Core Insights - Manulife's President and CEO, Phil Witherington, will engage in a fireside chat with TD Securities Analyst, Mario Mendonca, on November 19, 2025, to discuss the company's recent business performance and updated enterprise strategy [1]. Company Overview - Manulife Financial Corporation is a prominent international financial services provider, operating under the name Manulife in Canada, Asia, and Europe, and as John Hancock in the United States [2]. - The company offers financial advice, insurance, and investment services, serving over 36 million customers globally, with a workforce of more than 37,000 employees and over 109,000 agents [2]. - Manulife trades as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and Philippine stock exchanges, and as '945' in Hong Kong [2].

Core Viewpoint - Security National Financial Corporation (SNFC) reported a significant decrease in after-tax earnings for the third quarter of 2025, with a 34% drop compared to the same period in 2024, highlighting challenges in the current financial landscape while noting some operational improvements and strategic management changes [1][2]. Financial Performance - For the three months ended September 30, 2025, after-tax earnings fell to $7,815,000 from $11,831,000 in 2024, marking a 34% decrease [1]. - For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, after-tax earnings decreased by 30% to $18,866,000 from $26,578,000 in 2024 [1]. - The company achieved a Return On Equity (ROE) of 7.9% for the nine months, which, if annualized, would be 10.5%, an improvement from 8.5% reported in June [1]. Business Segments Overview - The Mortgage Segment reported profitability for the quarter, marking only the third profitable quarter in the last three years, despite ongoing challenges in the mortgage market [2]. - The Cemetery and Mortuary Segment showed improved results over Q3 2024, with stabilized preneed cemetery land sales [2]. - The Life Insurance Segment experienced weak earnings primarily due to Deferred Acquisition Costs (DAC), Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL), and lower unrealized gains on common stock [2]. Revenue and Earnings Breakdown - For Q3 2025, the revenues and earnings before taxes for each segment were as follows: - Life Insurance: Revenues of $50,790,000 (up 4.0% from $48,853,000) with earnings of $7,042,000 (down 43.0% from $12,358,000) [3]. - Cemeteries/Mortuaries: Revenues of $8,928,000 (up 4.5% from $8,543,000) with earnings of $3,045,000 (up 7.2% from $2,841,000) [3]. - Mortgages: Revenues of $29,608,000 (down 4.1% from $30,878,000) with earnings of $66,000 (up 312.5% from $16,000) [3]. - For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, total revenues were $261,607,000 (up 2.5% from $255,253,000) with earnings before taxes of $24,060,000 (down 29.7% from $34,224,000) [3]. Shareholder Information - As of September 30, 2025, there were 24,697,314 Class A equivalent shares outstanding [5]. - An earnings call is scheduled for November 14, 2025, to review the third-quarter results and provide updates on the business segments [5].

The German insurer expects to make at least 17 billion euros in operating earnings for the year as a whole after an increase in earnings over the first nine months. ...

Amanda Blanc, chief executive of Aviva, left, with Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, at the Guildhall in London last year - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg The chief executive of Aviva has urged Rachel Reeves not to launch a raid on salary sacrifice pension schemes. Amanda Blanc, the boss of the investment and insurance giant, warned Treasury officials to “think carefully” before cutting incentives on the tax breaks offered on workplace pensions, adding that it could discourage workers from saving for their retireme ...

Core Viewpoint - RLI Corp. has declared a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share and a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per share, reflecting the company's strong financial position and commitment to shareholder value [1][2]. Dividend Announcement - The special cash dividend is expected to total approximately $184 million and will be payable on December 19, 2025, to shareholders of record as of November 28, 2025 [1]. - The regular quarterly cash dividend is set at $0.16 per share [1]. Financial Performance - RLI Corp. has returned over $1.6 billion to shareholders over the past decade, demonstrating disciplined execution and prudent capital management [2]. - The company has maintained a strong balance sheet, which supports its ongoing commitment to delivering long-term shareholder value [2]. Company Overview - RLI Corp. is a specialty insurer that serves niche property, casualty, and surety markets, providing deep underwriting expertise and superior service [3]. - The company has paid and increased regular dividends for 50 consecutive years and has delivered underwriting profits for 29 consecutive years [3].

Core Viewpoint - Ambac Financial Group (AMBC) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive trend in earnings estimates which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Ratings - The Zacks rating system is based solely on a company's changing earnings picture, tracking the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS from sell-side analysts [2]. - The Zacks rating upgrade for Ambac reflects an improved earnings outlook, which is expected to positively impact its stock price [3][5]. Impact of Earnings Estimate Revisions - There is a strong correlation between earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements, making the Zacks rating system valuable for investors [4][6]. - Rising earnings estimates for Ambac indicate an improvement in the company's underlying business, likely leading to higher stock prices [5]. Performance of Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - Ambac's upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, suggesting potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10]. Current Earnings Estimates for Ambac - Ambac is expected to earn -$0.65 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, with no year-over-year change, but the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased by 3.7% over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rating System Characteristics - The Zacks rating system maintains a balanced proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings across its universe of over 4,000 stocks, with only the top 5% receiving a "Strong Buy" rating [9].

Core Viewpoint - AM Best has revised the outlook for ZhongAn Online P & C Insurance Co., Ltd. to positive from stable, affirming its Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a-" (Excellent) [1][2] Financial Performance - ZhongAn has returned to profitability in 2023, with non-insurance segments, technology and banking, achieving breakeven in 2024 and June 2025 respectively [3] - The company is expected to continue delivering profits, supported by positive performance from underwriting and investment, along with improved earnings stability from its non-insurance business [3] Balance Sheet Strength - ZhongAn's balance sheet strength is assessed as very strong, underpinned by its strongest risk-adjusted capitalisation level as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR) [4] - Capital and surplus reached RMB 21.6 billion (USD 2.95 billion) at the end of June 2025, with expected growth of over 15% from new shares issuance in July 2025 [4] Business Profile - ZhongAn is viewed as a leader in innovation, being the first online-only property/casualty insurance company in China, leveraging technology to issue industrialised digital policies at large scale [5] - The company's domestic market share has increased to 2.0% in terms of direct premiums written, improving its market position to eighth in China's P&C sector in 2024 [5] - Technology export revenue has grown significantly, with clientele from banking, insurance, and securities industries [5]

Company Performance - Barrick's revenue totaled US$4.15 billion, an increase from US$3.37 billion year-over-year [1] - Barrick's adjusted earnings per share rose to 58 cents, compared to 30 cents per share a year ago [1] - MEG Energy reported net earnings of $159 million, down from $167 million in the same period last year [5][7] - Loblaw's profit attributable to common shareholders was $794 million, up from $777 million a year ago [9][13] - Manulife's net income attributed to shareholders was $1.8 billion, slightly down from $1.84 billion year-over-year [15] Production and Pricing - Barrick's gold production decreased to 829,000 ounces from 943,000 ounces a year ago, while the realized gold price increased to US$3,457 per ounce from US$2,494 per ounce [2] - Copper production for Barrick rose to 55,000 tonnes from 48,000 tonnes, with a realized copper price of US$4.39 per pound, up from US$4.27 per pound [2] - MEG Energy's production reached a record of 108,166 barrels per day, compared to 103,298 barrels per day in the prior-year quarter [6] Dividends and Corporate Changes - Barrick increased its quarterly base dividend to 12.5 cents per share from 10 cents, with an additional performance dividend of five cents per share, totaling 17.5 cents per share [3] - Barrick appointed Mark Hill as interim president and CEO following the departure of Mark Bristow, and is seeking a permanent replacement [3] Market Trends - Loblaw's food retail same-store sales increased by 2%, while drug retail same-store sales rose by 4%, with pharmacy and health-care same-store sales growth of 5.9% [11] - Manulife's core earnings in Asia and Canada reached record levels, with US$550 million in Asia and US$428 million in Canada [16]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the increased risk of cooking fires during Thanksgiving, highlighting the need for safety precautions in the kitchen [2][3]. Company Overview - Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY) is a multi-line insurance provider offering personal auto, homeowners, renters, and commercial insurance across various states, including Arizona, California, and Texas [4][5]. - The company has been operational since 1962, providing competitive rates and excellent customer service through over 4,200 employees and a network of more than 6,340 independent agents [5]. Safety Recommendations - The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported a significant increase in home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day, with 1,446 incidents in 2023, representing a 388% rise over the daily average [2]. - Key safety tips include never leaving cooking food unattended, establishing a three-foot kid-free zone, wearing close-fitting clothing, keeping flammable items away from heat, and having fire extinguishers and smoke alarms ready [3][7]. - Special caution is advised when using turkey fryers, which should be operated outdoors and away from the house [7].

Core Insights - The primary concern for UK SMEs is not underinsurance, as only 14.5% express being very concerned about it, ranking it lowest among 23 assessed risks [2][3] - The most pressing issues for SMEs include the cost-of-living crisis (31.3%), revenue generation (27%), and political changes (25.7%) [2][3] - A significant 74% of SMEs globally are underinsured, indicating a disconnect between perceived risks and actual coverage needs [4] Group 1: Underinsurance Concerns - Only 14.5% of UK SMEs are very concerned about being underinsured, making it the least concerning issue [2] - Hiscox's report indicates that 74% of SMEs worldwide remain underinsured, with 55% lacking essential coverage types [4] - A large portion of SMEs lacks understanding of key insurance types, with 77% unable to describe cyber insurance and 80% for professional indemnity [4] Group 2: Operational Focus - UK SMEs are primarily focused on immediate operational challenges, which leads to deprioritization of long-term financial risks like underinsurance [3] - The lack of concern for underinsurance may stem from unfamiliarity with comprehensive protection and evolving risks [5] - Many SMEs have not reviewed their insurance policies in over three years, indicating a gap in awareness and understanding [4] Group 3: Opportunities for Insurers - There is a clear opportunity for insurers and brokers to provide targeted solutions to address the underinsurance issue [5] - Proactive coverage reviews and simplified product explanations can help SMEs identify and understand their coverage gaps [5] - Enhancing education and transparency around insurance options is essential for reducing the protection gap and safeguarding SMEs [5]