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Investing.com -- Aegon (AS:AEGN) shares tumbled over 8% on Thursday following its results, as concerns over solvency in its U.S. operations overshadowed otherwise stable results.
While the company’s headline operating capital generation (OCG) beat expectations, weak U.S. solvency ratios and a cautious outlook on China dampened investor sentiment.
The Dutch insurer reported an OCG of €321 million before holding costs, surpassing analyst forecasts by 7%.
However, adjusting for various one-off factors, the underlying figure of €307 million aligned closely with expectations.
More importantly, Aegon reaffirmed its 2025 OCG target of €1.2 billion, a figure that some analysts consider conservative given the potential for U.S. market tailwinds.
Despite the positive earnings beat, concerns emerged over Aegon’s risk-based capital (RBC) ratio in the United States, which came in at 443%, missing consensus estimates by nine percentage points.
Analysts at BofA Securities attributed the shortfall primarily to technical market-related factors, which resulted in a lower-than-expected contribution from favorable conditions.
While the RBC ratio is not expected to impact cash flows from Aegon’s U.S. unit, the solvency miss fueled investor concerns about financial stability.
Adding to market jitters, Aegon acknowledged a €50 million drag from its Chinese operations due to lower interest rates, a headwind that could persist.
Although this impact was already factored into its 2025 outlook, the company’s cautious approach reinforced broader market worries about economic conditions in China.
On the capital return front, Aegon maintained its dividend policy, announcing a final payout of €0.19 per share. However, the absence of a new share buyback program left investors seeking additional reassurances.
The company is currently halfway through a €150 million repurchase initiative and has signaled its intention to bring its holding cash buffer down to €1 billion by 2026.
The analysts at BofA said that while solvency concerns were valid, strong cash reserves and operational stability provided a foundation for future growth.