Life & Health Insurance

Prudential Financial's net investment income stands to benefit from higher interest rates after the Federal Reserve raised the federal funds target range by 25 basis points to 3.75-4% on Sept. 16, 2026, citing still-elevated inflation. Because Prudential Financial holds a large general-account investment portfolio, higher rates can lift investment income as cash flows and maturities are reinvested at higher yields, a dynamic especially relevant to its Retirement and other spread businesses. In second-quarter 2026, the general-account fixed-maturity portfolio generated a 4.67% investment yield, up from 4.39% a year earlier, while fixed-maturity investment income rose to $3.79 billion from $3.41 billion. Higher rates could also make fixed annuities more attractive to customers seeking guaranteed yield and let Prudential Financial price new products using higher prevailing investment yields, though the benefit is gradual because much of the portfolio is invested for the long term. On the negative side, higher Treasury yields generally reduce the market value of existing fixed-income securities, and Prudential Financial notes that rising rates can create earnings and capital volatility, although its liability-management and hedging programs are designed to mitigate that exposure. Separately, Selective Insurance Group continues to benefit from elevated investment income supported by higher yields and growth in invested assets, while net investment income acts as a second earnings engine for Travelers after underwriting profit. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Prudential Financial's third-quarter and fourth-quarter 2026 EPS has moved up 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively, over the past 30 days, and the same for full-year 2026 and 2027 EPS has moved up 2.3% and 0.9%.

InnovestX Securities (INVX) said rising bond yields in the third quarter to date will benefit life insurance companies through higher investment returns, stronger growth in endowment insurance premiums, and improved CSM and VNB. INVX maintained its OUTPERFORM rating on both BLA and TLI but prefers BLA due to its cheaper valuation and greater potential to benefit from rising bond yields. The 10-year Thai government bond yield rose 36 basis points quarter-to-date to 2.42%, in line with the rise in the 10-year US government bond yield to around 5%. BLA has an endowment insurance product proportion of about 60%, higher than TLI's roughly 45%, and is more sensitive to interest rates. In the first seven months of 2026, TLI's annualized first-year premiums fell 24% year-on-year, while BLA rose 10% year-on-year, compared with industry growth of 6% year-on-year. TLI's claims ratio fell 57 basis points year-on-year to 43.1%, and BLA's fell 563 basis points year-on-year to 50.2%. INVX expects TLI's profit to grow 11% in 2026 and 5% in 2027, while BLA is expected to grow 8% in 2026 and 6% in 2027. It forecasts a 2026 dividend of 0.69 baht per share for TLI, representing a dividend yield of 6.0%, and 1.33 baht per share for BLA, representing a dividend yield of 5.4%.

Unum Group announced a new US$1.00 billion share repurchase authorization, while AM Best reaffirmed its A (Excellent) financial strength rating and stable outlook for the insurer's core U.S. subsidiaries. The new authorization adds to an already active buyback program that retired roughly US$600.7 million of stock in the first half of 2026, and it sits alongside a rising dividend. Unum Group's narrative projects $13.3 billion in revenue and $1.5 billion in earnings by 2029, requiring flat yearly revenue growth and an earnings increase of about $0.7 billion from $781.4 million today. Members of the Simply Wall St Community currently see Unum's fair value between about US$102 and US$158 across 2 independent views, with one forecast implying a $102.23 fair value, a 7% upside to its current price. The main watchpoint remains potential pressure on benefit ratios and net margins if claims trends worsen, though the rating reaffirmation does not materially change that risk.

Oscar Health said at its investor day that it is on pace to deliver $4 of EPS by 2027, nearly doubling its current earnings per share, and that it can grow revenue at an average of 20% per year through 2029. The company, which now serves more than 3 million members across 20 states, also launched a new business called the Lucy Healthcare Marketplace, which connects about 70 carriers with consumers and brokers for ACA and supplemental products. CFO Scott Blackley said Oscar recently increased its 2026 earnings guidance by $100 million and has doubled its earnings expectation for this year, citing favorable utilization trends, and that it improved its medical loss ratio guidance, with 50 basis points equal to about $100 million. He said 60% of the company's coding is now done using AI agents, up from about 15% earlier this year. Blackley said Oscar sees a large opportunity in transitioning employer-sponsored healthcare into the ACA through a product called Choice on the Lucy marketplace, and expects $4 or greater EPS in 2029.

MetLife Investment Management has closed Galaxy 38 CLO, Ltd., a $450 million target par new issue collateralized loan obligation. PineBridge Investments, part of MIM, serves as collateral manager for the transaction, with BofA Securities, Inc. acting as arranger. Galaxy 38 marks the 45th CLO issuance by the Leveraged Finance team, which has managed CLOs since 1999 through a global platform covering U.S. and European loans, high-yield bonds and CLOs. As of June 30, 2026, PineBridge Investments managed $26.0 billion in leveraged finance assets, including $12.8 billion in CLO assets under management across PineBridge-managed CLOs and CLO tranche investments. MIM, the institutional asset management business of MetLife, Inc., had $748.1 billion in total assets under management as of June 30, 2026.

Oscar Health said it will raise its full-year 2026 outlook for medical costs and operating earnings ahead of its Investor Day on Wednesday. The health insurer now expects its medical loss ratio to range between 81% and 82%, a 50-basis-point improvement from its previous forecast of 81.5% to 82.5%. The company also raised its earnings from operations outlook by $100M to $600M-$800M, from the earlier range of $500M-$700M. Oscar reaffirmed its full-year revenue forecast of $18.7B to $19B and expects its SG&A expense ratio to remain between 15.6% and 16.1%. The company is scheduled to begin its 2026 Investor Day at 9 a.m. ET Wednesday, where it plans to outline its strategy, long-term financial targets, and updated outlook.

Lincoln National Corporation reported second-quarter adjusted operating income available to common stockholders of $439 million, up 3% year over year and marking the eighth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth. The company said holding company liquidity stood at about $903 million after prefunding, leverage was around 25%, and its RBC ratio was above 420%, leaving capital constraints less binding as it shifts from rebuilding capital to deploying it. Lincoln also plans to reinsure roughly $5.8 billion of legacy life reserves, a move expected to enhance capital efficiency and cash-flow visibility, while its Retirement Plan Services unit increased operating income 32% year over year. The company recently reconfirmed its common share repurchase authorization. Among peers, Prudential Financial returned $743 million to shareholders in the second quarter through $250 million in share repurchases and $493 million in dividends, and MetLife returned $1.1 billion while announcing a new $3 billion share repurchase authorization. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Lincoln National's 2026 earnings of $7.97 implies a 3.2% decline from the year-ago period's level.

Old Mutual Ltd reported a 21% increase in Life APE sales and gross flows for its first half of 2026, with underlying growth of roughly 12% excluding large corporate gains, alongside an 8% dividend increase and an additional ZAR 1 billion share buyback. The insurer has achieved ZAR 936 million in cumulative cost savings, about ZAR 330 million of that in the first half, and targets at least ZAR 1 billion by the end of 2026. OM Bank reached approximately 750,000 customers by June 2026 and is expected to cross 1 million shortly, with deposits growing to ZAR 1.6 billion by August 2026. Adjusted headline earnings per share fell 27%, mainly on lower shareholder investment returns and active bond positions, while Old Mutual Insure absorbed ZAR 376 million in catastrophe losses net of reinsurance from severe flooding, cutting its underwriting margin by about 3%. CEO Jurie Strydom also announced that Ranen Thakurdin will become CFO designate from 1 January, and that Roger Jardine has taken over as Chair following Trevor Manuel's retirement.

Sun Life Financial Inc. announced a Commitment to Canadian Infrastructure Initiative that will seek to deploy $5 billion over 5 years into investments supporting Canada's economic growth and resilience while delivering long-term returns. As part of that larger commitment, Sun Life intends to deploy $1.5 billion over 5 years into Canadian infrastructure equity, to be overseen by SLC Management and originated, executed and managed by InfraRed Capital Partners, SLC Management's infrastructure investment manager. That $1.5 billion portion relies on amendments to the Insurance Companies Act that would allow insurers to make equity investments in infrastructure. The investments will target critical infrastructure including digital technology, energy, and transportation and logistics, with the aim of creating conditions for sustainable economic expansion and long-term prosperity. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Strain said the commitment underscores Sun Life's belief that a stronger, more competitive Canada benefits everyone, while Tom Murphy, President of Sun Life Asset Management, said infrastructure is uniquely positioned to deliver both long-term returns and positive societal impact. Sun Life reported total assets under management of C$1.70 trillion as of June 30, 2026.

Bangkok Life Assurance has announced its goal of becoming the number one life insurance company in care by 2030, using this goal as a compass to set the organisation's direction after 75 years in business. Chone Sophonpanich, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, disclosed that in the first six months of 2026 the company had total premiums received of 18.064 billion baht, an increase of about 10% from the same period last year, while net profit stood at 3.603 billion baht, up about 6%, and the NBCSM-Insurance Contract figure under the IFRS 17 accounting standard stood at 2.409 billion baht, up 27%. The company has laid out its 2026 strategy with Longevity as a core theme, along with developing the BLA Long Life Care product to address dependency arising from brain disease, and a savings product developed jointly with Bangkok Bank under the Flexi Care concept, which as of the end of August accounted for about 23% of sales of products in the same family through Bangkok Bank channels this year. On agent development, the company has about 65% of its active agents having completed the Caring Agent course, and the group that completed the course had a repeat-purchase rate from existing customers about 75% higher than the group that did not, with the number of policies up about 34% from the same period last year during April to July 2026. The company currently ranks around eighth in the industry when measured by first-year premiums.

Primerica, Inc. (NYSE:PRI) contributed to the performance of Baron Generational Growth Fund in the second quarter of 2026, as rising equity markets improved the outlook for its investment sales and asset-based fees. The company reported quarterly results that exceeded Street expectations, with 9% revenue growth and 19% earnings-per-share growth, driven by investment products momentum, margin expansion, and share repurchases. As of September 8, 2026, Primerica's stock closed at $290.33 per share, down 6.60% over the past month but up 7.61% over the past year, with a market capitalization of $8.94 billion. The fund's managers continue to hold the stock, expecting earnings growth to persist as Primerica provides financial advice to underserved middle-income households. According to Insider Monkey's database, 37 hedge fund portfolios held Primerica at the end of the second quarter, up from 32 in the previous quarter.

Old Mutual reported improved interim operating performance for 2026, with results from operations per share up 11% and return on group equity value rising to 12.7% from 4.1%, while announcing an additional ZAR 1 billion share buyback. The company's ROGEV and normalized return on net asset value of 12.6% both exceeded its estimated cost of capital of about 12.5%, though they remained below medium-term targets of 14% to 16% and 15% to 17%, respectively. Old Mutual increased its dividend by 8% and achieved ZAR 338 million in first-half cost savings, bringing cumulative savings to ZAR 936 million against a ZAR 2.5 billion 2027 target. OM Bank had about 750,000 customers and ZAR 1.4 billion in deposits at June-end, with targets of up to 2.8 million customers by 2028. Strong growth in investments and African operations was partly offset by catastrophe losses that contributed to a 25% decline in Old Mutual Insure's operating result. The company also named Ranen Thakurdin as CFO-designate, effective Jan. 1, succeeding Casper Troskie upon his retirement in April 2027.

Standard Life reported a 25% year-over-year increase in IFRS-adjusted operating profit to £563 million for the first half of 2026, with operating cash generation rising 6% to £745 million and total cash generation up 15% to £900 million. Assets under management grew 5% from year-end 2025 to £333 billion, driven by strong performance in Pensions and Savings, where average AUA rose 10% to £217 billion and adjusted operating profit climbed 36% to £244 million. Retirement Solutions also contributed, with operating cash generation up 5% to £466 million and adjusted operating profit increasing 13% to £324 million. The company remains on track to complete its £2 billion acquisition of Aegon UK around the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, and plans to expand its pension risk transfer business through a proposed partnership that could provide up to £2 billion of initial combined capital and support £5 billion to £7 billion of additional annual PRT capacity. Standard Life has already achieved its roughly 30% SII leverage target, reaching 29% at the end of the first half, and expects about £500 million of excess cash generation in 2026. The next major milestone is its November 30 capital markets update, where it will outline post-2026 strategy and financial guidance.

Eight central financial enterprises successively announced capital increase plans on September 6, with a total amount of 360 billion yuan. The funds will be used to replenish core tier-one capital, involving Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, the Export-Import Bank of China, China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation, China Life Insurance, People's Insurance Company of China, China Taiping Insurance, and China Reinsurance. Meanwhile, the list of eligible stocks under the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect southbound trading link was adjusted starting September 7, with 54 companies including Baidu Group added. In addition, the China Securities Regulatory Commission is soliciting public comments on measures for the administration of private fund offerings, proposing higher requirements for natural person investors in private funds under special circumstances. The National Financial Regulatory Administration is soliciting comments on a draft revision of the Insurance Law. On the industrial front, seven departments including the National Development and Reform Commission issued a plan to support technological innovation such as liquid cooling and heat dissipation, and to promote the green and low-carbon development of computing infrastructure. A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations shows that the global food price index rose 1.9 percent month on month in August, with sugar prices posting the largest increase of 11.9 percent month on month.

Thai Life Insurance (TLI) has announced the integration of its iClaim system with over 800 public and private hospitals nationwide, aiming to enhance its role as a Healthcare Partner and reduce the burden of upfront medical expenses for customers. Developed in collaboration with White Plai Co., Ltd., iClaim is a digital health insurance claims system that links hospital data with the company's claims process, offering a one-stop service from eligibility verification and medical data exchange to claim submission for both outpatient and inpatient cases. This reduces paperwork and increases convenience in using benefits, subject to policy terms and conditions. Mrs. Watchara Sathapornpiriya, Assistant General Manager, stated that the goal is not only to speed up claims but also to elevate the experience of using health insurance benefits, making it easier, and to create an ecosystem with public health service networks so that people can access quality treatment widely.

Thai Life Insurance (TLI) is moving forward to become a Healthcare Partner by joining forces with White Plai Co., Ltd., the provider of the digital health insurance claims system iClaim, to link health insurance benefits with over 800 government, Premium Clinic, and private hospitals nationwide. The iClaim system connects hospital information systems with the company's claims process in a One Stop Service, from eligibility verification, transmission of treatment data, to claims for both outpatient and inpatient services electronically, reducing steps and the burden of upfront medical expenses for customers. Mrs. Watchara Sathapornpiriya, Assistant Managing Director, said that this collaboration also supports more efficient fund management for government hospitals and expands access to health services nationwide, aligning with the Life Solutions Provider concept under being a Healthcare Partner that links coverage, health planning, technology, healthcare network, and services together.

Principal Financial Group has completed its acquisition of Beam Benefits, effective September 1, 2026, to accelerate growth in its Specialty Benefits business. Beam, a digitally native provider of dental, vision, life, disability, and supplemental health coverage, generated approximately $175 million in premiums in 2025 and serves over 25,000 small-business customers. The deal is expected to boost Specialty Benefits premium and fee growth above the high end of its 5-9% medium-term target range in 2027, while PFG's 2026 capital-deployment and EPS-growth targets remain unchanged. In comparison, Aon agreed to acquire USI for $17 billion in August 2026, and Arthur J. Gallagher's Risk Placement Services acquired Med James in July 2026. PFG shares have gained 36.9% in the past year, and the stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Thai Life Insurance (TLI) has announced an upgrade to its health services through the iClaim system, a digital health insurance claims system that links hospital data with the claims process. Currently, it is connected to over 800 government hospitals, premium clinics, and private hospitals nationwide. Mrs. Watchara Sathapornpiriya, Assistant General Manager, stated that the collaboration with White Plai Company Limited enables a One Stop Service, from eligibility verification, transmission of treatment data, to claims for both outpatient and inpatient care via electronic system. This reduces the burden of out-of-pocket expenses and increases convenience in accessing treatment, while also supporting more efficient management of government hospital funds. This is part of the Life Solutions Provider concept, aiming to be a Healthcare Partner that integrates coverage, health planning, technology, and a network of healthcare facilities.

Dai-ichi Life Group announced on the 3rd that it will acquire Fidelity Life Assurance, a New Zealand life insurance company, for NZ$630 million (approximately 59.6 billion yen). The company will acquire all shares through its New Zealand subsidiary, with the transaction expected to be completed by July 2027. Dai-ichi Life has set a target of raising the proportion of overseas life insurance operations to about 50% of the group's adjusted profit by fiscal 2030, and this acquisition is part of that plan. The contribution to adjusted profit from the Fidelity acquisition is expected to reach NZ$60 million (approximately 5.7 billion yen) annually at the earliest during the next medium-term management plan period. The impact on consolidated results for the current fiscal year (ending March 2027) and beyond is currently under review.

Thai Life Insurance (TLI) has announced the integration of its iClaim system with over 800 public and private hospitals nationwide, elevating its role as a Healthcare Partner under the Life Solutions Provider concept. The iClaim system is a digital health insurance claims platform that links hospital data with the company's claims process, offering a one-stop service from eligibility verification and medical data transmission to claim submission for both outpatient and inpatient cases. This reduces the burden of upfront payments and enhances access to healthcare services. Mrs. Watchara Sathapornpiriya, Assistant General Manager, stated that the collaboration with White Plai Company Limited in developing iClaim reflects the goal of simplifying the health insurance experience and supporting the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.

Genworth Financial announced that its Board of Directors authorized an additional $500 million for share repurchases under its existing program, bringing the total authorization to $850 million. As of September 1, 2026, the company had repurchased about 30 million shares for roughly $262 million, leaving approximately $88 million under the prior $350 million authorization. CEO Tom McInerney expressed confidence in the company's financial position and noted that Enact's recently announced plans for higher capital returns in 2026 support future cash flows. Repurchases will be funded from holding company cash and future cash flows from Enact, excluding any potential proceeds from the AXA litigation. The program has no expiration date and may be modified or terminated at any time.

Oscar Health reported membership of 2.96 million at the end of the second quarter of 2026, up 46% year over year, driven by above-market growth during open enrollment and solid retention. The gains came despite weaker overall paid ACA enrollment following the expiration of enhanced subsidies, suggesting Oscar captured market share. The company plans to enter more than 150 additional metropolitan statistical areas by 2027 and sees Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements as another enrollment channel. However, enrollment is seasonal, with membership declining sequentially after adding roughly 1.1 million members in the first quarter of 2026, and higher premiums and reduced subsidies could drive price-sensitive consumers away. Oscar's stock has gained 108.6% year to date, trading at a price-to-book multiple of 4.5 versus the industry average of 2.67, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings has moved 144.4% and 31.6% north, respectively, in the past 30 days. Among peers, Molina Healthcare's membership decreased 14.3% year over year to around 4.9 million as of June 30, 2026, while Centene has shifted focus to earnings quality over membership growth.

Principal Financial Group has completed its acquisition of Beam Benefits, effective September 1, bringing more than 25,000 small business customers into its Benefits and Protection business. The acquisition, announced in July, adds Beam's digital quoting and onboarding capabilities to enhance the customer and broker experience. Beam's executive leadership team and over 200 employees have transitioned to Principal, and existing customers will continue to receive uninterrupted service. Principal's 2026 capital deployment and earnings per share growth targets remain unchanged. Financial advisors for the deal were Perella Weinberg Partners for Principal and Ardea Partners for Beam, with legal counsel from Skadden and Wilson Sonsini, respectively.

Prudential plc reported an 8% increase in new business profit for the first half, reaching $1,384 million. The ASEAN market grew 13%, while adjusted operating profit after tax rose 10% to $1,523 million. Earnings per share surged 17% to 58.4 cents. The company also announced an additional $300 million share buyback, bringing the total to $1,500 million, and increased the interim dividend by 15% to 8.88 cents per share. It continues to expand in Malaysia and India, acquiring a 75% stake in Bharti Life.

Prudential PLC reported strong first-half 2026 results, with new business profit up 8%, earnings per share up 17%, and free surplus generation up 15%. The company also increased its first interim dividend per share by 15% and expanded its new business margin by 2 percentage points to 40%. Embedded value per share reached USD15.27 or GBP11.50, and return on embedded value stood at 15%, with potential to improve by 2 to 3 percentage points. Prudential launched a combined $1.2 billion share buyback in January, with an additional GBP 0.3 billion added from capital market actions, and plans to invest between $300 million and $350 million in its capital investment program in 2026. The company's Hong Kong business has been repositioned, with domestic business now generating 50% of new business profit and growing 22%, while the overall Hong Kong persistency remains at 99%. Despite challenges such as a high comparator base in the second half and margin pressure in Mainland China, Prudential remains confident in delivering double-digit growth for 2026 and achieving its 2027 financial objectives.

Prudential plc reported first-half results for the period ended June 30, 2026, with new business profit growing 8% to $1,384 million, driven by the agency and bancassurance channels. The new business margin increased by 2 percentage points to 40%, and adjusted operating profit after tax rose 10% to $1,523 million. Earnings per share increased 17% to 58.4 cents per share. The company also announced an additional share buyback of approximately $300 million, on top of the existing $1.2 billion program, and raised the interim dividend by 15% to 8.88 cents per share. Prudential also increased its stake in its Malaysian life insurance business to 70% and acquired a 75% stake in Bharti Life in India. The surplus capital ratio stood at 209%, and the GWS ratio was 268%.

Oscar Health reported record first-half results and raised its full-year 2026 guidance, prompting analysts to lift earnings estimates and highlight a low PEG ratio of 0.6. The upgraded guidance projects revenue of US$18.7 billion to US$19.0 billion and earnings from operations of US$500 million to US$700 million, reflecting management's confidence in improved profitability. However, risks remain from potential regulatory changes, subsidy shifts, and rising morbidity that could pressure medical loss ratios. The company's long-term narrative targets US$23.8 billion revenue and US$998.5 million earnings by 2029, implying a fair value of US$24.20 per share, a 21% downside to the current price. Some analysts project even higher figures, but the stock's investment case hinges on sustained margin improvement amid policy uncertainty.

China Life released its 2026 interim report, with net profit attributable to the parent company of 134.489 billion yuan, up 228.57% from the same period last year. Total operating revenue was 434.307 billion yuan, up 81.54% year on year, marking a third consecutive year of growth. Net cash inflow from operating activities was 282.879 billion yuan, the asset-liability ratio fell to 91.62%, return on equity was 20.25%, and diluted earnings per share was 4.76 yuan. The number of shareholders was 152,400, with the top ten shareholders holding 97.01% of total share capital.

Principal Financial Group has expanded its Featured Partner Program to make private-market investments more accessible within defined-contribution retirement plans, a move that should strengthen its Retirement and Income Solutions business. The program brings together asset managers, trust companies, and fiduciaries to develop collective investment trust (CIT)-based solutions that combine public and private assets, including for target-date funds, target-risk funds, and managed accounts. The expansion includes major private-market managers such as AllianceBernstein, Apollo, Ares, Blackstone, Blue Owl, Carlyle, KKR, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, and Partners Group. This initiative could drive asset and fee growth by attracting more retirement assets into CITs and other professionally managed solutions, while deepening relationships with plan sponsors. Principal Financial shares have gained 39.9% in the past year, outperforming the industry's 7.4% growth, and the company currently holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Unum Group has announced a new $1 billion share repurchase authorization, approved by its board on August 26, 2026, to take effect September 1, 2026, immediately after the current program expires on August 31. The company repurchased 7.9 million shares for approximately $604.5 million in the first half of 2026, leaving about $401.5 million under the existing authorization as of June 30. Unum's weighted-average risk-based capital ratio for its traditional U.S. insurance subsidiaries stood at approximately 480% as of June 30, providing a strong capital cushion. The new buyback is part of a broader capital-allocation strategy that balances repurchases, dividends, and business investments. Unum's shares have gained 32% in the past year, and the stock trades at a forward price-to-book value of 1.34X, below the industry average of 1.69X. However, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Unum's third-quarter and fourth-quarter 2026 EPS has moved down 2.2% and 2.7% respectively in the past 30 days, and the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Prudential plc reported new business profit of $1.384 billion for the first half of 2026, up 8% from the same period last year. Operating profit after tax rose 10% to $1.523 billion, and earnings per share increased 17% to 58.4 cents. The new business margin improved by 2 percentage points to 40%. Chief Executive Anil Wadhwani said growth was driven by the agency and bancassurance channels, as well as investments in digital and AI. The company also announced an additional $300 million share buyback, on top of the existing $1.2 billion program, and raised the interim dividend by 15% to 8.88 cents per share. Prudential increased its stake in its Malaysian life insurance business to 70% and acquired a 75% stake in India's Bharti Life. The company targets double-digit growth in the second half and remains on track for its 2027 financial goals.

New China Life Insurance released its 2026 interim report, with total operating revenue of 83.258 billion yuan, an increase of 13.217 billion yuan from the same period last year, up 18.87% year-on-year. Net profit attributable to the parent company was 22.793 billion yuan, an increase of 7.994 billion yuan from the same period last year, up 54.02% year-on-year. Net cash inflow from operating activities was 56.19 billion yuan. The asset-liability ratio was 93.69%, a decrease of 1.62 percentage points from the same period last year. Return on equity was 18.44%, an increase of 0.70 percentage points from the same period last year. Diluted earnings per share were 7.31 yuan, up 54.22% year-on-year. The number of shareholders was 105,500. The top ten shareholders held 2.519 billion shares, accounting for 80.73% of the total share capital.

Unum Group announced that its board of directors has approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the company to buy back up to $1 billion of its common stock, effective September 1, 2026. The current program will remain in effect through August 31, 2026, after which all repurchases will be made under the new authorization. Management will determine the timing and amount of repurchases based on market conditions, and may execute them through open market transactions, privately negotiated deals, or preset trading plans under Rule 10b5-1. The program can be suspended, modified, or terminated at any time by the board. Unum Group, a Fortune 500 company, reported revenues of $13.1 billion in 2025.

On the evening of August 26, multiple listed companies released positive announcements. Jiamusi Electric Machine said its nuclear power business is currently at full production, and the new multifunctional high-temperature high-pressure nuclear main pump full-flow test bench project, with an investment of 381 million yuan, has been completed, with comprehensive testing capability leading in China. Kinwong Electronic expects to make more positive progress with North American hyperscale cloud provider customers by 2027. Hengtong Optic-Electric's net profit in the first half of the year rose 93.38% year on year, and revenue from its optical communications business grew more than 130% year on year. Hua Hong Semiconductor's net profit in the first half of the year rose 436.69% year on year, with shipments hitting a record high. Lianxun Instruments' net profit in the first half of the year rose 903% year on year, and it plans to transfer 4.8 shares for every 10 shares from capital reserve. New China Life Insurance's net profit in the first half of the year rose 54% year on year, and it plans to pay a cash dividend of 0.73 yuan per share. Shennan Circuits' net profit in the first half of the year was 2.251 billion yuan, up 65.55% year on year. Yili Group plans to buy back shares for no less than 1 billion yuan and no more than 2 billion yuan. Leaderdrive's net profit in the first half of the year rose 31.25% year on year, and its embodied intelligent robot business grew substantially in scale. Northern Copper's net profit in the first half of the year was 1.396 billion yuan, up 186.61% year on year. Dapu Microelectronics signed a sales order for enterprise-grade PCIe SSDs worth 515 million US dollars, accounting for 152.70% of its 2025 main business revenue. COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers' net profit in the first half of the year was 1.371 billion yuan, up 66.24% year on year.

New China Life Insurance announced on August 26 that it plans to distribute a cash dividend of 0.73 yuan per share, before tax, to all shareholders. The total payout is expected to be approximately 2.277 billion yuan, representing 10.0% of net profit attributable to the parent company.