* ORPORATED ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS, REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER 2017 NET EARNINGS OF $2.4 BILLION, REPORTS ESTIMATED IMPACT OF $1.7 BILLION TAX REFORM BENEFIT, 2017 OPERATING EPS IN LINE WITH GUIDANCE, UPDATES 2018 OUTLOOK FOR U.S. TAX REFORM,

* Q4 OPERATING EARNINGS PER SHARE $1.60

* Q4 EARNINGS PER SHARE $5.95

* Q4 REVENUE $5.4 BILLION VERSUS $6.0 BILLION

* Q4 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $1.56 -- THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S

* AFLAC - INCREASE IN NET EARNINGS IN Q4 REFLECTS ESTIMATED $1.7 BILLION BENEFIT FROM U.S. TAX CUT AND JOBS ACT

* IN YEN TERMS, AFLAC JAPAN'S PREMIUM INCOME, NET OF REINSURANCE, DECREASED 3.3% IN THE FOURTH QUARTER TO ¥354.2 BILLION,

* AFLAC - ANTICIPATE 2018 GROWTH IN EARNED PREMIUM TO BE AROUND 2-3% AND NEW ANNUALIZED PREMIUM SALES GROWTH OF 3-5%

* AFLAC JAPAN'S GROWTH RATES IN DOLLAR TERMS FOR FOURTH QUARTER WERE SUPPRESSED AS A RESULT OF THE WEAKER YEN/DOLLAR EXCHANGE RATE

* EXPECT SHARE REPURCHASE WILL BE IN RANGE OF $1.1 TO $1.4 BILLION IN 2018

* BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNOUNCED A 15.6% INCREASE IN THE QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND, EFFECTIVE WITH THE FIRST QUARTER

* AFLAC - OBJECTIVE FOR 2018 IS TO PRODUCE STABLE OPERATING EARNINGS PER SHARE OF $7.45 TO $7.75

* FY2018 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $7.50 -- THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: