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4 Insurers Poised to Outperform Estimates This Earnings Season
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Per the latest Earnings Preview, the Finance sector’s fourth-quarter 2025 total earnings are anticipated to rise 14.2% from the prior-year quarter’s figure and revenues are anticipated to improve 9.3%. Fourth-quarter results of insurance, one of the Finance sector industries, are likely to reflect improved pricing, exposure growth, portfolio streamlining, solid retention, renewals, reinsurance agreements and accelerated digitalization. A not-so-active catastrophe environment is likely to have added to the upside.
With the help of the Zacks Stock Screener, we have identified four insurers, namely Chubb Limited (CB - Free Report) , CNA Financial Corporation (CNA - Free Report) , Assurant, Inc. (AIZ - Free Report) and Sun Life Financial (SLF - Free Report) , which are poised to outperform the Zacks Consensus Estimate in fourth-quarter earnings. These stocks have the ideal combination of two ingredients — a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), 3 (Hold) — to surpass expectations. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Factors Likely to Impact Q4 Results
Prudent pricing discipline, strong policy retention and exposure growth across multiple business lines are likely to have supported premium growth during the period. Global commercial insurance rates declined in all the three reported quarters of 2025, and it is reasonable to expect a similar downward trend in the fourth quarter as well. Meanwhile, auto insurance premiums are likely to have shown improvement, supported by increased global travel activity.
The fourth quarter of 2025 was relatively benign from a catastrophe standpoint, with no major severe events reported. Insurers that have already announced their fourth-quarter results indicated lower catastrophe-related claims, which likely provided relief to underwriting results. Underwriting profitability is expected to have benefited from disciplined pricing strategies, effective reinsurance arrangements, portfolio optimization initiatives, enhanced reinsurance coverage, and favorable reserve development. Aon estimates global insured losses from natural catastrophes at approximately $127 billion for full-year 2025.
On the investment side, the Federal Reserve implemented two interest rate cuts during the fourth quarter (in October and December). Despite this, insurers’ net investment income is expected to have been supported by a larger investment asset base, robust operating cash flows, still-elevated bond yields, and higher interest income from fixed-maturity securities.
Life insurers’ sustained focus on protection-oriented products likely continued to drive solid sales growth, reflecting rising demand for protection solutions. Additionally, insurers have been increasingly introducing investment products that bundle guaranteed retirement income with life and healthcare benefits, catering to customers who prefer policies offering “living” benefits rather than pure death benefits.
The industry’s growing adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, advanced analytics, telematics, cloud computing, and robotic process automation continues to streamline operations. Ongoing investments in technology are expected to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and support margin expansion. Furthermore, strong capital positions are likely to have enabled insurers to pursue strategic mergers and acquisitions. Consistent capital returns through dividends and share repurchases continue to reinforce investor confidence.
4 Potential Outperformers This Earnings Season
Chubb boasts of being one of the world’s largest providers of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Its fourth-quarter top line is likely to have benefited from investment results as well as solid premium revenue growth, driven by a compelling product portfolio, strong retention and new business across most product lines as well as geographic presence. Chubb expects adjusted net investment income to be $1.775 billion in the fourth quarter. Expenses are expected to have increased because of higher losses and loss expenses, policy benefits, policy acquisition costs, administrative expenses and interest expenses. Share buybacks are likely to have aided the bottom line.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CB’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $6.58, suggesting an increase of 9.3% from the year-ago reported figure. CB has an Earnings ESP of +0.84% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
CNA Financial offers commercial P&C insurance products primarily in the United States. Fourth-quarter premiums are likely to have been supported by a strong product portfolio, improved retention, favorable pricing, growth across all operating segments, and solid new business momentum.
Net investment income is likely to have been driven by higher book yields and growth in the invested asset base, along with strong performance from limited partnerships and common stock holdings. Fixed-income results likely benefited from favorable reinvestment yields and strong operating cash flows.
The expense ratio likely improved on higher net earned premiums, though overall expenses are expected to have increased due to higher net incurred claims and benefits and increased amortization of deferred acquisition costs.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNA’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.20, indicating a decrease of 4% from the year-ago reported figure. CNA has an Earnings ESP of +11.67% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Assurant is a global provider of risk management solutions in the housing and lifestyle markets, protecting people’s homes and the goods they buy. Solid performance in the Global Housing segment, along with continued growth in Global Lifestyle, likely supported Assurant’s fourth-quarter results. Revenues were expected to benefit from higher net earned premiums and increased net investment income.
Net earned premiums were likely driven by higher premiums across both the Global Housing and Global Lifestyle segments. Net investment income was expected to benefit from higher yields and increased assets in fixed maturity securities, partially offset by lower income from real estate joint ventures and reduced yields and balances in cash and cash equivalents.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIZ’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $5.55, suggesting an increase of 15.9% from the year-ago reported figure. AIZ has an Earnings ESP of +13.61% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Sun Life is the third largest insurer in Canada. Its fourth-quarter results are likely to benefit from its strong presence in Asia, growing voluntary benefits business, and expanding global asset management business.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SLF’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.35, indicating an increase of 12.5% from the year-ago reported figure. SLF has an Earnings ESP of +0.99% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
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4 Insurers Poised to Outperform Estimates This Earnings Season
Per the latest Earnings Preview, the Finance sector’s fourth-quarter 2025 total earnings are anticipated to rise 14.2% from the prior-year quarter’s figure and revenues are anticipated to improve 9.3%. Fourth-quarter results of insurance, one of the Finance sector industries, are likely to reflect improved pricing, exposure growth, portfolio streamlining, solid retention, renewals, reinsurance agreements and accelerated digitalization. A not-so-active catastrophe environment is likely to have added to the upside.
With the help of the Zacks Stock Screener, we have identified four insurers, namely Chubb Limited (CB - Free Report) , CNA Financial Corporation (CNA - Free Report) , Assurant, Inc. (AIZ - Free Report) and Sun Life Financial (SLF - Free Report) , which are poised to outperform the Zacks Consensus Estimate in fourth-quarter earnings. These stocks have the ideal combination of two ingredients — a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), 3 (Hold) — to surpass expectations. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Factors Likely to Impact Q4 Results
Prudent pricing discipline, strong policy retention and exposure growth across multiple business lines are likely to have supported premium growth during the period. Global commercial insurance rates declined in all the three reported quarters of 2025, and it is reasonable to expect a similar downward trend in the fourth quarter as well. Meanwhile, auto insurance premiums are likely to have shown improvement, supported by increased global travel activity.
The fourth quarter of 2025 was relatively benign from a catastrophe standpoint, with no major severe events reported. Insurers that have already announced their fourth-quarter results indicated lower catastrophe-related claims, which likely provided relief to underwriting results. Underwriting profitability is expected to have benefited from disciplined pricing strategies, effective reinsurance arrangements, portfolio optimization initiatives, enhanced reinsurance coverage, and favorable reserve development. Aon estimates global insured losses from natural catastrophes at approximately $127 billion for full-year 2025.
On the investment side, the Federal Reserve implemented two interest rate cuts during the fourth quarter (in October and December). Despite this, insurers’ net investment income is expected to have been supported by a larger investment asset base, robust operating cash flows, still-elevated bond yields, and higher interest income from fixed-maturity securities.
Life insurers’ sustained focus on protection-oriented products likely continued to drive solid sales growth, reflecting rising demand for protection solutions. Additionally, insurers have been increasingly introducing investment products that bundle guaranteed retirement income with life and healthcare benefits, catering to customers who prefer policies offering “living” benefits rather than pure death benefits.
The industry’s growing adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, advanced analytics, telematics, cloud computing, and robotic process automation continues to streamline operations. Ongoing investments in technology are expected to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and support margin expansion. Furthermore, strong capital positions are likely to have enabled insurers to pursue strategic mergers and acquisitions. Consistent capital returns through dividends and share repurchases continue to reinforce investor confidence.
4 Potential Outperformers This Earnings Season
Chubb boasts of being one of the world’s largest providers of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Its fourth-quarter top line is likely to have benefited from investment results as well as solid premium revenue growth, driven by a compelling product portfolio, strong retention and new business across most product lines as well as geographic presence. Chubb expects adjusted net investment income to be $1.775 billion in the fourth quarter. Expenses are expected to have increased because of higher losses and loss expenses, policy benefits, policy acquisition costs, administrative expenses and interest expenses. Share buybacks are likely to have aided the bottom line.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CB’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $6.58, suggesting an increase of 9.3% from the year-ago reported figure. CB has an Earnings ESP of +0.84% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Chubb Limited Price and EPS Surprise
Chubb Limited price-eps-surprise | Chubb Limited Quote
CNA Financial offers commercial P&C insurance products primarily in the United States. Fourth-quarter premiums are likely to have been supported by a strong product portfolio, improved retention, favorable pricing, growth across all operating segments, and solid new business momentum.
Net investment income is likely to have been driven by higher book yields and growth in the invested asset base, along with strong performance from limited partnerships and common stock holdings. Fixed-income results likely benefited from favorable reinvestment yields and strong operating cash flows.
The expense ratio likely improved on higher net earned premiums, though overall expenses are expected to have increased due to higher net incurred claims and benefits and increased amortization of deferred acquisition costs.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNA’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.20, indicating a decrease of 4% from the year-ago reported figure. CNA has an Earnings ESP of +11.67% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
CNA Financial Corporation Price and EPS Surprise
CNA Financial Corporation price-eps-surprise | CNA Financial Corporation Quote
Assurant is a global provider of risk management solutions in the housing and lifestyle markets, protecting people’s homes and the goods they buy. Solid performance in the Global Housing segment, along with continued growth in Global Lifestyle, likely supported Assurant’s fourth-quarter results. Revenues were expected to benefit from higher net earned premiums and increased net investment income.
Net earned premiums were likely driven by higher premiums across both the Global Housing and Global Lifestyle segments. Net investment income was expected to benefit from higher yields and increased assets in fixed maturity securities, partially offset by lower income from real estate joint ventures and reduced yields and balances in cash and cash equivalents.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIZ’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $5.55, suggesting an increase of 15.9% from the year-ago reported figure. AIZ has an Earnings ESP of +13.61% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Assurant, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Assurant, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Assurant, Inc. Quote
Sun Life is the third largest insurer in Canada. Its fourth-quarter results are likely to benefit from its strong presence in Asia, growing voluntary benefits business, and expanding global asset management business.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SLF’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.35, indicating an increase of 12.5% from the year-ago reported figure. SLF has an Earnings ESP of +0.99% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Sun Life Financial Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Sun Life Financial Inc. price-eps-surprise | Sun Life Financial Inc. Quote