36氪·2025-11-04 13:14Core Viewpoint - China Ping An reported steady growth in its Q3 2025 performance, with significant increases in both operating profit and net profit, indicating resilience in its business model despite challenges in the insurance sector [5][9][10]. Financial Performance - For the first three quarters of 2025, China Ping An achieved operating profit of 116.26 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 7.2%, and net profit of 132.86 billion RMB, up 11.5% [6][9]. - The company's revenue for the same period was 832.94 billion RMB, reflecting a growth of 7.4% compared to the previous year [6][9]. - Basic earnings per share rose to 7.56 RMB, marking a 12.3% increase [6]. Business Segments - The new business value in life and health insurance surged by 46.2%, with agent channel new business value increasing by 23.3% and per agent new business value rising by 29.9% [11][7]. - The operating profit from life and health insurance was 82.54 billion RMB, a 3.6% increase, while property insurance operating profit grew by 8.3% to 15.14 billion RMB [10]. Agent Dynamics - The number of life insurance agents increased by 14,000 to 354,000 by the end of September 2025, reversing a trend of reduction since 2019 [4][7]. - This increase in agents raises questions about whether China Ping An is reverting to traditional recruitment strategies, potentially indicating challenges in its reform efforts [7][17]. Technology Investment - China Ping An has committed to investing at least 100 billion RMB in technology over the next decade, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and competitiveness [13][14]. - AI advancements have led to significant improvements, such as 94% of life insurance policies being underwritten in seconds and AI-assisted sales reaching 99.07 billion RMB [13][15]. Market Context - The increase in agents is partly attributed to improved market conditions and favorable macro policies encouraging commercial insurance development [20]. - The insurance industry saw a 6.8% year-on-year growth in premium income from January to July 2025, with life insurance premiums growing by 9.1% [20]. Strategic Implications - The return to agent recruitment may reflect pressures on performance and a need to adapt to changing market demands, potentially overshadowing the narrative of technological advancement [20][21].