Phoenix Shares Soar 8% in Post-Results Rally

The company, which previously bought the Standard Life pensions and savings brand, now anticipates a dramatic reduction in its debt

Alliance News 22 March, 2024 | 9:38AM
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LSE Group Main UK

Phoenix Group shares soared this morning after the life insurance and pensions business unveiled "ambitious" new targets and annual results that met – and in some areas surpassed – City expectations.

Shares in the company jumped 8.5% to 533.4p in London on Friday morning, making it the best-performing stock in the broader FTSE 100 index, which opened up 0.3%.

In its annual results, the company reported total cash generation of £2.02 billion, up 35% from £1.50 billion the year prior. This was above its upgraded target of £1.8 billion, which had been the market consensus. 

New business long-term generation rose to £1.51 billion from £1.23 billion, meeting City expectations, and achieving its 2025 target two years early.

Phoenix added this included strong growth from its pensions and savings business to €395 million from £249 million and an increase in its retirement solutions business to £1.07 billion from £934 million.

Those specific results follow its purchase of several retirement businesses, including the Standard Life brand, which it purchased from abrdn (ABDN) in 2021.

Phoenix said its solvency II surplus of £3.9 billion remained "resilient," and included a well-flagged £70 million consumer duty provision following a review of its back book products ahead of the July 2024 compliance deadline.

In 2022, the solvency II surplus had been £4.4 billion.

IFRS adjusted operating pretax profit increased 13% to £617 million from £544 million, driven by strong growth in its pension and savings business, ahead of the £599 million consensus. Pretax losses have now narrowed to £164 million from £3.51 billion.

Phoenix npw plans to grow operating cash generation by around 25% to £1.4 billion in 2026 from £1.1 billion in 2023, after which it is expected to grow at a mid-single digit rate over the long term.

These "ambitious" growth targets will support a new "progressive" and sustainable dividend policy, it said.

Phoenix increased its final dividend by 2.5% to 26.65p per share from 26p last year. This took the total payout to 52.65p from 50.8p, up 3.6%.

Phoenix intends to repay at least £500 million of debt by the end of 2026, and is aiming for £900 million of IFRS adjusted operating profit in 2026.

Around £250 million of annual cost savings are also expected by the end of 2026.

By Jeremy Cutler, Alliance News reporter

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