FWD Group posts record 1H in first results as a public company
HONG KONG, Aug 29, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - FWD Group Holdings Limited (“FWD Group” or “FWD”) today announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2025.
- New business sales were up 38 per cent to US$1.246 billion compared to 2024 on an annualised premium equivalent (APE) basis. New business contractual service margin (CSM) of US$794 million, with year-on-year growth of 34 per cent.
- Operating profit after tax was up 9 per cent to US$251 million with continued positive contributions from each of the company’s four geographic reporting segments: Hong Kong SAR & Macau SAR; Thailand & Cambodia; Japan; and Emerging Markets.
- Net profit of US$47 million is a record interim result under IFRS 17.
- Further improved financial flexibility with an upgrade to FWD Group's ratings - with its notional insurer financial strength rating now A2 - as announced by Moody's in July 2025. Maintained a strong capital position with a 283 per cent solvency ratio* and net underlying free surplus generation that more than doubled to US$417 million. Dividends of over US$500 million were received from the geographic reporting segments.
- Comprehensive tangible equity up 8 per cent to US$8.15 billion, and Group embedded value up 8 per cent to US$6.38 billion, reflecting the value created for shareholders during the first half of 2025. The company subsequently completed its IPO - which raised HK$3,611 million (approximately US$466 million) in gross proceeds – and began trading on 7 July 2025 under the stock code 1828 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
- Completed the build-out of a high-net-worth (HNW) hub in Asia operating out of three jurisdictions – Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and Bermuda – serving the global high-end insurance market with diversified asset allocation, wealth management and legacy planning. A new FWD Private lounge located in a prime commercial district in Hong Kong is now fully operational.
Huynh Thanh Phong, Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of FWD Group, said, “We’re delighted to report record interim results under IFRS 17 in our first earnings as a publicly listed company. The outstanding growth in new business CSM demonstrates our ability to execute our customer-led strategy successfully across Asia in a sustainable and profitable way.
“We intend to use the net proceeds of our recent IPO to further enhance our capital position and financial flexibility, which may involve reducing debt, in support of further growth and reach with customers, digital capabilities and channels,” added Huynh Thanh Phong.
In Hong Kong SAR & Macau SAR, outstanding growth was posted in new business sales and new business CSM, reflecting ongoing broad-based demand from both local and Mainland Chinese visitor customers and the full activation of the FWD Private HNW business. The company continues to focus on its multi-channel distribution strategy alongside product innovation – such as its indexed universal life offering developed following recent regulatory guidance, as well as new cross-border Greater Bay Area medical services for eligible customers.
The Thailand & Cambodia reporting segment new business indicators were partly impacted by the exit from underwriting new business in the Thailand corporate care segment in 2024. The business remains well positioned in Thailand to meet demand for protection, medical and pension products from an aging population. Its exclusive bancassurance partnership with Siam Commercial Bank maintained its number one market position. Similarly, the company’s agents and advisors retained a number two position in the annual Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) rankings released in July 2025. The MDRT is a global independent association recognised as a standard of excellence in the life insurance and financial services industries.
In Japan, the business reported solid new business results from its individual protection focused portfolio. The introduction of its first savings offering in July – a Japanese yen single premium annuity product – marked the company’s entry into the savings and retirement needs market.
The Emerging Markets segment reported strong new business sales growth, despite industry headwinds and economic uncertainty in several markets. In Indonesia, BRI Life – a joint venture where FWD Group holds a strategic 44 per cent investment and collaborates with Bank BRI – was number one in bancassurance by new business sales. In the Philippines and Vietnam, the company’s agents and advisors ranked number two in the latest annual MDRT rankings.
| Six months ended/as at 31 Dec or 30 Jun^ |
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| US$ millions, except for percentages | 2025 |
2024 | Growth |
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| Profitability |
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| Operating profit after tax | 251 | 223 | 9% |
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| Net profit/(loss) | 47 | 3 | nm |
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| CSM balance | 5,996 | 5,174 | 11% |
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| Growth |
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| New business sales (APE) | 1,246 | 876 | 38% |
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| New business CSM | 794 | 573 | 34% |
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| Value of new business | 506 | 404 | 21% |
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| Customer indicators |
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| Purchase customer emotion – good or great | 92% | 92% | n/a |
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| Claims customer advocacy – net promoter score | 63 | 64 | n/a |
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| Risk & Capital |
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| Net underlying free surplus generation | 417 | 193 | 115% |
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| Group local capital summation method cover | 283% | 260% | n/a |
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| Value |
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| Group embedded value | 6,380 | 5,569 | 8% |
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| Comprehensive tangible equity | 8,150 | 7,162 | 8% |
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| Return on tangible equity | 17% | 15% | n/a |
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About FWD Group
FWD Group (1828.HK) is a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves approximately 34 million customers across 10 markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia. FWD’s customer-led and tech-enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance. FWD Group is listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code 1828. For more information, please visit www.fwd.com
For media inquiries, please contact: groupcommunications@fwd.com
Source: FWD Group Holdings Limited
^ The results are for the six months ended 30 June 2025 and are compared to the same period in 2024. CSM balance, Group LCSM cover ratio, group embedded value, comprehensive tangible equity and return on equity 2024 values are December 2024 balances/ratios and growth rates are shown accordingly. Growth rates are represented on a constant exchange rate (CER) basis. Except for operating profit/(loss) after tax (non-IFRS measure), net profit/(loss), CSM, and comprehensive tangible equity, all other numbers are unaudited. Operating profit after tax and net profit after tax represent the amounts attributable to equity holders of the company and are presented net of non-controlling interests. New business sales are calculated on an annualised premium equivalent (APE) basis, based on 100 percent annualised first year premiums and 10 percent single premiums. Return on tangible equity is calculated as operating profit after tax, divided by the average of the balances of tangible equity as of the beginning and end of such period. Tangible equity is calculated as adjusted total equity attributable to shareholders of the company, minus the intangible assets net of non-controlling interests.
*Prescribed capital requirement (PCR) basis
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