ZACKS·2026-02-12 15:46Core Insights - Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) 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 [1][10] Financial Performance - Core earnings totaled $1.4 billion (C$1.9 billion), driven by business growth in Asia, Global Wealth and Asset Management (WAM), and Canada, though partially offset by unfavorable life insurance claims in the U.S. and lower investment spreads [2] - New business value (NBV) for the quarter was $626 million (C$874 million), a 4.1% increase year over year, attributed to a favorable business mix and margin improvements [3] - Annualized premium equivalent (APE) sales decreased by 1% year over year [3] - Wealth and asset management assets under management reached $799.7 billion (C$1,115 billion), marking a 13% year-over-year increase, despite net outflows of $6.8 billion (C$9.5 billion) [4] Segment Performance - Global Wealth and Asset Management's core earnings were $351 million (C$490 million), up 2.3% year over year, supported by higher net fee income and expense discipline [6] - Asia division's core earnings rose to $563 million (C$785 million), a 65% increase year over year, with NBV margin improving to 41.2% [7] - Canada division's core earnings increased to $296 million (C$413 million), up 6.4% year over year, driven by favorable insurance experience and business growth [8] - The U.S. division reported core earnings of $228 million (C$319 million), an 8.5% year-over-year increase, with APE sales and NBV rising by 9% and 8%, respectively [9] Return Metrics - Core return on equity expanded by 60 basis points year over year to 17.1% [5] - Adjusted book value per common share increased by 5.5% year over year to $38.27 [5] Dividend Update - The board approved a 10.2% increase in the quarterly dividend to 48.5 cents, payable to shareholders of record as of February 25, 2026 [11]