Insurance Australia Group Ltd (IAUGF) (FY25) Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Profit and ...

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Reported Insurance Profit: $1.7 billion, delivering a margin of 17.5%.
Underlying Margin: 15.5%, ahead of the 15% target.
Final Dividend: $0.19 per share, total FY25 dividends $0.31 per share.
Retail Customer Growth: Over 66,000 net new customers in retail businesses.
Australian Retail Growth: 5% headline growth; 7.3% underlying growth excluding Coles portfolio exit.
New Zealand Retail Premium Growth: 3.8% or 5.3% in local currency.
Gross Written Premium (GWP) Growth: 4.3%, over 5% on an underlying basis.
Net Claims: $1,088 million, $195 million below allowance.
Expense Ratio: Increased 40 basis points; admin ratio on an ex levies basis increased to 12.2%.
Investment Performance: Technical reserves income of $464 million; shareholders' funds contribution of $403 million.
Capital Position: Strong earnings largest component of capital generation; final dividend payout ratio 65%.
FY26 Guidance: Expected reported profit of $1.45 to $1.65 billion; insurance margin of 14 to 16%.
Acquisitions: RACQ and RAC in WA to add around $3 billion of premium to IAG.
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Release Date: August 13, 2025
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
Insurance Australia Group Ltd (IAUGF) reported a strong insurance profit of $1.7 billion, delivering a margin of 17.5%, benefiting from favorable experience in New Zealand.
The company achieved a 15.5% underlying margin, surpassing its through-the-cycle target of 15%, indicating strong operational performance.
IAUGF declared a final dividend of $0.19 per share, bringing the total FY25 dividends to $0.31 per share, reflecting a 12% increase from the previous year.
The company successfully acquired RACQ and RAC in WA, funded through organic capital generation, which is expected to add significant premium growth.
IAUGF's retail business saw a net increase of 66,000 new customers, demonstrating strong customer growth and retention metrics.
Negative Points
The exit of the Coles portfolio negatively impacted the Australian retail growth headline, reducing it to 5% from an underlying growth of 7.3%.
The New Zealand commercial market experienced a softening, with premiums down 4% or 2.6% in local currency, indicating challenges in maintaining growth.
The company faced higher technology and system investment costs, leading to an 8.6% increase in admin costs compared to FY24.
IAUGF's underlying claims ratio was affected by higher theft claims in Victoria and increased third-party claims driven by credit hire activities.
The company anticipates potential headwinds in the New Zealand commercial business, expecting it to remain flat or slightly negative in the coming year.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Can you provide more details on the GWP guidance, particularly for IIA and New Zealand, and the potential for negative growth in New Zealand? A: Nicholas Hawkins, CEO: We expect the retail business in New Zealand to grow, while the commercial segment faces headwinds, potentially resulting in flat overall growth. In Australia, the intermediated business is expected to see low single-digit growth, driven by small to medium-sized businesses.
Q: Is there an increase in the long-term perils program maximum payout with the rise in the perils allowance? A: William McDonnell, CFO: The attachment point remains at our allowance, providing solid downside protection. The increase is primarily due to exposure growth, and we retain significant downside protection from the program.
Q: Why was RACQ left out of the guidance, and are you still comfortable with the expected savings from reorganizing the reinsurance program? A: Nicholas Hawkins, CEO: RACQ was excluded from guidance as the transaction hasn't been completed yet, expected on September 1. We anticipate merging reinsurance programs by January 1, which should yield savings.
Q: Can you discuss the trends in inflation and pricing across key portfolios like motor and home? A: Nicholas Hawkins, CEO: We're seeing moderation in inflation for motor and home, more so in New Zealand than Australia. Property inflationary pressures persist, particularly in Australia. Pricing is expected to reflect these trends, with low to mid-single-digit increases in motor and slightly higher in property.
Q: How sustainable is the reinsurance profit commission benefit, and should it recur in FY26 and beyond? A: William McDonnell, CFO: The reinsurance profit commission is integral to our 15% margin target and is expected to be a recurring feature. It's calculated actuarially over the five-year contract, and we anticipate it will continue to contribute to our results.
Q: What is the outlook for margins in FY26, particularly in retail and intermediated divisions? A: Nicholas Hawkins, CEO: We expect to maintain margins around the 15% target, with some ups and downs across divisions. New Zealand may see some margin pressure, but overall, we aim to sustain margins through organic growth and pricing strategies.
Q: Can you elaborate on the investments in the tech platform and potential reinsurance options for the commercial business? A: Nicholas Hawkins, CEO: We're investing in modernizing technology for our commercial businesses, similar to our retail enterprise platform. This will enhance efficiency and capability. We're also exploring additional capital reinsurance options to manage volatility and improve capital efficiency.
Q: How should we think about the impact of RACQ on the perils allowance once the acquisition is completed? A: William McDonnell, CFO: We will update the perils allowance after the acquisition completes, modeling it based on RACQ's exposure data. It is expected to be proportional to our existing Queensland exposures.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.