About Us

Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

A Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Social Media

Bluesky • Facebook • Instagram • LinkedIn • YouTube

Meet the Laser Focus World Team

Editorial

Sales

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology
My Watchlist
Indicators
Industrial Laser Index
Markets
Stocks
ETFs
Tools
Markets:
Overview
News
Currencies
International
Treasuries

The 5 Most Interesting Analyst Questions From Aflac’s Q2 Earnings Call

By: StockStory

AFL Cover Image

Aflac’s second quarter saw a strong positive market reaction, reflecting the company’s solid operational performance and revenue growth above Wall Street expectations. Management attributed the results largely to the success of the new Miraito cancer insurance product in Japan, which spurred a 53% increase in cancer policy sales and contributed to a 23.2% year-over-year sales rise in the region. In the U.S., momentum in group life, disability, and network dental products supported steady premium growth, while strategic underwriting and expense management helped preserve margins. CEO Dan Amos emphasized, “Our ability to maintain strong premium persistency is a testament to our strategy, Aflac’s reputation and our customer recognition of the value of our products.”

Is now the time to buy AFL? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

Aflac (AFL) Q2 CY2025 Highlights:

  • Revenue: $4.54 billion vs analyst estimates of $4.40 billion (3.5% year-on-year growth, 3% beat)
  • Adjusted EPS: $1.73 vs analyst estimates of $1.71 (1.4% beat)
  • Market Capitalization: $55.38 billion

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From Aflac’s Q2 Earnings Call

  • Ryan Joel Krueger (KBW): Asked about the sustainability of Miraito-driven sales growth. Koichiro Yoshizumi, Head of Sales in Japan, said Miraito’s flexible design and new service features should maintain momentum beyond typical launch cycles, with continued appeal to both new and existing customers.
  • Suneet Laxman L. Kamath (Jefferies): Queried about Aflac’s approach to regulatory capital models (ESR) in Japan. CFO Max Broden explained Aflac uses the regulatory model with undertaking specific parameters for more accurate business risk measurement, expecting approval of the method by 2026.
  • Jamminder Singh Bhullar (JPMorgan): Questioned sluggish U.S. sales growth and future expectations. Virgil Raynard Miller, President of Aflac U.S., said deliberate underwriting changes have prioritized persistency over volume, but expects a stronger second half driven by group and dental business.
  • Elyse Beth Greenspan (Wells Fargo): Asked about Japan’s expense ratio and capital deployment timing. Broden noted technology spending will rise in the second half, but Aflac is not in a rush to deploy excess holding company cash due to favorable yield curve dynamics.
  • John Bakewell Barnidge (Piper Sandler): Inquired about product refresh cycles with the new bundling strategy. Yoshizumi stated cancer insurance refreshes occur on a three-year cycle, medical on a two-year basis, subject to regulatory approval.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In upcoming quarters, the StockStory team will monitor (1) the sustained sales momentum of Miraito and potential impact of new medical product launches in Japan, (2) the scaling and profitability of U.S. group and dental benefits businesses, and (3) progress in digital transformation initiatives, particularly AI-enabled customer service and cost efficiency. Persistent capital discipline and evolving regulatory developments will also be critical signposts.

Aflac currently trades at $103.61, up from $98.96 just before the earnings. Is there an opportunity in the stock?See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).

The Best Stocks for High-Quality Investors

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

More News

View More
5 Healthcare Plays Powering the Sector’s Big Comeback
Via MarketBeat
Tickers LLY MRK PFE UNH XLV
Rocket Lab: A Space Giant Hitting New Highs—Time to Chase?
Via MarketBeat
Tickers RKLB
Lowe’s vs. Home Depot: Which Benefits More From Lower Rates?
Via MarketBeat
Topics Economy
Tickers AMD HD LOW
These 5 Beaten-Down Tech Stocks Could Catch Fire Next
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence
Tickers ASTS ETSY OPEN SOUN TEM
Falcon Flex Drives Growth as CrowdStrike Bets on AI Security
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence
Tickers CRWD
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.