Yahoo Finance

For the quarter ended December 2024, Aflac (AFL) reported revenue of $4.31 billion, up 14.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.56, compared to $1.25 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -2.74% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.44 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.62, the EPS surprise was -3.70%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Aflac performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Tot. Ben. /Premium - Aflac Japan: 66.5% compared to the 66.9% average estimate based on three analysts.

• Tot. Adj. Expenses/Total Adj. Rev. - Aflac U.S. 40.3% compared to the 39.5% average estimate based on three analysts.

• Tot. Ben. /Premium - Aflac U.S. 46.3% versus 46.6% estimated by three analysts on average.

• Tot. Adj. Expenses/Total Adj. Rev. - Aflac Japan: 20.8% versus 20.8% estimated by three analysts on average.

• Total adjusted revenues- Aflac U.S. $1.67 billion versus $1.71 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +2% change.

• Total adjusted revenues- Aflac Japan: $2.36 billion versus $2.46 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -5.6% change.

• Total adjusted revenues- Aflac U.S.- Total net earned premiums: $1.44 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.48 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +2.7%.

• Total adjusted revenues- Aflac Japan- Other income: $8 million compared to the $7.02 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of 0% year over year.

• Revenues- Other income (loss): $24 million compared to the $33.22 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -36.8% year over year.

• Revenues- Net investment income: $1.02 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $962.60 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +17.5%.

• Revenues- Total net earned premiums: $3.33 billion compared to the $3.39 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.6% year over year.

• Total adjusted revenues- Corporate and other: $284 million versus $236 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +273.7% change.