Xin Lang Cai Jing·2026-01-19 10:27Core Viewpoint - In a declining interest rate environment, fixed-income assets like bonds are unable to match the long-duration liabilities of insurance companies, leading them to prefer high-dividend stocks as investment targets [1][10]. Group 1: Insurance Companies' Investment Activities - As of January 18, 2024, 81 insurance institutions conducted over 300 investigations into A-share listed companies, involving 80 companies [1]. - On January 9, 2024, Pacific Life announced a significant increase in its stake in Shanghai Airport, acquiring 72.424 million shares, bringing its total ownership to 4.9994% [1]. - The revival of insurance capital's stake acquisitions began in 2024, with approximately 40 acquisitions expected in 2025, marking a ten-year high [11][12]. Group 2: Premium Income Growth - In the first eleven months of 2025, insurance companies reported premium income of 5.76 trillion, a 7.56% increase compared to the same period in 2024 [3][14]. - Life insurance premiums reached 4.42 trillion, up 9.2% year-on-year, while property insurance premiums totaled 1.34 trillion, a 2.48% increase [3][14]. - China Life's premium income surpassed 700 billion in the first eleven months of 2025, with New China Life reporting a full-year premium income of 195.9 billion in the previous year, reflecting a 15% growth [3][14]. Group 3: Asset and Liability Management - The rapid growth of liabilities in insurance companies necessitates matching quality assets in the market [4][15]. - Unlike insurance companies, banks have shorter liability durations, with most deposits maturing within 1 to 3 years, allowing for quicker adjustments in a declining interest rate environment [4][15]. - By mid-2025, the average net investment return for listed insurance companies is projected to approach the cost of guaranteed liabilities, indicating a concerning downward trend [4][16]. Group 4: Stock Investment Trends - Low-valuation, high-dividend, and high-reliability companies are becoming preferred investment targets for insurance companies, as their dividend yields surpass bond returns [6][18]. - By mid-2025, the total stock investment of the five major listed insurance companies reached 1.85 trillion, accounting for 10.35% of total investment assets [6][18]. - China Life led with a stock investment of 620.1 billion, representing 11.83% of its total assets, followed by New China Life with 199.2 billion, or 11.63% [19]. Group 5: Future Projections - By the end of 2024, insurance companies are expected to have invested 2.43 trillion in stocks, with a projected increase to 5.2 trillion by the end of 2026 if stock investment ratios rise to 11.5% [20]. - If the stock investment ratio only increases to 10%, the total investment could still reach 4.5 trillion, reflecting an increase of 880 billion from the previous year [20]. - High-dividend stocks are anticipated to remain a primary investment direction for insurance capital in 2026, serving as a safety net for equity investments [10][20].