The company said the losses were linked to its focus on the high end of the market and “some big deaths,” with policyholders underwritten 10, 15, or 20 years ago. Management described Q2 as “the blip,” while characterizing Q3 and Q4 as closer to normal variability. The company said it does not expect the 2025 mortality experience to persist and highlighted efforts aimed at improving policyholder health through a “Vitality” or behavioral insurance scheme , including proactively offering cancer detection or h ...

Manulife Financial (NYSE:MFC) FY Conference March 24, 2026 09:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsColin Simpson - CFOConference Call ParticipantsNone - AnalystNoneThanks for coming to Montreal again.Colin SimpsonThanks a lot, Gabe. It's time for you to relax, and I'll let you finish interviewing your CEO.NoneOh, yeah. I can loosen up a bit. I was uptight that time. Let's start with a fun one, ROE. You know.Colin SimpsonWell.NoneEvery company I cover basically is hiking their ROE targets. You were early in that pha ...

by PRNewswire FollowBeat the Market With Our Free Pre-Market NewsletterEnter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity NewsletterTORONTO, March 24, 2026 /CNW/ - Manulife Investments today announced the March 2026 cash distributions for Manulife Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and ETF series of Manulife Mutual Funds, including Manulife Alternative Mutual Funds (Manulife Funds), that distribute monthly and quarterly. Unitholders of record at the close of business on March 31, 2 ...

Group 1 - Manulife's Chief Financial Officer, Colin Simpson, will participate in a fireside chat at the National Bank Financial's 24th Annual Financial Services Conference on March 24, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET [1] - The live webcast and a replay of the fireside chat will be available on Manulife's Investor Relations website for 90 days following the live session [2] Group 2 - Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider headquartered in Toronto, Canada, operating as Manulife in Canada and Asia, and as John Hancock in the United States [3] - The company had over 37,000 employees, more than 106,000 agents, and served over 37 million customers across 25 markets globally by the end of 2025 [3]

Toronto, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- March 18, 2026 – Today Diabetes Canada launched Aprons in Action presented by Manulife, a first-of-its-kind national cooking challenge fundraiser that aims to raise $1 million to support programs, research, and advocacy for people in Canada living with diabetes. Unlike traditional walk-a-thon fundraisers, Aprons in Action invites home cooks across the country to develop healthy and original recipes, fundraise within their communities, and compete for a chance to c ...

Guardant Health Launches Shield Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) Test in Multiple Markets in Asia with Manulife Partnership Mar 16, 2026 8:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time Guardant Health Launches Shield Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) Test in Multiple Markets in Asia with Manulife Partnership Share PALO ALTO, Calif. & HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced the launch of the Shieldâ"¢ multi-cancer detection (MCD) laboratory developed test (L ...

Core Insights - Manulife Financial Corporation reported fourth-quarter 2025 core earnings of 80 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.2% and reflecting an 8.1% year-over-year improvement [3] - The company announced a 10.2% increase in its quarterly dividend to 48.5 cents, with the payment scheduled for March 19, 2026 [12] - Analysts have not made any earnings estimate revisions in the past two months, indicating a period of stability in expectations [13] Financial Performance - Core earnings for the quarter were $1.4 billion (C$1.9 billion), driven by growth in Asia, Global Wealth and Asset Management (WAM), and Canada, despite some negative impacts from life insurance claims in the U.S. and lower investment spreads [3] - New business value (NBV) rose to $626 million (C$874 million), a 4.1% increase year over year, while annualized premium equivalent (APE) sales decreased by 1% [4] - Wealth and asset management assets under management increased by 13% year over year to $799.7 billion (C$1,115 billion), although the segment experienced net outflows of $6.8 billion (C$9.5 billion) [5] Segment Performance - The Global Wealth and Asset Management segment reported core earnings of $351 million (C$490 million), up 2.3% year over year, aided by higher net fee income and expense discipline [7] - The Asia division's core earnings surged by 65% year over year to $563 million (C$785 million), reflecting strong business growth [7] - The U.S. division's core earnings increased by 8.5% year over year to $228 million (C$319 million), with APE sales and NBV rising by 9% and 8%, respectively [10] Valuation and Outlook - Manulife holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating expectations for above-average returns in the coming months [15] - The company has a subpar Growth Score of D but a better Momentum Score of C, with an overall VGM Score of B, placing it in the top 20% for value investment strategy [14]

Industry Overview - The Zacks Life Insurance industry includes companies providing life insurance, annuities, and retirement products, with the global life insurance market projected to grow to $7.13 trillion by 2026 and $11 trillion by 2032, at a CAGR of 7.5% [3] - Emerging markets are expected to experience faster growth due to low insurance penetration, while developed markets may see slower growth due to market maturity [3] - The industry is witnessing accelerated technology adoption, but rising mortality or loss cost trends may impact profitability [3] Trends Impacting the Industry - The Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates, which may challenge life insurers as they invest premiums to meet guaranteed obligations, leading to muted investment returns [4][2] - Life insurers are increasingly combining insurance with wealth management and healthcare services to cater to customer preferences for "living" benefits [5] - The shift towards digital platforms and online sales is evident, with insurers leveraging AI and machine learning for customized coverages and premium calculations [6][7] Current Performance and Valuation - The Zacks Life Insurance industry currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 88, placing it in the top 36% of 255 Zacks industries, indicating strong near-term prospects [8] - Year-to-date, the Life Insurance industry has underperformed the S&P 500 and Finance sector, with a collective gain of 6% compared to 14.1% for the Finance sector and 24.2% for the S&P 500 [10] - The industry is trading at a trailing 12-month price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 1.81X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 7.96X and the Finance sector's 4.14X [13] Company Highlights - **AIA Group Limited**: Based in Hong Kong, AIA is expected to see earnings growth of 28.3% and 13.8% in 2026 and 2027, respectively [19] - **Manulife Financial Corporation**: Headquartered in Canada, MFC anticipates core EPS growth of 10% to 12% over the medium term, with earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 indicating increases of 9% and 8.5% [22][23] - **Sun Life Financial**: The third largest insurer in Canada, Sun Life aims for underlying growth of 8-10% and has earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 showing increases of 7.5% and 11.1% [26][27] - **Reinsurance Group of America**: A leading global provider of life and health reinsurance, RGA is expected to benefit from better pricing and has earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 indicating increases of 15.8% and 7.7% [28][29]

Core Insights - Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) is experiencing strong investor confidence, closing at $33.76, near its 52-week high of $38.72, indicating potential for further price appreciation [1] - The company has outperformed its peers and the industry, with a 15.4% gain over the past year compared to the industry's 5.6% and the Finance sector's 14.1% [2] - Analysts have a positive outlook, with an average price target of $40.82, suggesting a potential upside of 22.2% from the last closing price [4] Company Performance - MFC has a market capitalization of $56.59 billion, with an average trading volume of 2.3 million shares over the last three months [3] - The company has a solid track record of beating earnings estimates, with an average surprise of 3.63% over the past four quarters [3] - Return on equity for MFC in the trailing 12 months was 16.4%, surpassing the industry average of 15.6%, indicating efficient use of shareholders' funds [10] Growth Strategy - MFC is aggressively expanding in Asia, which is a major contributor to its earnings, and is also targeting growth in Wealth and Asset Management in Europe and the EMEA market [6][12] - The company is making long-term investments in high-potential businesses and has a strong capital position, supporting its growth initiatives [12][13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects an 8.9% increase in earnings per share for 2026, with further growth expected in 2027 [8][9] Financial Health - MFC has maintained a free cash flow conversion rate of over 100%, reflecting solid earnings and supporting its dividend payouts, which have a seven-year CAGR of 10% [13] - The company targets a medium-term dividend payout ratio of 35-45% and aims for a leverage ratio of 25% [13] - The expense efficiency ratio target of less than 45% is expected to drive growth through diligent expense management [14] Analyst Sentiment - Optimistic analyst sentiment is reflected in the upward revisions of earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027, with increases of 1.2% and 1.1%, respectively, over the past 30 days [9] - MFC's favorable VGM Score of B indicates attractive value, growth, and momentum compared to peers, making it an appealing option for yield-seeking investors [15][16]

Group 1 - Albert Anthony is a Croatian-American business author and analyst contributing to Seeking Alpha with over 1,000 followers [1] - He has authored a book titled "Investing in REITs: A Fundamental & Technical Analysis (2026 Edition)" available on Amazon [1] - Anthony has a background in business and information systems, having worked at Charles Schwab in the IT department [1] Group 2 - He operates his own boutique equities research firm, Albert Anthony & Company, which is managed remotely [1] - The firm focuses on providing actionable insights for investors based on publicly available data [1] - Anthony is also active on YouTube, discussing REITs and sharing his investment experiences [1] Group 3 - He has participated in numerous business and innovation conferences, trade shows, and panel discussions [1] - Anthony holds a B.A. in Political Science from Drew University and various certifications in Microsoft Fundamentals, CompTIA Project+, and Risk Management [1] - The firm does not provide personalized financial advisory services or manage client funds, focusing instead on general market commentary and research [1]