Key Takeaways PRU is seeing strong demand for retirement products as U.S. aging trends boost long-term growth. Prudential Financial is expanding in Japan, Brazil and Malaysia to drive international earnings growth. PRU faces capital strain from annuities and lower sales tied to product repricing and reserve accretion. Shares of Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) have lost 6.4% in the past year, underperforming the industry’s growth of 0.9%.The insurer has a market capitalization of $36.40 billion. The average ...

Core Insights - Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) shares are trading at a discount compared to the Zacks Multi-line Insurance industry, with a price-to-earnings multiple of 7.62, lower than the industry average of 9.23X, the Finance sector's 17.51X, and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite's 23.44X. The company has a Value Score of A [1] - The market capitalization of Prudential Financial is $39.88 billion, with an average trading volume of 1.63 million shares over the last three months [1] Valuation and Performance - PRU shares closed at $113.33 on Dec. 29, trading above the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages of $107.88 and $105.65, indicating solid upward momentum [3] - Shares of Prudential Financial have gained 5.5% over the last six months, outperforming the industry's growth of 4.5% [8] Growth Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Prudential Financial's 2025 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 14.8%, with estimates for 2026 earnings per share and revenues rising by 2.7% and 0.7%, respectively, from the 2025 estimates [4] - Each of the eight analysts covering PRU has raised earnings estimates for 2025, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings moving up by 4.2% and 0.4%, respectively, in the past 60 days [10] Strategic Initiatives - Prudential Financial is experiencing strong demand for retirement products, particularly for baby boomers, with projections indicating that nearly 25% of the U.S. population will be 65 years or older by 2050. The company aims to leverage its distribution network and product portfolio to gain a competitive edge [13] - The company is focused on long-term growth through strategic investments, acquisitions, and partnerships in emerging markets, particularly in Japan, Brazil, and Malaysia, which offer significant opportunities despite annuity pressures [7][15] Dividend and Shareholder Returns - Prudential Financial has increased its dividend for the past 16 years, balancing investments for business growth with returning capital to shareholders [16] Analyst Sentiment and Market Position - The average price target from 15 analysts for PRU is $118.33 per share, indicating a potential upside of 3.8% from the last closing price [11] - The company has a VGM Score of B, reflecting attractive value, growth, and momentum compared to peers, and currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [19]

Core Insights - Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) shares are trading at a discount compared to the Zacks Multi-line Insurance industry, with a price-to-earnings multiple of 7.28, lower than the industry average of 8.57X, the Finance sector's 17X, and the Zacks S&P 500 composite's 23.36X [1] - The company has a market capitalization of $37.99 billion and an average trading volume of 1.63 million shares over the last three months [1] Growth Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Prudential Financial's 2025 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 14.6%, with 2026 earnings per share and revenues expected to increase by 2.7% and 0.8%, respectively, from 2025 estimates [3] - Seven of the eight analysts covering the stock have raised earnings estimates for 2025, and four have raised estimates for 2026 over the past 30 days, with the consensus estimates moving up by 4.1% and 0.4%, respectively [8] Price Performance - Shares of Prudential Financial have lost 9% year-to-date, underperforming the industry's growth of 5% [4] Analyst Sentiment - The average price target from 15 analysts for Prudential Financial is $117.07 per share, indicating a potential 8% upside from the last closing price [9] Strategic Initiatives - Prudential Financial is experiencing strong demand for retirement products, particularly for baby boomers, with projections indicating that nearly 25% of the U.S. population will be 65 years or older by 2050 [11] - The company is focused on long-term growth through strategic investments, acquisitions, and partnerships in emerging markets, aiming to build scale and complement its business [12] - Prudential has a strong international presence, particularly in Japan, Brazil, and Malaysia, which offers significant growth opportunities despite pressures in the annuity market [13] Dividend Policy - Prudential Financial has increased its dividend for the past 16 years, balancing investments for business growth with returning capital to shareholders [14] Conclusion - The company benefits from solid asset-based businesses, improved margins in Group Insurance, and international operations, with a high-performing asset management business and deeper reach in the pension risk transfer market serving as catalysts for long-term growth [15]

Core Viewpoint - Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) is currently experiencing a short-term bullish trend as it trades above its 50-day simple moving average (SMA), which is a key indicator for identifying support and resistance levels [1] Price Performance - Year-to-date, Prudential Financial shares have declined by 8%, underperforming the Finance sector and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite, which grew by 12.5% and 9.8% respectively [2] - The company's market capitalization stands at $38.4 billion, with an average trading volume of 1.6 million shares over the last three months [2] Valuation Metrics - Prudential Financial shares are trading at a price-to-forward 12-month earnings ratio of 7.58X, which is lower than the industry average of 9.15X, indicating that the shares are affordable compared to peers [4] Earnings Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Prudential Financial's 2025 earnings per share indicates an 8.1% year-over-year increase, with revenue estimates at $55.73 billion [6] - For 2026, earnings per share and revenues are projected to rise by 8.5% and 4.2% respectively from the 2025 estimates [9] Analyst Sentiment - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings has increased by 1.4% in the past 30 days, while the estimate for 2026 has risen by 0.5% during the same period [10] Growth Drivers - Key growth drivers for Prudential include strong asset-based operations, gains in Group Insurance, and an expanding international presence, particularly in Japan, Brazil, and Malaysia [8][14] - The company ranks among the top five U.S. individual life insurers, supported by recurring premium growth and an expanded product mix [17] Financial Strategy - Prudential Financial is focused on enhancing shareholder value through consistent capital returns, having raised its dividend five times in the past five years, reflecting a 4.27% growth in payouts [19] - A $1 billion share buyback program was approved in December 2024, with $500 million remaining under authorization [19] Financial Challenges - The company faces challenges from prolonged low interest rates, rising expenses, and weaknesses in its group disability business, which pressure margin expansion [20] - As of June 30, 2025, total debt reached $20.9 billion, a 4% increase from the end of 2024, leading to a debt-to-equity ratio of 39.32%, higher than the industry average [22]

Core Viewpoint - Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) has underperformed in the past year, with a share price decline of 16.2%, contrasting with the industry's slight decline of 0.7% and the S&P 500's decrease of 2.1% [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - PRU shares are currently trading below the 50-day moving average, indicating a bearish trend [1] - The market capitalization of Prudential Financial is $33.94 billion, with an average trading volume of 1.91 million shares over the last three months [1] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - PRU shares are trading at a price to forward 12-month earnings ratio of 6.64X, which is lower than the industry average of 8.04X, presenting a better entry point for investors [4] - The company has a Value Score of B, indicating relative affordability compared to peers [4] Group 3: Growth Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects a year-over-year increase of 12.4% in earnings per share for Prudential Financial in 2025, with further increases of 6.3% and 3.6% for 2026 earnings per share and revenues, respectively [5] Group 4: Market Demand and Competitive Edge - There is a significant demand for retirement benefit products among baby boomers, with projections indicating that nearly 25% of the U.S. population will be 65 years or older by 2050 [6] - Prudential's extensive distribution network, strong product portfolio, and brand image provide a competitive advantage [6] Group 5: Strategic Initiatives - The company is focused on long-term growth through strategic initiatives, including programmatic acquisitions and partnerships in emerging markets [7][9] - Prudential has a strong international presence, particularly in Japan and Brazil, which are expected to contribute significantly to earnings growth [10] Group 6: Dividend Policy - Prudential Financial has consistently increased its dividend for the past 16 years, balancing business growth investments with capital returns to shareholders [11] Group 7: Business Challenges - The company faces challenges related to its exposure to products like annuities and universal life, which may strain capital due to low interest rates [13] - Sales of individual annuities are expected to remain low in the near term as the company adjusts its product offerings [13]