Corebridge Financial, Inc. (NYSE:CRBG) is among the ridiculously cheap stocks to buy now. As of December 26, Corebridge Financial, Inc. (NYSE:CRBG) has a ‘Buy’ rating from nearly 70% of the analysts covering the stock. With a median price target of $39, the stock has an upside potential of 27.49%. Among the analysts positive on the company’s growth story is John Barnidge, an analyst at Piper Sandler, who reaffirmed a ‘Buy’ rating and price target of $40 on December 23. This reflects a potential upside of n ...

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) is included among the 13 Best Debt Free Dividend Stocks to Buy Now. Keefe Bruyette Reaffirms Market Perform on T. Rowe Price Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash On December 17, Keefe Bruyette analyst Alex Bond lowered the firm’s price target on T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) to $115 from $117 and kept a Market Perform rating. The firm still expects a supportive economic backdrop in 2026, the analyst said in a research note. A few days earlier, on December ...

"Our inclusion in the S&P MidCap 400 represents an important milestone for Corebridge, a recognition of both our commitment to growth and dedication to deliver for our customers,†said Marc Costantini, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With our robust product portfolio, strong distribution and disciplined risk management, we are well positioned to build upon this foundation to continue serving our customers, helping them meet their retirement and protection needs, while generating compelling value for ...

Strategic Highlights - Aegon aims to become a leading US life insurance and retirement group by relocating its head office and legal seat to the US, with the transition expected to be completed by January 1, 2028 [3][7] - The holding company will be renamed Transamerica Inc., while business units will continue to operate under their current brands [3][7] - Aegon plans to report under US GAAP for the first time in its full year 2027 results, ceasing trading updates in 2026 and 2027 [5][7] Financial Highlights - Aegon has set a new EUR 400 million share buyback program, to be executed evenly in the first and second halves of 2026 [7][20] - The estimated one-time implementation cost for the relocation is around EUR 350 million, expected to be incurred between the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2028 [9][7] - Aegon anticipates an operating result growth of around 5% per annum from EUR 1.5 to 1.7 billion between 2025 and 2027, driven by growth in US Strategic Assets [22][7] Business Strategy - Aegon will focus on growing third-party revenues and improving efficiency within Aegon Asset Management [7] - The company plans to maximize the value of its business portfolio by targeting underserved segments, particularly Main Street American families and medium-sized companies [5][7] - Aegon will conduct a strategic review of Aegon UK, evaluating options including potential divestment [17][7] Market Positioning - Aegon aims to grow its operating result and remittances by approximately 5% per annum, with a 2025 run-rate of USD 1.4 to 1.6 billion and USD 675 million respectively [13][7] - The company intends to increase life sales through its affiliated insurance distribution network, World Financial Group (WFG), by 14% per annum to around USD 900 million by 2027 [14][7] - Aegon will continue to invest in profitable growth in its International business, which includes markets in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, China, and Transamerica Life Bermuda [18][7]

Corebridge Financial Overview - Corebridge Financial, Inc. (NYSE:CRBG) is recognized as one of the 14 Best Up and Coming Dividend Stocks to Buy [1] - The company offers a range of retirement solutions and insurance products, including annuities, life insurance, and retirement plans for institutional clients [5] Recent Performance and Financials - Corebridge reported strong quarterly results, generating $12.3 billion in premiums and deposits, a recent high [3] - The company ended the quarter with $1.8 billion in liquidity, which includes partial proceeds from a variable annuities (VA) reinsurance deal [3] - Corebridge returned $509 million to shareholders during the period, including $381 million in share repurchases, resulting in an 80% year-to-date payout ratio [4] Analyst Insights - Morgan Stanley analyst Bob Huang downgraded Corebridge from Overweight to Equal Weight, lowering the price target from $39 to $33, citing a "less attractive" outlook for the shares [2] - Huang noted that potential Federal Reserve rate cuts could negatively impact the company's base spread income and highlighted fewer near-term catalysts following the completion of the VA reinsurance transaction [2][4] Strategic Changes - The VA reinsurance transaction has simplified Corebridge's structure, improved its risk profile, and strengthened earnings quality while supporting long-term growth potential [4]

Core Insights - American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a global insurance company providing various financial services and has outperformed the industry average with an 8.4% increase year-to-date compared to 7.1% [1] Company Overview - AIG is headquartered in New York with a market capitalization of $43.4 billion and operates in three segments: North America Commercial, International Commercial, and Global Personal [2] - The company's forward P/E ratio stands at 10.73X, higher than the industry average of 9X, indicating growing investor confidence [2] - AIG currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to solid growth prospects [2] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIG's 2025 earnings is $6.34 per share, reflecting a 28.1% year-over-year increase [3] - Revenue estimates for 2025 are pegged at $27.6 billion, with AIG beating earnings estimates in the past four quarters, averaging a surprise of 9.5% [3] Growth Drivers - AIG's revenue growth is driven by increased net premium written (NPW), high retention rates, and new business generation [4] - NPW in the North America Commercial segment rose by 6.7% year-over-year, while the International Commercial segment saw a 3.1% increase in the first half of 2025 [4] - Tata AIG, a high-growth business, recorded a compounded annual growth rate of 20% from 2020 to 2025, with expectations to maintain this growth through 2030 [5] Strategic Initiatives - AIG plans to launch underwriter assistance for Lexington Middle Market and Property & Casualty businesses in Q3 2025, with a broader rollout in 2026 [6] - The company is scaling Gen AI across underwriting and developing AIG claims assistance [6] Financial Performance - AIG's expense ratio is improving due to changes in business mix, expense discipline, and an enhanced premium base, leading to operational efficiency [7] - Total benefits, losses, and expenses decreased by 2.4% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, attributed to lower general operating and other expenses [7] Shareholder Value - AIG has demonstrated robust cash generation, rewarding shareholders with $4 billion in share buybacks and $488 million in dividends in the first half of 2025 [8] - The company repurchased shares worth $467 million from July 1 to August 1, 2025, with a total debt to capital ratio of 18.2%, below the industry average of 34.2% [8] Challenges - AIG faces a deteriorating combined ratio across its business lines, with year-over-year deterioration of 70 bps, 100 bps, and 430 bps in North America Commercial, International Commercial, and Global Personal segments, respectively [11] - Catastrophe losses have impacted underwriting margins, with losses of $1.1 billion in 2023, increasing by 9.4% in 2024 and 59.4% in the first half of 2025 [12] - AIG's return on equity (ROE) stands at 7.9%, lower than the industry average of 14.8%, indicating relative inefficiency in utilizing shareholder funds [12]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1][2]. Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum methodologies, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the short term [2][3]. - Stocks are rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3]. Value Score - The Value Style Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [3]. Growth Score - The Growth Style Score emphasizes a company's financial health and future growth potential, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4]. Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score is designed for traders looking to capitalize on price trends, utilizing factors like recent price changes and earnings estimate shifts [5]. VGM Score - The VGM Score combines Value, Growth, and Momentum scores, providing a comprehensive rating to identify stocks with the best overall potential [6]. Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.75% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7][8]. - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [9]. Company Spotlight: American International Group (AIG) - AIG is a prominent global insurance organization offering a range of services, including property casualty insurance and retirement solutions, operating in over 80 countries [11]. - Currently rated 3 (Hold) by Zacks, AIG has a VGM Score of B and a Momentum Style Score of B, with shares increasing by 4.2% in the past month [11][12]. - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 have led to a consensus estimate increase of $0.07 to $6.33 per share, with an average earnings surprise of +9.5% [12].

Core Viewpoint - CNO Financial Group reported strong second quarter results for 2025, with revenue and non-GAAP earnings per share exceeding analyst expectations, despite declines in net income compared to the previous year [1][5][7] Financial Performance - GAAP revenue reached $1,151.5 million, significantly higher than the estimated $747.81 million, marking an 8.0% increase year-over-year from $1,066.2 million in Q2 2024 [2][5] - Non-GAAP earnings per share were $0.87, slightly above the expected $0.86, but down 17.1% from $1.05 in Q2 2024 [2][7] - GAAP net income decreased by 21.1% compared to Q2 2024, while non-GAAP net operating income also fell [7][8] Business Overview - CNO Financial Group focuses on providing life and health insurance products primarily to middle-income Americans, operating through its Consumer and Worksite Divisions [3] - The company utilizes a mix of exclusive and independent agents along with direct marketing to distribute its products [3] Key Success Factors - The effectiveness of the agent and distribution strategy, prudent investment management, and product innovation are critical for the company's success [4] - The company is focusing on agent recruitment, sales growth, and the implementation of digital processes [4] Premium Growth - New annualized premiums increased by 17%, driven by a 22% rise in new life insurance premiums and an 11% increase in new health insurance premiums compared to Q2 2024 [6] - Both Consumer and Worksite divisions reported double-digit gains in new annualized premiums, with a notable increase in digital sales channels [6] Investment and Capital Management - Book value per share rose to $25.92, up 13.7% from $22.80 a year earlier, supported by a share buyback of 2.6 million shares totaling $100.0 million [9] - The company's statutory risk-based capital (RBC) ratio was 378%, indicating strong financial stability [9] Product Innovation - The company continues to innovate with new products, including indexed annuities with lifetime income guarantees and enhanced worksite offerings [10] - Technological advancements, such as accelerated underwriting for simplified life insurance, have contributed to operational improvements [10] Outlook - Management reaffirmed its fiscal 2025 outlook, aiming to improve operating return on equity by 150 basis points through 2027 [12] - The company anticipates further profitability growth through balanced business expansion and disciplined expense management [12]