P. Amos stated: "We are very pleased with our financial performance for the third quarter and first nine months of 2005.
"Aflac Japan's total new annualized premium sales in the third quarter increased 8.2% from a year ago to 31.0 billion yen, or $278 million. We were pleased that our rate of sales growth improved significantly over the second quarter. For the first nine months of 2005, total new annualized premium sales were up 4.7% to 93.4 billion yen, or $865 million. As expected, sales growth was restrained by continued sharp declines in Rider MAX sales. However, we again produced significant increases in the sale of our medical products. Sales of our popular EVER products rose 31.7% in the quarter and accounted for 38% of Aflac Japan's total new sales. Dai-ichi Mutual Life's sales of our cancer life product were also very strong, rising 19.0% over the third quarter of 2004. Our objective for the full year is to increase total new annualized premium sales 5% to 10%.
"Aflac U.S. produced strong sales results in the third quarter. Although Hurricanes Katrina and Rita held back sales growth during September, total new annualized premium sales still rose 10.0% to $297 million in the third quarter. We were especially pleased with the initial market reception of Vision Now, our new vision product. We began rolling out this innovative new product in July, and third quarter sales were more than $8 million, which exceeded our expectations. For the first nine months of the year, total new sales were up 5.6% to $890 million. Our goal for the full year remains a 3% to 8% increase in total new annualized premium sales. Recruitment of new sales associates slowed compared with the first half of the year. We recruited more than 5,700 new associates during the third quarter, which was 2.5% higher than a year ago. We believe recruitment in the quarter was impacted in part by the rollouts of our new vision and hospital indemnity products and the introduct ion of new training programs. However, new agent recruitment through the first nine months of the year rose 8.2%, which is consistent with our expectation of a 5% to 10% increase for the year.
"Overall, Aflac's sales and financial performance for the third quarter and first nine months of 2005 have been gratifying. We were especially pleased to see Aflac U.S. post strong sales, and we believe we are making steady progress at reestablishing better sales growth. To produce sustainable sales momentum, we will continue our intense focus on the distribution side of our business model. Through ongoing recruiting efforts and new and more effective training programs, we are striving to expand the number of producing sales associates, and therefore sales growth, in the future. We were also pleased with Aflac Japan's marketing strength. Despite an increased number of competing products in the market, Aflac Japan produced strong medical sales growth in the quarter and through the first nine months of the year. And in the process, Aflac has retained its leading position as the number one seller of supplemental medical insurance policies in Japan.
"As we look to the balance of the year and beyond, we remain enthusiastic about growth opportunities for Aflac U.S. and Aflac Japan. We believe aging populations and increased out-of-pocket expenses for consumers in both markets will continue to drive demand for our products. We also remain optimistic about achieving our financial goals. Our objective for 2005 is to increase operating earnings per diluted share 15% before the impact of foreign currency translation. Based on the strong results we have produced so far this year, we plan on increasing our sales promotion activities in the fourth quarter. However, we still expect to meet or exceed our earnings objective for the year. At the same time, we have retained our objectives of 15% growth in operating earnings per diluted share before the impact of the yen for 2006, and 13% to 16% growth before currency fluctuations in 2007. When we established these financial objectives, we did so using what we considered to be reasonable assumptions. In ligh t of our current results and the overall strength of our operations, we still consider those assumptions to be reasonable, and we also believe our earnings objectives are achievable."
For 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Aflac's insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in both Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies and Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies for five consecutive years. In January 2005, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the seventh consecutive year. Aflac was also included in Fortune magazine's list of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities in August 2005, and in September 2005, Aflac Japan was named the Life Insurance Company of the Year at the Asia Insurance Industry Aw ards, sponsored by the Asia Insurance Review. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.
A copy of Aflac's third quarter report to shareholders can be found on the "For Investors" page of aflac.com.
Aflac Incorporated will webcast its third quarter conference call on the "For Investors" page of aflac.com on Tuesday, October 25 at 1:30 p.m. (EDT).
AFLAC INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED SUMMARY OF EARNINGS
(UNAUDITED -- IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT FOR SHARE AND PER-SHARE AMOUNTS)
THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, |
2005 |
2004* |
% Change |
|||||||||||
Total revenues |
$ |
3,669 |
$ |
3,321 |
10.5 |
% |
||||||||
Operating earnings |
333 |
292 |
14.2 |
|||||||||||
Reconciling items, net of tax: |
||||||||||||||
Realized investment gains (losses) |
89 |
(5 |
) |
|||||||||||
Impact from SFAS 133 |
(1 |
) |
6 |
|||||||||||
Release of deferred tax asset valuation allowance |
34 |
- |
||||||||||||
Net earnings |
455 |
293 |
55.2 |
|||||||||||
Operating earnings per share - diluted |
.66 |
.57 |
15.8 |
|||||||||||
Reconciling items, net of tax: |
||||||||||||||
Realized investment gains (losses) |
.18 |
(.01 |
) |
|||||||||||
Impact from SFAS 133 |
(.01 |
) |
.01 |
|||||||||||
Release of deferred tax asset valuation allowance |
.07 |
- |
||||||||||||
Net earnings per share - diluted |
.90 |
.57 |
57.9 |
|||||||||||
Net earnings per share - basic |
.91 |
.58 |
56.9 |
|||||||||||
Cash dividends paid per share |
.11 |
.095 |
15.8 |
|||||||||||
Shares used to compute earnings per share (000): |
||||||||||||||
Basic |
500,557 |
506,599 |
(1.2 |
) |
||||||||||
Diluted |
507,323 |
515,576 |
(1.6 |
) |
||||||||||
NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, |
||||||||||||||
Total revenues |
$ |
10,796 |
$ |
9,834 |
9.8 |
% |
||||||||
Operating earnings |
994 |
860 |
15.5 |
|||||||||||
Reconciling items, net of tax: |
||||||||||||||
Realized investment gains (losses) |
99 |
(1 |
) |
|||||||||||
Impact from SFAS 133 |
(8 |
) |
(6 |
) |
||||||||||
Release of deferred tax asset valuation allowance |
34 |
- |
||||||||||||
Japanese pension obligation transfer |
- |
3 |
||||||||||||
Net earnings |
1,119 |
856 |
30.7 |
|||||||||||
Operating earnings per share - diluted |
1.96 |
1.66 |
18.1 |
|||||||||||
Reconciling items, net of tax: |
||||||||||||||
Realized investment gains (losses) |
.19 |
(.01 |
) |
|||||||||||
Impact from SFAS 133 |
(.02 |
) |
(.01 |
) |
||||||||||
Release of deferred tax asset valuation allowance |
.07 |
- |
||||||||||||
Japanese pension obligation transfer |
- |
.01 |
||||||||||||
Net earnings per share - diluted |
2.20 |
1.65 |
33.3 |
|||||||||||
Net earnings per share - basic |
2.23 |
1.68 |
32.7 |
|||||||||||
Cash dividends paid per share |
.33 |
.285 |
15.8 |
|||||||||||
Shares used to compute earnings per share (000): |
||||||||||||||
Basic |
501,555 |
508,286 |
(1.3 |
) |
||||||||||
Diluted |
508,250 |
517,591 |
(1.8 |
) |
||||||||||
*Adjusted to include stock option expense resulting from adoption of SFAS 123R |
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. We desire to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in oral discussions with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subject to numer ous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements.
We caution readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time in our reports filed with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements: legislative and regulatory developments; assessments for insurance company insolvencies; competitive conditions in the United States and Japan; new product development and customer response to new products and new marketing initiatives; ability to attract and retain qualified sales associates; ability to repatriate profits from Japan; changes in U.S. and/or Japanese tax laws or accounting requirements; credit and other risks associated with Aflac's investment activities; significant changes in investment yield rates; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; deviations in actual experience from pricing and reserving assumptions including, but not limited to, morbidity, mortality, persistency, expenses, and investment yields; level and outcome of litigation; downgrades in the company's credit rating; changes in rating agency policies or practices; subsidiary's ability to pay dividends to parent company; ineffectiveness of hedging strategies used to minimize the exposure of our shareholders' equity to foreign currency translation fluctuations; catastrophic events; and general economic conditions in the United States and Japan.
Analyst and investor contact - Kenneth S. Janke Jr., 800.235.2667 - option 3, FAX: 706.324.6330, or kjanke@aflac.com
Media contact - Laura Kane, 706.596.3493, FAX: 706.320.2288, or lkane@aflac.com
Third
Quarter
Report
To
Shareholders
2005
Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2005
HIGHLIGHTS
TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS:
From a sales and financial perspective, Aflac produced another strong and rewarding quarter. Our insurance businesses in the United States and Japan each generated sales results that were in line with our targets for the third quarter of 2005. And our operations in both markets continued to produce strong financial results. As a result, operating earnings per diluted share before currency translation surpassed our expectations for the third quarter. Given our results for the first nine months of the year, we believe we are well-positioned to meet or exceed our full-year earnings objective for operating earnings per diluted share, excluding foreign currency translation.
THIRD QUARTER RESULTS
Total revenues were $3.7 billion in the third quarter, or 10.5% higher than a year ago. Net earnings were $455 million, or $.90 per diluted share, compared with $293 million, or $.57 per share, a year ago. Net earnings in the third quarter of 2005 included realized investment gains of $89 million, or $.18 per diluted share, compared with realized investment losses of $5 million, or $.01 per share, a year ago. The significant realized investment gains in the quarter resulted from the execution of bond swaps that were designed to take advantage of tax loss carryforwards and improve investment income in future periods. In addition, net earnings in the third quarter included a loss of $1 million, or $.01 per diluted share, resulting from the change in fair value of the interest rate component of the cross-currency swaps related to the company's senior notes, as required by SFAS 133. In the third quarter of 2004, the impact from SFAS 133 increased net earnings by $6 million, or $.01 per diluted share. Net earnings in the third quarter of 2005 benefited by $34 million, or $.07 per diluted share, from the release of a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets.
We believe that an analysis of operating earnings, a non-GAAP financial measure, is vitally important to an understanding of Aflac's underlying profitability drivers. We define operating earnings as the profits we derive from our operations before realized investment gains and losses, the impact from SFAS 133, and nonrecurring items.
Management uses operating earnings to evaluate the financial performance of Aflac's insurance operations because realized gains and losses, the impact from SFAS 133, and nonrecurring items tend to be driven by general economic conditions and events, and therefore may obscure the underlying fundamentals and trends in Aflac's insurance operations. A reconciliation of operating to net earnings appears on Page 6.
1
Furthermore, because a significant portion of our business is in Japan, where our functional currency is the Japanese yen, we believe it is equally important to understand the impact on operating earnings from translating yen into dollars. We translate Aflac Japan's yen-denominated income statement from yen into dollars using an average exchange rate for the reporting period, and we translate the balance sheet using the exchange rate at the end of the period. However, except for a limited number of transactions, we do not actually convert yen into dollars. As a result, we view foreign currency translation as a financial reporting issue for Aflac and not as an economic event to our company or shareholders. Because changes in exchange rates distort the growth rates of our operations, we also encourage readers of our financial statements to evaluate our financial performance excluding the impact of foreign currency translation. The chart on Page 4 compares selected income s tatement items with and without foreign currency changes to illustrate the effect of those changes.
Operating earnings in the third quarter were $333 million, compared with $292 million a year ago. On a per-share basis, operating earnings rose 15.8% to $.66 per diluted share, compared with $.57 per share in the third quarter of 2004. Although the yen was slightly weaker to the dollar compared with the third quarter of 2004, the impact of foreign currency translation on a per-share basis was not material in the quarter.
During the third quarter, we purchased 2.0 million shares of Aflac's common stock. As of September 30, 2005, we had approximately 19 million shares available for purchase under the current authorization from the board of directors.
NINE MONTH RESULTS
For the first nine months of 2005, total revenues rose 9.8% to $10.8 billion. Net earnings were $1.1 billion, or $2.20 per diluted share, compared with $856 million, or $1.65 per share, a year ago. Net earnings in the first nine months of the year included realized investment gains of $99 million, or $.19 per diluted share, compared with realized investment losses of $1 million, or $.01 per share, a year ago. Net earnings also included a loss of $8 million, or $.02 per diluted share, from the impact from SFAS 133, compared with a loss of $6 million, or $.01 per share, for the first nine months of 2004. In addition, net earnings benefited from the previously mentioned release of a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. Net earnings in the first nine months of 2004 reflected a one-time gain of $3 million, or $.01 per diluted share, as a result of the transfer of certain Aflac Japan pension obligations to the Japanese government.
Operating earnings for the nine months were $994 million, or $1.96 per diluted share, compared with $860 million, or $1.66 per share, in 2004. Excluding the benefit of $.02 per diluted share from the stronger yen, operating earnings per share increased 16.9% for the first nine months of 2005, which is ahead of our annual target of a 15% increase before the effect of the yen.
AFLAC JAPAN
Aflac Japan's premium income in yen increased 6.1% in the quarter. Net investment income rose 6.3%. Investment income growth in yen terms benefited modestly from the weaker yen/dollar exchange rate because approximately 32% of Aflac Japan's investment income is dollar-denominated. Total revenues were up 6.2%. The pretax operating profit margin expanded to 15.1%, compared with 14.0% a year ago, due to improvement in the benefit and expense ratios. As a result, pretax operating earnings climbed 14.5% in the third quarter. For the nine months, premium income in yen increased 6.4%, while net investment income rose 5.9%. Total revenues were up 6.4%, and pretax operating earnings grew 13.7%.
2
The average yen/dollar exchange rate of 111.30 in the third quarter was 1.2% weaker than the average rate of 109.95 in the third quarter of 2004. For the nine months, however, the average exchange rate was 107.79 or 1.1% stronger than the rate of 109.00 a year ago. The weaker yen in the third quarter modestly suppressed Aflac Japan's reported results in dollars, while the stronger yen for the nine months enhanced Aflac Japan's growth rates in dollar terms.
Premium income in the third quarter increased 4.8% to $2.2 billion. Net investment income was up 5.0% to $410 million. Total revenues rose 5.0% to $2.6 billion. Pretax operating earnings were $392 million, an increase of 13.2% from a year ago. For the nine months, premium income rose 7.5% to $6.6 billion. Net investment income was up 7.1% to $1.2 billion. Total revenues were $7.9 billion, or 7.6% higher than a year ago. Pretax operating earnings were $1.2 billion, an increase of 15.0% over the first nine months of 2004.
Japanese investment yields were lower than a year ago, although they were above second quarter levels. The yield of a composite index of 20-year Japanese government bonds averaged 2.02% in the third quarter of 2005, compared with 2.24% a year ago and 1.93% in the second quarter of 2005. During the third quarter, we purchased yen-denominated investments at an average yield of 3.15%. Including dollar-denominated securities, our new-money yield for the quarter was 3.43%.
Aflac Japan's total new annualized premium sales in the third quarter increased 8.2% from a year ago to 31.0 billion yen, or $278 million. We were pleased that our rate of sales growth improved significantly over the second quarter. For the first nine months of 2005, total new annualized premium sales were up 4.7% to 93.4 billion yen, or $865 million. As expected, sales growth was restrained by continued sharp declines in Rider MAX sales. However, we again produced significant increases in the sale of our medical products. Sales of our popular EVER products rose 31.7% in the quarter and accounted for 38% of Aflac Japan's total new sales. Dai-ichi Mutual Life's sales of our cancer life product were also very strong, rising 19.0% over the third quarter of 2004. Our objective for the full year is to increase total new annualized premium sales 5% to 10%.
AFLAC U.S.
Aflac U.S. premium income increased 10.1% to $820 million in the third quarter. Net investment income rose 7.4% to $107 million. Total revenues were up 9.7% to $929 million, while pretax operating earnings increased 5.1% to $133 million. For the nine months, premium income rose 10.5% to $2.4 billion, and net investment income was up 6.2% to $313 million. Total revenues increased 9.9% to $2.7 billion. Pretax operating earnings rose 7.6% to $396 million.
Aflac U.S. produced strong sales results in the third quarter. Although Hurricanes Katrina and Rita held back sales growth during September, total new annualized premium sales still rose 10.0% to $297 million in the third quarter. We were especially pleased with the initial market reception of Vision Now, our new vision product. We began rolling out this innovative new product in July, and third quarter sales were more than $8 million, which exceeded our expectations. For the first nine months of the year, total new sales were up 5.6% to $890 million. Our goal for the full year remains a 3% to 8% increase in total new annualized premium sales.
Recruitment of new sales associates slowed compared with the first half of the year. We recruited more than 5,700 new associates during the third quarter, which was 2.5% higher than a year ago. We believe recruitment in the quarter was impacted in part by the rollouts of our new vision and hospital indemnity products and the introduction of new training programs. However, new agent recruitment through the first nine months of the year rose 8.2%, which is consistent with our expectation of a 5% to 10% increase for the year.
3
DIVIDEND
The board of directors declared the fourth quarter cash dividend of $.11 per share. The dividend is payable on December 1, 2005, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 18, 2005.
OUTLOOK
Overall, Aflac's sales and financial performance for the third quarter and first nine months of 2005 have been gratifying. We were especially pleased to see Aflac U.S. post strong sales, and we believe we are making steady progress at reestablishing better sales growth. To produce sustainable sales momentum, we will continue our intense focus on the distribution side of our business model. Through ongoing recruiting efforts and new and more effective training programs, we are striving to expand the number of producing sales associates, and therefore sales growth, in the future. We were also pleased with Aflac Japan's marketing strength. Despite an increased number of competing products in the market, Aflac Japan produced strong medical sales growth in the quarter and through the first nine months of the year. And in the process, Aflac has retained its leading position as the number one seller of supplemental medical insurance policies in Japan.
As we look to the balance of the year and beyond, we remain enthusiastic about growth opportunities for Aflac U.S. and Aflac Japan. We believe aging populations and increased out-of-pocket expenses for consumers in both markets will continue to drive demand for our products. We also remain optimistic about achieving our financial goals. Our objective for 2005 is to increase operating earnings per diluted share 15% before the impact of foreign currency translation. Based on the strong results we have produced so far this year, we plan on increasing our sales promotion activities in the fourth quarter. However, we still expect to meet or exceed our earnings objective for the year. At the same time, we have retained our objectives of 15% growth in operating earnings per diluted share before the impact of the yen for 2006, and 13% to 16% growth before currency fluctuations in 2007. When we established these financial objectives, we did so using what we considered to be rea sonable assumptions. In light of our current results and the overall strength of our operations, we still consider those assumptions to be reasonable, and we also believe our earnings objectives are achievable.
/s/ Daniel P. Amos |
|
Daniel P. Amos |
|
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
|
October 24, 2005 |
Foreign Currency Translation |
Three Month Results |
Nine Month Results |
||||||||||||
Effect on Operating Results |
Including |
Excluding |
Including |
Excluding |
||||||||||
Currency |
Currency |
Currency |
Currency |
|||||||||||
Selected Percentage Changes(1) |
Changes |
Changes(2) |
Changes |
Changes(2) |
||||||||||
(For the periods ended |
Premium income |
6.2 |
% |
7.1 |
% |
8.3 |
% |
7.4 |
% |
|||||
September 30, 2005 - unaudited) |
||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
6.3 |
7.0 |
7.3 |
6.7 |
||||||||||
1 |
The numbers in this table are |
|||||||||||||
presented on an operating basis, |
Total benefits and |
|||||||||||||
which is described on Page 1. |
expenses |
5.4 |
6.3 |
7.4 |
6.5 |
|||||||||
2 |
Amounts excluding foreign |
Operating earnings |
14.2 |
14.9 |
15.5 |
14.8 |
||||||||
currency changes were |
||||||||||||||
determined using the same yen/ |
Operating earnings per |
|||||||||||||
dollar exchange rate for the |
diluted share |
15.8 |
15.8 |
18.1 |
16.9 |
|||||||||
current period as the comparable |
||||||||||||||
period in the prior year. |
||||||||||||||
4
Consolidated Statements of Earnings |
Aflac Incorporated and Subsidiaries |
||||||||||||||||||
(In millions, except for share |
Three Months Ended |
Nine Months Ended |
|||||||||||||||||
and per-share amounts - unaudited) |
September 30, |
September 30, |
|||||||||||||||||
|
2005 |
2004 |
% Change |
2005 |
2004 |
% Change |
|||||||||||||
Revenues: |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Premiums, principally |
||||||||||||||||||
supplemental health insurance |
$ |
2,997 |
$ |
2,822 |
6.2 |
% |
$ |
9,058 |
$ |
8,363 |
8.3 |
% |
|||||||
|
Net investment income |
522 |
491 |
6.3 |
1,554 |
1,448 |
7.3 |
||||||||||||
|
Realized investment gains (losses) |
140 |
(8 |
) |
155 |
(7 |
) |
||||||||||||
|
Other income (losses) |
10 |
16 |
29 |
30 |
||||||||||||||
|
Total revenues |
3,669 |
3,321 |
10.5 |
10,796 |
9,834 |
9.8 |
||||||||||||
Benefits and expenses: |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Benefits and claims |
2,237 |
2,124 |
5.3 |
6,733 |
6,270 |
7.4 |
||||||||||||
Acquisition and operating |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
expenses: |
||||||||||||||||||
Amortization of deferred |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
policy acquisition costs |
129 |
125 |
399 |
382 |
||||||||||||||
|
Insurance commissions |
319 |
310 |
986 |
929 |
||||||||||||||
|
Insurance expenses |
311 |
281 |
922 |
837 |
||||||||||||||
|
Interest expense |
6 |
6 |
17 |
17 |
||||||||||||||
|
Other operating expenses |
22 |
24 |
72 |
67 |
||||||||||||||
Total acquisition and |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
operating expenses |
787 |
746 |
5.6 |
2,396 |
2,232 |
7.3 |
||||||||||||
|
Total benefits and expenses |
3,024 |
2,870 |
5.4 |
9,129 |
8,502 |
7.4 |
||||||||||||
|
Earnings before income taxes |
645 |
451 |
42.8 |
1,667 |
1,332 |
25.2 |
||||||||||||
Income taxes |
190 |
158 |
548 |
476 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Net earnings |
$ |
455 |
$ |
293 |
55.2 |
% |
$ |
1,119 |
$ |
856 |
30.7 |
% |
||||||
Net earnings per share: |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Basic |
$ |
.91 |
$ |
.58 |
56.9 |
% |
$ |
2.23 |
$ |
1.68 |
32.7 |
% |
||||||
|
Diluted |
.90 |
.57 |
57.9 |
2.20 |
1.65 |
33.3 |
||||||||||||
Common shares used in computing EPS (In thousands): |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Basic |
500,557 |
506,599 |
(1.2 |
)% |
501,555 |
508,286 |
(1.3 |
)% |
||||||||||
|
Diluted |
507,323 |
515,576 |
(1.6 |
) |
508,250 |
517,591 |
(1.8 |
) |
||||||||||
Cash dividends paid per share |
$ |
.11 |
$ |
.095 |
15.8 |
% |
$ |
.33 |
$ |
.285 |
15.8 |
% |
|||||||
5
Reconciliation of Operating to Net Earnings |
Aflac Incorporated and Subsidiaries |
||||||||||||||||||
(In millions, except for per-share |
Three Months Ended |
Nine Months Ended |
|||||||||||||||||
amounts - unaudited) |
September 30, |
September 30, |
|||||||||||||||||
|
2005 |
2004 |
% Change |
2005 |
2004 |
% Change |
|||||||||||||
Operating earnings |
$ |
333 |
$ |
292 |
14.2 |
% |
$ |
994 |
$ |
860 |
15.5 |
% |
|||||||
|
Reconciling items, net of tax: |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Realized investment gains (losses) |
89 |
(5 |
) |
99 |
(1 |
) |
||||||||||||
Impact from SFAS 133 |
(1 |
) |
6 |
(8 |
) |
(6 |
) |
||||||||||||
Release of deferred tax asset |
|||||||||||||||||||
valuation allowance |
34 |
- |
34 |
- |
|||||||||||||||
Japanese pension obligation transfer |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
|||||||||||||||
Net Earnings |
$ |
455 |
$ |
293 |
55.2 |
% |
$ |
1,119 |
$ |
856 |
30.7 |
% |
|||||||
Operating earnings per share - diluted |
$ |
.66 |
$ |
.57 |
15.8 |
% |
$ |
1.96 |
$ |
1.66 |
18.1 |
% |
|||||||
|
Reconciling items, net of tax: |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Realized investment gains (losses) |
.18 |
(.01 |
) |
.19 |
(.01 |
) |
||||||||||||
Impact from SFAS 133 |
(.01 |
) |
.01 |
(.02 |
) |
(.01 |
) |
||||||||||||
Release of deferred tax asset |
|||||||||||||||||||
valuation allowance |
.07 |
- |
.07 |
- |
|||||||||||||||
Japanese pension obligation transfer |
- |
- |
- |
.01 |
|||||||||||||||
Net earnings per share - diluted |
$ |
.90 |
$ |
.57 |
57.9 |
% |
$ |
2.20 |
$ |
1.65 |
33.3 |
% |
|||||||
6
Consolidated Balance Sheets |
Aflac Incorporated and Subsidiaries |
|||||||||
(In millions, except for share and per-share amounts - unaudited) September 30, |
2005 |
2004 |
||||||||
Assets: |
||||||||||
Investments and cash: |
||||||||||
|
Securities available for sale, at fair value: |
|||||||||
|
Fixed maturities |
$ |
27,989 |
$ |
26,861 |
|||||
|
Perpetual debentures |
4,135 |
3,778 |
|||||||
|
Equity securities |
84 |
73 |
|||||||
|
Securities held to maturity, at amortized cost: |
|||||||||
|
Fixed maturities |
11,438 |
9,646 |
|||||||
|
Perpetual debentures |
4,359 |
4,249 |
|||||||
|
Other investments |
50 |
37 |
|||||||
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
1,862 |
1,388 |
|||||||
|
Total investments and cash |
49,917 |
46,032 |
|||||||
Receivables, primarily premiums |
457 |
395 |
||||||||
Receivables for security transactions |
238 |
20 |
||||||||
Accrued investment income |
446 |
425 |
||||||||
Deferred policy acquisition costs |
5,621 |
5,236 |
||||||||
Property and equipment, net |
466 |
490 |
||||||||
Other |
308 |
315 |
||||||||
|
Total assets |
$ |
57,453 |
$ |
52,913 |
|||||
Liabilities and shareholders' equity: |
||||||||||
Liabilities: |
||||||||||
|
Policy liabilities: |
|||||||||
|
Future policy benefits |
$ |
38,601 |
$ |
36,424 |
|||||
Unpaid policy claims |
2,540 |
2,243 |
||||||||
|
Unearned premiums |
595 |
553 |
|||||||
|
Other policyholders' funds |
1,364 |
1,111 |
|||||||
|
Notes payable |
1,700 |
1,370 |
|||||||
|
Income taxes |
2,670 |
2,647 |
|||||||
|
Payables for return of cash collateral on loaned securities |
322 |
228 |
|||||||
|
Other |
1,655 |
1,087 |
|||||||
|
Total liabilities |
49,447 |
45,663 |
|||||||
Shareholders' equity: |
||||||||||
|
Common stock |
65 |
65 |
|||||||
|
Additional paid-in capital |
754 |
658 |
|||||||
|
Retained earnings |
7,738 |
6,423 |
|||||||
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income: |
|||||||||
|
Unrealized foreign currency translation gains |
127 |
211 |
|||||||
|
Unrealized gains on investment securities |
2,176 |
2,372 |
|||||||
|
Minimum pension liability adjustment |
(27 |
) |
(24 |
) |
|||||
|
Treasury stock |
(2,827 |
) |
(2,455 |
) |
|||||
|
Total shareholders' equity |
8,006 |
7,250 |
|||||||
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity |
$ |
57,453 |
$ |
52,913 |
||||||
Shareholders' equity per share |
$ |
16.00 |
$ |
14.32 |
||||||
Shares outstanding at end of period (In thousands) |
500,283 |
506,158 |
||||||||
7
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. We desire to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in oral discussions with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subj ect to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements.
We caution readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time in our reports filed with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements: legislative and regulatory developments; assessments for insurance company insolvencies; competitive conditions in the United States and Japan; new product development and customer response to new products and new marketing initiatives; ability to attract and retain qualified sales associates; ability to repatriate profits from Japan; changes in U.S. and/or Japanese tax laws or accounting requirements; credit and other risks associated with Aflac's investment activities; significant changes in investment yield rates; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; deviations in actual experience from pricing and reserving assumptions including, but not limited to, morbidity, mortality, persistency, expenses, and investment yields; level and outcome of litigation; downgrades in the company's credit rating; changes in rating agency policies or practices; subsidiary's ability to pay dividends to parent company; ineffectiveness of hedging strategies used to minimize the exposure of our shareholders' equity to foreign currency translation fluctuations; catastrophic events; and general economic conditions in the United States and Japan.
8
Aflac Incorporated
Worldwide Headquarters
1932 Wynnton Road
Columbus, Georgia 31999
Tel: 706.323.3431
aflac.com
Customer Service
Policyholders and claimants needing assistance may
Shareholder and Investor Inquiries
If you have questions about Aflac, call our toll-free
Contact
: Kenneth S. Janke Jr.
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
800.235.2667 or 706.596.3264
Fax: 706.324.6330
kjanke@aflac.com
9
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