Aflac 10-Q 2024-03-31

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024

or

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number: 001-07434

Aflac Incorporated

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

706.323.3431

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. þ Yes ¨ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). þ Yes ¨ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ☐ Yes þ No

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date. 568,222,447 shares of the issuer's common stock were outstanding as of April 24, 2024.

Aflac Incorporated and Subsidiaries

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q

For the Quarter Ended March 31, 2024

Table of Contents

Items other than those listed above are omitted because they are not required or are not applicable.

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Aflac Incorporated and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Earnings

See the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Aflac Incorporated and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

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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. Aflac Incorporated (the Parent Company) and its subsidiaries (collectively with the Parent Company, the Company) desire to take advantage of these provisions. This report 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 communications 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 numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as the ones listed below or similar words, as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements.

The Company cautions readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements:

• difficult conditions in global capital markets and the economy, including inflation

• defaults and credit downgrades of investments

• global fluctuations in interest rates and exposure to significant interest rate risk

• concentration of business in Japan

• limited availability of acceptable yen-denominated investments

• foreign currency fluctuations in the yen/dollar exchange rate

• differing interpretations applied to investment valuations

• significant valuation judgments in determination of expected credit losses recorded on the Company's investments

• decreases in the Company's financial strength or debt ratings

• decline in creditworthiness of other financial institutions

• the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified sales associates, brokers, employees, and distribution partners

• deviations in actual experience from pricing and reserving assumptions

• ability to continue to develop and implement improvements in information technology systems and on successful execution of revenue growth and expense management initiatives

• interruption in telecommunication, information technology and other operational systems, or a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality, integrity or privacy of sensitive data residing on such systems

• subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends to the Parent Company

• inherent limitations to risk management policies and procedures

• operational risks of third-party vendors

• tax rates applicable to the Company may change

• failure to comply with restrictions on policyholder privacy and information security

• extensive regulation and changes in law or regulation by governmental authorities

• competitive environment and ability to anticipate and respond to market trends

• catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, as a result of climate change, epidemics, pandemics, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, war or other military action, major public health issues, terrorism or other acts of violence, and damage incidental to such events

• ability to protect the Aflac brand and the Company's reputation

• ability to effectively manage key executive succession

• changes in accounting standards

• level and outcome of litigation or regulatory inquiries

• allegations or determinations of worker misclassification in the United States

MD&A OVERVIEW

MD&A is intended to inform the reader about matters affecting the financial condition and results of operations of Aflac Incorporated and its subsidiaries for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. As a result, the following discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes that are included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (2023 Annual Report). In this MD&A, amounts may not foot due to rounding.

This MD&A is divided into the following sections:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Company Overview

Aflac Incorporated (the Parent Company) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company) provide financial protection to millions of policyholders and customers in Japan and the United States (U.S.). The Company’s principal business is supplemental health and life insurance products with the goal to provide customers the best value in supplemental insurance products in Japan and the U.S. The Company's insurance business consists of two reporting segments: Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S. The Parent Company’s primary insurance subsidiaries are Aflac Life Insurance Japan Ltd. in Japan (Aflac Japan) and American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Aflac); Continental American Insurance Company (CAIC), branded as Aflac Group Insurance (AGI); American Family Life Assurance Company of New York (Aflac New York); Tier One Insurance Company (TOIC) and Aflac Benefits Solutions, Inc. (ABS), which provides a platform for Aflac Dental and Vision in the U.S. (collectively, Aflac U.S.). The Parent Company, other operating business units that are not individually reportable, reinsurance activities, including internal reinsurance activity with Aflac Re Bermuda Ltd. (Aflac Re), and other business activities not included in Aflac Japan or Aflac U.S., as well as intercompany eliminations, are included in Corporate and other.

Performance Highlights

Total revenues were $5.4 billion in the first three months of 2024, compared with $4.8 billion in the fir

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The Company is exposed primarily to the following types of market risks: currency risk, interest rate risk, credit risk and equity risk. The Company regularly monitors its market risks and uses a variety of strategies to manage its exposure to these market risks. A description of the Company's market risk exposures may be found under “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in Part II, Item 7A, of the 2023 Annual Report. There have been no material changes to the Company's market risk exposures from the market risk exposures previously disclosed in the 2023 Annual Report.

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company’s management, with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)) as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report (the Evaluation Date). Based on such evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of the Evaluation Date, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There have not been any changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the first fiscal quarter of 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

**Item 2.**Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

During the first three months of 2024, the Parent Company repurchased shares of its common stock as follows:

(1) During the first three months of 2024, 456,768 shares were purchased in connection with income tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of restricted-share-based awards during the period.

(2) The total remaining shares available for purchase at March 31, 2024, are related to a 100,000,000 share repurchase authorization by the board of directors announced in November 2022.

Insider Trading Arrangements

During the first quarter of 2024, no directors or executive officers adopted or terminated a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of the Company's securities intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c) or a non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement as defined in Regulation S-K Item 408(c).

Glossary of Selected Terms

Throughout this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company may use certain performance metrics and other terms which are defined below.

Adjusted Net Investment Income - Net Investment Income adjusted for i) amortized hedge cost/income related to foreign currency exposure management strategies and certain derivative activity and ii) net interest income/expense from foreign currency and interest rate derivatives associated with certain investment strategies, which are reclassified from net investment gains and losses to net investment income. The Company considers adjusted net investment income important because it provides a more comprehensive understanding of the costs and income associated with the Company's investments and related hedging strategies. The metric is used in segment reporting as a component of segment profitability.

Affiliated Corporate Agency – Agency in Japan directly affiliated with a specific corporation that sells insurance policies primarily to its employees.

Annualized Premiums in Force – The amount of gross premium that a policyholder must pay over a full year in order to keep coverage. The growth of net earned premiums (defined below) is directly affected by the change in premiums in force and by the change in weighted-average yen/dollar exchange rates.

Average Weekly Producer – The total number of writing agents who have produced greater than $0.00 during the production week - excluding any manual adjustments - divided by the number of weeks in the time period. The Company believes this metric allows sales management to monitor progress and needs, as well as serve as a leading indicator of future production capacity.

Capital Buffer – Established dollar amount of liquidity at the Parent Company reserved for injecting capital into the insurance entities or general liquidity support for general expenses at the Parent Company.

Earnings Per Basic Share – Net earnings divided by weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the period.

Earnings Per Diluted Share – Net earnings divided by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the period plus the weighted-average shares for the dilutive effect of share-based awards outstanding.

Group Insurance – Insurance issued to a group, such as an employer or trade association, that covers employees or association members and their dependents through certificates of coverage.

Individual Insurance – Insurance issued to an individual with the policy designed to cover that person and his or her dependents.

In force Policies – A count of policies that are active contracts at the end of a period.

Liquidity Support – Internally defined and established dollar amount of liquidity reserved for supporting potential collateral and settlements of derivatives at the Parent Company.

Net Investment Income – The income derived from interest and dividends on invested assets, after deducting investment expenses.

Net Earned Premiums – is a financial measure that appears on the Company's consolidated statements of earnings and in its segment reporting. This measure reflects collected or due premiums that have been earned ratably on policies in force during the reporting period, reduced by premiums that have been ceded to third parties and increased by premiums assumed through reinsurance.

New Annualized Premium Sales – (sometimes referred to as new sales or sales) An operating measure that is not reflected on the Company's financial statements. New annualized premium sales generally represent annual premiums on policies and riders the Company sold and incremental increases from policy conversions that would be collected over a 12-month period assuming the policies remain in force for that entire period. For Aflac Japan, new annualized premium sales are determined by applications submitted during the reporting period. For Aflac U.S., new annualized premium sales are determined by applications that are issued during the reporting period. Policy conversions are defined as the positive difference in the annualized premium when a policy upgrades in the current reporting period. The Company believes that this metric is a key indicator of the Company's future source of earnings.

New Money Yield – Gross yields earned on purchases of fixed maturities, loan receivables, and equities. Purchases exclude capitalized interest, securities lending/repurchase agreements, short-term/cash activity, and alternatives. New money yield for equities is based on the assumed dividend yield at the time of purchase. The new money yield for Aflac Japan excludes the impact of any derivatives and associated amortized hedge costs associated with USD-denominated investments. Management uses this metric as a leading indicator of future investment earning potential.

Operating Ratios – Used to evaluate the Company's financial condition and profitability. Examples include: (1) Ratios to total adjusted revenues, which present expenses as a percentage of total revenues and (2) Ratios to total premium, including benefit ratio.

Premium Persistency – Percentage of premiums remaining in force at the end of a period, usually one year, and presented on a trailing 12-month basis. For example, 95% persistency would mean that 95% of the premiums in force at the beginning of the period were still in force at the end of the period. The Company believes that this metric is a key driver of in force levels, which is a key measure of the size of the Company's business and future sources of earnings.

Pretax Adjusted Earnings – Earnings as adjusted earnings before the application of income taxes. This measure is used in the Company's segment reporting.

Pretax Adjusted Profit Margin – Adjusted earnings divided by adjusted revenues, before taxes are applied. This measure is used in the Company's segment reporting.

Return on Average Invested Assets – Net investment income as a percentage of average invested assets during the period. Management uses this metric to demonstrate how the Company's actual net investment income results represent an overall return on the portfolio to provide a more comparative metric as the size of the Company's investment portfolio changes over time.

Risk-based Capital (RBC) Ratio – Statutory adjusted capital divided by statutory required capital. This insurance ratio is based on rules prescribed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and provides an indication of the amount of statutory capital the insurance company maintains, relative to the inherent risks in the insurer’s operations.

Solvency Margin Ratio (SMR) – Solvency margin total divided by one half of the risk total. This insurance ratio is prescribed by the Japan Financial Services Agency (FSA) and is used for all life insurance companies in Japan to measure the adequacy of the company’s ability to pay policyholder claims in the event actual risks exceed expected levels.

Statutory Earnings – Earnings determined according to accounting rules prescribed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), as modified by the insurance department in the insurance company’s state of domicile. These statutory accounting rules are different from U.S. GAAP and are intended to emphasize policyholder protection and company solvency.

Weighted-Average Foreign Currency Exchange Rate – Japan segment operating earnings for the period (excluding hedge costs) in yen divided by Japan segment operating earnings for the period (excluding hedge costs) in dollars. Management uses this metric to evaluate and determine consolidated results on foreign currency effective basis.

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.