AlphaTON stock soars 200% after pioneering digital asset oncology initiative
Investing.com -- Baloise Group (SIX:BALN) on Wednesday reported a 25.5% rise in net profit for the first half of 2025 to CHF 275.9 million, up from CHF 219.8 million a year earlier, as stronger results in its non-life business and higher investment income offset weaker life premiums and a slight decline in overall business volume.
Operating profit rose 31.8% to CHF 358.5 million. The non-life business was the main driver, with EBIT increasing 85.6% to CHF 228.7 million.
Gross premiums written in the non-life segment grew 0.7% to CHF 2,734.2 million, while the combined ratio improved to 90.6% from 93.2% a year earlier. The performance came despite CHF 46.5 million in claims linked to a landslide in Blatten, Switzerland, in May.
The life business recorded stable earnings but lower volumes. Gross premiums fell 10.8% to CHF 1.93 billion, and overall life business, including investment-type premiums, decreased 2.9% in Swiss francs to CHF 2.50 billion.
Investment-type premiums rose 38.3% to CHF 574 million, while EBIT was nearly unchanged at CHF 143 million compared with CHF 144.7 million in the same period of 2024. The new business margin in life declined to 3.9% from 5.7%.
Asset Management & Banking posted EBIT of CHF 49.5 million, up from CHF 41.8 million.
Total assets under management fell to CHF 58 billion from CHF 59.5 billion at the end of 2024, but third-party assets increased to CHF 17.4 billion from CHF 16.8 billion, supported by inflows into real estate and multi-asset funds.
On the balance sheet, equity attributable to shareholders declined 4.2% to CHF 3.48 billion, while the contractual service margin stood at CHF 4.94 billion, down from CHF 5 billion at the end of 2024.
Comprehensive equity fell 3.1% to CHF 7.40 billion. The company reported an estimated Swiss Solvency Test ratio of about 215% at the end of June, compared with 204% at the start of the year.
Shares in Baloise rose 14% in the first six months of the year, closing at CHF 187.20. The company raised its dividend by 5.2% to CHF 8.10 earlier in 2025.
On April 22, Baloise and Helvetia announced plans to merge. Shareholders of both companies approved the merger on May 23, with completion expected in the fourth quarter subject to regulatory approvals.
The combined entity, Helvetia Baloise Holding Ltd, will have a business volume of CHF 20 billion across eight countries and is set to become the second-largest insurance group in Switzerland.
The companies expect annual synergies of about CHF 350 million, with 80% of that amount to be realized by 2028.