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Equitable Holdings, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year net loss on large charges: Full-year net loss attributable to Holdings was $1.4 billion, or $(4.83) per share, against net income of $1.3 billion in 2024. Non-GAAP operating earnings were $1.7 billion, or $5.64 per share. Source
  • Fourth-quarter earnings close to prior year: Fourth-quarter Non-GAAP operating earnings were $513 million, or $1.73 per share, against $515 million a year earlier. Adjusted for notable items they were $523 million, or $1.76 per share. Source
  • Asset Management outflows continued: Asset Management recorded $4.7 billion of fourth-quarter net outflows, $3.5 billion in Retail and $2.0 billion in Institutional, partly offset by $0.8 billion of Private Wealth inflows. Operating earnings were $160 million. Source
  • Full-year flows split by segment: Full-year net inflows were $5.9 billion in Retirement and $8.4 billion in Wealth Management advisory. Asset Management had net outflows of $11.3 billion for the year. Source
  • Expense savings reached $120 million: Run-rate expense savings reached $120 million through year end against a $150 million target for 2027. Source
  • $1.8 billion returned to shareholders: Shareholder returns totaled $1.8 billion in 2025, including $354 million in the fourth quarter and $500 million of buybacks after the RGA transaction. Excluding those buybacks, the payout ratio was 68%. Source
  • RGA reinsurance freed over $2 billion: The individual life reinsurance with RGA closed in the third quarter of 2025, freeing over $2 billion of capital and cutting mortality exposure by 75%. Source
  • Three core growth engines named: Management described the company as moving to a more capital-light model built on three growth engines. Source

“In 2025, Equitable Holdings made significant progress on our journey to become a more capital light company focused on three core growth engines of Retirement, Asset Management and Wealth Management.”

Mark Pearson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic cash generation Source2026approximately $1.8 billionNew
Cash generation Source2027$2 billion
EPS compound annual growth rate Source2023-202712-15%Kept
Payout ratio Sourceongoing60-70%Kept
Run-rate expense savings Sourceby 2027$150 millionKept
Incremental general account investment income Sourceby 2027$110 millionKept
Financial guidance assumptions Sourcenot stated6% equity return; 2% dividend yield

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Cash generation guidance of about $1.8 billion for 2026 was given; the previous release stated no such figure. Source
  • New guidance: Management expects Non-GAAP EPS growth to accelerate in 2026; the previous release did not state this. Source
  • Guidance kept: Management said it remains confident in achieving the 2027 financial targets, as in the previous release.
  • New: The company completed its first Bermuda reinsurance transaction, not mentioned in the previous release. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Full-year net loss on large charges: Full-year net loss attributable to Holdings was $1.4 billion, or $(4.83) per share, against net income of $1.3 billion in 2024. Non-GAAP operating earnings were $1.7 billion, or $5.64 per share. Source
  • Fourth-quarter earnings close to prior year: Fourth-quarter Non-GAAP operating earnings were $513 million, or $1.73 per share, against $515 million a year earlier. Adjusted for notable items they were $523 million, or $1.76 per share. Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income fell: Fourth-quarter net income attributable to Holdings was $215 million, or $0.70 per share, compared with $892 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Assets under management rose 10%: Total assets under management and administration reached $1.1 trillion at year end, up 10% from a year earlier, on positive net flows and higher markets. Source
  • Book value per share including AOCI negative: Book value per common share was $(4.03) including AOCI, against $0.19 a year earlier, and $18.14 excluding AOCI. Both reflect the 68% AB stake at book value. Source
  • Notable items raised 2025 earnings: Notable items were $175 million post-tax in the Exhibit 1 subtotal, against $172 million in the text. Fourth-quarter notable items were $10 million. Source

Segment results

  • Retirement earnings rose: Retirement fourth-quarter operating earnings were $410 million, up from $385 million, on higher net interest margin, fee revenue and a lower tax rate, partly offset by commissions and DAC amortization. Source
  • Asset Management outflows continued: Asset Management recorded $4.7 billion of fourth-quarter net outflows, $3.5 billion in Retail and $2.0 billion in Institutional, partly offset by $0.8 billion of Private Wealth inflows. Operating earnings were $160 million. Source
  • Wealth Management earnings increased: Wealth Management operating earnings rose to $66 million from $47 million on higher assets under management and transaction activity. Assets under administration reached $122.0 billion, up 20%. Source
  • Corporate and Other loss widened: Corporate and Other posted a $123 million operating loss against $78 million a year earlier. Adjusted for notable items, the loss was $113 million. Source
  • Spread lending moved into Retirement: From the third quarter of 2025, spread lending revenues and expenses are primarily recorded in Retirement, and prior periods were revised to match. Source

“Our business model positions us well to be a long-term winner in each of our core markets.”

Mark Pearson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Flows and assets under management

  • Full-year flows split by segment: Full-year net inflows were $5.9 billion in Retirement and $8.4 billion in Wealth Management advisory. Asset Management had net outflows of $11.3 billion for the year. Source
  • Retirement first-year premiums grew: Retirement first-year premiums were $22.4 billion for the full year, up 11%, with full-year net inflows of $5.9 billion. Source
  • Advisor productivity rose 8%: Wealth Management fourth-quarter advisory net inflows were $2.1 billion, supported by an 8% increase in advisor productivity. Source
  • AB Private Markets assets reached $82 billion: AB Private Markets had $82 billion of assets under management at year end, up from c.$80 billion in the third quarter. $19 billion of the $20 billion AB commitment is deployed. Source

Costs and expense savings

  • Expense savings reached $120 million: Run-rate expense savings reached $120 million through year end against a $150 million target for 2027. Source
  • Other operating costs rose for year: Other operating costs and expenses were $2,286 million for the year, up from $1,822 million. Fourth-quarter costs were $469 million, down from $513 million. Source
  • Investment income rose for year: Net investment income was $5,234 million for the year, up from $4,881 million. Fourth-quarter net investment income was $1,288 million, against $1,196 million. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • $1.8 billion returned to shareholders: Shareholder returns totaled $1.8 billion in 2025, including $354 million in the fourth quarter and $500 million of buybacks after the RGA transaction. Excluding those buybacks, the payout ratio was 68%. Source
  • Organic cash generation of $1.6 billion: Organic cash generation was $1.6 billion in 2025, excluding $1.0 billion from RGA transaction proceeds. Over half came from Asset and Wealth Management. Source
  • Holdings liquidity above minimum: Holdings held $1.1 billion of cash and liquid assets, above the $500 million minimum. The combined NAIC RBC ratio was about 475%, above the 400% target. Source

Reinsurance and capital strategy

  • RGA reinsurance freed over $2 billion: The individual life reinsurance with RGA closed in the third quarter of 2025, freeing over $2 billion of capital and cutting mortality exposure by 75%. Source
  • Proceeds funded growth and debt repayment: Proceeds were used for growth in Asset and Wealth Management, faster capital return to shareholders, and repayment of debt. Source
  • Three core growth engines named: Management described the company as moving to a more capital-light model built on three growth engines. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Book value per share Source$18.14 excluding AOCI; $(4.03) including AOCI
Investment income Source$5,234 million full year; $1,288 million fourth quarter

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Novation of certain Legacy VA policies produced a $499 million pre-tax net income loss, with a $236 million total impact for the year. Source
  • Financial: Management said derivative positions and variable annuity features are a large source of net income volatility. Source
  • Financial: Investment losses included $1.1 billion from assets transferred in the RGA reinsurance transaction for the year. Source
  • Demand: Asset Management full-year net outflows included $4 billion of low-fee outflows tied to the RGA transaction. Source
  • Demand: Fourth-quarter Retirement net inflows of $1.3 billion were below the prior-year quarter, even as first-year premiums grew 11%. Source
  • Operational: Full-year adjustments included a $6 million expense tied to a disputed billing practice at a third-party service provider to AB. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the $110 million investment income target has been surpassed. Source
  • On track: In the previous release, management said it remained on track to achieve these 2027 targets.
  • Met: Management said payout ratios are at the upper end of the 60-70% target range. Source
  • On track: In the previous release, management said it remained confident in achieving each 2027 financial target.

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.