PRU

With a market cap. of $40.8 billion, Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) is a global financial services company and active investment manager with approximately $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026, operating across the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The company provides investment, insurance, and retirement solutions to expand financial security and opportunity, backed by more than 150 years of expertise and a longstanding reputation for strength and stability. The Newark, New Jersey-based is set to announce its fiscal Q3 2026 results after the market closes on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Ahead of this event, analysts expect the company to report an after-tax adjusted operating income of $3.47 per share, down 18.5% from $4.26 per share in the year-ago quarter. It has surpassed Wall Street's earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion. - Broadcom's Hock Tan Says AI's Next Bottleneck Isn't Chips, Power, or Memory. It's Not a Tech Problem at All. - Google Hits Major Quantum Breakthrough. This Could Be a Game-Changer for GOOGL Stock. - 63 Reasons Point to CoreWeave's Default. Yet Goldman Sachs Upgraded It to a 'Buy' for 1 Key Reason. - Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. For fiscal 2026, analysts project the financial services company to post an after-tax adjusted operating income of $14.20, a decline of 1.6% from $14.43 in fiscal 2025. However, after-tax adjusted operating income is expected to rise 1.8% year-over-year to $14.45 in fiscal 2027. Shares of Prudential Financial have increased 15.8% over the past 52 weeks, outpacing both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 14.4% gain and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLF) 8.1% return over the same period. Prudential Financial reported stronger Q2 2026 results on Aug. 4, with after-tax adjusted operating income increasing to $4.08 per share, driven by gains in its investment management and individual life insurance businesses. Its PGIM unit's adjusted operating income climbed to $294 million and individual life adjusted operating income more than doubled to $176 million. Assets under management also grew to $1.64 trillion from $1.58 trillion, supported by strong investment performance, platform integration, distribution investments, and product diversification. Analysts' consensus view on PRU stock is cautious, with an overall "Hold" rating. Among 19 analysts covering the stock, 15 recommend "Hold," one suggests "Moderate Sell," and three indicate "Strong Sell." As of writing, the stock is trading above the average analyst price target of $111.13. On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com

Technology-driven insurance provider Neptune Insurance Holdings Inc. NP is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 20, after the closing bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter's earnings is currently pegged at 16 cents per shareon revenues of $54.97 million. The third-quarter earnings estimate has remained stable over the past 60 days. The bottom-line projection indicates a year-over-year jump of 45.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues implies year-over-year growth of 23.9%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research For full-year 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Neptune's revenues is pegged at $201.15 million, implying an increase of 26.1% year over year. Also, the consensus mark for the current year EPS is pegged at 54 cents, signaling a rise of around 31.7% on a year-over-year basis. NP's earnings beat the consensus estimate in two of the past four quarters, met once and missed on the other occasion, with the average surprise being 2.2%. Neptune Insurance Holdings Inc. price-eps-surprise | Neptune Insurance Holdings Inc. Quote Our proven model predicts a likely earnings beat for the company this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is precisely the case here. Neptune has an Earnings ESP of +1.82% and carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Neptune is expected to post solid third-quarter growth, supported by an increase in policies in force, higher revenue per employee and a larger workforce. The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects commission income to rise 23.6% year over year to $41.93 million, while fee income is expected to grow 22.4% to $12.79 million. Growth in policies in force is another positive. The period-end figure is expected to reach 323,300, up 2.3% from the previous quarter. This is likely to lift premium in force to $432.7 million, a 3.3% sequential increase. Neptune is also expected to see better workforce productivity, with revenue per employee projected to increase 15.1% year over year. The average number of employees is expected to grow 13.8% from the year-ago quarter, further supporting business expansion. Together, these trends could help Neptune deliver year-over-year growth and beat earnings expectations. However, higher operating expenses, driven by increased commissions and general and administrative costs, could partly offset some of the gains. Here are some other companies worth considering from the broader insurance space, as our model shows that these, too, have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this time around: MetLife, Inc. MET has an Earnings ESP of +1.90% and a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MetLife's bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at $2.65 per share, up 13.3% from a year ago. The consensus estimate for MET's revenues is pegged at $20.07 billion, indicating 12.1% year-over-year growth. Prudential Financial, Inc. PRU has an Earnings ESP of +0.39% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Prudential Financial's bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at $3.47 per share, which witnessed six upward estimate revisions over the past 60 days against one downward movement. The consensus estimate for PRU's revenues is pegged at $14.60 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company WTW has an Earnings ESP of +0.52% and a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Willis Towers' bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at $3.60 per share, which indicates 17.3% year-over-year growth. The consensus estimate for WTW's revenues is pegged at $2.48 billion, an 8.3% increase from a year ago. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Neptune Insurance Holdings Inc. (NP) : Free Stock Analysis Report MetLife, Inc. (MET) : Free Stock Analysis Report Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (WTW) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. MRSH is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 15, before the opening bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter's earnings is currently pegged at $1.96 per shareon revenues of $6.63 billion. The third-quarter earnings estimate has witnessed two upward revisions and four downward movements over the past 60 days. The bottom-line projection still indicates a year-over-year increase of 6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues implies year-over-year growth of 4.5%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research For the full year 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Marsh's revenues is pegged at $28.52 billion, implying growth of 5.7% year over year. The consensus mark for the current year EPS is pegged at $10.44, signaling an increase of around 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. Marsh's earnings beat the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters, with the average surprise being 4.1%. Marsh price-eps-surprise | Marsh Quote Our proven model predicts a likely earnings beat for the company this time around as well. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That's precisely the case here. Marsh has an Earnings ESP of +0.42% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Both the Zacks Consensus Estimate and our model estimate for total Risk and Insurance Services revenues indicate 4.1% year-over-year growth. Revenues from the United States and Canada are expected to grow 4.5% from a year ago. Adjusted operating income from the Risk and Insurance Services segment is pegged at $1.02 billion, indicating 5.6% growth. The consensus mark for total Mercer revenues suggests a 3.7% year-over-year jump, while our model suggests 3% growth. The consensus estimate for total Consulting revenues indicates 4.9% year-over-year growth, whereas our model signals a 4.1% increase. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for adjusted operating income from the segment of $565.7 million signals a 3.8% rise from a year ago. The consensus estimate for consolidated organic revenue growth is pegged at 3.9% for the to-be-reported quarter. The above-mentioned factors are likely to have positioned MRSH for year-over-year growth and an earnings beat in the third quarter. However, rising costs will likely partly offset the positives. Our model estimate for total operating expenses is pegged at $5.32 billion, which suggests a nearly 3% year-over-year increase due to higher compensation, benefits and other operating expenses. Also, the consensus mark for interest income signals a 27% decline from a year ago. Here are some other companies worth considering from the broader insurance space, as our model shows that these, too, have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this time around: MetLife, Inc. MET has an Earnings ESP of +2.04% and a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MetLife's bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at $2.64 per share, a 12.8% jump from a year ago. The consensus estimate for MET's revenues is pegged at $20.10 billion, indicating 12.3% year-over-year growth. Prudential Financial, Inc. PRU has an Earnings ESP of +0.69% and a Zacks Rank of 2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Prudential Financial's bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at $3.44 per share, which witnessed five upward estimate revisions over the past 60 days against one downward movement. The consensus estimate for PRU's revenues is pegged at $14.60 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company WTW has an Earnings ESP of +0.52% and a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Willis Towers' bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at $3.60 per share, which indicates 17.3% year-over-year growth. The consensus estimate for WTW's revenues is pegged at $2.48 billion, an 8.3% increase from a year ago. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Marsh (MRSH) : Free Stock Analysis Report MetLife, Inc. (MET) : Free Stock Analysis Report Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (WTW) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? Prudential (PRU), which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Multi line industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This financial services company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 14.50%. For the most recent quarter, Prudential was expected to post earnings of $3.47 per share, but it reported $4.08 per share instead, representing a surprise of 17.58%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $3.24 per share, while it actually produced $3.61 per share, a surprise of 11.42%. For Prudential, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Prudential currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.96%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

- Interested in Southern Copper Corporation? Here are five stocks we like better. - Three stocks, Southern Copper, Prudential Financial, and Illinois Tool Works, carry low consensus analyst ratings despite rising price targets and solid fundamentals. - Analysts often keep bearish or neutral ratings while quietly raising price targets, signaling improving business conditions ahead of upcoming earnings reports. - Each company has a distinct long-term catalyst, including copper demand, rising long-term yields, and data center-driven industrial demand, that could prompt future upgrades. Analyst ratings are frequently used to identify stocks to buy or sell. However, it's important to understand the psychology behind analysts' ratings. Analysts rarely like to be early. That's where investors can find opportunities. Analysts will frequently issue or reiterate a bearish (Reduce) or neutral (Hold) rating on a stock, even as they raise their price targets. That's a signal to investors that the underlying business looks good, but analysts are waiting to see more. → 5 Oversold Corners of the Market That Could Bounce If Breadth Finally Improves It's particularly important to pay attention to this psychology heading into earnings season. Earnings reports can provide the proof that leads to upgrades and raised price targets. Heading into this earnings season, the MarketBeat's Lowest-Rated Stocks screener shows three stocks where this dynamic exists. Each company on this list has a long-term catalyst that should allow investors to look beyond the current analyst sentiment and take a long-term position in the respective stocks. → First Citizens BancShares vs MP Materials: A Tale of 2 Regulation Bets Industrial metals, such as copper, are performing well. For example, as of Oct. 5, 2026, the spot price of copper is up about 31% in the last 12 months. However, it's been virtually flat since May 2026. That's the starting point for understanding the investment case for Southern Copper (NYSE: SCCO). The stock is up over 63% in the last 12 months and approximately 46% year-to-date. Investors have been front-loading SCCO in anticipation of higher copper prices brought on by a historic supply-demand imbalance. → Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You? The problem is that the imbalance isn't showing up in the underlying commodity price. That's a key reason why analysts are bearish on SCCO. Of the 15 analysts tracked by MarketBeat, seven give the stock a Sell rating. The consensus rating is Reduce, and the stock has a consensus price target of $146.84, which is over 28% below its price as of this writing. But the important thing to remember about the metals sector is that inevitable doesn't mean imminent. The International Energy Agency (IEA) is still projecting a supply gap of roughly 25% by 2035 based on currently anticipated projects. The skeptics can focus on the word "anticipated." But the reality is that even if some data center construction is delayed, there are still many structural reasons to believe copper demand will increase. Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU) is a good example of a stock where the consensus ratings and the price targets are in conflict. The 16 analysts tracked by MarketBeat give PRU a consensus rating of Reduce, including five Sell ratings. The consensus price target of $109.31 is about 4% below the stock price as of this writing. But many analysts are raising their price targets well above the consensus level. In most of those cases, a rating of Neutral is an upgrade from where they were. This tracks with a key trend in the insurance sector. Higher long-term yields are a tailwind for life insurance and annuity providers. This began showing up in the company's Q2 2026 earnings report and is likely to show strong momentum when the company reports its Q3 earnings in early November. Skeptics will point to a 10-year trend in which PRU has met resistance at a price around $120, which is about 5% above its price as of this writing. But long-term yields haven't been sustained at these levels in over 20 years. Plus, over that time period, PRU has delivered a total return of over 118%. That includes its dividend, which has increased for 18 consecutive years and currently yields nearly 5% with an annual payout per share of $5.60. Industrials have had a solid year, but that hasn't shown up in the performance of Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW). The stock has increased by 7.6% so far this year, but its gain over the past 12 months is just under 2%. This is despite the company posting solid year-over-year beats on its top and bottom lines. Illinois Tool Works also raised its full-year guidance on the top and bottom lines. One reason is strong demand in welding and electronics brought on by data center construction. Analysts remain unimpressed. Out of the 13 analysts tracked by MarketBeat, five give ITW a Sell rating. The consensus rating is Reduce, and the consensus price target of $282 as of this writing is only a gain of about 6.8%. However, since the company's last earnings report, some analysts have moved their price targets sharply higher. That's the backdrop for the company's Q3 2026 earnings report, scheduled for the end of October. A strong print could reverse the negative sentiment on a stock that is still slightly undervalued at around 23x forward earnings. Plus, Illinois Tool Works is a Dividend King that's increased its dividend for 55 consecutive years. That dividend currently yields about 2.6%. The article "3 Low-Rated Stocks Analysts May Be Underestimating Ahead of Q3 Earnings" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for October 2026.

Equitable Holdings, Inc. EQH is gaining momentum across businesses that generate recurring revenues tied to client assets and advisory activity. Wealth Management and Asset Management are contributing alongside the company's traditional retirement and insurance operations. In the second quarter of 2026, Wealth Management delivered $2 billion of advisory net inflows, while assets under administration climbed 27% year over year to $140.6 billion. The wealth business also delivered strong operating performance. Advisor productivity increased 13% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, helping adjusted operating earnings rise 20% to $60 million. The increase was supported by higher client assets and advisory fees. As these businesses expand, EQH is building a more fee-oriented earnings profile, with a greater contribution from recurring asset-based revenues. AllianceBernstein (AB) adds another layer to this strategy. The asset management business reported $0.8 billion of net inflows in the second quarter, while adjusted operating earnings increased as higher base fees supported results. Equitable Holdings has deployed $25 billion to AB's private-markets platform, which had $91 billion of assets under management at quarter-end. That creates another avenue for fee growth as private-market capabilities expand. Retirement remains a major part of EQH's earnings base. However, growth in Wealth Management, Asset Management and private markets is increasing the contribution from fee-based businesses. If these trends persist, Equitable Holdings could develop a more diversified earnings base with less reliance on traditional insurance economics alone. Some of EQH's competitors in the insurance space include Prudential Financial, Inc. PRU and MetLife, Inc. MET. Prudential's fee-based operations are showing stronger momentum. PRU's PGIM business' adjusted operating income rose 28.4% year over year to $294 million in the second quarter of 2026, supported by higher asset-management fees, while assets under management increased 4% year over year to $1.5 trillion. MetLife's investment-management business is also expanding. MIM's adjusted earnings increased 6% year over year to $57 million in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting business growth and expense management, while the PineBridge integration has further broadened MET's asset-management scale. Over the past year, Equitable Holdings' shares have risen 5.9% compared with the industry's growth of 3.5%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, EQH trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 6.17, below the industry average of 8.71. Equitable Holdings carries a Value Score of B. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EQH's 2026 earnings implies 15.6% growth from the year-ago period. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Equitable Holdings currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) : Free Stock Analysis Report MetLife, Inc. (MET) : Free Stock Analysis Report Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

In late August 2026, Prudential Financial issued and completed multiple senior unsecured fixed-rate note offerings across 2029–2036 maturities, raising tens of millions of US dollars at par with small discounts to face value. By staggering coupons and maturities, while mixing callable and non-callable structures, Prudential appears to be fine-tuning its long-term funding profile and interest expense. We’ll now examine how Prudential’s stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings, alongside this targeted debt issuance, shape its investment narrative. Explore 25 top quantum computing companies leading the revolution in next-gen technology and shaping the future with breakthroughs in quantum algorithms, superconducting qubits, and cutting-edge research. To own Prudential Financial, you really need to be comfortable owning a large, diversified insurer that is leaning on steady, if unspectacular, earnings growth, disciplined capital returns and a still-evolving leadership team. The stronger-than-expected Q2 2026 results, backed by solid performance in PGIM and international operations, reinforce the idea that the earnings base is more resilient than the past five-year profit trend might suggest. The late August fixed-rate note issuances add another layer: by locking in longer-term funding and slightly reshaping its debt stack, Prudential may modestly influence near-term interest expense but is unlikely to shift the main catalysts around product momentum, capital deployment or potential acquisitions. The bigger swing factors remain execution in new product lines, any sizable dealmaking and how the relatively new management bench performs under pressure. However, one risk in particular could catch income-focused investors off guard if conditions change. Prudential Financial's shares have been on the rise but are still potentially undervalued. Find out how large the opportunity might be. Three Simply Wall St Community fair values span roughly US$113 to just over US$250, underlining how far apart individual views can be. Set against recent earnings strength and fresh long-term debt issuance, that spread shows why it can pay to compare several independent takes on Prudential’s future profitability and balance sheet resilience. Explore 3 other fair value estimates on Prudential Financial - why the stock might be worth over 2x more than the current price! Disagree with existing narratives? Extraordinary investment returns rarely come from following the herd, so go with your instincts. A great starting point for your Prudential Financial research is our analysis highlighting 5 key rewards and 1 important warning sign that could impact your investment decision. Our free Prudential Financial research report provides a comprehensive fundamental analysis summarized in a single visual - the Snowflake - making it easy to evaluate Prudential Financial's overall financial health at a glance. Every day counts. These free picks are already gaining attention. See them before the crowd does: The future of work is here. Discover the 36 top robotics and automation stocks leading the charge in AI-driven automation and industrial transformation. AI is about to change healthcare. These 37 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10b in market cap - there's still time to get in early. Rare earth metals are the new gold rush. Find out which 30 stocks are leading the charge. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include PRU. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Prudential (PRU). Shares have lost about 0.3% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Prudential due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. PRU Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on PGIM and International StrengthPrudential Financial, Inc. reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted operating income of $4.08 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.47 by 17.6%. The bottom line increased 14% year over year. Total revenues rose 4.8% to $14.15 billion and matched the consensus estimate. Results benefited from stronger PGIM and International Businesses earnings, while assets under management increased 3.9% to $1.64 trillion. Premiums decreased 1.6% year over year to $6.33 billion. However, policy charges and fee income increased 6.4% to $1.14 billion. Net investment income rose 12% year over year to $5.15 billion, while asset management fees, commissions and other income increased 9.2% year over year to $1.54 billion. These gains helped adjusted operating income before taxes increase 9.7% year over year to $1.83 billion. PGIM revenues increased 6.1% year over year to $1.11 billion. Adjusted operating income surged 28.4% year over year to $294 million, reflecting higher asset management fees driven by equity market appreciation and strong investment performance. The metric beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.6%. The segment also benefited from higher net service, distribution and other revenues. These gains were partially offset by the impact of net outflows and higher interest rates. PGIM assets under management increased 4% to $1.49 trillion, primarily driven by equity market appreciation and strong investment performance. Total net inflows were $1.6 billion, as third-party inflows of $4.6 billion more than offset affiliated outflows of $3 billion. U.S. Businesses generated adjusted operating income of $957 million, up from $955 million a year ago. A favorable impact from the annual assumption update offset higher expenses and less favorable underwriting.Retirement adjusted operating income declined slightly to $392 million from $397 million. Higher expenses and unfavorable mortality and run-off experience in the pension risk transfer block outweighed improved net investment spread results. Retirement account values increased 4.2% year over year to $362.73 billion. Quarterly sales totaled $6.8 billion, including $3.6 billion of retail annuity sales, supported by demand for registered index-linked annuity products. Group Insurance adjusted operating income increased 24% year over year to a record $155 million. The metric beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 31.4%. The increase reflected a favorable assumption update, better life underwriting from favorable mortality and higher spread income, partly offset by growth-related expenses.Year-to-date Group Insurance sales climbed 25.6% to $599 million. Growth was driven by disability products, including supplemental health offerings and continued momentum in the Premier middle-market segment.Individual Life adjusted operating income more than doubled to $176 million from $82 million. The metric beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.1%. More favorable assumption updates, improved underwriting and higher spread income supported the increase.Second-quarter Individual Life sales rose 9.2% year over year to a record $237 million, primarily due to sustained demand for variable accumulation products. U.S. Legacy Products adjusted operating income declined 33.3% year over year to $234 million. The metric missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.4%. The decrease reflected a less favorable assumption update, weaker guaranteed universal life underwriting and lower fee income from the continued run-off of traditional variable annuities. Legacy annuity account values decreased 7.1% year over year to $76.09 billion. Net outflows from the run-off block more than offset the benefit of market appreciation.Total benefits and expenses increased 4.1% year over year to $12.33 billion. Operating expenses rose 6.1% year over year to $1.73 billion, while interest credited to policyholders’ account balances increased 21.6% year over year to $1.38 billion. International Businesses adjusted operating income increased 12.4% year over year to $855 million. Results benefited from higher spread income, a favorable assumption update, increased joint venture earnings and continued business growth in Brazil. The metric beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.8%. These gains were partly offset by higher expenses and less favorable underwriting linked to Prudential of Japan’s voluntary sales suspension. Constant-dollar sales fell 32.5% year over year to $361 million, primarily due to the suspension.Corporate and Other recorded an adjusted operating loss of $279 million compared with the year-ago loss of $280 million. Prudential Financial now expects the segment’s full-year 2026 loss to total $1.55 billion. Parent company highly liquid assets totaled $4.2 billion, exceeding the company’s target of more than $3 billion. Total assets increased 3.2% year over year to $783.55 billion. Adjusted book value per share increased 4.7% year over year to $100.91. Adjusted operating return on equity expanded 150 basis points to 16.4%. Prudential Financial returned $743 million to shareholders during the quarter, including $250 million through share repurchases and $493 million in dividends. The quarterly dividend was $1.40 per share. It turns out, estimates revision have trended upward during the past month. Currently, Prudential has a subpar Growth Score of D, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with an A. Following the exact same course, the stock has a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top 20% for value investors. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Prudential has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Prudential is part of the Zacks Insurance - Multi line industry. Over the past month, Everest Group (EG), a stock from the same industry, has gained 1.3%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended June 2026 more than a month ago. Everest Group reported revenues of $3.96 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -11.8%. EPS of $14.85 for the same period compares with $17.36 a year ago. For the current quarter, Everest Group is expected to post earnings of $8.58 per share, indicating a change of +13.8% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -4.7% over the last 30 days. Everest Group has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of D. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Everest Group, Ltd. (EG) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Interested in Prudential Financial, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. Prudential reported strong Q2 results: Adjusted operating income rose 14% year over year to approximately $1.4 billion, or $4.08 per share, while operating return on equity increased to 15.5%. The company is narrowing its focus: Prudential plans to concentrate on the U.S., Japan and select European markets, exit roughly six or seven emerging markets, and redirect more than $3 billion of supporting capital toward PGIM, retirement and U.S. protection businesses. Efficiency and growth targets increased: Prudential raised its cost-savings goal to $750 million in annual pre-tax run-rate benefits by the end of 2028, while targeting a substantially larger contribution from PGIM and continued expansion in annuities, group insurance and individual life. Will the Fed Cut or Pause? These Finance Stocks Can Win Either Way Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU) outlined a refreshed multi-year strategy centered on narrowing its geographic footprint, expanding selected businesses, increasing the contribution from capital-light operations and reducing costs, while reporting second-quarter adjusted operating income that rose 14% from a year earlier. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Sullivan said the company intends to focus its capital, talent and management attention on the U.S., Japan and select European markets. The plan calls for Prudential to reduce the footprint of its retirement and insurance operations by roughly half, exiting emerging markets while seeking to maximize the value of those businesses through sales. → Sandisk Just Delivered a Blowout Quarter—Here's Why the Stock Is Falling 3 Finance Stocks to Buy on Rising 10-Year Treasury Rates “The status quo is not an option,” Sullivan said, describing a strategy designed to build a simpler company with fewer priorities and stronger execution. Prudential said it expects to free up well north of $3 billion of supporting capital through its emerging-market exits. Sullivan told analysts that the company expects the exits, which encompass approximately six or seven markets, to be primarily sales of businesses rather than shutdowns. → 4 Oil and Gas ETF Plays as Prices Stay Sky-High Institutional Investors Bet $1B on These 4 Stocks—Should You? The company did not provide a timetable or identify specific markets, saying the process will take time as it seeks suitable buyers and outcomes for customers, employees and shareholders. Sullivan characterized the broader strategic effort as a longer-term, roughly five-year undertaking, though he said the company will actively pursue capital deployment opportunities throughout that period rather than waiting until the end. Prudential plans to rotate capital toward PGIM, its asset-management business; U.S. Group Insurance; and retirement capabilities, particularly in Europe. Sullivan said the company has broadened the range of areas in which it may pursue inorganic growth beyond asset management alone. → No Hangover: Revisiting Microsoft One Week After Earnings Chief Financial Officer Yanela Frias said emerging markets are not a major contributor to Prudential’s cash generation today because the operations have been growing and consuming capital. The company’s strategy centers on global retirement, asset management and selected U.S. protection businesses. Prudential expects PGIM’s share of annual adjusted operating income to rise to about 25%, more than double its current approximately 12% contribution. Sullivan said PGIM’s existing scale in credit, real estate and private placements provides a foundation for expansion into asset-backed finance and direct lending, as well as adjacent areas including infrastructure equity and primary private equity. The company also aims to increase PGIM’s international and retail presence. About one-quarter of PGIM’s third-party assets under management currently come from outside the U.S., according to management. In retirement, Prudential plans to build its retail annuity position in the U.S. and maintain its leadership in pension risk transfer transactions. It also intends to expand European retirement capabilities. Japan remains a core market, although Prudential of Japan is working through a voluntary sales suspension and plans to implement changes needed to resume sales by Nov. 5, with sales restarting Nov. 6. For U.S. protection businesses, Prudential is targeting growth in Group Insurance through product and customer-segment diversification, including the middle market, disability, absence management and supplemental health. The company said Individual Life will continue to pursue growth through disciplined pricing, product innovation and capital allocation. Prudential increased its efficiency target to approximately $750 million of pre-tax run-rate benefits by the end of 2028, compared with a prior target of $150 million in 2027. The full benefit is expected to be reflected in 2029 operating results. Frias said the program will include organizational simplification, fewer management layers, changes to the workforce footprint, expanded use of captive talent hubs in lower-cost global locations, streamlined technology and applications, and improved use of data and analytics. The company’s adjusted operating expense ratio improved by about 100 basis points year over year in 2025 to roughly the midpoint of its 8.5% to 10.5% target range. Prudential expects to improve the ratio by another 150 basis points over the next three years. Frias said the savings will provide capacity for investment as well as expense reduction, and management encouraged investors to assess progress through the operating expense ratio and PGIM’s operating margin rather than a fixed allocation of savings to the bottom line. Prudential’s stated long-term objective is “top-quartile” earnings growth excluding its legacy variable annuities business. Frias said that, in current terms, top-quartile earnings growth is in the high-single-digit range, but stressed that the company was not establishing a new specific earnings-growth target. Prudential reported after-tax adjusted operating income of approximately $1.4 billion, or $4.08 per share, up 14% year over year. Year-to-date operating return on average equity increased 110 basis points to 15.5%. Frias said results benefited from higher spread income, a net favorable assumption update and higher asset-management fees. Higher operating expenses related to the Prudential of Japan sales suspension and sales-related variable costs partially offset those gains. The company recorded a one-time pre-tax net benefit of $65 million to adjusted operating income from its annual assumption update, while the total pre-tax GAAP effect was a $379 million loss. PGIM: Pre-tax adjusted operating income rose 28% to $294 million, and adjusted operating margin increased 470 basis points to 28.2%. Institutional and retail third-party net flows totaled $4.6 billion, while active ETF assets under management increased nearly 21% sequentially to nearly $35 billion. Retirement: Retail annuity sales increased 14% to $3.6 billion, supported by registered index-linked annuities and fixed annuities. Pre-tax adjusted operating income was $392 million, essentially unchanged year over year. Prudential completed about $1 billion of longevity reinsurance sales across three U.K. middle-market transactions but had no material pension risk transfer activity during the quarter. Group Insurance: The segment reported record pre-tax adjusted operating income of $155 million, up 24% from a year earlier. Year-to-date sales increased 26% to $599 million. Individual Life: Pre-tax adjusted operating income more than doubled to $176 million, while sales reached a second-quarter record of $237 million. International: Pre-tax adjusted operating income increased 12% to $855 million. The Prudential of Japan sales suspension had a $105 million impact during the quarter, below management’s expectations. Prudential maintained its estimate that the Japan sales suspension will reduce full-year 2026 pre-tax adjusted operating income by approximately $525 million to $575 million. The company said it does not expect material effects on capital, economic solvency ratio or cash flows in 2026 and 2027 from the suspension. At quarter-end, Prudential had $4.2 billion of cash and liquid assets, above its $3 billion minimum liquidity target. The company lowered its expected 2026 corporate and other loss to $1.55 billion from $1.65 billion, primarily reflecting one-time items. Prudential Financial, Inc, headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, is a diversified financial services company with roots dating to 1875. The firm provides a range of insurance, retirement and investment products aimed at helping individual and institutional clients manage risk, accumulate and protect wealth, and plan for retirement. Prudential's long history in life insurance and related financial services has positioned it as a major participant in the U.S. insurance market and a provider of services to a broad client base. Prudential's core business activities include individual life insurance, annuities, retirement solutions and group insurance products for employers. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "Prudential Financial Q2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for August 2026.

In early August 2026, Prudential Financial, Inc. reported higher net income of US$985 million and diluted EPS of US$2.80 for the second quarter, alongside the completion of a US$498.51 million share repurchase covering 4,875,776 shares announced in December 2025. Together, the stronger profitability and sizable buyback highlight management’s focus on capital return while continuing to weigh potential acquisitions that must clear a high hurdle for fit and economics. We’ll now examine how Prudential’s stronger quarterly earnings performance could influence the existing investment narrative around its growth, margins, and capital allocation. Uncover the next big thing with 20 elite penny stocks that balance risk and reward. To own Prudential Financial, you need to believe it can translate its broad insurance and investment footprint into consistent earnings while balancing growth against disciplined capital returns. The latest quarter’s stronger net income and EPS, alongside ongoing share repurchases, supports that capital return story in the near term, while the most immediate risk remains execution across complex businesses where competition, regulation, and legacy blocks can quickly pressure margins. Overall, this news does not materially change that risk profile. The completion of the US$498.51 million buyback, retiring 4,875,776 shares, stands out as most relevant here, as it sits alongside higher first half net income of US$1,582 million and EPS of US$4.48. Together, they reinforce that management is currently prioritizing shareholder payouts even as they evaluate potential acquisitions, which ties directly into how investors think about Prudential’s capital allocation as a key catalyst. Yet while capital returns look appealing, investors still need to be aware of the ongoing earnings drag from Prudential’s legacy variable annuity runoff and how it could... Read the full narrative on Prudential Financial (it's free!) Prudential Financial's narrative projects $63.1 billion revenue and $5.4 billion earnings by 2029. This requires flat yearly revenue growth and a $1.5 billion earnings increase from $3.9 billion. Uncover how Prudential Financial's forecasts yield a $106.93 fair value, a 12% downside to its current price. Two fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St Community span roughly US$107 to US$239 per share, showing how far apart individual views can sit. You can weigh these against the current focus on buybacks and disciplined acquisition hurdles, which many see as central to Prudential’s ability to manage earnings volatility and capital needs over time. Explore 2 other fair value estimates on Prudential Financial - why the stock might be worth as much as 97% more than the current price! Don't just follow the ticker - dig into the data and build a conviction that's truly your own. A great starting point for your Prudential Financial research is our analysis highlighting 5 key rewards and 2 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision. Our free Prudential Financial research report provides a comprehensive fundamental analysis summarized in a single visual - the Snowflake - making it easy to evaluate Prudential Financial's overall financial health at a glance. Don't miss your shot at the next 10-bagger. Our latest stock picks just dropped: Outshine the giants: these 16 early-stage AI stocks could fund your retirement. We've uncovered the 8 dividend fortresses yielding 5%+ that don't just survive market storms, but thrive in them. This technology could replace computers: discover 26 stocks that are working to make quantum computing a reality. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include PRU. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]