10-QPeriod: Q3 FY2002

AFLAC INC Quarterly Report for Q3 Ended Sep 30, 2002

Filed November 12, 2002For Securities:AFL

Summary

AFLAC Incorporated's third-quarter 2002 report shows robust financial performance, driven by strong results in both its Japanese and U.S. operations. Total revenues grew, and net earnings increased by 24% year-over-year, reflecting effective operational execution and favorable market conditions in certain segments. The company's primary growth engine, AFLAC Japan, demonstrated resilience despite a mixed economic outlook in Japan. Premium income and investment income saw increases, contributing to a significant rise in pretax operating earnings. AFLAC U.S. also performed exceptionally well, with premium income and pretax operating earnings showing substantial growth, supported by new product introductions and an expanding distribution system. Overall, AFLAC's financial position remains strong, with solid capital resources and liquidity. The company continues to focus on growing operating earnings per share and strategically manages its investments and liabilities, navigating currency fluctuations and market risks effectively.

Key Highlights

  • 1Net earnings increased by 24.0% to $240 million for the third quarter of 2002, compared to $193 million in the prior year.
  • 2Total revenues grew by 9.9% to $2.7 billion for the third quarter, driven by strong premium and investment income.
  • 3AFLAC Japan's pretax operating earnings increased by 14.7% to $242 million, with premium income up 7.8% and investment income up 6.4% in dollar terms.
  • 4AFLAC U.S. saw a significant 17.2% increase in pretax operating earnings to $100 million, fueled by a 20.5% rise in premium income.
  • 5New annualized premium sales in AFLAC Japan increased by 29.2% to $213 million, with strong performance from Rider MAX and Ever products.
  • 6AFLAC U.S. new annualized premium sales grew 23.2% to $260 million, led by accident/disability and hospital indemnity products.
  • 7The company's share repurchase program continues, with approximately 20 million shares still available for purchase as of September 30, 2002.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary driver of AFLAC's revenue growth is the strong performance of its two main business segments: AFLAC Japan and AFLAC U.S. Both segments reported increases in premium income and investment income, contributing to overall revenue growth.

Despite a mixed economic outlook in Japan with weak consumer spending, AFLAC Japan demonstrated resilience. The company reported solid growth in premium and investment income in dollar terms, although the strengthening yen slightly moderated the reported growth rates when measured in yen. New product initiatives and organizational changes contributed to better-than-expected sales growth.

AFLAC acknowledges that fluctuations in the yen/dollar exchange rate can significantly affect its reported results due to the size of AFLAC Japan. The company measures its performance excluding currency fluctuations to understand underlying operating results. For the third quarter of 2002, the yen strengthened against the dollar, which suppressed reported yen-denominated growth. AFLAC's stated financial objective is to grow operating earnings per share, excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations.

AFLAC's investment philosophy aims to maximize investment income while prioritizing liquidity, safety, and quality. The company seeks to match the duration of its assets with its liabilities and diversifies investments across interest rates, currencies, liquidity, credit, and equity price risks. They actively manage their investment portfolio, including the disposal of certain debt securities to improve yields and asset-liability matching.