• Adjusted Operating Earnings Per Share: $1.40 in Q4 2024; $7.25 for the full year 2024.
• Wealth Solutions Earnings Growth: Up 30% year-over-year.
• Investment Management Earnings Growth: Up 20% year-over-year.
• Defined Contribution Net Flows: $2 billion in 2024.
• Investment Management Net Inflows: $12.5 billion for 2024.
• Excess Capital Returned to Shareholders: $800 million in 2024.
• OneAmerica Transaction: Adds $60 billion in assets and $4 billion of spread-based assets under management.
• Stop Loss Business Rate Increase: 21% net effective rate increase for January 2025 cohort.
• Free Cash Flow Conversion: Approximately 90% in 2024.
• Excess Capital Balance: Approximately $200 million as of December 31, 2024.
• Expected Excess Capital Generation: Approximately $750 million in 2025 before growth investments.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Sign with IEX.

Release Date: February 05, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• Voya Financial Inc (NYSE:VOYA) delivered strong earnings and growth in Wealth Solutions and Investment Management, with Wealth Solutions earnings up 30% year-over-year.
• The company successfully closed the OneAmerica transaction, adding $60 billion in assets and enhancing its full-service business.
• Voya Investment Management achieved an organic growth rate above 4% for 2024, with four consecutive quarters of positive net flows.
• The company returned $800 million of excess capital to shareholders in 2024 through share repurchases and dividends.
• Voya Financial Inc (NYSE:VOYA) is making strategic investments in Health Solutions, particularly in leave management, to enhance competitiveness and drive growth.

Negative Points

• Higher loss ratios in Health Solutions impacted overall results, offsetting strong performance in other segments.
• The company expects lower prepayment income to persist in 2025 due to the higher interest rate environment.
• Voya Financial Inc (NYSE:VOYA) is guiding to a lower ROE of 12% to 13% for 2025, down from the previous target of 14% to 16%.
• The integration of OneAmerica may lead to some volatility in net flows, affecting short-term financial performance.
• The company is facing challenges in improving Stop Loss margins, with a wide expected range of 80% to 90% for 2025.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you explain the reduction in the ROE guidance from 14%-16% to 12%-13% for 2025, and do you expect to return to the higher range in 2026? A: Mike Katz, Executive Vice President - Finance, explained that the reduction is due to several factors, including investments in leave management, weaker Stop Loss results, and lower prepayment income. He anticipates that the ROE will be at the high end of the 12%-13% range in 2025 and expects to return to the 14%-16% range in 2026 as Stop Loss results improve.

Q: Will the $50 million strategic spend on leave management and disability administration recur in 2026? A: Mike Katz stated that the spend is primarily impacting 2025, with expectations for revenue from leave administration and short-term disability in 2026. The investment is expected to break even in 2026 and generate positive earnings in 2027.

Q: How confident are you in the improvements in Stop Loss underwriting and risk selection? A: Mike Katz emphasized that they have taken significant steps to improve risk selection, including holding firm on data requests and focusing on known claims. They achieved a 21% average net effective rate increase for January 2025, with higher increases on underperforming blocks. They are confident in their reserves and have external validation of their underwriting improvements.

Q: Can you provide more details on the expected wealth flows for 2025, especially considering the OneAmerica acquisition? A: Heather Lavallee, CEO, noted that while the OneAmerica acquisition may create some volatility in flows due to a 90% retention assumption, the fundamentals of their wealth business remain strong. They have $20 billion in plans for implementation in 2025, and full-service sales are up 30% compared to the previous year.

Q: What are the ongoing investment needs in Health Solutions, and how should we think about expenses in 2025 and beyond? A: Heather Lavallee highlighted the strategic importance of investing in leave management to enhance customer experience and drive growth in supplemental health products. Mike Katz added that while some expenses will continue, they expect revenue offsets from leave administration and short-term disability in 2026.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.