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Principal Financial to Report Q2 Earnings: What's in the Cards?

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Key Takeaways

  • Operating revenues are expected to rise on higher premiums, fees, and revenues across key segments.
  • International operations are likely to have benefited from reduced expenses in Asia.
  • AUM is likely to have increased due to positive market performance and favorable exchange rates.

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG - Free Report) is expected to register a decline in its top line but an improvement in its bottom line when it reports second-quarter 2025 results on July 28, after market close.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PFG’s second-quarter revenues is pegged at $4 billion, indicating a decline of 1.7% from the year-ago reported figure.

The consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.98 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PFG’s second-quarter earnings has moved down 1.9% in the past 30 days. The estimate suggests a year-over-year increase of 21.4%.

What Our Quantitative Model Predicts

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Principal Financial this time around. This is because a stock needs to have the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). This is not the case, as you can see below:

Earnings ESP: Principal Financial has an Earnings ESP of -1.14% at present. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate of $1.96 is pegged lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.98. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: Principal Financial currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.

Factors at Play

Principal Financial’s second-quarter results are likely to reflect a rise in strong PRT sales, more favorable underwriting experience, as well as growth in the business. 

Operating revenues are likely to have increased owing to higher premiums & other considerations as well as higher fees & other revenues in Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal Asset Management and Benefits and Protection. 

Increase in variable compensation expense and decrease in borrower fees revenues related to lower production in 2025 are likely to have affected the Investment Management. Higher management fee revenues as a result of increased average AUM are likely to have offset the downside.

Lower expenses in Asia are expected to have benefited International Pension operations.

Investment income is expected to have benefited from higher average invested assets and yields in fixed maturities for U.S. operations. Lower income in other investments, particularly related to hedge funds for U.S. operations, is likely to have offset the upside. We expect net investment income to be $1.1 billion in second-quarter 2025. 

Assets under management are likely to have benefited from positive market performance and the beneficial impact of exchange rates. 

Expenses are likely to have increased due to higher benefits, claims and settlement expenses. We expect total expenses to be $4.4 billion.

Stocks to Consider

Some finance stocks with the right combination of elements to come up with an earnings beat this time around are:

American International Group, Inc. (AIG - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.18% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.58 per share, indicating a year-over-year increase of 36.2%. AIG’s earnings beat estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing in one.

Assurant, Inc. (AIZ - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.99% and carries a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $4.43 per share, implying an increase of 8.5% from the year-ago reported figure.

AIZ’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters.

Everest Group, Ltd. (EG - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.85% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $15.1, indicating a decline of 10.1% from the year-ago reported figure. 

EG’s earnings beat estimates in one of the last four quarters while missing in the other three.

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