Voya Financial Inc. (NYSE:VOYA) is one of the 13 Deep Value Stocks to Buy Right Now. RBC Capital analyst Mark Dwelle, on February 9, slightly increased his target price on Voya Financial by 2.4% to $87 (from $85) and retained his Outperform call on the stock. He liked what he saw in Voya’s Q4 2025 results, which were released on February 4 and headlined by a 54% YoY increase in adjusted operating earnings and 39% YoY increase in adjusted operating EPS, prompting the change in target price. More specifical ...

Key Takeaways BHF's Q4 adjusted EPS fell 33% Y/Y and missed estimates as revenues slipped 4.5%.Expenses jumped 315% Y/Y on market risk changes and higher DAC, VOBA amortization.Brighthouse Financial's RBC ratio hit 456%, above its 400-450% target range.Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (BHF) reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted net income of $3.93 per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 24.3%. The bottom line decreased 33.2% year over year.Total operating revenues of $2.2 billion decreased 4.5% y ...

Core Viewpoint - The private equity industry is increasingly targeting the 401(k) retirement plan market, aiming to offer alternative investments to everyday Americans, with major firms like Apollo, Blackstone, KKR, and Carlyle leading the charge [1][3][5]. Industry Trends - Private equity firms are expanding into the 401(k) ecosystem, seeking to monetize the 70 million 401(k) account holders in the U.S. [4][5]. - The market for U.S. defined-contribution retirement plans is valued at $14 trillion, presenting a lucrative opportunity for private equity firms [5]. - There is a growing interest in integrating alternative investments, such as private equity and real estate, into retirement plans, especially following regulatory changes aimed at easing access [6][18]. Market Dynamics - Interviews with industry professionals indicate a broad push from private equity firms to handle retirement plans and wealth management, capitalizing on the increasing wealth of high-net-worth individuals [2][3]. - The private-asset industry has been lobbying for government support to include alternative investments in 401(k) plans, with recent executive orders facilitating this shift [6][18]. - Despite the push, many 401(k) investors are satisfied with their current options, and only a few plans are considering adding private assets [14][21]. Competitive Landscape - Major firms like Mercer and T. Rowe Price are exploring partnerships to create private-asset funds for retirement accounts, indicating a shift in traditional asset management practices [19][20]. - Smaller private equity firms have acquired over 900 independent firms providing retirement and wealth management services, indicating a consolidation trend in the industry [12]. - Record-keeping firms, such as Empower, are also becoming advocates for alternative investments, launching funds in collaboration with private equity firms [25]. Concerns and Challenges - Some industry participants express concerns that alternative asset managers may prioritize their institutional clients over retail investors, potentially leading to conflicts of interest [9][26]. - The current market conditions show pension funds and endowments pulling back from private equity, raising questions about the sustainability of returns in this sector [10][11].

Company Overview - Voya Financial is a leading provider of retirement, investment, and employee benefits solutions in the United States, serving both institutional and individual clients [6][8] - The company generates revenue primarily from fees on retirement plan assets, asset management services, and insurance premiums [7] - As of February 12, 2026, Voya Financial reported a trailing twelve-month revenue of $8.19 billion and a net income of $733 million [4] Recent Developments - Gator Capital Management, LLC initiated a new position in Voya Financial by purchasing 125,270 shares, with an estimated transaction value of $9.33 million [2][3] - This new position represents 1.89% of Gator Capital's reported U.S. equity assets as of December 31, 2025 [3] - Voya Financial shares were priced at $74.10 as of February 12, 2026, reflecting a 3.6% increase over the past year, although it trailed the S&P 500 by 9.3 percentage points [3] Financial Metrics - Voya Financial's dividend yield is reported at 2.54% [4] - The company's stock price as of market close on February 12, 2026, was $74.10 [4]

Core Viewpoint - RBC Capital analyst Mark Dwelle has increased the price target for Voya Financial (VOYA) to $87 from $85 while maintaining an Outperform rating on the shares [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Voya's Q4 performance showcased strong organic growth in Investment Management [1] - There was notable commercial momentum in the Retirement segment [1] - The company demonstrated strong excess capital generation [1]

Core Insights - Voya Financial reported strong performance in 2025, generating $775 million in cash, significantly up from the previous year, and achieving record results in its Retirement and Investment Management segments, totaling $1 trillion in assets [5][6] - The company is entering 2026 with momentum, focusing on cash generation, strong commercial performance, and improved profitability in employee benefits [6] Revenue and Earnings - Voya set targets of $200 million in revenue growth and $75 million in earnings, significantly exceeding these goals, with retention rates around 90% [1] - The retirement business achieved close to a 40% margin in 2025, surpassing the guided range of 35% to 39%, with $28 billion in organic flows and an additional $60 billion from the OneAmerica transaction, totaling nearly $90 billion in asset growth [2] Capital Management - The company plans to direct $300 million towards share repurchases in the first half of the year, with approximately $400 million in excess capital expected by year-end [3][4] - Management emphasized balance sheet strength and flexibility in capital deployment, indicating that share repurchases do not preclude future acquisitions [3][4] Wealth Management Strategy - Voya's wealth management initiative is an expansion of existing business, generating about $200 million in revenue from retirement-related activities, which constitutes roughly 10% of the retirement business [7] - The company aims to serve the "mass affluent" participant base, leveraging its existing audience of retirement plan participants to minimize lead-generation costs [8] Investment Management Growth - Voya's investment management segment has outpaced industry growth with steady margin improvement, targeting 2% organic growth long-term [12] - A partnership with Blue Owl is set to launch a Multi-Manager Target-Date Fund in the first half of 2026, enhancing Voya's product offerings [12] Employee Benefits Performance - Employee benefits improved significantly, with pre-tax adjusted operating earnings rising from $40 million in 2024 to over $150 million in 2025, with expectations for further improvement in 2026 [14] - Voya achieved substantial rate increases, with a 21% increase on the January 2025 block and a 24% increase on the January 2026 block, maintaining premium stability year over year [15] Market Position and Future Outlook - Voya is positioned as a top-five provider in the retirement recordkeeping market, which is undergoing consolidation, with the top 10 providers controlling about 80% of assets [6] - The company anticipates continued elevated volatility in the healthcare sector, while focusing on growing cash generation and returning capital to shareholders [17]

Core Insights - Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (RGA) reported strong fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted operating earnings of $7.75 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 32.3% and reflecting a 55.3% increase year over year [2][10] - The company's operating revenues reached $6.8 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.9% and showing a year-over-year growth of 23.4% driven by higher net investment income [3][10] Financial Performance - Net premiums for RGA totaled $4.8 billion, marking a 15% increase year over year and beating the Zacks Consensus Estimates by 9.5% [7] - Investment income rose significantly by 42.7% from the prior-year quarter to $1.7 billion, also exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimates by 13.6% [7] - The average investment yield improved to 5.2% from 4.8% in the previous year, attributed to higher variable investment income [7] Segment Performance - RGA's performance was robust in the Asia/Pacific, U.S., Latin America, and Canada segments, although it faced challenges in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) segment and the Corporate and Other segments [4][10] - In the U.S. and Latin America, total pre-tax adjusted operating income was $325 million, a 43.2% increase year over year, with the Traditional segment contributing $222 million, up 47% [11] - Canada saw a 60% year-over-year increase in pre-tax adjusted operating income to $64 million, with net premiums growing 4.2% to $347 million [12] Full-Year Highlights - For the full year 2025, adjusted operating earnings were $22.72 per share, slightly above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.57, reflecting a 13.3% year-over-year increase [18] - Total revenues for 2025 reached $23.9 billion, modestly exceeding the consensus estimate of $23.6 billion, while net premiums declined by 3.4% to $17.2 billion [18] Capital Deployment - RGA deployed $2.5 billion into in-force block transactions, including $1.5 billion into a transaction with subsidiaries of Equitable Holdings, Inc. [20] - The company repurchased shares worth $50 million in the quarter and $125 million in total for 2025 [20] - A quarterly dividend of 93 cents was declared, with payment scheduled for March 3, 2026 [20] Financial Position - As of December 31, 2025, RGA's total assets were $156.6 billion, reflecting a 32% year-over-year increase [19] - Book value per share, excluding accumulated other comprehensive income, rose 8.8% year over year to $164.66 [19] - Adjusted operating return on equity was 14.7%, representing a 90-basis-point increase from the previous year [19]

Core Insights - Voya Financial reported strong financial performance for 2025, exceeding targets with over $1 billion in pre-tax adjusted operating earnings and $775 million in excess capital generation [1][3][7] - The company achieved a 22% increase in earnings per share (EPS), reaching $8.85, with a notable 39% year-over-year growth in Q4 EPS [2][7] Financial Performance - Pre-tax adjusted operating earnings were more than $1 billion, an increase of $168 million from the previous year [2] - Adjusted return on equity expanded by over 200 basis points to 18.6% [1] - The company generated $775 million in excess cash for 2025, surpassing its $700 million target [1][3] Business Segments Retirement - The Retirement segment had a record year, generating nearly $1 billion in adjusted operating earnings, up 17% from 2024 [8] - Defined contribution net flows exceeded $28 billion, the highest in the company's history, contributing to a 30% increase in total DC assets to approximately $730 billion [9] - Fee-based revenue in Retirement surpassed $1.4 billion, driven by commercial momentum and the integration of OneAmerica [8][9] Investment Management - Investment Management achieved record annual net revenue of $1 billion, with 4.8% organic growth, exceeding long-term targets [10] - The segment's performance was supported by broad-based flows of about $15 billion across various channels and strategies [10] - Adjusted operating earnings for Investment Management were $226 million, with both institutional and retail revenues increasing year-over-year [10][11] Employee Benefits - Employee Benefits showed significant margin recovery, with adjusted operating earnings rising to $152 million from $40 million the previous year [12] - Stop Loss loss ratios improved from 94% to 84%, despite a $37 million reserve build in Q4 [5][13] - The company achieved an average net effective rate increase of 24% for January 2026, up from 21% the previous year [15] Capital Deployment and Future Priorities - Voya plans to repurchase $150 million of shares in Q1 and expects a similar pace in Q2 of 2026 [17] - Future priorities include growing excess cash generation, maintaining balance sheet strength, and improving Employee Benefits margins [18] - The company is assessing M&A opportunities in the retirement sector while prioritizing shareholder capital returns [18]

Core Insights - Markel Group Inc. (MKL) reported fourth-quarter 2025 net operating earnings per share of $34.45, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 34.7%, and reflecting a 68% year-over-year increase [1][8] - The company's total operating revenues reached $4 billion, marking a 7.6% increase year over year, driven by higher earned premiums and net investment income [2][8] - Markel's combined ratio improved by 300 basis points year over year to 92.7, indicating stronger underwriting performance across all segments [3][8] Quarterly Operational Update - Total operating revenues of $4 billion rose 7.6% year over year, attributed to higher earned premiums, net investment income, and other revenue streams [2] - Earned premiums increased 7.6% year over year to $2.2 billion in the quarter [2] - Net investment income grew 5.7% year over year to $257.6 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $240 million [2] Expense Analysis - Total operating expenses increased 5.5% year over year to $3.4 billion, driven by higher losses, underwriting, and other operational costs [3] - The combined ratio improved by 300 basis points year over year to 92.7, reflecting enhanced underwriting performance [3] Segment Performance - Markel Insurance: Operating revenues increased 7% year over year to $2.4 billion, with adjusted operating income rising 31% to $398.7 million [4] - Industrial: Operating revenues rose 4% year over year to $1 billion, but adjusted operating income decreased 26% to $79.6 million [4] - Financial: Operating revenues surged 41% year over year to $224.1 million, with adjusted operating income increasing 58% to $107.1 million [4] Financial Update - As of December 31, 2025, Markel had investments, cash, and cash equivalents totaling $37.4 billion, a 9.3% increase from the end of 2024 [6] - Senior long-term debt decreased 0.6% year over year to $4.3 billion [6] - Shareholders' equity was reported at $18.6 billion, up 9.9% from the end of 2024 [7] Full-Year Highlights - Underwriting profit increased 25% year over year to $502.6 million [10] - Net income per share was $169.22, reflecting a decline of 15.1% year over year [10] - Total operating revenues grew 4.7% year over year to $15.5 billion, with the combined ratio improving by 100 basis points to 94.2 [10]

Core Insights - Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted operating income of $3.30 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2%, but reflecting an 11.5% year-over-year increase [1][10] - Total revenues reached $14.52 billion, marking an 11.6% year-over-year increase, driven by higher premiums, net investment income, and asset management fees, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6% [2][10] - Total benefits and expenses amounted to $13 billion, up 11.8% year over year, primarily due to increased insurance and annuity benefits and interest credited to policyholders [3] Operational Update - Prudential Global Investment Management (PGIM) reported adjusted operating income of $249 million, a decrease of 3.8% year over year, attributed to higher expenses and lower revenues from seed and co-investment income, partially offset by increased asset management fees [4] - PGIM's assets under management increased by 7% year over year to $1.466 trillion, driven by equity market and fixed income appreciation [5] - The U.S. Businesses segment delivered an adjusted operating income of $1 billion, up 22% year over year, due to favorable underwriting results and lower expenses, despite a decline in net fee income [5] - International Businesses reported adjusted operating income of $757 million, a 2% year-over-year increase, supported by improved net investment spread results [6] - Corporate and Other segment incurred an adjusted operating loss of $552 million, wider than the previous year's loss, primarily due to increased expenses [7] Capital Deployment - Prudential Financial returned $730 million to shareholders through share repurchases of $250 million and dividends of $480 million in the fourth quarter [8] - The board authorized a 4% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to $1.40 per share, marking the 18th consecutive year of dividend increases [9] Financial Update - As of December 31, 2025, cash and cash equivalents stood at $19.7 billion, a 6.5% increase from the end of 2024, while total debt increased by 0.7% to $20.3 billion [11] - Assets under management and administration rose by 7% year over year to $1.8 trillion, with adjusted book value per common share increasing by 4.5% to $100.17 [11] - Operating return on average equity improved by 110 basis points year over year to 13.3% [12] Full-Year Update - For the full year 2025, adjusted operating income was $14.43 per share, a 14.3% increase from 2023, although it missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.4% [13] - Total revenues for the year were $57.6 billion, a 15% decrease from 2024, but still beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.9% [13]