Podcast Center
Video Center
Webcasts
Resource Center
Events
November 14, 2014 at 07:21 AM
(Bloomberg) — Aegon NV fell the most in more than two years in Amsterdam trading after earnings missed analysts’ estimates on a revision to life expectancy models related mostly to people in the U.S. 85 and older.
The stock slid 6.1 percent to 6.10 euros today, the biggest drop since June 1, 2012. The shares were the worst performers in the 32-company Bloomberg Europe 500 Insurance Index.
Aegon, the owner of U.S. insurer Transamerica Corp., had net income attributable to shareholders of 52 million euros ($65 million), down from 236 million euros a year earlier, The Hague- based company said in a statement today. Earnings missed the 161 million-euro average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
Aegon said changes to actuarial assumptions and updates of its models led to 299 million euros in charges to strengthen reserves in the U.S. Emerging experience supplemented by industry studies led to the revisions, mainly relating to those 85 and older, Chief Executive Officer Alex Wynaendts told analysts today. The insurance industry has limited experience with that group, he said.
‘Clearly Disappointed’
The impact on underlying pretax earnings was 221 million euros, compared with 178 million euros foreseen by three analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Each year in the third quarter the company reviews its assumptions on how long people live, which form the basis for estimates on future payout obligations on life insurance policies and retirement products.
The revisions will reduce pretax earnings by 20 million euros a quarter on a recurring basis, Aegon said.
“I am clearly disappointed by the outcome,” Wynaendts said. “We will be looking at all options available to mitigate this impact as much as possible.”
