14 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy for Steady Growth

7. Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

5-Year Average Dividend Growth Rate: 14.97%

On May 1, Piper Sandler lowered its price recommendation on Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) to $125 from $130. It reiterated an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm said the company reported results below both its estimates and consensus expectations, mainly due to weaker performance in Japan, where the pre-tax margin came in below Piper’s projections. The firm also noted that earnings emergence remained pressured for the second straight quarter. Still, it pointed to underlying improvement in Aflac Japan’s benefit ratio, while distribution trends continued to remain strong.

During Aflac’s Q1 2026 earnings call, Chairman and CEO Daniel Amos said he was pleased with Aflac Japan’s 25.5% increase in sales during the first quarter. He explained that the growth was largely driven by the company’s newest medical insurance product, Anshin Palette, along with Miraito, its latest cancer insurance offering. He also said the company continued promoting Tsumitasu as part of its effort to attract newer and younger customers.

Speaking about Aflac US, Amos said he was encouraged by the 2.9% year-over-year increase in sales. He added that the business maintained a strong premium persistency of 79.3% and posted a 3.5% rise in net earned premium during the quarter. Amos also stated that the company returned $1.3 billion to shareholders in the first quarter through share repurchases and dividends.

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) provides financial protection products to policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the United States and Japan. The company’s core business includes supplemental health and life insurance products.