Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-03-20 07:03Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the report is that AIA Group maintains a "Buy" rating for AIA Insurance (01299) and raises the OPAT forecast for 2026 and 2027 by 3.2% and 3.9% respectively, with a target price set at HKD 109 [1] - AIA's new business value (VONB) for 2025 is projected to grow by 17% year-on-year to USD 5.5 billion, slightly below expectations due to lower sales growth in mainland China and Thailand, offset by a 4 percentage point increase in VONB margin to 58.5% [1] - The increase in profit margin is attributed to strategic changes in product mix in Thailand and Hong Kong, as well as repricing benefits in mainland China [1] Group 2 - AIA's total shareholder return slightly exceeded expectations, with a share buyback plan totaling USD 1.7 billion, higher than the expected USD 1.6 billion, resulting in a total shareholder return rate of 4.1% for 2025 when combined with annual dividends [1] - The embedded value increased by 10% year-on-year to USD 76.8 billion, and the operating ROEV rose by 90 basis points to 15.8%, benefiting from positive investment and operational variances, VONB growth, and foreign exchange gains [1] - The company's operating profit (OPAT) accelerated to an 8% increase, reaching USD 7.1 billion, driven by increased contract service margin (CSM) releases and positive operational variances [2]