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Corebridge Financial, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 May 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net loss narrowed to $53 million: Net loss available to common shareholders was $53 million, or $0.11 per share, against $664 million, or $1.19 per share. Management largely attributed the variance to realized gains on the Fortitude Re embedded derivative versus losses a year earlier. Source
  • Operating EPS rose to $1.05: Operating EPS was $1.05 against $1.02 a year earlier, on adjusted after-tax operating income of $501 million versus $570 million. The diluted operating share count fell to 475 million from 559 million. Source
  • Adjusted pre-tax operating income fell 11%: APTOI was $629 million against $710 million. Excluding variable investment income and notable items, APTOI decreased 1%, on lower spread income and underwriting gains, partly offset by fee-based products. Source
  • Premiums and deposits down 10%: Premiums and deposits were $8.0 billion against $8.9 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Institutional premiums fell 45%: Institutional Markets premiums and deposits were $1.07 billion against $1.94 billion, mainly on pension risk transfer and guaranteed investment contract deposits. Source
  • Record repurchases in the quarter: The company returned $1.4 billion to shareholders, including $1.3 billion of share repurchases and $114 million of dividends. Source
  • Equitable merger progressing: Management expects the combined company to add scale, diversification and cash generation. Source

“Earnings per share and return on equity both improved year over year.”

Marc Costantini, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Capital returns SourceDividend payable June 30, 2026$0.25 per share

What changed from last quarter

  • New: A newly established integration management office was set up for the merger with Equitable. Source
  • New: The leadership team for the combined company has been finalized, with an announcement to follow. Source

Results and earnings

  • Net loss narrowed to $53 million: Net loss available to common shareholders was $53 million, or $0.11 per share, against $664 million, or $1.19 per share. Management largely attributed the variance to realized gains on the Fortitude Re embedded derivative versus losses a year earlier. Source
  • Operating EPS rose to $1.05: Operating EPS was $1.05 against $1.02 a year earlier, on adjusted after-tax operating income of $501 million versus $570 million. The diluted operating share count fell to 475 million from 559 million. Source
  • Adjusted pre-tax operating income fell 11%: APTOI was $629 million against $710 million. Excluding variable investment income and notable items, APTOI decreased 1%, on lower spread income and underwriting gains, partly offset by fee-based products. Source
  • Core sources of income up 1%: Core sources of income excluding notable items was $1.5 billion, a 1% increase, with base spread income of $883 million against $895 million. Source

Segment results

  • Individual Retirement APTOI down 9%: APTOI was $415 million, down $39 million or 9%. Excluding VII and notable items, APTOI rose 1% on higher commissions and DAC tied to growth, partly offset by higher fee income. Source
  • Group Retirement APTOI down 28%: APTOI was $140 million, down $55 million or 28% from $195 million, mainly from lower base spread income. Source
  • Life Insurance APTOI down 11%: APTOI was $96 million against $108 million a year earlier. Underwriting margin was $316 million against $325 million. Source
  • Institutional Markets APTOI up 4%: APTOI was $143 million against $137 million, up $6 million or 4%. Source
  • Corporate loss narrowed on lower interest: Adjusted pre-tax operating loss was $165 million against $184 million. Interest expense on financial debt fell after debt maturities were repaid. Source

“This, alongside consistent organic growth and the proceeds from our variable annuity transaction, supported a record return of capital to shareholders through repurchases.”

Marc Costantini, President and Chief Executive Officer

Premiums and product sales

  • Premiums and deposits down 10%: Premiums and deposits were $8.0 billion against $8.9 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Fixed index and RILA deposits grew: Individual Retirement premiums and deposits rose $48 million, or 1%, to $4.3 billion, on higher fixed index annuity and RILA deposits. Source
  • Group Retirement deposits fell 4%: Premiums and deposits were $1.75 billion, down $73 million. In-plan mutual fund inflows were $733 million against $775 million. Source
  • Life sales mixed by product: Life Insurance premiums and deposits were $850 million, down $6 million, with lower universal life sales offset in part by traditional life. Source
  • Institutional premiums fell 45%: Institutional Markets premiums and deposits were $1.07 billion against $1.94 billion, mainly on pension risk transfer and guaranteed investment contract deposits. Source
  • Institutional spread income rose: Spread income was $145 million against $132 million. Underwriting margin was $14 million against $21 million. Source

Spreads, fees and investment income

  • Fee income rose; underwriting margin fell: Fee income was $301 million against $277 million. Underwriting margin excluding variable investment income was $331 million against $341 million. Source
  • Group Retirement spread income fell: Group Retirement spread income was $137 million against $192 million, and base spread income was $136 million against $168 million. Source
  • Variable investment income declined: Variable investment income for insurance operating businesses was $22 million against $88 million a year earlier. Source

“Our success is built on a steadfast commitment to putting the customer at the center of everything we do.”

Marc Costantini, President and Chief Executive Officer

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Record repurchases in the quarter: The company returned $1.4 billion to shareholders, including $1.3 billion of share repurchases and $114 million of dividends. Source
  • Share count fell to 456.7 million: Common shares outstanding fell from 496.4 million to 456.7 million, after 41.1 million shares were repurchased, with 1.4 million newly issued. Source
  • Life RBC ratio above target: The company said its Life Fleet RBC ratio remains above target, and the financial leverage ratio was 32.6%. Source

Merger, customers and digitization

  • Equitable merger progressing: Management expects the combined company to add scale, diversification and cash generation. Source
  • Customer-centric value proposition: Management described its strategy as putting the customer at the center, through product breadth, innovation and ease of doing business. Source
  • Digitizing processes across journey: The CEO described the team's speed and focus in digitizing processes across every stage of the customer journey, five months into his tenure. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 May 2026

  • Combined leadership team to be named: Management said the combined company's leadership team will be announced shortly. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Book value per share Source$22.58 at March 31, 2026; $25.60 at December 31, 2025; $21.66 at March 31, 2025
Adjusted book value per share Source$39.70 at March 31, 2026; $39.83 at December 31, 2025; $38.83 at March 31, 2025
Investment income Source$3,197 million (net income basis) against $3,189 million; $2,989 million (APTOI basis) against $2,841 million

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Premiums and deposits excluding transactional activity fell 2%, mainly from lower fixed annuity sales. Source
  • External: Management cited the negative impact of 2025 Federal Reserve rate actions on core sources of income. Source
  • Financial: Alternative investment returns were shown as $(72) million against long-term return expectations, against $(43) million a year earlier. Source
  • Operational: Life Insurance APTOI excluding VII and notable items fell 5%, as the prior year had more favorable mortality experience. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the regulatory filings for the Equitable merger remain on track. 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.