AFLAC Incorporated (AFL) Earnings: An Early Look

One long-term question the company has to address is how the Affordable Care Act will affect its supplemental health policies going forward. UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH), WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:WLP), and other primary health-insurance providers are looking forward to the individual mandate to bring in new customers, and they could be able to poach customers who currently rely on Aflac’s supplements rather than having full-blown health coverage of their own. Aflac will have to work hard to retain those customers and seek out new ones from among the newly covered ranks.

With three decades of consistent dividend growth, Aflac just needs to convince investors that business as usual is continuing to reap rewards. If its report Tuesday shows that, then Aflac should please shareholders with its numbers.

The article Aflac Earnings: An Early Look originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Dan Caplinger.

Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him on Twitter @DanCaplinger. The Motley Fool recommends Aflac, UnitedHealth Group, and WellPoint. The Motley Fool owns shares of WellPoint.

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