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Metlife Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

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

Key takeaways

  • Net income fell 37% in the quarter: Fourth-quarter net income was $778 million, down 37%, or $1.17 per share, down 34%. Full-year net income was $3.2 billion, or $4.71 per share. Source
  • Adjusted earnings rose 13% in the quarter: Adjusted earnings were $1.6 billion, up 13% on a reported basis and 12% on a constant currency basis. Adjusted earnings per share were $2.49, up 19%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 24% excluding notables: Adjusted earnings per share excluding total notable items was $2.58 in the quarter, up 24%. For the full year that measure rose 10% to $8.89. Source
  • RIS PFOs excluding PRT up 40%: RIS adjusted earnings were $454 million, up 18%, on favorable variable investment income. Adjusted PFOs excluding PRT rose 40% to $1.4 billion. Source
  • RIS sales included PRT and U.K. reinsurance: RIS sales for the year included $14.2 billion of pension risk transfer transactions and $11.1 billion of U.K. longevity reinsurance. RIS adjusted PFOs were $7.2 billion in the quarter. Source
  • Direct expense ratio lower in both periods: Direct expense ratio excluding notable items and PRT was 11.6% in the fourth quarter, against 13.1%, and 11.7% for the full year, against 12.1%. Source
  • Share repurchases totaled $2.9 billion: Share repurchases were about $0.4 billion in the fourth quarter and $2.9 billion for the year, with about $200 million more in January 2026. Source
  • New Frontier transactions and partnerships: Management said the company made progress on its New Frontier priorities through completed strategic transactions and new partnerships. Source

“MetLife delivered record fourth quarter results, underscoring the strength of our diversified businesses and the disciplined execution of our all-weather New Frontier strategy.”

Michel Khalaf, President and Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • New: MetLife Investment Management assets rose following the PineBridge Investments acquisition, which closed on December 30, 2025. Source
  • New: Net investment income is adjusted to exclude depreciation of wholly-owned real estate and real estate joint ventures, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Net income fell 37% in the quarter: Fourth-quarter net income was $778 million, down 37%, or $1.17 per share, down 34%. Full-year net income was $3.2 billion, or $4.71 per share. Source
  • Adjusted earnings rose 13% in the quarter: Adjusted earnings were $1.6 billion, up 13% on a reported basis and 12% on a constant currency basis. Adjusted earnings per share were $2.49, up 19%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 24% excluding notables: Adjusted earnings per share excluding total notable items was $2.58 in the quarter, up 24%. For the full year that measure rose 10% to $8.89. Source
  • Premiums and fees rose 29%: Premiums, fees and other revenues were $18.7 billion. Adjusted premiums, fees and other revenues excluding pension risk transfers rose 8% to $12.8 billion. Source

Segment and regional results

  • Group Benefits earnings up 12%: Group Benefits adjusted earnings were $465 million, up 12%, with no notable items in the quarter. Source
  • RIS PFOs excluding PRT up 40%: RIS adjusted earnings were $454 million, up 18%, on favorable variable investment income. Adjusted PFOs excluding PRT rose 40% to $1.4 billion. Source
  • Asia earnings flat on reported basis: Asia adjusted earnings were $444 million, flat on a reported basis and up 1% in constant currency. Volume and expense gains were offset by underwriting. Source
  • Latin America earnings excluding notables up 13%: Excluding notable items, Latin America adjusted earnings rose 13% to $227 million, and adjusted PFOs rose 25% to $1.8 billion. Source
  • EMEA earnings up 64%: EMEA adjusted earnings were $97 million, up 64% on both reported and constant currency bases. Adjusted PFOs rose 21% to $787 million. Source
  • Corporate and Other loss compared with prior year: Corporate & Other adjusted loss was $70 million, against $62 million a year earlier. Excluding notable items, the loss was $38 million, against $72 million. Source
  • Investment management earnings rose: MetLife Investment Management adjusted earnings were $60 million, against $16 million. Other revenues rose 32% to $239 million. Source

“We are confident that the foundation built in 2025 positions MetLife to accelerate growth responsibly and deploy capital prudently to deliver on our New Frontier commitments.”

Michel Khalaf, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products, sales and customers

  • RIS sales included PRT and U.K. reinsurance: RIS sales for the year included $14.2 billion of pension risk transfer transactions and $11.1 billion of U.K. longevity reinsurance. RIS adjusted PFOs were $7.2 billion in the quarter. Source
  • Asia sales up 18%: Asia sales were $598 million, up 18% on a constant currency basis, mainly from Japan and Korea. Source
  • EMEA sales up 24%: EMEA sales were $310 million, up 24% on a constant currency basis, with growth across most markets. Source
  • Group Benefits full-year sales up 4%: Group Benefits sales rose 4% for the full year, mainly from regional business growth. Source

Expenses and notable items

  • Direct expense ratio lower in both periods: Direct expense ratio excluding notable items and PRT was 11.6% in the fourth quarter, against 13.1%, and 11.7% for the full year, against 12.1%. Source
  • Fourth-quarter notable items totaled $61 million: Total fourth-quarter notable items reduced adjusted earnings by $61 million. Litigation reserves and settlement costs were a $32 million item in Corporate & Other. Source

Liability and asset growth

  • RIS liability exposure grew 14%: Total RIS liability exposure rose 14%, including 13% growth in general account liabilities. Source
  • Asia general account assets up 7%: Asia general account assets under management at amortized cost were $140.2 billion, up 7% on a constant currency basis. Source
  • Group Benefits PFOs rose 2%: Group Benefits adjusted PFOs were $6.3 billion, up 2%, with growth partly offset by favorable mortality on participating life contracts. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Share repurchases totaled $2.9 billion: Share repurchases were about $0.4 billion in the fourth quarter and $2.9 billion for the year, with about $200 million more in January 2026. Source
  • Free cash flow ratio at 82%: Free cash flow of all holding companies was $4.9 billion for 2025, a ratio of 82% to adjusted earnings available to common shareholders. Source
  • Risk-based capital above target: The combined U.S. risk-based capital ratio for 2025 is estimated to be above MetLife's 360% target on an NAIC basis. Source
  • Statutory adjusted capital about $17.2 billion: Total U.S. statutory adjusted capital is expected at about $17.2 billion at year end, up 1% from September 30, 2025. Source
  • Japan solvency ratio near 770%: The expected Japan solvency margin ratio at December 31, 2025 is about 770%. Source

Strategy, transactions and partnerships

  • New Frontier transactions and partnerships: Management said the company made progress on its New Frontier priorities through completed strategic transactions and new partnerships. Source
  • Investment management assets and net flows: MetLife Investment Management total assets under management were $741.7 billion, up 27%. Institutional net flows were $5.6 billion, up 10%. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 February 2026

  • Further information in Form 8-K: The release points to a section of Item 8.01 of the Form 8-K for further information. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Investment income Source$5.9 billion, up 10% in the fourth quarter
Book value per share Source$39.02, up 14%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Net derivative losses in the quarter were attributed to higher long-term interest rates, stronger equity markets and a stronger U.S. dollar. Source
  • Operational: Premiums, fees and revenues from participating life contracts can move with claims experience. Source
  • Regulatory: Latin America adjusted earnings include a value-added tax adjustment in Mexico, which reduced reported results in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the direct expense ratio and free cash flow ratio targets were exceeded for the year. Source
  • Met: Holding company cash and liquid assets were $3.6 billion at year end, within the target range. Source
  • Not stated: Adjusted ROE excluding total notable items was 16% for the year, described as at the midpoint of the target range. 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.