Reuters·2026-03-17 22:22Core Insights - Prudential reported a 12% increase in annual new business profit, driven by strong performance in Asia and Africa markets [1][2] - The company plans to return over $7 billion to shareholders from 2024 to 2027, including a $1.3 billion capital return in 2027 [2][6] Financial Performance - New business profit on a traditional embedded value (TEV) basis reached $2.78 billion for the year ended December 31, up from $2.46 billion in fiscal 2024, reflecting a 12% increase on a constant exchange rate basis [2][5] - Adjusted operating profit before tax for fiscal 2025 increased to $3.31 billion from $3.13 billion the previous year, also on a constant exchange rate basis [5] Regional Highlights - New business profit in Prudential's Hong Kong unit rose by 12%, attributed to stronger sales and margins from local and Mainland Chinese customers [3][4] - The Mainland China joint venture, CITIC Prudential Life, saw a 27% increase in new business profit, supported by significant annual premium equivalent (APE) sales growth [4] - The Indonesian segment experienced an 11% growth in new business profit, driven by a shift to higher-margin products [5] Shareholder Returns - Prudential declared a second interim dividend of 18.89 cents per share, an increase from the 16.29 cents per share announced the previous year [5][6]