Core Points - Voya Financial, Inc. has announced a 4.4% increase in its common stock dividend to $0.47 per share for the fourth quarter of 2025, up from $0.45 per share [1] - The common stock dividend is payable on December 29, 2025, to shareholders of record as of November 26, 2025 [1] - Additionally, Voya's board declared a quarterly dividend of $13.3750 per share on its Series B preferred stock, equivalent to $0.334375 per depositary share, payable on December 15, 2025 [2] Company Overview - Voya Financial, Inc. is a leading retirement, employee benefits, and investment management company serving approximately 15.7 million individual, workplace, and institutional clients [3] - The company is recognized as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work® Institute, emphasizing a culture of customer centricity, integrity, accountability, agility, and inclusivity [3]

Core Insights - Voya Financial is positioned to continue its earnings-beat streak, having surpassed earnings estimates by an average of 25.03% in the last two quarters [1][5] Earnings Performance - For the last reported quarter, Voya achieved earnings of $2.4 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.09 per share by 14.83% [2] - In the previous quarter, Voya's earnings were $2.15 per share against an expected $1.59 per share, resulting in a surprise of 35.22% [2] Earnings Estimates and Predictions - Estimates for Voya have been trending higher due to its history of earnings surprises, with a positive Zacks Earnings ESP of +0.76%, indicating bullish sentiment among analysts [5][8] - The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) suggests a high probability of another earnings beat, with historical data showing that nearly 70% of stocks with this combination exceed consensus estimates [6][8] Earnings ESP Explanation - The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, reflecting the latest analyst revisions which may provide more accurate predictions [7] - A negative Earnings ESP can reduce predictive power but does not necessarily indicate an earnings miss [9] Importance of Earnings ESP - Monitoring a company's Earnings ESP before quarterly releases is crucial for increasing the likelihood of successful investment decisions [10]

Core Insights - Voya Financial, Inc. (VOYA) shares are trading at a discount compared to the Zacks Life Insurance industry, with a forward price-to-earnings multiple of 1.12X, lower than the industry average of 1.92X, the Finance sector's 4.17X, and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite's 8.58X [1] - The company has a market capitalization of $7.10 billion and has been trading above its 200-day simple moving average, indicating a short-term bullish trend [2] - Voya Financial's shares have gained 7% year-to-date, outperforming the industry's growth of 0.5% [3] Growth Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Voya Financial's 2025 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 42.7%, with revenues expected to reach $1.29 billion, implying a 20.2% year-over-year improvement [4] - For 2026, the consensus estimates for earnings per share and revenues indicate increases of 16% and 8.3%, respectively, from the 2025 estimates [4] Capital Generation and Strategic Partnerships - Voya expects excess capital generation to rise by $100 million in 2025, driven by strategic partnerships and strong underlying business performance [7][14] - The partnership with Allianz Global Investors has added scale, diversification, and growth potential to Voya's Investment Management segment [7][12] Segment Performance - Voya's earnings have grown 12.2% over the past five years, outperforming the industry average of 7.8%, with a long-term earnings growth rate expected at 15.3% [8] - The Wealth Solutions segment is experiencing significant growth due to improved business results, higher surplus income, and lower administrative expenses [11] - The Investment Management segment is benefiting from higher investment capital returns and improved fee revenues [12] - The Health Solutions segment is expected to grow across all product lines with favorable retention [13] Analyst Sentiment - Three out of five analysts covering Voya have raised their estimates for 2025, and four analysts have raised estimates for 2026 in the past 30 days, leading to a 0.8% and 1.2% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimates for 2025 and 2026, respectively [9] Financial Flexibility and Shareholder Value - Voya Financial's capital levels remain strong, with an expectation of improved excess capital generation and high free cash flow conversion [14] - The company increased its quarterly dividend by 12.5% starting in Q3 2024 and generated approximately $200 million of excess capital in the quarter [15] - Voya plans to resume share repurchases targeting $200 million in the second half of 2025 [15] Conclusion - Voya Financial is well-positioned for growth due to improved investment income, higher average equity markets, positive net flows, and strategic partnerships, making it an attractive option for potential investors [16][17]

Core Viewpoint - Investors in the Life Insurance sector should consider Voya Financial (VOYA) and The Baldwin Insurance Group (BWIN) for potential value opportunities [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Estimates - Voya Financial has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings estimate revision activity, while The Baldwin Insurance Group has a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) [3] - The Zacks Rank emphasizes earnings estimates and revisions, which are crucial for identifying value opportunities [2] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - Voya Financial has a forward P/E ratio of 8.24, significantly lower than BWIN's forward P/E of 17.25 [5] - Voya's PEG ratio is 0.54, compared to BWIN's PEG ratio of 0.92, indicating better value relative to expected earnings growth [5] - Voya has a P/B ratio of 1.1, while BWIN's P/B ratio is 3.25, further highlighting Voya's more attractive valuation metrics [6] Group 3: Overall Value Assessment - Based on the stronger estimate revision activity and more favorable valuation metrics, Voya Financial is considered the superior option for value investors compared to The Baldwin Insurance Group [7]

Core Insights - Voya Investment Management has appointed Scott Brady as the head of Intermediary Business Development to enhance its intermediary business and market position [1] - Morgan Stanley has reaffirmed an "Overweight" rating for Voya, with a current stock price of approximately $75.09, reflecting confidence in the company's growth potential [1] - Morgan Stanley has raised Voya's price target from $90 to $91, indicating optimism about the company's future performance [2] Financial Metrics - Voya's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 13.37 and the price-to-sales ratio is 0.92, suggesting favorable market valuation of its earnings [2] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is 1.04 and the enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is 5.94, demonstrating strong cash generation capabilities [2] - An earnings yield of 7.48% presents a compelling return on investment for value investors [3] Debt and Liquidity - Voya has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, indicating a moderate level of debt and a balanced financial structure [3] - The current ratio of 27.17 highlights Voya's strong liquidity, ensuring its ability to meet short-term obligations [3]

Group 1 - Employee sentiment regarding employer-sponsored benefits is low, with less than half of employees knowing how to enroll, highlighting a significant knowledge gap [3] - New York Life Group emphasizes the importance of addressing this knowledge gap year-round to foster a culture of wellbeing [3] - Voya Financial indicates that HR can play a crucial role in supporting employees' mental and financial health throughout the year, not just during open enrollment [3] Group 2 - A majority of employees (77%) plan to spend more time reassessing their benefit elections during open enrollment this year, an increase from 69% last year [4] - There is a growing awareness of the connection between financial stability and mental health, with 63% of Americans agreeing that financial stability impacts mental health, up from 57% over the past two years [4] - Approximately half of workers feel unprepared for retirement, indicating a need for more education on retirement planning [4]

Core Insights - Voya Investment Management has appointed Scott Brady as managing director and head of Intermediary Business Development to enhance its presence in the intermediary channels [1][2] - Brady brings over 30 years of financial services experience, previously serving as head of U.S. Product Development and Strategy at Columbia Threadneedle [2] - Voya IM manages approximately $359 billion in assets as of April 30, 2025, across various investment strategies [3] Company Overview - Voya Investment Management is part of Voya Financial, Inc. and focuses on managing assets for institutions, financial intermediaries, and individual investors [3] - The firm has a legacy of 50 years in active investing and employs over 300 investment professionals [3] - Voya IM emphasizes understanding client needs, strong investment performance, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion [3]

Industry Overview - The Zacks Life Insurance industry includes companies providing life insurance coverage and retirement benefits, with products such as annuities, whole and term life insurance, and health insurance [2] - The life insurance market is projected to grow, with gross written premiums expected to reach $1.34 trillion by 2025, driven by increasing demand for protection products and retirement benefits due to a rising number of baby boomers [2] - The industry is experiencing accelerated technology adoption, although rising mortality trends may impact profitability [2] Trends Impacting the Industry - The Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates by 25 basis points to a range of 4%-4.25%, with indications of further cuts, which may challenge life insurers as they invest premiums to meet guaranteed obligations [3][4] - Life insurance sales are expected to grow by 2%-6% in 2025, with new annualized premium growth across various life insurance products [3] - Insurers are redesigning products to focus on bundled covers that provide living benefits, reflecting customer preferences [4] Technological Advancements - The U.S. life insurance market is shifting towards digital platforms, with insurers leveraging AI and machine learning for customized coverages and premium calculations [5] - Increased automation is anticipated to enhance premium growth and operational efficiency, while also helping to manage costs [5] Industry Performance - The Zacks Life Insurance industry currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 73, placing it in the top 30% of 255 Zacks industries, indicating strong near-term prospects [7][8] - Year-to-date, the Life Insurance industry has underperformed compared to the Finance sector and the S&P 500, with a collective gain of 0.1% against 14.7% and 13.8% respectively [9] Valuation Metrics - The industry is trading at a trailing 12-month price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 1.91X, compared to the S&P 500's 8.7X and the Finance sector's 4.36X [11] Company Highlights - **Aviva**: Expected earnings growth of 23.6% and 13.2% for 2025 and 2026 respectively, with a strong performance across all business lines [16][17] - **Primerica**: Anticipated earnings growth of 8.1% and 8.5% for 2025 and 2026, benefiting from strong demand for protection products [20][21] - **Lincoln Financial**: Projected earnings growth of 5.8% and 3.2% for 2025 and 2026, supported by a recovering Group Protection business [24][25] - **Voya Financial**: Expected earnings growth of 26.3% for 2025, driven by a focus on high-growth, capital-light businesses [28][29] - **Jackson Financial**: Anticipated earnings growth of 8.8% and 8.6% for 2025 and 2026, with a strong focus on diversified product sales [32][33]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of sales growth over traditional earnings metrics for evaluating stocks, especially in volatile market conditions [2][3][10] - A selection of stocks with strong sales growth and cash flow is recommended, including Universal Health Services, Methanex, Arista Networks, Voya Financial, and Maximus [2][10][12] Sales Growth as a Metric - Sales growth is preferred as it reflects actual demand for a company's products or services, providing better visibility into the durability of the business model [3][5] - Companies that can expand their sales during economic stress demonstrate pricing power and competitive advantages [3][5] Earnings Limitations - Earnings can be misleading due to one-off charges, cost-cutting, and accounting adjustments, making them less reliable indicators of a company's trajectory [4] Cash Flow and Financial Flexibility - Sustained sales growth leads to stronger cash flows, allowing companies to reinvest in innovation, expand markets, or return capital to shareholders without excessive debt reliance [5] Stock Selection Criteria - Stocks are shortlisted based on criteria such as 5-Year Historical Sales Growth greater than industry average and Cash Flow exceeding $500 million [6] - Additional metrics include P/S Ratio, % Change in Sales Estimate Revisions, Operating Margin, Return on Equity, and Zacks Rank [7][8][9] Recommended Stocks - Universal Health Services (UHS) is expected to have a sales growth rate of 8.5% in 2025 and holds a Zacks Rank of 2 [11][12] - Methanex (MEOH) anticipates a sales growth rate of 5.6% in 2025 with a Zacks Rank of 1 [12] - Arista Networks (ANET) is projected to achieve a sales growth of 25.4% in 2025 and has a Zacks Rank of 2 [13] - Voya Financial (VOYA) expects a sales growth of 16.1% in 2025, also holding a Zacks Rank of 2 [14] - Maximus (MMS) forecasts a sales growth of 2.7% in fiscal 2025 and has a Zacks Rank of 1 [15]

Core Viewpoint - Voya Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund and Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund announced important information regarding their distributions declared in August 2025, as part of their Managed Distribution Plan and in compliance with an exemptive order from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission [1] Fund Distributions - The Funds' distributions are part of a Managed Distribution Plan approved by the Board of Trustees [1]