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]

Core Insights - Voya Financial, Inc. (VOYA) is currently experiencing a short-term bullish trend as its shares are trading above the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) [1] - The company is trading at a discount compared to the Zacks Life Insurance industry, with a price-to-book value of 1.17X, lower than the industry average of 1.93X [2] - Voya Financial has a market capitalization of $7.4 billion and a Value Score of B, indicating potential investment attractiveness [2] Price Performance - Year-to-date, Voya Financial shares have gained 12.1%, outperforming the industry growth of 1.2%, but underperforming the Finance sector and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite, which increased by 13.3% and 12.7%, respectively [4] Financial Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VOYA's 2025 earnings per share is $8.65, with revenues projected at $1.3 billion [9] - For 2026, earnings per share and revenues are expected to rise by 16.5% and 10%, respectively, from the 2025 estimates [9] - The expected long-term earnings growth rate for Voya Financial is 14.2% [9] Analyst Sentiment - Analyst sentiment is optimistic, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings having increased by 0.9% each in the past 30 days [10] Growth Drivers - Voya Financial is focusing on growth through automation, cost savings, and an expanding distribution network, which are expected to enhance earnings potential [14] - The acquisition of OneAmerica Financial has strengthened Voya's Wealth Solutions retirement business, adding significant assets and expected revenues [17] - The long-term partnership with Allianz Global Investors has broadened Voya's global presence and diversified its Investment Management business [18] Financial Health - Voya Financial has made progress in improving its financial profile, reducing long-term debt by over 20% to $1.6 billion as of June 30, 2025, and improving its financial leverage ratio to 27.4% [19] Shareholder Value - The company has emphasized shareholder value creation, increasing its dividend seven times over the past five years, resulting in a five-year annualized growth rate of 34.7% [20] Conclusion - Voya Financial is building momentum through distribution growth, automation, and strategic acquisitions, although rising debt levels and returns lagging behind peers remain concerns [21]

Core Insights - Voya Financial (VOYA) is currently more attractive to value investors compared to The Baldwin Insurance Group (BWIN) based on various financial metrics and rankings [1][3][7] Valuation Metrics - Voya Financial has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a stronger earnings outlook compared to BWIN, which has a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) [3] - The forward P/E ratio for Voya is 8.76, significantly lower than BWIN's forward P/E of 19.41, suggesting that Voya is undervalued relative to BWIN [5] - Voya's PEG ratio is 0.62, while BWIN's PEG ratio is 1.04, indicating that Voya has a better expected earnings growth relative to its price [5] - Voya has a P/B ratio of 1.15, compared to BWIN's P/B of 3.66, further supporting the notion that Voya is more attractively valued [6] Value Grades - Voya Financial has earned a Value grade of B, while The Baldwin Insurance Group has a Value grade of D, reflecting the overall better valuation metrics for Voya [6]

Core Insights - Albert Anthony is a Croatian-American business author and media contributor with a focus on financial markets, launching a book titled "Financial Markets: The Next Generation" in 2025 [1] - He has a non-traditional financial background, having worked as an analyst in the IT sector for Fortune 500 companies, which has aided in establishing his own equities research firm, Albert Anthony & Company, in 2021 [1] - The firm operates 100% remotely, reflecting a modern approach to financial analysis and research [1] Company Overview - Albert Anthony & Company was founded in 2021 and specializes in equities research, leveraging a data-driven and process-oriented methodology [1] - The company does not engage in writing about non-publicly traded companies, small cap stocks, or startup CEOs, focusing instead on publicly available data [1] Media Presence - Albert Anthony has a significant media presence, contributing to platforms like Seeking Alpha and Investing.com, and plans to launch a YouTube show titled "Financial Markets with Albert Anthony" in 2025 [1] - He has over 1,000 followers on Seeking Alpha, indicating a growing audience for his market commentary [1] Educational Background - Albert Anthony has completed degrees and ongoing training from institutions such as Drew University and the Corporate Finance Institute, enhancing his expertise in financial analysis [1] Additional Activities - In addition to his financial commentary, Albert Anthony has participated in European casting agencies and has had extra roles in over five productions, showcasing a diverse skill set [1]

Core Insights - Voya Financial, Inc. (VOYA) shares are trading at a discount compared to the Zacks Life Insurance industry, with a price-to-book value of 1.11X, lower than the industry average of 1.63X, the Finance sector's 4.23X, and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite's 8.2X [1] - Voya has a market capitalization of $7 billion and an average trading volume of 0.8 million shares over the last three months [1] - Voya's shares have gained 11% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 8.7%, but underperforming the Finance sector and the S&P 500 Composite, which increased by 19% and 18.1%, respectively [3] Financial Performance - Voya has been trading above its 200-day simple moving average (SMA), indicating a short-term bullish trend [6] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Voya's 2025 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 37.3%, with revenues projected at $1.2 billion, reflecting a 14.9% year-over-year improvement [10] - The consensus estimates for 2025 and 2026 earnings have increased by 2.2% and 0.4%, respectively, in the last week, showing analysts' optimism [11] Market Position - The average price target for Voya, based on short-term targets from 12 analysts, is $81.4 per share, suggesting a potential upside of 14.7% from the last closing price [12] - Voya's long-term strategic partnership with Allianz Global Investors has enhanced its scale and diversification, significantly broadening its asset management capabilities [14] - Voya generates strong earnings from its diversified portfolio, which includes Wealth Solutions, Investment Management, and Health Solutions, characterized by high growth potential and strong returns [15] Challenges - Total expenses increased by 2.1% year-over-year to $1.8 billion in Q2, driven by higher policyholder benefits and operating costs [16] - While Voya benefits from strong performance across its core businesses, rising expenses and benefit costs present challenges that could temper financial performance [17]

Company Overview - Voya Financial (VOYA) is headquartered in New York and operates in the finance sector, specifically in retirement, investment, and insurance [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 3.09% so far this year [3] Dividend Information - Voya Financial currently pays a dividend of $0.45 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.54%, which is higher than the Insurance - Life Insurance industry's yield of 1.61% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.51% [3] - The annualized dividend of $1.80 represents a 5.9% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, Voya Financial has increased its dividend 4 times, achieving an average annual increase of 34.72% [4] - The current payout ratio is 22%, indicating that Voya paid out 22% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Voya's earnings in 2025 is projected to be $8.47 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 37.28% [5] Investment Considerations - Voya Financial is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and favorable growth prospects [6] - The stock is currently rated with a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a stable outlook [6]