03 Mar 2021
Prudential plc 2020 Full Year Results
DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASE IN ASIA ADJUSTED OPERATING PROFIT AND RECOVERY IN SALES IN H2 2020 CONFIRMATION OF PLANNED DEMERGER TIMETABLE FOR JACKSON
Performance highlights on a constant (and actual) exchange rate basis
- Asia adjusted operating profit2 up 13 per cent (12 per cent) to $3.7 billion
- Asia embedded value up 13 per cent3 to $44.2 billion
- Asia 2020 full year APE sales4 down (28) per cent5 to $3.7 billion, with H2 APE sales4 20 per cent10 up on H1 2020
- Pulse downloads around 20 million as of February 20216, with $211 million of sales referrals7 in 2020
- Demerger of Jackson expected to complete in the second quarter of 2021 with bank finance now committed
- Jackson local statutory RBC ratio8 347 per cent at 31 December 2020 in line with guidance
- Central costs reduction of $180 million achieved with effect from 1 January 20219
- Second interim ordinary dividend of 10.73 cents per share, making 16.10 cents per share for the full year
- Considering raising equity of $2.5-3 billion through global offering to institutions and Hong Kong retail investors, after the demerger
Mike Wells, Prudential plc’s Group Chief Executive, said: “Facing challenging conditions, our people, working with our valued partners, have performed extraordinary feats during 2020, meeting the essential needs of our customers and communities, innovating with new services, and delivering on our long-term strategic priorities. With Covid-19 continuing to have a major impact on many of our markets, I would like to pay tribute to all my colleagues for their dedication.
“These efforts are reflected in our operational performance in Asia. Our agents and other distribution partners are employing virtual tools with ever-increasing confidence. APE sales4 in the second half of 2020 were 20 per cent10 higher than in the first half of the year. Overall, Asia APE sales4 fell by (28) per cent10 compared with 2019, largely as a result of a significant reduction in sales in Hong Kong, where the border with Mainland China was closed for much of 2020. Excluding Hong Kong, Asia APE sales4 were down just (6) per cent10 in 2020. New business profit11 was down for the year, reflecting sales interruption especially in the first half and in the higher-margin market of Hong Kong. During these uncertain times, the Asia results are a great achievement by our people and evidence of the high value that customers place on our services.
“Our digital transformation continues at pace, with downloads of Pulse, our health and wealth super-app, now around 20 million6, up from just over 1 million in early 2020. Pulse not only meets important social needs by making good healthcare more accessible, but has helped generate APE sales4,7 of $211 million in 2020, substantially through referrals to agents.
“The high quality of our in-force business, combined with the continued loyalty of our existing customers, have supported a double-digit rise in adjusted operating profit2 in Asia, up 13 per cent10 to $3.7 billion. Operating free surplus generation12 is up 8 per cent10 in Asia to $1.9 billion.
“Jackson, our US business, delivered a 13 per cent increase in variable annuity sales during 2020, which helped it maintain its leading position in the US retail market13. This was more than offset by lower institutional sales and lower sales of fixed and fixed index annuity sales, as anticipated, following recent pricing actions. Overall, Jackson APE sales4 fell by (13) per cent to $1,923 million in 2020. US adjusted operating profit1,2 was down (9) per cent compared with the prior year.
“We are making good progress on the proposed separation of Jackson from the Group. Committed term loan facilities are in place to ensure Jackson has certainty that its targeted level of debt will be in place at the time of the demerger, and we continue to expect to complete the demerger in the second quarter of 2021, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. We expect Jackson, under the new management team led by Laura Prieskorn, to pursue a focused strategy which prioritises optimisation and stability of capital resources while protecting franchise value.
“The proposed demerger will complete Prudential’s structural shift from a diversified global group to a growth business focusing exclusively on the unmet health, financial protection and savings needs of people in Asia and Africa. In order to enhance financial flexibility and de-lever the balance sheet, Prudential is considering raising new equity of around $2.5-3 billion following the completion of the Jackson demerger. Our preferred route is a fully marketed global offering to institutional investors concurrent with a public offering in Hong Kong to retail investors. As an Asia focused company, the Group believes there are clear benefits from increasing both its Asian shareholder base and the liquidity of its shares in Hong Kong. The allocation of any offering will take into account a number of criteria including the interests of existing shareholders.
“We have a resilient capital position, with a Group LCSM surplus14 of $11.0 billion, equivalent to a cover ratio of 328 per cent.
“While Covid-19 will continue to create social disruption and market volatility during 2021, the past year has proven our ability to operate successfully in the pandemic environment, and in various markets where social distancing rules are starting to be relaxed we are seeing a recovery in activity. Over the longer term, the rising prosperity of people in Asia and Africa, the scale of the unmet need for the services we provide, our leadership positions in our chosen markets and our ability to innovate at scale all give us confidence that we can continue to outperform."
Notes
1 Attributed to the shareholders of the Group before deducting the amount attributable to the non-controlling interests. This presentation is applied consistently throughout the document.
2 In this press release ‘adjusted operating profit’ refers to adjusted IFRS operating profit based on longer-term investment returns from continuing operations. This alternative performance measure is reconciled to IFRS profit for the year in note B1.1 of the IFRS financial statements.
3 On an actual exchange rate basis.
4 APE sales is a measure of new business activity that comprises the aggregate of annualised regular premiums and one-tenth of single premiums on new business written during the year for all insurance products, including premiums for contracts designated as investment contracts under IFRS 4. It is not representative of premium income recorded in the IFRS financial statements. See note II of the Additional unaudited financial information for further explanation.
5 On both constant and actual exchange rate bases.
6 As of 22 February 2021.
7 APE sales substantially from full-premium products sold through referrals to agents and a small amount of revenue from 37 new digital products.
8 Representing the RBC ratio of Jackson National Life that reflects the capital and capital requirements of Jackson National Life and its subsidiaries, including Jackson National Life NY.
9 Approximately half of the corporate expenditure is incurred in sterling and our assumptions forecast an exchange rate of £1=$1.2599. As compared with head office expenditure of $(490) million in 2018 and before a planned $10 million increase in Africa costs as previously disclosed.
10 Year-on-year percentage increases are stated on a constant exchange rate basis unless otherwise stated.
11 New business profit, on a post-tax basis, on business sold in the year, calculated in accordance with EEV Principles.
12 Operating free surplus generated from insurance and asset management operations. For insurance operations, operating free surplus generated represents amounts maturing from the in-force business during the year less investment in new business and excludes non-operating items. For asset management businesses, it equates to post-tax operating profit for the year. Further information is set out in ‘movement in Group free surplus’ of the EEV basis results.
13 LIMRA: through the third quarter of 2020, Jackson accounted for 16.5% of new sales in the U.S. retail variable annuity market and ranked number 1 in variable annuity sales.
14 Shareholder surplus over Group minimum capital requirement and estimated before allowing for second interim ordinary dividend. Shareholder business excludes the available capital and minimum requirement of participating business in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Further information on the basis of calculation of the LCSM measure is contained in note I(i) of the Additional unaudited financial information.
15 IFRS profit after tax from continuing operations reflects the combined effects of operating results determined on the basis of longer-term investment returns, together with short-term investment variances which for 2020 were driven by the negative effects in the US and Asia, and gains arising on the reinsurance of fixed and fixed index annuity business in the US and other corporate transactions.
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