COLUMBUS, Ga., Dec. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated
notes the recent media reports and confirms that it is engaged in
discussions with Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd. (Japan Post
Holdings) regarding a potential minority investment in Aflac
Incorporated achieved through open market purchases. The
discussions do not involve Aflac Incorporated or any of its
subsidiaries becoming a member of the Japan Post Group. No
assurance can be given that any transaction will occur or agreement
will be reached. Aflac Incorporated is not otherwise in a position
to comment on the terms, timing or form of any transaction. The
company does not intend to make any further press releases or
announcements regarding this matter unless a definitive agreement
has been reached or discussions have terminated.
ABOUT AFLAC
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt,
Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For more than six decades, Aflac
insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to
focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leader in
voluntary insurance sales at the worksite. Through its trailblazing
One Day PaySM initiative, for eligible claims, Aflac U.S. can
process, approve and electronically send funds to claimants for
quick access to cash in just one business day. In Japan, Aflac is the leading provider of
medical and cancer insurance and insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac
insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million
people worldwide. For 12 consecutive years, Aflac has been
recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical
Companies. In 2018, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the
100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the 20th consecutive
year and included Aflac on its list of World's Most Admired
Companies for the 17th time. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500
company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL.
To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, visit
aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol.
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.
The company desires to take advantage of these provisions. This
document 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 "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective,"
"may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will,"
"assumes," "potential," "target", "outlook" or similar words as
well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify
as forward-looking. Aflac 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: capital market conditions and the
availability of alternative uses for the company's capital;
difficult conditions in global capital markets and the economy;
exposure to significant interest rate risk; concentration of
business in Japan; foreign
currency fluctuations in the yen/dollar exchange rate; operation of
the former Japan branch as a legal
subsidiary; limited availability of acceptable yen-denominated
investments; deviations in actual experience from pricing and
reserving assumptions; ability to continue to develop and implement
improvements in information technology systems; governmental
actions for the purpose of stabilizing the financial markets;
interruption in telecommunication, information technology and other
operational systems, or a failure to maintain the security,
confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data residing on such
systems; ongoing changes in the Company's industry; failure to
comply with restrictions on patient privacy and information
security; extensive regulation and changes in law or regulation by
governmental authorities; changes in tax rates applicable to the
company; defaults and credit downgrades of investments; ability to
attract and retain qualified sales associates, brokers, employees,
and distribution partners; decline in creditworthiness of other
financial institutions; subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends to
Aflac Incorporated; decreases in the Company's financial strength
or debt ratings; inherent limitations to risk management policies
and procedures; concentration of the Company's investments in any
particular single-issuer or sector; differing judgments applied to
investment valuations; ability to effectively manage key executive
succession; significant valuation judgments in determination of
amount of impairments taken on the Company's investments;
catastrophic events including, but not necessarily limited to,
epidemics, pandemics, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis,
war or other military action, terrorism or other acts of violence,
and damage incidental to such events; changes in U.S. and/or
Japanese accounting standards; loss of consumer trust resulting
from events external to the Company's operations; increased
expenses and reduced profitability resulting from changes in
assumptions for pension and other postretirement benefit plans;
level and outcome of litigation; and failure of internal controls
or corporate governance policies and procedures.
The estimated impact of tax reform, which is included in GAAP
net income and equity, but excluded from adjusted earnings as
defined, is a preliminary estimate and may be adjusted, possibly
materially, due to, among other things, further refinement of the
company's calculations, changes in interpretations and assumptions
the company has made, tax guidance that may be issued and actions
the company may take as a result of tax reform.
Analyst and investor contact – David A.
Young, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667; FAX: 706.324.6330 or
dyoung@aflac.com
Media contact – Catherine H.
Blades, 706.596.3014; FAX: 706.320.2288 or
cblades@aflac.com
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SOURCE Aflac Incorporated