Group 1 - Insurance stocks experienced a significant rise from mid-2023 through much of the previous year, but the iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK) has recently underperformed compared to the Financials sector [1] - The decline in the iShares U.S. Insurance ETF indicates a shift in market dynamics affecting the insurance industry [1] Group 2 - The article highlights the importance of analyzing stock market sectors, ETFs, and economic data to identify potential investment opportunities [1] - It emphasizes the need for evidence-based narratives using empirical data to support investment decisions [1]

Core Insights - MetLife, Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted operating earnings per share (EPS) of $2.08, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.4%, but showing a year-over-year increase of 7.8% [1] - Adjusted operating revenues reached $19.7 billion, reflecting a 5.4% year-over-year growth and surpassing the consensus mark by 2.7% [2] Financial Performance - Weaker quarterly earnings were attributed to reduced non-medical health underwriting margins in the Group Benefits segment, a decline in recurring interest margin, and less favorable underwriting in the Retirement and Income Solutions (RIS) segment, along with decreased adjusted premiums, fees, and other revenues in Asia and Latin America [3] - Adjusted PFOs, excluding pension risk transfer (PRT), grew 0.3% year over year to $11.8 billion [5] - Adjusted net investment income was $5.3 billion, up 5% year over year, driven by asset growth and higher variable investment income [5] - Total expenses decreased by 4.4% year over year to $17.3 billion, attributed to lower interest credited to policyholder account balances and reduced policyholder dividends [6] - Net income more than doubled year over year to $1.2 billion, with an adjusted return on equity of 15.4%, improving by 160 basis points year over year [7] Segment Performance - Group Benefits segment reported adjusted earnings of $416 million, down 11% year over year but above the consensus estimate [8] - RIS segment's adjusted earnings declined 8% year over year to $386 million, missing the consensus mark [9] - Asia's adjusted earnings grew 50% year over year to $443 million, exceeding the consensus estimate, despite a 4% decline in adjusted PFOs [10] - Latin America reported adjusted earnings of $201 million, a 3% year-over-year decrease, with adjusted PFOs declining 3% [11] - EMEA segment's adjusted earnings increased 26% year over year to $59 million, although it fell short of the consensus estimate [12] - MetLife Holdings segment's adjusted earnings declined 2% year over year to $153 million, missing the consensus mark [13] Financial Position - As of December 31, 2024, MetLife had cash and cash equivalents of $20.1 billion, down 2.8% from the previous year [14] - Total assets were $677.5 billion, a decrease of 1.5% from the end of 2023 [14] - Long-term debt totaled $15.1 billion, down 3% year over year, while total equity fell 8.4% to $27.7 billion [14][15] Capital Deployment and Outlook - MetLife repurchased shares worth $0.4 billion in the fourth quarter and plans additional repurchases of approximately $470 million in January 2025 [16] - For 2025, management expects variable investment income of $1.7 billion and anticipates adjusted losses in Corporate & Other to be between $850 million and $950 million [17] - Over the next three years, adjusted PFOs in the Group Benefits business are projected to rise by 4-7%, while declines are expected in the MetLife Holdings segment [18] - The company aims for an adjusted return on equity in the range of 15-17% and double-digit adjusted EPS growth in the near term [19]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - MetLife, Inc. reported adjusted earnings of $1.5 billion or $2.09 per share for Q4 2024, up 14% from the prior year period, and adjusted earnings excluding notable items were $2.08 per share, up 8% [19][20] - For the full year 2024, adjusted earnings excluding notable items totaled $5.8 billion, driven by strong volume growth and favorable underwriting [20] - The company posted an adjusted return on equity (ROE) of 15.2% for the year, above the target range of 13% to 15% [21][52] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Group benefits generated adjusted earnings excluding notable items of $1.7 billion in 2024, with full-year sales up 8% [21][22] - Retirement and income solutions (RIS) adjusted earnings totaled $1.6 billion, with liability exposures growing 3.4% [23][24] - Asia's adjusted earnings were $1.7 billion, up 21%, while Latin America posted record adjusted earnings of $877 million despite currency headwinds [24][25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - General account assets under management in Asia grew 5% on a constant currency basis, while sales were down 5% [40] - Latin America adjusted PFOs were down 3%, but up 9% on a constant currency basis, driven by strong growth across the region [41] - EMEA adjusted earnings were $59 million, up 26% on a constant currency basis, reflecting strong sales across the region [42] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is transitioning from the Next Horizon strategy to the New Frontier strategy, focusing on responsible growth [10][11] - Four strategic priorities identified under the New Frontier include extending leadership in group benefits, capitalizing on the retirement platform, accelerating growth in asset management, and expanding in high-growth international markets [12][13] - MetLife announced the formation of Cherry Tree, a Bermuda-based life and annuity reinsurance company, and the acquisition of PineBridge Investments to enhance its asset management capabilities [14][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while the US economy remains healthy, the pace of anticipated interest rate cuts is uncertain due to persistent inflation [8] - The company expects to achieve double-digit adjusted EPS growth and has increased its adjusted ROE target range to 15% to 17% [17][54] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a disciplined expense ratio and targeting a reduction to 11.3% by 2029 [55] Other Important Information - MetLife returned approximately $4.7 billion to shareholders in 2024 through stock repurchases and dividends [28] - The company has committed to generating $25 billion of free cash flow over the next five years, up from a previous commitment of $20 billion [18][52] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide details on one-one renewals and competition? - Management indicated a strong start in one-one renewals, particularly in the dental business, leading to an increase in PFO guidance from 4% to 7% [72] Question: Are there impacts from lawsuits in the PRT market? - Management noted no material impact from lawsuits on the PRT market, with continued strong inflows and a healthy pipeline [77] Question: What are the expectations for nonmedical health loss ratios in 2025? - Management expects nonmedical health loss ratios to be at the midpoint of the guidance range, with no significant deviations observed [84] Question: Why raise alternative return assumptions for 2025? - Management cited positive market conditions and expectations of recovery in private equity and real estate as reasons for raising return assumptions [90][92] Question: Can you elaborate on the Cherry Tree initiative? - Management explained that Cherry Tree aims to enhance capital flexibility and generate additional liability growth, initially sourcing liabilities through MetLife [106] Question: What is the outlook for long-term care and its cash flow impact? - Management indicated that long-term care is well-capitalized and performing as expected, but it currently does not contribute significantly to cash flow due to growing liabilities [127]

4Q24 Supplemental Slides and Outlook1 John McCallion Chief Financial Officer and Head of MetLife Investment Management 1 These slides highlight information in MetLife, Inc.'s earnings release, quarterly financial supplement and other prior public disclosures. Table of contents | Topic | Page No. | | --- | --- | | Net income (loss) to adjusted earnings | 3 | | Adjusted earnings, ex. total notable items | 4 | | Variable investment income (VII) | 5 | | Direct expense ratio | 7 | | Cash & capital | 8 | | Outloo ...

Core Insights - MetLife reported $19.74 billion in revenue for Q4 2024, a year-over-year increase of 5.5% [1] - The EPS for the same period was $2.08, compared to $1.93 a year ago, but fell short of the consensus estimate of $2.13, resulting in an EPS surprise of -2.35% [1] Revenue Performance - The reported revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $19.23 billion, representing a surprise of +2.65% [1] - Revenue from premiums was $12.62 billion, surpassing the average estimate of $12.08 billion, reflecting a +7.1% year-over-year change [4] - Other revenues amounted to $641 million, slightly above the estimated $635.59 million, but showed a -2.9% change compared to the previous year [4] Adjusted Revenue Metrics - Adjusted revenue from Corporate & other net investment income was $126 million, exceeding the estimate of $91.17 million, marking a +28.6% change year-over-year [4] - Adjusted revenue from Retirement & Income Solutions premiums reached $3.46 billion, significantly higher than the estimate of $2.20 billion, with a year-over-year increase of +26.5% [4] - Adjusted revenue from Latin America net investment income was $431 million, slightly below the estimate of $436.74 million, reflecting a -10.6% change year-over-year [4] Stock Performance - MetLife shares returned +3% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Group 1 - MetLife reported quarterly earnings of $2.08 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.13 per share, but showing an increase from $1.93 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of -2.35% [1] - The company posted revenues of $19.74 billion for the quarter ended December 2024, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.65% and increasing from $18.72 billion year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, MetLife has surpassed consensus EPS estimates only once, while it has topped consensus revenue estimates two times [2] Group 2 - The immediate price movement of MetLife's stock will depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and future earnings expectations [3] - MetLife shares have gained approximately 3.4% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 2.7% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.09 on revenues of $18.22 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $9.63 on revenues of $75.37 billion [7] Group 3 - The outlook for the Insurance - Multi line industry, to which MetLife belongs, is currently in the bottom 45% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges ahead [8] - Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact MetLife's stock performance [5] - The current estimate revisions trend for MetLife is mixed, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, suggesting it is expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6]

Revenue and Income - Total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024, were $70,986 million, an increase from $66,905 million in 2023, representing a growth of approximately 3.2%[5] - Net income attributable to MetLife, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $4,426 million, compared to $4,444 million in 2023, showing a slight decrease of about 0.4%[5] - Premiums for the fourth quarter of 2024 were $12,617 million, up from $10,647 million in the same quarter of 2023, reflecting a growth of approximately 18.5%[5] - Adjusted earnings available to common shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2024, were $52,520 million, compared to $51,961 million in 2023, reflecting an increase of about 1.1%[5] - Net income available to common shareholders for Q4 2023 was $574 million, increasing to $1,239 million by Q4 2024, representing a growth of 115%[6] - Adjusted earnings available to common shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2024, were $1,621 million, up from $1,282 million in 2023, representing a growth of 26.5%[26] Expenses and Ratios - Total expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024, were $65,364 million, a slight increase from $64,743 million in 2023, indicating a growth of approximately 1%[5] - The expense ratio for the year ended December 31, 2024, was 19.0%, compared to 18.7% for the year ended December 31, 2023[14] - Direct expense ratio for the year ended December 31, 2024, was 10.7%, a decrease from 11.2% in the previous year[14] - The adjusted expense ratio for the year ended December 31, 2024, was 18.8%, slightly up from 18.6% in the previous year[14] - Total adjusted expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2024, were $2,273 million, compared to $2,289 million in the previous year, showing a decrease of 0.7%[26] Investment Income - Net investment income for the year ended December 31, 2024, increased to $21,273 million from $19,908 million in 2023, marking a growth of about 6.8%[5] - Adjusted net investment income for the year ended December 31, 2024, is expected to reach $20,672 million, an increase from $19,749 million in 2023, indicating a growth of about 4.7%[12] - Variable investment income included in net investment income for the year ended December 31, 2024, is projected to be $1,013 million, up from $419 million in 2023, showing a significant increase of about 141%[12] - The company reported net investment losses of $(174) million in Q4 2023, which improved to $(311) million in Q4 2024[6] Assets and Liabilities - The company’s total assets under management in Asia increased, with specific measures detailed in the financial supplement[3] - Total assets decreased to $677,457 million by December 31, 2024, down from $704,976 million in September 2024[16] - The total liabilities as of December 31, 2024, were $649,754 million, a decrease from $673,812 million in September 2024[16] - The equity of MetLife, Inc. decreased to $27,703 million by December 31, 2024, from $31,164 million in September 2024[16] Future Growth and Strategy - Future policy benefits and policyholder account balances were highlighted as key areas for growth and focus in the upcoming fiscal year[3] - The company anticipates a stable growth trajectory in adjusted revenues and net investment income, driven by strategic market expansions and product innovations[12] Notable Items and Adjustments - Total notable items impacting adjusted earnings available to common shareholders were $(76) million in Q4 2023, with a slight recovery to $10 million in Q4 2024[6] - The company reported a net credit loss provision release and impairments of $(67) million for the three months ended December 31, 2023[43] - The company’s total notable items for the year ended December 31, 2023, were $(62) million, compared to $26 million in 2022, indicating a negative shift in notable items[55] Regional Performance - Adjusted earnings available to common shareholders for Asia for Q4 2023 were $291 million, with a forecast of $443 million for Q4 2024[67] - Latin America reported adjusted earnings of $182 million in Q4 2023, with a slight decrease to $201 million projected for Q4 2024[67] - EMEA adjusted earnings for Q4 2023 were $45 million, with a forecasted decrease to $59 million in Q4 2024[67] Stockholder Equity - MetLife's common stockholders' equity as of December 31, 2023, was $26,197 million, with a book value per common share of $35.85[62] - The adjusted return on MetLife's common stockholders' equity for the year ended December 31, 2023, was 16.9%[62] - Adjusted common stockholders' equity, excluding total notable items, was $39,343 million as of December 31, 2023[62]

MetLife, Inc. (MET) is set to report fourth-quarter 2024 results on Feb. 5, 2025, after the closing bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s earnings per share (EPS) is currently pegged at $2.13 on revenues of $19.2 billion.See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.The fourth-quarter earnings estimate has been revised downward over the past 60 days. However, the bottom-line projection indicates a year-over-year increase of 10.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estim ...

Wall Street analysts expect MetLife (MET) to post quarterly earnings of $2.13 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates a year-over-year increase of 10.4%. Revenues are expected to be $19.23 billion, up 2.7% from the year-ago quarter.Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted downward by 3.1% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.Prior to a company's earnings anno ...

Company Overview - MetLife (MET) is expected to report a year-over-year increase in earnings, with a projected EPS of $2.13, reflecting a +10.4% change, and revenues of $19.23 billion, up 2.7% from the previous year [3][12] - The upcoming earnings report is scheduled for February 5, 2024, and the stock may react positively if results exceed expectations, while a miss could lead to a decline [2][3] Earnings Estimates and Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 3.09% lower in the last 30 days, indicating a bearish sentiment among analysts regarding MetLife's earnings prospects [4][10] - The Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of -0.56%, which complicates the prediction of an earnings beat [10][11] Earnings Surprise History - In the last reported quarter, MetLife was expected to post earnings of $2.16 per share but only achieved $1.93, resulting in a surprise of -10.65% [12] - Over the past four quarters, MetLife has only beaten consensus EPS estimates once [13] Comparison with Industry Peers - Prudential (PRU), another player in the insurance industry, is expected to report an EPS of $3.28 for the same quarter, indicating a +27.1% year-over-year change, with revenues projected at $14.15 billion, up 8.7% [17] - Prudential's consensus EPS estimate has also been revised 0.6% lower, leading to an Earnings ESP of -1.07%, making it similarly challenging to predict an earnings beat [18]