Sun Life declares dividends on Common and Preferred Shares payable in Q1 2026 [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationTORONTO, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - The Board of Directors (the "Board") of Sun Life Financial Inc. (the "Company") (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) today announced that a dividend of $0.92 per share on the common shares of the Company has been declared, payable March 31, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 25, 2026. This is the same amount as paid in the previous qu ...

Core Insights - Sun Life U.S. has been recognized as a Top Place to Work by the Boston Globe for eight consecutive years, reflecting its strong employee engagement and workplace culture [1][2][3] - The company has also received national recognition, including the USA Today Top Workplace award for five consecutive years, highlighting its commitment to employee satisfaction [1][3] Employee Engagement and Culture - Sun Life U.S. emphasizes a caring and purpose-driven culture, with a near 95% employee retention rate, indicating high levels of employee engagement [2][3] - The Wellesley office is the largest hub, housing approximately 1,300 employees, and the company operates in six U.S. cities and one office in Ireland [2][7] Work Environment and Benefits - Sun Life offers a flexible, hybrid work model that allows employees to choose their workdays, promoting better work/life balance [2][3] - The company provides a comprehensive range of benefits, including paid family and medical leave, mental health support, and a sabbatical program available every five years [3][7] Community Engagement - Sun Life U.S. maintains strong community ties, partnering with the Boston Celtics and supporting local initiatives like the YMCA of Greater Boston [4] Company Overview - Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization with total assets under management of C$1.62 trillion as of September 30, 2025 [5] - The company operates in multiple markets worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, and several Asian countries, providing a wide array of financial services [5][6]

Core Insights - Companies with a strong history of dividend payments and increases are attractive to income-focused investors, with Merck, Altria, and Genuine Parts recently announcing dividend hikes and offering yields up to 7% [1] Merck - Merck & Co. has raised its dividends for 14 consecutive years, with the latest increase on Nov. 19 raising the quarterly payout from $0.77 to $0.81 per share, resulting in an annual figure of $3.24 per share [3] - The current dividend yield for Merck is 3.49% [3] - As of Sept. 30, Merck's annual revenue was $64.23 billion, and Q3 2025 revenues were reported at $17.28 billion with an EPS of $2.58, both exceeding consensus estimates [4] Altria - Altria Group has a remarkable track record of increasing dividends for 56 years, with the most recent hike on Aug. 21 raising the quarterly payout from $1.02 to $1.06 per share, equating to an annual figure of $4.24 per share [5] - The current dividend yield for Altria is 7.29% [5] - Altria's annual revenue as of Sept. 30 was $20.17 billion, with Q3 2025 revenues of $6.07 billion and an EPS of $1.45, both surpassing consensus estimates [6] Genuine Parts - Genuine Parts Co. has consistently raised its dividends for 69 years, with the latest increase on Feb. 18 raising the quarterly payout by 3% to $1.03 per share, resulting in an annual figure of $4.12 per share [8] - The current dividend yield for Genuine Parts is 3.24% [8]

Group 1 - Sun Life Financial Inc. (NYSE:SLF) is considered one of the best safe stocks to buy currently, with Goldman Sachs increasing its holdings by 282.5% in the first quarter, acquiring 2,050,891 additional shares, bringing its total to 2,776,920 shares valued at $159,006,000 [1] - The company is ideal for investors seeking stable income, offering an attractive dividend yield, solid underlying earnings, and a conservative payout ratio, supported by a diversified business mix and strong market presence [2] - Sun Life Financial's transition to a capital-light business model has been successful, enhancing its asset management capabilities as revealed during the Barclays 23rd Annual Global Financial Services Conference [3] Group 2 - Sun Life Financial Inc. is a Canadian financial services company founded in 1871, providing asset management, wealth, insurance, and health solutions, with a commitment to achieving lifetime financial security [4]

Group 1: Safe Stocks Overview - Safe stocks are characterized by a solid balance sheet, consistent earnings, and a compelling business model, making them attractive for risk-averse investors [1][3] - Investing in low-volatility stocks can yield strong results, as they tend to perform well even when the overall market is down [3] Group 2: Methodology for Stock Selection - A list of safe stocks was compiled using the Finviz stock screener, filtering for large-cap stocks with a beta of under 1, a P/E ratio of under 25, a debt-to-equity ratio of under 0.6, and an ROE of over 10% [4] - Stocks are ranked based on the number of hedge fund holdings, utilizing data from Insider Monkey's Q2 2025 database [4][5] Group 3: Company Profiles - **Sun Life Financial Inc. (NYSE:SLF)**: - The company has 15 hedge fund holdings and saw Goldman Sachs increase its stake by 282.5%, now owning shares valued at $159 million [6][7] - Sun Life offers stable income through attractive dividends and solid earnings, with a diversified business model [7][9] - The company is transitioning to a capital-light business model, enhancing its asset management capabilities [8] - **TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE)**: - The company has 23 hedge fund holdings and is expected to see a modest upside of 4.6% according to TD Cowen [10] - TotalEnergies is involved in a significant seawater supply project and the development of the Ratawi oil field, indicating strong future prospects [11] - By 2030, the company anticipates that 50% of its revenue will come from LNG production and 20% from renewable energy [12][13] - **Cincinnati Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:CINF)**: - The company has 27 hedge fund holdings, with Brendel Financial Advisors increasing its position by 729.8% [14][15] - Cincinnati Financial's insurer financial strength ratings were upgraded to 'AA-' from 'A+', reflecting its stability and strong capitalization [15][16] - The company operates in property casualty insurance and maintains an equity holding nearly twice the industry average [16][17]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the full year 2024, the company achieved organic revenue growth of 6% and total revenue growth of 17% [5][20] - Adjusted operating income increased by 17%, leading to a 10% growth in adjusted earnings per share (EPS) [5][20] - Free cash flow reached $2.8 billion, reflecting strong operating income growth and working capital improvements [29][20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4, organic revenue growth for commercial risk was 6%, driven by strength in North American core P&C business and international contributions [21][22] - Reinsurance organic revenue also grew by 6% in Q4, supported by strong treaty placements and interest in catastrophe bonds [23] - Health solutions experienced 5% growth in Q4, while wealth solutions delivered 8% organic revenue growth, driven by demand for pension risk transfer consulting [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a flat net market impact from growth and exposures in rates, with a modestly negative rate impact in reinsurance [24][25] - The overall market remains under-penetrated, with increasing demand driven by megatrends in trade, technology, weather, and workforce [76] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is executing its 3x3 plan, focusing on risk capital and human capital, Aon client leadership, and Aon Business Services [8][15] - The integration of NFP is progressing well, with expectations of achieving $45 million to $60 million in targeted acquired EBITDA in 2025 [19][42] - Continued investment in client-facing talent and innovative technology-driven solutions is prioritized to support growth [15][36] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management highlighted increasing volatility and complexity in client environments, necessitating enhanced risk management solutions [6][7] - The company expects to maintain mid single-digit or greater organic revenue growth, continued margin expansion, and strong adjusted EPS growth in 2025 [5][36] - Management expressed confidence in achieving a double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in free cash flow from 2023 to 2026 [20][36] Other Important Information - The company paid down $2.1 billion in debt and returned $1.6 billion in capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [19][29] - Adjusted operating margin for Q4 was 33.3%, reflecting a 140 basis point expansion [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Integration of NFP and future M&A opportunities - Management confirmed that the integration of NFP is on track and expressed confidence in pursuing additional M&A opportunities as the platform becomes more integrated [43][44][46] Question: Growth in Reinsurance Solutions and ILS market - Management noted that the ILS business is a smaller component of reinsurance but is driving growth, with interest in catastrophe bonds and other innovative risk transfer solutions [51][53] Question: Retention improvement efforts and M&A Services rebound - Management highlighted strengthening retention rates, particularly in North America, and noted that M&A services are expected to pick up modestly [60][63] Question: Seasonal expectations for Q1 in commercial risk - Management indicated that there are no specific seasonal expectations for Q1, but they remain committed to achieving mid single-digit growth [72][74] Question: EPS growth guidance - Management provided detailed guidance on organic revenue growth and margin expansion, indicating confidence in achieving strong EPS growth [85][88]