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Aflac Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted earnings per share rose 5.4%: Adjusted earnings per diluted share rose 5.4% to $1.75 in the quarter. Adjusted earnings fell 0.6% to $901 million. Source
  • Net earnings rose on investment gains: Net earnings were $1.0 billion, or $1.98 per diluted share, against $29 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, a year earlier. The year-earlier period included net investment losses of $963 million. Source
  • Japan pretax earnings rose 8.3% in yen: Japan pretax adjusted earnings rose 8.3% in yen to ¥119.1 billion, with a pretax adjusted profit margin of 35.0% against 31.8% a year earlier. Management attributed the rise primarily to benefits. Source
  • Japan premiums fell on reinsurance: Japan net earned premiums fell 3.8% in yen to ¥246.7 billion, attributed to a new external reinsurance transaction and limited pay products reaching paid-up status. Source
  • Aflac U.S. premiums rose 3.5%: Aflac U.S. net earned premiums rose 3.5% to $1.6 billion, which management linked to improved sales and persistency. U.S. pretax adjusted earnings were $363 million, up 1.4%, with a margin of 20.4% against 20.8%. Source
  • Japan sales rose 25.5%: Japan total new annualized premium sales rose 25.5% to ¥17.7 billion, or $113 million, in the quarter. Source
  • Shareholders' equity reached $30.0 billion: Shareholders' equity was $30.0 billion, or $58.69 per share, at March 31, 2026, against $26.3 billion, or $48.55 per share, a year earlier. Source
  • $1.3 billion returned to shareholders: The company returned $1.3 billion to shareholders in the quarter, made up of $1.0 billion of share repurchases and $315 million of dividends. Source

“Aflac delivered solid earnings for the quarter. These results reflect our focused execution of our strategy and thus creating long-term value for shareholders.”

Daniel P. Amos, Aflac Incorporated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Dividend per share Sourcesecond quarter of 2026$0.61Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Aflac Japan net earned premiums were affected by a new external reinsurance transaction covering WAYS and Tsumitasu, which was not mentioned in the prior quarter's release. Source

Results and earnings drivers

  • Adjusted earnings per share rose 5.4%: Adjusted earnings per diluted share rose 5.4% to $1.75 in the quarter. Adjusted earnings fell 0.6% to $901 million. Source
  • Adjusted earnings were $901 million: Adjusted earnings were $901 million, compared with $906 million a year earlier, a decrease of 0.6%. Source
  • Net earnings rose on investment gains: Net earnings were $1.0 billion, or $1.98 per diluted share, against $29 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, a year earlier. The year-earlier period included net investment losses of $963 million. Source
  • Investment gains came from derivatives: Net investment gains of $49 million included $164 million of gains on derivatives and foreign currency activities, offset by $61 million of expected credit losses, $24 million of impairments, $16 million of sales losses and a $14 million equity loss. Source
  • Earnings excluding currency rose slightly: Adjusted earnings excluding current period foreign currency impact were $909 million, up 0.3% from $906 million a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • Japan pretax earnings rose 8.3% in yen: Japan pretax adjusted earnings rose 8.3% in yen to ¥119.1 billion, with a pretax adjusted profit margin of 35.0% against 31.8% a year earlier. Management attributed the rise primarily to benefits. Source
  • Japan premiums fell on reinsurance: Japan net earned premiums fell 3.8% in yen to ¥246.7 billion, attributed to a new external reinsurance transaction and limited pay products reaching paid-up status. Source
  • Aflac U.S. premiums rose 3.5%: Aflac U.S. net earned premiums rose 3.5% to $1.6 billion, which management linked to improved sales and persistency. U.S. pretax adjusted earnings were $363 million, up 1.4%, with a margin of 20.4% against 20.8%. Source
  • Corporate and other reported breakeven: Corporate and other reported breakeven pretax adjusted earnings, against a $43 million gain a year earlier. Management cited higher interest expense and operating costs, and closed-block runoff. Source

“We remain focused on more profitable growth and the tactical, opportunistic deployment of capital.”

Daniel P. Amos, Aflac Incorporated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Products and sales

  • Japan sales rose 25.5%: Japan total new annualized premium sales rose 25.5% to ¥17.7 billion, or $113 million, in the quarter. Source
  • Anshin Palette and Miraito drove sales: Management attributed Japan sales mainly to Anshin Palette, a medical insurance product launched in December, along with the cancer insurance product Miraito and Tsumitasu. Source
  • U.S. sales rose 2.9% on group: Aflac U.S. sales rose 2.9% to $318 million, mainly from group products. Source

Costs and benefit ratios

  • Japan benefit ratio improved: Japan total benefits and claims, net, as a share of net earned premiums, was 62.9% against 65.8% a year earlier, a decrease of 290 basis points. Source
  • U.S. benefit ratio improved: U.S. total benefits and claims, net, as a share of net earned premiums, was 47.2% against 47.7%, a decrease of 50 basis points. Source
  • U.S. expense ratio rose 70 basis points: U.S. total adjusted expenses as a share of total adjusted revenues were 38.3%, against 37.6% a year earlier, an increase of 70 basis points. Source

“We intend to continue our balanced approach of investing in growth and driving long-term value.”

Daniel P. Amos, Aflac Incorporated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Investment income

  • Japan investment income rose 4.0%: Japan adjusted net investment income rose 4.0% to ¥92.8 billion, mainly from higher dollar-denominated fixed-rate income on higher volume and higher variable net investment income. Source
  • Consolidated adjusted investment income fell: Consolidated adjusted net investment income was $902 million, down 1.2% from $913 million. Net investment income was $956 million, close to the prior year's $955 million. Source
  • U.S. investment income slipped 0.5%: Aflac U.S. adjusted net investment income decreased 0.5% to $201 million. Source

Book value and equity

  • Shareholders' equity reached $30.0 billion: Shareholders' equity was $30.0 billion, or $58.69 per share, at March 31, 2026, against $26.3 billion, or $48.55 per share, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted book value per share was $42.71: Adjusted book value excluding foreign currency remeasurement was $21.8 billion, or $42.71 per share, against $42.61 per share a year earlier. Source
  • Return on equity was 13.7%: Annualized return on average shareholders' equity was 13.7%. The annualized adjusted return on equity excluding foreign currency remeasurement was 16.4%. Source
  • Discount rate effect added $9.5 billion: Equity included a cumulative $9.5 billion increase from the effect of discount rate assumptions on insurance reserves, and a $5.0 billion unrealized foreign currency translation loss. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • $1.3 billion returned to shareholders: The company returned $1.3 billion to shareholders in the quarter, made up of $1.0 billion of share repurchases and $315 million of dividends. Source
  • Dividend per share rose 5.2%: Dividends paid per share were $0.61, against $0.58 a year earlier, an increase of 5.2%. Source
  • Shares outstanding fell 5.9%: Shares outstanding at the end of the period were 510.5 million, against 542.5 million a year earlier, a decrease of 5.9%. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Book value per share Source$58.69 per share at March 31, 2026 (U.S. GAAP)
Investment income Sourceadjusted net investment income $902 million; net investment income $956 million

Risks management discussed

  • External: The weaker yen reduced adjusted earnings per share by $0.02. The average yen/dollar rate was 156.87 against 152.40 a year earlier, 2.8% weaker. Source
  • Financial: Variable investment income was $14 million below the company's long-term return expectations, compared with $12 million below in the prior quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management referred to its 43 consecutive years of dividend increases and said the Board intends to extend the record. 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.