We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Here's Why a Hold Strategy Makes Sense for Primerica Stock Now
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
PRI's investment and savings product sales rose 23% in Q2, while client assets reached $140 billion.
PRI repurchased $270 million of stock in the first half of 2026 and raised its quarterly dividend 15%.
PRI's current-year earnings estimate calls for 9.5% growth after five upward revisions in the past month.
Primerica, Inc. (PRI - Free Report) is well-poised to grow on the back of earnings growth and the strength of its Investment and Savings Products business. Rising client assets and strong capital return remain major positives for the company. Its shares gained 15.2% in the year-to-date period, although it was below the industry’s growth of 17%.
Based in Duluth, GA, Primerica is a financial-services and life-insurance distribution company focused on middle-income households in the United States and Canada, and currently has a market cap of $9.23 billion. Courtesy of solid prospects, this presently Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is worth retaining at the moment.
Primerica’s Term Life business is showing early signs of stabilization, but a full recovery is yet to come. Second quarter policies issued fell 12% year over year to 78,904, but increased sequentially from 74,054 in the first quarter. Also, productivity rose to 0.18 policies per representative in the second quarter from 0.16 in the first quarter. Management expects second-half comparisons to improve, helped by sales initiatives and better recruiting momentum.
For now, the investment business is more than offsetting much of the life-sales weakness. Second-quarter investment and savings product sales jumped 23% to $4.4 billion, client assets reached a record $140 billion, and net inflows were $397 million. Segment revenues rose 21% to $361 million and pretax income increased 31% to $104 million. This mix is supporting earnings, though continued strength depends partly on markets, client flows and sales momentum. The near-term story, therefore, is investment-led growth while Primerica works to rebuild its distribution engine.
Another important support is capital deployment. Primerica repurchased $135 million of stock in each of the first two quarters of 2026. Its board had authorized a $475 million repurchase program for 2026, following $450 million of buybacks in 2025. The quarterly dividend was also raised 15% to $1.20 per share earlier this year.
Estimates for PRI
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Primerica’s current-year earnings is pegged at $25.09 per share, which indicates 9.5% year-over-year growth. It witnessed five upward estimate revisions in the past month against none in the opposite direction. The consensus mark for current-year revenues is pinned at $3.55 billion, signaling a 7.7% jump from a year ago.
Primerica’s earnings beat on estimates in each of the last four quarters, with the average surprise being 9.8%.
There are a few factors that investors should keep an eye on.
Primerica says economic uncertainty and pressure on middle-income households are making customers more cautious about buying life insurance, even though the need for protection still remains.
Its distribution network has not expanded enough to offset weaker productivity compared to historical levels. The life-licensed sales force stood at 148,612 at June-end, down 3% year over year. Although recruiting increased 2% in the second quarter, new life licenses fell 15%, limiting the number of representatives able to write policies.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Horace Mann Educators’ current-year earnings is pegged at $4.78 per share, which has witnessed two upward revisions over the past 30 days and no movement in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the consensus estimate for HMN’s 2026 revenues indicates a 3.9% year-over-year increase.
The consensus mark for CNO Financial’s current-year earnings is pegged at $4.74 per share, which indicates 16.2% year-over-year growth. It has witnessed two upward estimate revisions against none in the opposite direction in the past 30 days. CNO beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 23.2%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Assurant’s current year earnings is pegged at $22.05 per share, which indicates 11.5% year-over-year growth. It has witnessed five upward estimate revisions against none in the opposite direction in the past month. AIZ beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 17.7%.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
Here's Why a Hold Strategy Makes Sense for Primerica Stock Now
Key Takeaways
Primerica, Inc. (PRI - Free Report) is well-poised to grow on the back of earnings growth and the strength of its Investment and Savings Products business. Rising client assets and strong capital return remain major positives for the company. Its shares gained 15.2% in the year-to-date period, although it was below the industry’s growth of 17%.
Based in Duluth, GA, Primerica is a financial-services and life-insurance distribution company focused on middle-income households in the United States and Canada, and currently has a market cap of $9.23 billion. Courtesy of solid prospects, this presently Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is worth retaining at the moment.
Primerica’s Term Life business is showing early signs of stabilization, but a full recovery is yet to come. Second quarter policies issued fell 12% year over year to 78,904, but increased sequentially from 74,054 in the first quarter. Also, productivity rose to 0.18 policies per representative in the second quarter from 0.16 in the first quarter. Management expects second-half comparisons to improve, helped by sales initiatives and better recruiting momentum.
For now, the investment business is more than offsetting much of the life-sales weakness. Second-quarter investment and savings product sales jumped 23% to $4.4 billion, client assets reached a record $140 billion, and net inflows were $397 million. Segment revenues rose 21% to $361 million and pretax income increased 31% to $104 million. This mix is supporting earnings, though continued strength depends partly on markets, client flows and sales momentum. The near-term story, therefore, is investment-led growth while Primerica works to rebuild its distribution engine.
Another important support is capital deployment. Primerica repurchased $135 million of stock in each of the first two quarters of 2026. Its board had authorized a $475 million repurchase program for 2026, following $450 million of buybacks in 2025. The quarterly dividend was also raised 15% to $1.20 per share earlier this year.
Estimates for PRI
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Primerica’s current-year earnings is pegged at $25.09 per share, which indicates 9.5% year-over-year growth. It witnessed five upward estimate revisions in the past month against none in the opposite direction. The consensus mark for current-year revenues is pinned at $3.55 billion, signaling a 7.7% jump from a year ago.
Primerica’s earnings beat on estimates in each of the last four quarters, with the average surprise being 9.8%.
Primerica, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Primerica, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Primerica, Inc. Quote
Key Risks
There are a few factors that investors should keep an eye on.
Primerica says economic uncertainty and pressure on middle-income households are making customers more cautious about buying life insurance, even though the need for protection still remains.
Its distribution network has not expanded enough to offset weaker productivity compared to historical levels. The life-licensed sales force stood at 148,612 at June-end, down 3% year over year. Although recruiting increased 2% in the second quarter, new life licenses fell 15%, limiting the number of representatives able to write policies.
Better-Ranked Players
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader insurance space are Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN - Free Report) , CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO - Free Report) and Assurant, Inc. (AIZ - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Horace Mann Educators’ current-year earnings is pegged at $4.78 per share, which has witnessed two upward revisions over the past 30 days and no movement in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the consensus estimate for HMN’s 2026 revenues indicates a 3.9% year-over-year increase.
The consensus mark for CNO Financial’s current-year earnings is pegged at $4.74 per share, which indicates 16.2% year-over-year growth. It has witnessed two upward estimate revisions against none in the opposite direction in the past 30 days. CNO beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 23.2%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Assurant’s current year earnings is pegged at $22.05 per share, which indicates 11.5% year-over-year growth. It has witnessed five upward estimate revisions against none in the opposite direction in the past month. AIZ beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 17.7%.