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CNO Financial Group, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net operating income rose 16% per share: Net operating income was $127.2 million, or $1.29 per diluted share, against $119.2 million, or $1.11, in 3Q24. Per-share net operating income rose 16%. Source
  • Significant items added $32.2 million: Significant items raised net income and net operating income by $32.2 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, against $21.9 million, or $0.19, in 3Q24. Source
  • Total sales production up 26%: Total new annualized premiums rose 26%, with total life up 32% and total health up 20%. The measure counts 10% of single premium whole life deposits and 100% of other premiums. Source
  • Actuarial review added $41.3 million: The comprehensive annual actuarial review produced a net favorable impact of $41.3 million before tax, the main source of the quarter's significant items. Source
  • Goodwill and asset impairment of $96.7 million: A non-operating charge of $96.7 million impaired goodwill and other assets from two acquisitions; the company cited macroeconomic uncertainty and revised financial projections. Source
  • Repurchased $60.0 million of stock: Repurchased $60.0 million of common stock, or 1.6 million shares at an average $38.19, including $1.0 million settled in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Second Bermuda reinsurance transaction: The Bermuda company reinsured $1.8 billion of in-force supplemental health statutory reserves from Washington National, effective October 1, 2025. Source

“Results in the quarter demonstrate the strength of the CNO business model,”

Gary C. Bhojwani, chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Operating return on equity target Sourcethrough 2027, off 2024 run rate of 10%200 basis points of total improvementRaised
Fee revenue Sourceannual, once the Worksite fee services exit is completereduce by roughly $30 millionNew
Pre-tax income Sourceannual, once the Worksite fee services exit is completeincrease by roughly $20 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The run-rate operating ROE target rose by 50 basis points, with 200 basis points of total improvement now targeted through 2027. Source
  • New: The Bermuda reinsurance subsidiary executed a second transaction, reinsuring $1.8 billion of in-force supplemental health reserves from Washington National. Source
  • New: In October 2025 the company decided to exit the fee services side of the Worksite Division, which includes services acquired in two prior acquisitions. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income was $23.1 million: Net income was $23.1 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, against $9.3 million, or $0.09, a year earlier. Net income includes non-operating items shown separately from net operating income. Source
  • Net operating income rose 16% per share: Net operating income was $127.2 million, or $1.29 per diluted share, against $119.2 million, or $1.11, in 3Q24. Per-share net operating income rose 16%. Source
  • Significant items added $32.2 million: Significant items raised net income and net operating income by $32.2 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, against $21.9 million, or $0.19, in 3Q24. Source
  • Return on equity rose to 12.5%: Return on equity for the trailing four quarters was 12.5%, against 11.8% a year earlier. Operating ROE was 12.1%, against 11.7%. Source

Sales and distribution growth

  • Total sales production up 26%: Total new annualized premiums rose 26%, with total life up 32% and total health up 20%. The measure counts 10% of single premium whole life deposits and 100% of other premiums. Source
  • Consumer and Worksite sales both grew: Consumer Division NAP rose 27% and Worksite Division NAP rose 20% compared with the same quarter a year earlier. Source
  • Record third-quarter sales reported: Management reported record direct-to-consumer and Worksite insurance sales in the third quarter. Source

“Continued sales growth and expanding underwriting margins underscore our momentum.”

Gary C. Bhojwani, chief executive officer

Products and customers

  • Annuity account value up 8%: Annuity account value rose 8%, and client assets in brokerage and advisory rose 28% compared with the same quarter a year earlier. Source
  • Policies and total assets reported: The company reported 3.3 million policies and $38.3 billion in total assets in its description of the business. Source
  • Annuity and health margins by line: Annuity margin was $72.9 million, with $16.6 million of significant items, and health margin was $157.0 million, with $21.1 million of significant items. Source

Margins, costs and actuarial review

  • Actuarial review added $41.3 million: The comprehensive annual actuarial review produced a net favorable impact of $41.3 million before tax, the main source of the quarter's significant items. Source
  • Acquisition cost amortization rose: Amortization of deferred acquisition costs and present value of future profits was $69.9 million, against $64.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Policy benefits fell year on year: Insurance policy benefits were $702.1 million, against $731.0 million in 3Q24. Source

“We expect these actions will accelerate ROE improvement through 2027.”

Gary C. Bhojwani, chief executive officer

Non-operating items and goodwill

  • Goodwill and asset impairment of $96.7 million: A non-operating charge of $96.7 million impaired goodwill and other assets from two acquisitions; the company cited macroeconomic uncertainty and revised financial projections. Source
  • Fixed indexed annuity fair value decrease: Changes in fair value of embedded derivatives and market risk benefits decreased earnings by $18.1 million, against $127.1 million in 3Q24. Source
  • Net investment losses of $8.8 million: Net investment losses were $8.8 million, including an $8.0 million favorable change in the allowance for credit losses. Losses were $11.1 million in 3Q24. Source
  • Market value gains added to earnings: Net change in market value of investments added $5.8 million to earnings, against $12.3 million a year earlier. Source

Investment portfolio and credit

  • Below investment grade holdings: Below investment grade fixed maturities were $1,152.5 million of $25,219.3 million amortized cost. Some structured securities may carry NAIC 1 or NAIC 2 designations. Source
  • Non-agency mortgage securities below grade: Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities totaled $1,569.7 million at amortized cost, including $272.5 million below investment grade. Source
  • Credit loss allowance of $33.0 million: The allowance for credit losses on the fixed maturity portfolio was $33.0 million at the quarter end. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Repurchased $60.0 million of stock: Repurchased $60.0 million of common stock, or 1.6 million shares at an average $38.19, including $1.0 million settled in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Holding company cash and investments fell: Unrestricted holding company cash and investments were $193.7 million, against $372.5 million at December 31, 2024. Dividends on common stock totaled $16.4 million in 3Q25. Source
  • Statutory capital ratio at 380%: The statutory risk-based capital ratio of U.S. insurance subsidiaries was estimated at 380%, reflecting an estimated 3Q25 statutory operating loss of $5.1 million. Source
  • No insurance company dividends paid: No insurance company dividends, net of capital contributions, were paid to the holding company in 3Q25. Source
  • Debt-to-capital ratio at 33.8%: The debt-to-capital ratio was 33.8%, against 42.2% at year-end 2024. Excluding accumulated other comprehensive loss, the ratio was 26.4%, against 32.1%. Source

Reinsurance and Worksite strategy

  • Second Bermuda reinsurance transaction: The Bermuda company reinsured $1.8 billion of in-force supplemental health statutory reserves from Washington National, effective October 1, 2025. Source
  • Half of new health business ceded: Half of new supplemental health business written by Washington National will be ceded to the Bermuda company under the agreement. Source
  • Strategic roadmap continues to advance: Management said the company continues to advance its strategic roadmap, with the second Bermuda reinsurance transaction as one highlight. Source
  • Worksite focus on insurance offerings: Management said exiting fee services lets the company sharpen its focus on high-growth insurance offerings in the Worksite Division. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 November 2025

  • Worksite exit substantially complete: The Worksite fee services exit is expected to be substantially complete in the first half of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Book value per share Source$27.24
Investment income Source$382.9 million general account net investment income

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Gross unrealized losses on available-for-sale fixed maturities were $2,039.1 million, against $258.1 million of gross unrealized gains. Source
  • External: Market volatility creates non-economic accounting impacts that reduced net income in both the current and prior-year quarters. Source
  • Regulatory: The 380% statutory ratio is presented adjusted for timing effects of the October 2025 Bermuda reinsurance transaction. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management described TechMod as a previously announced project, with $7.2 million of expense recognized in 3Q25. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.