French retirees officially bring in more income than their working-aged counterparts, as Americans are struggling to find the funds to retire and support their post-employment lifestyle. Due to France’s relatively young retirement age, lofty governmental spending on pensions, and high wage replacement rate, they’re now out-earning citizens with jobs as the country’s officials try and make unpopular changes. While boomers in the U.S. and UK are being forced to go back to work because they can’t afford to ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company recorded net income of $193 million and an annualized return on equity of 15% for the second quarter [5] - Adjusted net operating income was $0.82 per diluted share compared to $0.77 in the same period last year, while net income per diluted share increased to $0.81 from $0.77 [11] - Book value per share increased to $22.11, reflecting a 13% year-over-year growth [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company wrote $16 billion of new insurance during the quarter, with insurance in force ending at $297 billion [5] - Annual persistency remained at 85%, with both insurance in force and annual persistency remaining relatively flat over the past two quarters [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The delinquency rate decreased by nine basis points to 2.21%, consistent with seasonal trends [13] - The company received 12,000 new delinquency notices, which is 5% higher than the second quarter of last year but 7% lower than 2019 [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on maintaining financial strength and flexibility to navigate various economic scenarios, with a commitment to returning excess capital to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends [7][8] - The company has authorized a 15% increase in its quarterly common stock dividend to $0.15 per share, marking five consecutive years of dividend increases [9] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The housing market faces challenges from elevated interest rates and affordability issues, but demographic trends and pent-up demand are expected to support long-term growth in mortgage insurance opportunities [9] - The company remains focused on disciplined risk management and strong underwriting standards to maintain a high-quality portfolio [6] Other Important Information - The company paid a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.13 per share, totaling $31 million, and repurchased 7.1 million shares for $181 million during the second quarter [7] - The unrealized loss position on the investment portfolio narrowed by $36 million due to a decrease in interest rates [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you remind us how you are thinking about sizing the level of capital return? - The company has been paying dividends in the range of $300 to $400 million every six months, driven by excellent credit performance and financial results [24] Question: Could there be a case where you could increase the payout further? - The company is constrained by its contingency reserve balance, but as long as capital levels remain above targets, dividends at similar levels to previous years are expected [28][29] Question: Can you talk about your expectation for home prices? - National home prices are forecasted to be flat over the next several years, with different dynamics in various regions [33] Question: Does the OpEx guidance exclude the $4 million charge? - Yes, the $4 million charge is included in the Q2 number and the full-year guidance, with expectations for smaller charges in the future [37]