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Aflac Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net earnings rose on investment gains: Net earnings were $1.6 billion, or $3.08 per diluted share, against a net loss a year ago. Net investment gains of $275 million, against losses of $1.4 billion a year earlier, were a main driver. Source
  • Adjusted earnings per share up 15.3%: Adjusted earnings reached $1.3 billion, up 9.6% from $1.2 billion. Adjusted earnings per diluted share rose to $2.49 from $2.16. Source
  • Japan pretax earnings up 13.1%: Aflac Japan pretax adjusted earnings rose 13.1% in yen to ¥179.5 billion, attributed to lower benefits from higher reserve remeasurement gains tied to unlocking assumptions. The pretax margin was 52.2%, against 44.7%. Source
  • Japan sales up on Miraito: New annualized premium sales in Japan rose 11.8% to ¥19.6 billion, or $133 million, primarily reflecting sales of the cancer product Miraito, launched in March. Source
  • U.S. premiums grew 2.5%: Aflac U.S. net earned premiums rose 2.5% to $1.5 billion, which management linked to improved sales. Pretax adjusted earnings rose 7.1% to $375 million, a 21.7% margin against 20.8%. Source
  • Book value per share reached $54.57: U.S. GAAP book value was $28.7 billion, or $54.57 per share, up from $44.60 a year earlier. Adjusted book value excluding foreign currency remeasurement was $46.35 per share. Source
  • Record $1.0 billion share repurchase: The company deployed $1.0 billion to buy back 9.3 million common shares in the quarter. Source

“Aflac delivered very solid earnings for the quarter and the first nine months.”

Daniel P. Amos, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Quarterly dividend Sourcefourth quarter 2025$0.58 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Tsumitasu, the first sector product, was repriced for new policies effective in September. Source

Quarterly results and drivers

  • Net earnings rose on investment gains: Net earnings were $1.6 billion, or $3.08 per diluted share, against a net loss a year ago. Net investment gains of $275 million, against losses of $1.4 billion a year earlier, were a main driver. Source
  • Adjusted earnings per share up 15.3%: Adjusted earnings reached $1.3 billion, up 9.6% from $1.2 billion. Adjusted earnings per diluted share rose to $2.49 from $2.16. Source
  • Second quarter comparison: In the second quarter, net earnings were $599 million, or $1.11 per diluted share, with adjusted earnings of $957 million and net investment losses of $421 million.
  • Nine-month adjusted earnings little changed: Adjusted earnings for the first nine months were $3.2 billion, or $5.92 per diluted share, compared with $5.64. Excluding a $0.03 currency benefit, adjusted EPS rose 4.4% to $5.89. Source
  • Nine-month revenue fell, net earnings lower: Total revenues for the first nine months fell 9.1% to $12.3 billion. Net earnings were $2.3 billion, or $4.21 per diluted share, against $3.5 billion, or $6.23 a year earlier. Source

Japan segment

  • Japan pretax earnings up 13.1%: Aflac Japan pretax adjusted earnings rose 13.1% in yen to ¥179.5 billion, attributed to lower benefits from higher reserve remeasurement gains tied to unlocking assumptions. The pretax margin was 52.2%, against 44.7%. Source
  • Japan premiums and investment income fell: Net earned premiums in yen fell 4.0% to ¥245.2 billion, mainly from internal cancer reinsurance transactions. Adjusted net investment income was relatively flat at ¥98.0 billion, down 0.9%. Source
  • Japan sales up on Miraito: New annualized premium sales in Japan rose 11.8% to ¥19.6 billion, or $133 million, primarily reflecting sales of the cancer product Miraito, launched in March. Source
  • Nine-month Japan earnings lower: Pretax adjusted earnings for the first nine months were ¥403.9 billion, 2.4% lower than a year earlier, with a pretax margin of 38.5%, against 37.5%. Source

“Overall, I believe we have the right strategy to meet our customers' financial protection needs throughout their different life stages.”

Daniel P. Amos, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

U.S. segment

  • U.S. premiums grew 2.5%: Aflac U.S. net earned premiums rose 2.5% to $1.5 billion, which management linked to improved sales. Pretax adjusted earnings rose 7.1% to $375 million, a 21.7% margin against 20.8%. Source
  • U.S. sales rose in group lines: U.S. sales rose 2.8% to $390 million, led by group life and disability products. Source
  • Group momentum and underwriting focus: Management said it saw momentum across group business, especially group life, disability and network dental, and cited underwriting discipline and agent and broker productivity as focus areas. Source
  • U.S. nine-month earnings up 2.9%: Pretax adjusted earnings for the first nine months were $1.1 billion, 2.9% higher than a year earlier, with a 21.7% margin against 21.5%. Source

Investments and currency

  • Net investment gains from derivatives: Net investment gains of $275 million reflected $285 million of gains on certain derivatives and currency activities, sales gains of $33 million, and $53 million of credit losses; no impairments. Source
  • Variable investment income in line: Variable investment income was in line with long-term return expectations, and adjusted net investment income rose 7.7% to $1.0 billion. Source
  • Yen rate barely changed: In the quarter, the average yen/dollar rate was 147.68, versus 147.95 a year earlier; the company said this did not affect adjusted earnings per share. Source

“We are seeing improvement in net earned premiums and continue our prudent approach to expense management.”

Daniel P. Amos, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Book value and returns

  • Book value per share reached $54.57: U.S. GAAP book value was $28.7 billion, or $54.57 per share, up from $44.60 a year earlier. Adjusted book value excluding foreign currency remeasurement was $46.35 per share. Source
  • Discount rate change lifted equity: Equity included a cumulative $6.8 billion increase from changes in discount rate assumptions on insurance reserves, against $67 million a year earlier, alongside a $1.7 billion net unrealized loss. Source
  • Quarterly return on equity 23.5%: Annualized return on average shareholders' equity was 23.5% in the quarter; adjusted ROE excluding foreign currency remeasurement was 22.1%. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Record $1.0 billion share repurchase: The company deployed $1.0 billion to buy back 9.3 million common shares in the quarter. Source
  • Second-quarter buyback was $829 million: In the second quarter, the company repurchased 7.9 million shares for $829 million.
  • Remaining buyback authority: At the end of September, 121.6 million shares remained authorized for repurchase, compared with 30.9 million at the end of June. Source

Corporate and other

  • Corporate and other earnings higher: Pretax adjusted earnings for the segment were $69 million, against $15 million a year earlier. Adjusted revenues rose 52.4% to $343 million, which the company tied to internal reinsurance activity in the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Corporate expenses rose $64 million: Total benefits and adjusted expenses rose $64 million, mainly from reinsurance activity, business operations costs and higher interest expense, partly offset by higher reserve remeasurement gains. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2025

  • Balanced growth and efficiency approach: Management said it intends to keep a balanced approach of investing in growth and driving long-term operating efficiencies. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Investment income SourceAdjusted net investment income $1,008 million in the quarter, up 7.7%
Book value per share Source$54.57 U.S. GAAP; $53.33 adjusted book value per share

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management noted that yen/dollar movements can significantly affect reported results because Aflac Japan's functional currency is the yen. Source
  • Financial: The quarter included $53 million of current expected credit losses on investments, recorded within net investment gains. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it remains committed to extending its record of 43 consecutive years of dividend increases. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to generate capital and cash flows while maintaining its commitment to prudent liquidity and capital management. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.