Finance
Insurer Prudential Clocks 12% Rise in Annual New Business Profit
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 17, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 17, 2026
Quick Summary
Prudential reported a 12 % rise in annual new business profit to $2.78 billion for the year ended December 31, supported by strong momentum in its Asia and Africa markets, based on TEV measures.
Prudential posts 12% rise in new business profit, flags $7 billion shareholder returns
Prudential’s Financial Performance and Strategic Updates
March 18 (Reuters) - Insurer Prudential posted a 12% rise in annual new business profit on Wednesday, helped by resilient momentum in its Asia and Africa markets.
Shareholder Returns and Capital Plans
The London and Hong Kong dual-listed company said it now expects to return more than $7 billion to shareholders over the 2024–2027 period, including a $1.3 billion capital return in 2027.
New Business Profit Growth
Overall Performance
The insurer said its new business profit on a traditional embedded value (TEV) basis was $2.78 billion for the year ended December 31, compared to $2.46 billion in fiscal 2024, up 12% on a constant exchange rate basis.
CEO’s Outlook
"We carry the momentum of 2025 into 2026 and are confident in our double-digit growth trajectory across our key metrics," CEO Anil Wadhwani said.
Regional Highlights
Hong Kong
New business profit in its key Hong Kong unit rose 12%, driven by stronger sales and margins across local and Mainland Chinese customers.
Mainland China
At the group's Mainland China joint venture, CITIC Prudential Life, new business profit rose 27%, supported by strong annual premium equivalent (APE) sales growth in the second half.
The business expanded its agency force and strengthened its partnership with CITIC, focusing on top outlets to boost productivity, while maintaining disciplined risk management.
Indonesia
Its Indonesian segment posted 11% growth in new business profit, driven by margin expansion on a shift to higher-margin products.
Adjusted Operating Profit and Dividends
In fiscal 2025, adjusted operating profit before tax increased to $3.31 billion from $3.13 billion last year, on a constant exchange rate basis.
The insurer also declared a second interim dividend of 18.89 cents per share, above the 16.29 cents apiece announced last year.
Leadership Changes
In January, the British insurer named Douglas Flint as its new chair to succeed Shriti Vadera, who is stepping down in May after five years in the role.
(Reporting by Roshan Thomas and Sneha Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
Key Takeaways
- •New business profit reached $2.78 billion, up from $2.46 billion in 2024, a 12 % constant currency increase (prudentialplc.com)
- •Growth was driven by resilient performance across Asia and Africa, underpinned by agency and bancassurance channels (prudentialplc.com)
- •This latest annual result aligns with Prudential’s broader trend of double‑digit new business profit growth in recent periods (data.fca.org.uk)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Insurer Prudential clocks 12% rise in annual new business profit
1What was Prudential's annual new business profit for the latest fiscal year?
Prudential reported a new business profit of $2.78 billion for the year ended December 31.
2How much did Prudential's new business profit increase compared to the previous year?
Prudential's new business profit increased by 12% compared to the previous year, rising from $2.46 billion.
3Which regions contributed to Prudential’s profit growth?
The Asia and Africa markets contributed significantly to Prudential's profit growth.
4On what basis is Prudential's new business profit reported?
Prudential's new business profit is reported on a traditional embedded value (TEV) basis.
5Where is Prudential listed?
Prudential is dual-listed in London and Hong Kong.
