Core Viewpoint - Principal Financial (PFG) reported quarterly earnings of $1.94 per share, slightly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.95 per share, but showing an increase from $1.83 per share a year ago [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $4.75 billion for the quarter ended December 2024, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 17.89%, compared to $4.24 billion in the same quarter last year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Principal Financial has not surpassed consensus EPS estimates, but has topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] Stock Performance - Principal Financial shares have increased by approximately 4.1% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 3.1% [3] - The stock's immediate price movement will depend on management's commentary during the earnings call [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.96 on revenues of $4.04 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $8.36 on revenues of $16.56 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Principal Financial is mixed, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Insurance - Multi line industry, to which Principal Financial belongs, is currently in the bottom 44% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8] - The performance of the stock may be influenced by the overall outlook for the industry [8]

Financial Performance - Full-year non-GAAP operating earnings per diluted share increased 11% to $7.65, aligning with long-term guidance of 9-12% growth[7] - Net income attributable to Principal Financial Group (PFG) for 4Q24 was $905.4 million, compared to a loss of $871.7 million in 4Q23[37] - Non-GAAP net income attributable to PFG, excluding exited business, was $353.5 million in 4Q24, up from $299.1 million in 4Q23[37] - Non-GAAP operating earnings for 4Q24 were $448.1 million, slightly increasing from $440.5 million in 4Q23[37] - The company reported a non-GAAP pre-tax operating earnings of $546.9 million for 4Q24, compared to $539.8 million in 4Q23[37] - The Retirement and Income Solutions segment reported pre-tax operating earnings of $280.1 million in 4Q24, up from $264.6 million in 4Q23[37] Shareholder Returns - The company returned $1.7 billion to shareholders in 2024, including $1.0 billion in share repurchases and $0.7 billion in common stock dividends[5] - The first quarter 2025 common stock dividend was raised to $0.75 per share, a 9% increase over the first quarter 2024 dividend[7] Assets and Capital - Assets under management (AUM) reached $712 billion, contributing to total assets under administration (AUA) of $1.7 trillion[7] - Total assets increased to $313.7 billion in 4Q24 from $305.0 billion in 4Q23[42] - Stockholders' equity rose to $11,131.3 million in 4Q24, compared to $10,961.7 million in 4Q23[42] - Stockholders' equity available to common stockholders increased to $11,086.4 million in Q4 2024 from $10,916.0 million in Q4 2023, representing a growth of 1.6%[44] - Stockholders' equity, excluding cumulative change in fair value of funds withheld and AOCI, was $12,144.0 million in Q4 2024, down from $12,735.4 million in Q4 2023, a decrease of 4.6%[44] Investment Management - Investment Management AUM increased by $32 billion to $559 billion, with a record quarter in retirement investment sales[16] - Investment management operating revenues for Q4 2024 were $474.6 million, compared to $433.1 million in Q4 2023, marking an increase of 9.6%[48] Tax and Capital Gains - Total GAAP income taxes for Q4 2024 were $209.9 million, a significant increase from a tax benefit of $(268.0) million in Q4 2023[46] - Net realized capital gains (losses) for Q4 2024 were $(88.6) million, an improvement from $(112.7) million in Q4 2023[46] - Net realized capital gains (losses), as adjusted, were $(94.6) million in Q4 2024, compared to $(141.4) million in Q4 2023, showing an improvement of 33.1%[46] Future Outlook - The company anticipates 9-12% annual non-GAAP operating earnings per diluted share growth for 2025, with capital deployment expected between $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion[11] - Principal Financial Group plans to discuss future prospects and capital adequacy in an earnings conference call scheduled for February 7, 2025[32] Segment Performance - Retirement and Income Solutions (RIS) recurring deposit growth was 7%, with transfer deposit growth of 16% over 2023[16] - Specialty Benefits premium and fees increased by 7% over 2023, with a pre-tax operating earnings increase of 23% in 4Q24[24] - Pre-tax operating earnings for International Pension decreased by 42% in 4Q24, primarily due to lower net revenue[19] Other Financial Metrics - Book value per common share increased to $49.01 in 4Q24 from $46.18 in 4Q23[42] - Book value per common share, excluding cumulative change in fair value of funds withheld, rose to $53.69 in Q4 2024 compared to $53.87 in Q4 2023, indicating a slight decrease of 0.3%[44] - Operating revenues less pass-through expenses for Q4 2024 reached $435.7 million, up from $397.9 million in Q4 2023, reflecting an increase of 9.4%[48] - The change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative was $794.3 million in Q4 2024, a recovery from $(1,478.6) million in Q4 2023[46] - Total income from exited business for Q4 2024 was $551.9 million, a significant turnaround from a loss of $(1,170.8) million in Q4 2023[46] - Significant variances in 4Q24 included lower than expected variable investment income across multiple segments[31]

Core Viewpoint - Principal Financial (PFG) is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.95 per share, reflecting a 6.6% increase year-over-year, while revenues are forecasted to decline by 5% to $4.03 billion [1] Earnings Estimates - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised upward by 0.9% in the last 30 days, indicating analysts' reassessment of their initial projections [2] - Revisions to earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor behavior and are linked to short-term stock price performance [3] Revenue Projections - Analysts estimate 'Revenue- Premiums and other considerations' will reach $1.92 billion, a decrease of 7.4% from the previous year [5] - 'Revenue- Net investment income' is expected to be $1.17 billion, showing an increase of 3.9% year-over-year [5] - 'Revenue- Fees and other revenues' is projected at $1.09 billion, indicating a 4.9% increase from the prior year [5] Segment Revenue Estimates - 'Revenue- Principal Asset Management Segment- Net investment income' is estimated at $194.07 million, down 12.1% from the year-ago quarter [6] - 'Revenue- Benefits and Protection Segment- Specialty Benefits- Premiums and other considerations' is expected to be $800.73 million, reflecting a 2.3% increase year-over-year [7] - 'Revenue- Benefits and Protection Segment- Life Insurance- Total' is projected at $331.56 million, indicating a slight decrease of 0.8% from the previous year [10] Stock Performance - Over the past month, Principal Financial shares have returned +4.1%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1% change [11] - Based on its Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), PFG is expected to perform in line with the overall market in the near term [11]

Core Viewpoint - Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is expected to report its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings on February 6, with a negative earnings surprise in the previous quarter [1] Factors at Play - The fourth-quarter results are anticipated to show an increase in fee revenues, higher yields, favorable market performance, and increased sales of single premium group annuities [2] Revenue and Earnings Estimates - Operating revenues are projected to decline due to lower premiums and fees in Retirement and Income Solutions and Principal Global Investors, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues at $4.03 billion, reflecting a nearly 5% decrease from the previous year [3] - The expected net investment income for the fourth quarter is $1.2 billion, benefiting from higher yields and average invested assets [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is $1.95 per share, indicating a 5% decrease from the prior-year quarter [5] Earnings Prediction Model - The earnings prediction model suggests a potential earnings beat for Principal Financial, supported by a positive Earnings ESP of +0.03% and a Zacks Rank of 3 [6][7] Other Stocks to Consider - Unum Group (UNM) has an Earnings ESP of +0.23% and a Zacks Rank of 3, with a consensus estimate of $2.13 for fourth-quarter earnings, indicating a 19% year-over-year increase [8] - Allstate Corporation (ALL) has an Earnings ESP of +3.93% and a Zacks Rank of 3, with a consensus estimate of $6.51 for fourth-quarter earnings, reflecting an 11.9% year-over-year increase [9] - Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE) has an Earnings ESP of +0.09% and a Zacks Rank of 3, with a consensus estimate of $1.49 for fourth-quarter earnings, indicating a 5.3% year-over-year increase [10]

Core Viewpoint - Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) has gained investor favor due to strategic buyouts, financial flexibility, strong retention, business growth, positive net cash flow, and effective capital deployment [1] Financial Performance - PFG currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) and has experienced a stock loss of 0.9% over the past year, while the industry has grown by 11.1% [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PFG's 2025 earnings per share indicates a 19.3% increase from 2024 estimates, while revenues are expected to rise by 6.2% [4] Growth Drivers - Revenue growth for PFG is anticipated to improve long-term due to higher premiums, fees, and improved net investment income across segments [5] - The Principal International segment is expected to benefit from increased single-premium annuity sales in Chile, with operating earnings positively impacted by foreign currency tailwinds [5] - The Specialty Benefits Insurance business is projected to continue benefiting from record sales, strong retention, and employment growth, contributing to pre-tax operating earnings [6] Capital Management - PFG's extensive distribution network, strategic buyouts, and operational discipline are expected to enhance asset growth under management [7] - The company maintains a strong capital position with sufficient cash generation capabilities and liquidity, having adjusted the target RBC level to a range of 375-400% [7] - For 2024, PFG aims for 9% to 12% growth in earnings per share and 75% to 85% free capital flow conversion [8] Shareholder Returns - PFG's wealth distribution strategy includes share buybacks and dividend payments, with a 9% dividend increase in Q3 2024 for the sixth consecutive quarter, aligning with a targeted 40% payout ratio [11] - The company has a solid dividend yield of 3.6%, surpassing the industry average of 2.4% [11] - PFG plans to deploy $1.5-$1.8 billion in capital for 2024, including $800 million to $1.1 billion for share repurchases, targeting 35-45% share repurchases based on net income [12]

Core Insights - Albert Anthony is a Croatian-American media personality and financial contributor, reaching over 1 million investors globally since 2023 [1] - His content on Seeking Alpha averages over 25,000 views monthly, focusing on stock analysis and dividend income portfolio building [1] - In addition to his media work, he has been involved in city council politics in Croatia and ran for Parliament in 2024 [1] Group 1 - Albert Anthony provides curated analysis of stocks trading on major US exchanges [1] - He has experience as an information systems analyst and worked at Charles Schwab [1] - He has completed certifications from various prestigious institutions, enhancing his financial expertise [1] Group 2 - Anthony is also a host at Online Live TV Croatia and has contributed to various media outlets in the US and Croatia [1] - He became a member of the Croatian Economic Association in 2024, focusing on economics and monetary policy [1] - His involvement in film and TV productions includes a role in the Polish WWII film "Red Poppies" set for release in 2024 [1]

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PerfectQuote, Inc., a leading group health digital quoting platform, announced its collaboration with Principal Financial Group®, to provide PerfectQuote customers with direct, underwritten proposals for dental, vision, life, disability and voluntary benefits delivered through its Request-for-Proposal ("RFP") toolset.With a critical mass of firms and general agencies leveraging the PerfectQuote platform (including 14 of the top 20 largest U.S.- based firms) servic ...

Principal Financial (PFG) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.76 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.01 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.72 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -12.44%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this financial services company would post earnings of $1.87 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.63, delivering a surprise of -12.83%.Over the last fou ...

Wall Street analysts forecast that Principal Financial (PFG) will report quarterly earnings of $2.01 per share in its upcoming release, pointing to a year-over-year increase of 16.9%. It is anticipated that revenues will amount to $3.92 billion, exhibiting an increase of 12.8% compared to the year-ago quarter.Over the last 30 days, there has been an upward revision of 0.7% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsider ...

Reston, Virginia, Oct. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- College students from across the country are invited to attend two Career Connections Conferences hosted by Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA), the nation's largest career and technical student organization focused solely on business. The conferences will be held in Atlanta October 17-19 and Des Moines October 24-26. Both conferences will feature opportunities for students to hear from C-suite executives, recruiters, and young professionals ab ...