On Thursday, Jefferies made an adjustment to Prudential Financial's (NYSE:PRU) future outlook by reducing its price target to $149 from $154, while still endorsing the stock with a Buy rating. Currently trading at $120.06 with a market cap of $42.7 billion, Prudential (LON:PRU) maintains a solid P/E ratio of 10.6x.
The change in price target follows a revision to the company's earnings per share (EPS) estimates, related primarily to the accounting for costs of Retire Income Liability Account (RILA) options. According to InvestingPro data, five analysts have recently revised their earnings estimates downward for the upcoming period.
The analyst from Jefferies noted that Prudential's stock might see a decline of approximately 4% due to the revised EPS, which is influenced by the cost treatment shifting from net income to operating earnings. This shift, however, is not expected to affect the company's free cash flow (FCF). The analyst emphasized that this near-term pressure on EPS should be viewed in the context of Prudential's long-term potential, supported by its impressive 16-year streak of dividend increases and a current dividend yield of 4.33%.
Prudential Financial's adjustment in EPS is a strategic accounting change that reflects the movement of RILA option costs. This revision aligns with Jefferies' own expectations for the insurance company's forward EPS, which considers various factors including the geographic implications of the cost movement.
Despite the near-term EPS revision, Jefferies maintains a positive outlook on Prudential Financial's long-term prospects. The firm believes that the company has leverage to fundamental aspects that will benefit its operations in the U.S. life insurance sector.
The analyst's comments further reinforce the position that the current EPS pressure is a short-term issue and that Prudential's core financial metrics and business drivers remain strong.
The firm's constructive view on the U.S. life insurance industry underpins its continued support for Prudential Financial's stock with a Buy rating.
In other recent news, Prudential Financial has approved a $1 billion stock buyback plan as part of its capital management policy.
Concurrently, the company has announced significant leadership transitions with Andrew Sullivan set to become CEO in 2025, succeeding Charles F. Lowrey. Caroline Feeney and Jacques Chappuis will assume new roles as Global Head of Insurance and Retirement, and president and CEO of Prudential's global investment management business, PGIM, respectively.
Recent financial highlights include Prudential's strong Q3 results with a pretax adjusted operating income of $1.6 billion and earnings per share of $3.48. The company also reported a 13% year-over-year rise in individual life sales and a 30% increase in retirement and savings product sales in Japan. However, the company anticipates a $50 million shortfall in variable investment income for Q4 and a baseline for Q4 earnings at $3.34 per share.
Analysts maintain varied price targets for the company, ranging from $108 to $149. These recent developments reflect Prudential's strategic growth and commitment to capital efficiency.
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