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☆ Truist in talks to sell insurance business for $10 bln - Semafor
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 10 (Reuters) - Truist Financial (TFC.N) is in talks to sell its insurance brokerage unit to private equity firm Stone Point for about $10 billion, news website Semafor reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. Stone Point bought a 20% stake in the unit, known as Truist Insurance Holdings, in April in a deal that valued the business at $14.75 billion. When the transaction was unveiled in February, before the industry turmoil, Truist said it would continue to own 80% of the unit. The talks with Stone Point are ongoing, according to the Semafor report, which added that a deal may hinge on Stone Point's ability to scrounge up enough debt. Truist Financial declined to comment on the Semafor report, while Truist Insurance and Stone Point did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Persons: Semafor, Truist, Shivani Tanna, Niket, Maju Samuel, Shounak Organizations: Truist, Truist Insurance Holdings, Truist Insurance, Thomson Locations: U.S, dealmaking, Bengaluru

☆ Aviva shares jump 8% as Times cites takeover talk
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Aviva logo on a window at the company's head office in the City of London, Britain, March 7, 2019. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Shares in Aviva (AV.L) shot up almost 9% on Friday, after Britain's Times newspaper cited talk of a possible takeover of one of the UK's largest insurers by a foreign buyer. ($13.41 billion)The Times cited "chatter that refused to die down". Last month, Aviva said it had agreed to buy UK life insurance business of AIG (AIG.N) for 460 million pounds($563 million), in the largest acquisition to date by its CEO, Amanda Blanc. ($1 = 0.8201 pounds)Reporting by Joice Alves and Carolyn Cohn; Writing by Amanda Cooper; Editing by Dhara RanasingheOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Simon Dawson, Amanda Blanc, Joice Alves, Carolyn Cohn, Amanda Cooper, Dhara Organizations: Aviva, City of, REUTERS, Britain's Times, Reuters, AIG, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain

☆ Apollo’s divergent path outshines Blackstone
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Jonathan Guilford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Apollo Global Management (APO.N) and Blackstone (BX.N) both emerged from private equity’s primordial swamp. That spread comprised nearly three-quarters of Apollo’s $3.1 billion in profit available to be doled out to shareholders in 2022. That turbo-charged the fees Blackstone reaps from managing funds, which contributed 59% of $6.6 billion in profit available to shareholders last year. Apollo’s earnings from its insurance business are awarded an even more meager 10 times. This doesn’t form the closed loop like that between Athene, Apollo and its various specialist lenders.

Persons: Marc Rowan, haven’t, dealmaking, Rowan, Blackstone, Steve Schwarzman, Athene, BREIT, Rich, reckons Bain, Schwarzman, Dealmaking, hasn’t, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Apollo Global Management, Blackstone, Apollo, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Barclays, Schwarzman, U.S . Federal, Industry, Life Insurance, Research Association, Thomson Locations: freefall, BREIT, Blackstone

☆ Aviva to buy AIG's UK life insurance business for $563 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Iain Withers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A pedestrians walks past the Aviva logo outside the company head office in the city of London, Britain March 7, 2019. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Aviva (AV.L) said on Monday it had agreed to buy the UK life insurance business of AIG (AIG.N) for 460 million pounds ($563 million), in the largest acquisition to date by the British insurer's CEO Amanda Blanc. Aviva said it would buy the unit - known as AIG Life UK - from Corebridge Financial, Inc (CRBG.N), a New York-listed company majority-owned by AIG. Corebridge was formed in 2021 when AIG spun off its life and retirement business and sold a portion of the company to Blackstone for $2.2 billion. AIG took Corebridge public in September last year, in a share offering that raised $1.7 billion.

Persons: Simon Dawson, Amanda Blanc, Blanc, Peter Zaffino, Corebridge, Iain Withers, Louise Heavens Organizations: Aviva, REUTERS, AIG, British, AIG Life, Corebridge, Inc, RBC, Blackstone, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, New York, Singapore, United States

"The alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state," Murphy - who would appoint a temporary replacement for Menendez should he resign - said in a statement. "Behind the scenes, Senator Menendez was doing those things for certain people - the people that were bribing him and his wife," Williams said. A lawyer for Nadine Menendez, 56, who has been married to the senator since 2020, said she denied wrongdoing and would "vigorously defend" against the allegations in court. MENENDEZ HAS FACED OTHER PROBESThe investigation marks the third time Menendez has been investigated by federal prosecutors, although he has never been convicted. Bob and Nadine Menendez also each face one count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Menendez, Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden, Phil Murphy, Murphy, Prosecutors, Damian Williams, Williams, Nadine Menendez, MENENDEZ, Robert Menedez, Jonathan Ernst, Ben Cardin, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ted Stevens, Larry Craig, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Bob, Hana, Washington, Uribe, Daibes, Luc Cohen, Jonathan Stempel, Patricia Zengerle, Matt Spetalnick, Simon Lewis, Makini Brice, Andrew Goudsward, Tom Hals, Mark Porter, Daniel Wallis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: U.S, Jersey businessmen, U.S . Senate, Foreign, Democratic, U.S . House, Representatives, Benz, Capitol, REUTERS, Republican, U.S . Department of Agriculture, New, Menendez, Daibes, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, Jersey, U.S, Manhattan, Egypt, Ukraine, China . New Jersey, New Jersey, Washington , U.S, Cuban American, Cuba, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Alaska, Idaho, United States, Washington, New York

Menendez serves as the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And as chairman, he had unique influence over foreign military sales and foreign military financing. The State Department typically seeks the input of the chairperson and top minority senator on the Foreign Relations panel when it comes to foreign military financing and foreign military sales, and the department generally will not go forward if one of the two senators objects. Hana is a friend of Nadine Menendez and the Egyptian-American founder of a business that certifies beef imported into Egypt meets Islamic religious standards. “Congratulations mon amour de la vie, we are the proud owners of a 2019 Mercedes,” Nadine Menendez texted her husband, along with a heart emoji.

Persons: — Democratic U.S . Sen, Bob Menendez, Egypt —, Menendez, ”, Nadine, “, Prosecutors, Nadine Arslania, David Schertler, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Nadine Menendez, He's, Hana, Uribe, ” Nadine Menendez, Hana's, Salomon Melgen, Melgen, Donald Trump, Chuck Schumer, Sen, Ben Cardin, Schumer, Phil Murphy Organizations: WASHINGTON, — Democratic U.S ., Senate Foreign Relations, U.S, Embassy, The State Department, Foreign Relations, U.S . House, Strategic International Business Consultants LLC, -, New, Daibes, Senate, New Jersey voters, Republican, NEXT, Democratic, While New, While New Jersey Gov Locations: Egypt, New Jersey, Jersey, U.S, Cairo, Union City , New Jersey, Edgewater , New Jersey, Florida, Dominican Republic, Paris, Washington, D, While, While New Jersey

☆ Car insurance rates just had their biggest annual jump in 47 years. This is why
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

While that insurance is for a 2022 Porsche Taycan, even friends of his who drive lower-end models are paying more for car insurance, he told CNN. Yet he's seen his car insurance rates increase from $140 a month in 2020 to his current rate of $278 a month. Car insurance rates are increasing for a variety of reasonsTwo months ago, Nationwide notified Darnell Coates-Clark, 55, an EMT based in Baltimore, that he would be hit with a 33% increase in his car insurance. He acknowledged he doesn’t have “stellar credit,” which is known to impact car insurance rates. Darnell Coates-Clark saw his monthly car insurance rates double over the past two years.

Persons: Kyle Barone, Barone, didn’t, USAA, He’s, “, ”, hasn't, he's, haven’t, Darnell Coates, Clark, Coates, ’ ” Coates, hasn’t, Ryan Ankrom, Clark USAA, Andrew Femath, Stephen Crewdson, Hurricane Ian, Robert Passmore, Crewdson, ” Crewdson, Betsy Stella, Insurify, what’s, “ I’ve, “ I’m, I’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, Volvo, CNN, Porsche Taycan, Norwegian Cruise Line, Kyle Barone Drivers, Sunshine State, Nationwide, P Global Market Intelligence, Casualty Insurance Association, National, Traffic Safety Administration Locations: New York, United States, Florida, Jacksonville , Florida, Tampa, Norwegian, Sunshine, Southwest Florida, Baltimore, Maryland, Hurricane

☆ JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon warns of recession and rate hikes, flags global dangers, and quotes Warren Buffett twice in a new interview. Here are the 8 best quotes.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Dimon quoted Warren Buffett twice to flag the risks to banks and trumpet prudence in business. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. The billionaire banker and JPMorgan CEO also championed prudent risk management, and warned that more lenders could run into problems like Silicon Valley Bank did this spring. If you have that with a recession, yes, you're going to see a little bit more stress and strain in the system." (Dimon was referring to other banks getting caught out by rising interest rates like Silicon Valley Bank.)

Persons: Jamie Dimon, Dimon, Warren Buffett, headwinds, It's, we've, There's, Warren, — he's Organizations: Service, JPMorgan, Bank, Barclays, AlphaSense, Silicon Valley Bank Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Silicon Valley

☆ Warren Buffett wrote to Leon Cooperman about stock buybacks, taxing the rich, and the presidency. Here are the 3 messages, from Cooperman's new memoir
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Warren Buffett wrote to Leon Cooperman about stock buybacks, taxing the rich, and Henry Singleton. When Cooperman was mulling a presidential run, Buffett joked he could "deliver Nebraska" for him. Cooperman shared a trio of messages he received from Buffett in his newly published memoir. Buffett wrote him a note after reading the letter, which Cooperman still keeps framed in his office:Dear Lee,I always enjoy both the quality of your writing and the quality of your thinking. Buffett wrote to Cooperman after his speech to express his agreement:AdvertisementAdvertisementHenry was a manager that all investors, CEOs, would be CEOs, and MBA students should study.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Leon Cooperman, Henry Singleton, Cooperman, Buffett, Goldman Sachs, trumpeted, Dear Lee, Warren, Singleton, Henry, Lee, you've Organizations: Service, Teledyne, Cooperman, Wall, Finance, Philanthropy, Omega Advisors, Business, Loews, Berkshire Locations: Nebraska, Wall, Silicon, Bronx, Iraq, Afghanistan

☆ Potential UAW strike presents a near-term headwind for auto insurers - JPM
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Reshma Rockie George | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view of the exterior of the JP Morgan Chase & Co. corporate headquarters in New York City May 20, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 7 (Reuters) - J.P.Morgan on Thursday said supply chain disruptions from a potential United Auto Workers (UAW) union strike would cut new vehicle production, drive up used car prices and put pressure on margins in the personal auto insurance business. The automakers "represent about 40% of light vehicle auto sales (by units) in the U.S., and IHS Markit estimates that a strike would disrupt North American vehicle production by roughly 75%," J.P.Morgan said. The brokerage identifies Allstate Corp (ALL.N) and Progressive Corp (PGR.N) as the insurers with the most exposure to a potential UAW strike, with Allstate more susceptible due to its weaker capital position. Used-car prices have had the most impact on auto margins in recent years compared to other factors such as higher spare part costs, labor costs, increased litigation, and severe accidents, the brokerage added.

Persons: Morgan Chase, Mike Segar, J.P.Morgan, Jimmy Bhullar, Reshma Rockie, Tasim Zahid Organizations: Co, New York City, REUTERS, United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit Three, Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, Allstate Corp, Progressive Corp, Allstate, Anderson Economic Group, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Michigan, Reshma Rockie George, Bengaluru

☆ S&P 500 investors are betting on a handful of stocks like Tesla and Nvidia, Apollo's Marc Rowan warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The S&P 500 is dominated by a handful of Big Tech companies like Apple and Amazon. Investors in the index are speculating on just a few companies, Apollo's Marc Rowan says. The S&P 500 weights its constituents by market capitalization, meaning companies with trillion-dollar market caps like Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft have outsized influence among the roughly 500 stocks in the benchmark index. Moreover, Apollo outbid Berkshire for Tech Data in 2019, underscoring that Rowan and Buffett have similar tastes in businesses. Buffett hasn't voiced the same concerns as Rowan about the intense concentration of Big Tech in the S&P 500.

Persons: Apollo's Marc Rowan, Rowan, it's, Warren Buffett, Marc Rowan, Buffett, Buffett hasn't Organizations: Big Tech, Apple, Investors, Service, Nvidia, Australian Financial, Apollo Global, Microsoft, Apollo, Athene, Tech Data, Berkshire Locations: Wall, Silicon, Berkshire

The company established the Allianz Global Diversified Private Debt Fund (AGDPDF) II in Luxembourg in mid-June, company filings show. Money managers are vying for a slice of the growing private credit market, which emerged in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and is currently estimated to have assets of $1.5 trillion. Private credit funds are increasingly competing with banks, including for financing large company buyouts. The fastest escalation in borrowing costs in decades has posed a test for private credit but so far defaults by borrowers have been limited. Rather than lending directly, the Allianz Global Diversified Private Debt Fund invests in other credit funds and also makes co-investments.

Persons: Michaela Rehle, Proskauer, Pablo Mayo, Elisa Martinuzzi, Jane Merriman Organizations: Allianz, REUTERS, Allianz Global Investors, Allianz Global, Debt Fund, Fund, Reuters, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Thomson Locations: Unterfoehring, Munich, Luxembourg, London

☆ Berkshire posts record operating profit, rising rates boost Buffett's returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"The earnings impact of higher interest rates on investment income is offsetting the economic softness caused by those same rates," he added. Investors closely watch Berkshire because of Buffett's reputation, and because results from the Omaha, Nebraska-based company's operating units often mirror broader economic trends. NOT LOVING VALUATIONSQuarterly operating profit rose 7% to $10.04 billion, or about $6,938 per Class A share, from $9.42 billion a year earlier. Berkshire repurchased $1.4 billion of stock in the quarter, down from $4.4 billion from January to March. Overall profit from Berkshire Hathaway Energy, where Berkshire has a 92% stake, was little changed at $785 million.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Rick Wilking, Berkshire Hathaway, Jim Shanahan, Edward Jones, Buffett, Cathy Seifert, Seifert, PacifiCorp, Jonathan Stempel, Ira Iosebashvili, Angus MacSwan, Jan Harvey, Alistair Bell, Diane Craft Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Omaha , Nebraska U.S, REUTERS, Berkshire, Berkshire's Clayton Homes, Profit, BNSF, Forbes, Berkshire repurchased, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Occidental Petroleum, Thomson Locations: Omaha , Nebraska, Berkshire, Alleghany, Oregon, An Oregon, Occidental, New York

☆ Berkshire posts record operating profit, $35.9 billion of net income
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Quarterly operating profit topped $10 billion for the first time but grew just 7%, in part from recent purchases of the Alleghany insurer and Pilot truck stop operator. Second-quarter operating profit rose to $10.04 billion, or about $6,938 per Class A share, from $9.42 billion a year earlier. Net income totaled $35.91 billion, or $24,775 per Class A share, compared with a year-earlier $43.62 billion loss. Pilot added $114 million to operating profit. Overall profit from Berkshire Hathaway Energy, in which Berkshire has a 92% stake, was little changed at $785 million.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Rick Wilking, Berkshire Hathaway, Cathy Seifert, Seifert, Buffett, PacifiCorp, Jonathan Stempel, Angus MacSwan, Jan Harvey, Alistair Bell Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Omaha , Nebraska U.S, REUTERS, Berkshire, Clayton Homes, BNSF, Berkshire repurchased, Apple, Occidental Petroleum, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Forbes, Thomson Locations: Omaha , Nebraska, Berkshire, Alleghany, Occidental, An Oregon, New York

☆ Berkshire Hathaway Posts Quarterly Profit of Nearly $36 Billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate led by the billionaire Warren Buffett, posted its highest ever quarterly operating profit on Saturday, while gains from stock holdings helped Berkshire swing to an overall profit of nearly $36 billion. Rising interest rates and dividend payouts, as well as a rebound in performance at the Geico car insurer, have been helping Berkshire’s insurance businesses generate more money, with profit up 38 percent from the second quarter of 2022. Berkshire cited rising premiums and a reduction in advertising as among the reasons for Geico’s positive results. That helped offset declines at other businesses including the BNSF railroad, where lower shipments of consumer goods and increased price competition from the trucking industry contributed to a 24 percent drop in overall profit. Investors closely watch Berkshire because of Mr. Buffett’s reputation as a savvy investor and because results from the conglomerate’s dozens of operating units often mirror broader economic trends.

Persons: Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett Locations: Berkshire

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., July 20, 2023. Chart shows that the U.S.'s long-term foreign currency rating was downgraded by Fitch to AA+ in 2023, following a similar move from S&P in 2011. ET, Dow e-minis were down 104 points, or 0.29%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 24 points, or 0.52%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 132.25 points, or 0.84%. Among other early movers, Starbucks (SBUX.O) eased 1.9% after the world's largest coffeehouse chain missed market expectations for quarterly comparable sales. Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb ChakrabartyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Fitch, Mark Haefele, Wells Fargo, Johann M Cherian, Saumyadeb Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Dow, Nasdaq, Wall, AAA, Standard, UBS Global Wealth Management, Fitch, AA, Dow e, Nvidia, Microsoft, Devices, U.S, Caterpillar, CVS Health Corp, DuPont de Nemours, Investors, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, States, Wells, Bengaluru

☆ HSBC invites shy investors to turnaround party
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The turnaround Quinn launched shortly after taking charge of the London-headquartered bank in 2019 is gaining momentum. In the three months to the end of June, HSBC almost doubled its pre-tax profit to $8.8 billion compared with the same period last year. He’s catching up with market expectations, too, aiming for a return on tangible equity in the mid-teens and echoing Visible Alpha’s consensus numbers for 15% this year, and almost 14% next. Crucially, Quinn and his newish finance chief, Georges Elhedery, can focus on improving the bank’s performance with fewer distractions. All shareholders, though, clearly still need some convincing to join HSBC’s turnaround party in earnest.

Persons: Noel Quinn, Quinn, Georges Elhedery, Ping, Antony Currie, Thomas Shum, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, HK, HSBC, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Ping An Insurance, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, London, Hong Kong, China, Asia, Europe, North America, Canada

☆ Caixabank's quarterly net profit jumps 48%, announces 500 mln euro share buy-back
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jesús Aguado | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The country's biggest lender by domestic assets reported a net profit of 1.28 billion euros ($1.41 billion), ahead of 1.16 billion euros analysts forecast in a Reuters poll. The bank also announced a 500 million euro share buy-back programme that would begin before the end of 2023 and is aimed at distributing capital above the 12% threshold. Last year, the lender bought back 1.8 billion euros of shares. Caixabank's net interest income, earnings on loans minus deposit costs, rose 60.7% year-on-year in the quarter to 2.44 billion euros, above the 2.29 billion euros analysts expected. The lender also said that recent commercial trends implied upside over its more than 30% growth guidance for net interest income in 2023.

Persons: Caixabank, Jesús Aguado, Inti Landauro, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Thomson Locations: NII, MADRID, Banks, Europe

Companies Centene Corp FollowJuly 28 (Reuters) - Centene Corp (CNC.N) said on Friday it was working to enroll people back into government-backed Medicaid plans after the end of pandemic-relief measures left hundreds of thousands of members without coverage. Medicaid memberships, the largest contributor to Centene's revenue, were hit by the removal of pandemic-related relief measures on April 1 that rendered several members ineligible for insurance coverage. Centene lost a little more than 260,000 Medicaid members in the second quarter due to redetermination, and had around 16 million members under Medicaid as of June 30. The company on Friday, however, beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit, helped by strong membership growth in its commercial marketplace business even as a fall in Medicaid memberships hurt. On an adjusted basis, the company earned $2.10 per share in the second quarter, above estimates of $2.03.

Persons: Centene, Sarah London, Julie Utterback, Mariam Sunny, Leroy Leo, Shinjini Ganguli, Shounak Organizations: Centene, Wall, Medicaid, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

TUA Assicurazioni, a non-life company founded in 2003, is valued at around 300 million euros ($335 million), according to the sources. Two sources mentioned German insurance heavyweight Allianz (ALVG.DE), fellow German insurer Talanx (TLXGn.DE) and France's Groupama as potential bidders. One of them also named Italy's Itas as one of up to five parties that could bid in the second round. Talanx has expressed interest in ICCREA's non-life business and is competing with Swiss Helvetia Group (HELN.S), Groupama and Italian cooperative insurer Assimoco. ($1 = 0.8946 euros)Additional reporting by Gianluca Semarero in Milan, writing by Keith Weir Editing by Keith Weir and Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: TUA, TUA Assicurazioni, Italy's, ICCREA, Talanx, Rothschild, Mediobanca, Groupama, Gianluca Semarero, Keith Weir, Louise Heavens Organizations: Generali, Cattolica, Allianz, Swiss Helvetia Group, Itas, Thomson Locations: MILAN, Generali, Mediobanca, Talanx, Milan

NEW YORK/LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - One of the world's top insurers is mulling offloading its property reinsurance business in a bid to cut its exposure to natural disasters like hurricanes, according to three people familiar with the matter. Prices for U.S. property catastrophe reinsurance rose by as much as 50% at a key July 1 renewal date, broker Gallagher Re said in a recent report. AXA has been trying to reduce the exposure of its AXA XL property and casualty (P&C) division - which houses XL Re - in an effort to make earnings more predictable. This has caused the reinsurance business to shrink, with revenues dropping by nearly a third last year to $3.2 billion, according to AXA's 2022 accounts. In May, American International Group (AIG.N) agreed the sale of its reinsurance arm Validus Re for roughly $3 billion, or about 1.4 times the unit's book value.

Persons: Reinsurers, Hurricane Ian, Gallagher Re, David French, Pablo Mayo, Amy, Jo Crowley, Carolyn Cohn, Echo Wang, Silvia Aloisi, John O'Donnell, Conor Humphries Organizations: AXA SA, XL, Covea, AXA, AXA XL, American International, Fidelis Insurance Holdings, Reuters, Hamilton Insurance, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Thomson Locations: Bermuda, New York, London, Paris

☆ MOVEit hack claims Calpers and Genworth as millions more victims impacted
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

News reports said information from more than 700,000 Calpers members and retirees was taken. The MOVEit software is widely-used by organisations around the world to share sensitive data. Genworth Financial was harder hit, saying personal information of nearly 2.5 million to 2.7 million of its customers was breached. "The personal information of a significant number of insurance policyholders or other customers of its life insurance businesses was unlawfully accessed," Genworth said. The MOVEit hack has hit several state and federal agencies.

Persons: PBI, Calpers, Genworth, Niket, Chris Sanders, Maju Samuel, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Genworth, PBI Research Services, U.S . Department of Energy, Washington DC, Thomson Locations: Calpers, Burlington , Massachusetts, Russia, Bengaluru, Washington

☆ Generali to buy Liberty Mutual's Spanish Unit in $2.5 billion all-cash deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, June 15 (Reuters) - Generali (GASI.MI) will buy out the Spanish unit of U.S. insurer Liberty Mutual for 2.3 billion euros ($2.51 billion), in a move aimed at strengthening its property and casualty segment, Italy's top insurer said on Thursday. "Generali is acquiring a profitable insurance business in three growing European markets with very attractive characteristics, that will create significant long-term value for all stakeholders," Chief Executive Philippe Donnet said in a statement. Generali said it expects the acquisition to bring a reduction of 9.7 percentage points on the group's regulatory solvency ratio. The all-cash deal would allow the Italian group to become one of the main players in the Spanish insurance market, as well as enter Ireland and Northern Ireland, Generali said. ($1 = 0.9179 euro)Reporting by Federica Urso in Rome and Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Philippe Donnet, Generali, Federica Urso, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Liberty Mutual, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Thomson Locations: Spanish, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Rome, Bengaluru

☆ Buy this cheap insurance giant with 9.2% yield, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bank of America has named European insurance giant AXA as one of its top picks in the insurance sector, given its attractively low valuation and generous dividends. The investment bank believes AXA shares are a bargain because it is predicted to earn much more than its stock price suggests. This yield consists of a 6.8% dividend yield plus a 2.4% yield from the company buying back its own shares. AXA's valuation is said to be one of the lowest in its sector, even with the prediction of a steadily increasing dividend yield. Shares of the French multinational have risen by 3.8% so far this year and currently offer a dividend yield of 6.2%.

Persons: Andrew Sinclair, Sinclair's Organizations: of America, AXA, Bank of America, CS, Atlantic, company's Locations: Paris

The biggest buy came from RenaissanceRE CEO Kevin O'Donnell, who bought $2.5 million worth of the insurer's stock, according to securities filings and VerityData. Kiani's roughly $1 million purchase comes after he scooped up $6 million of the stock in November and December of 2022. 1) RenaissanceRE — O'Donnell bought $2.5 million worth of shares on May 26 as part of a secondary offering. 4) Masimo — Kiani spent just over $1 million on Masimo stock on May 25, building on a $6 million purchase from late last year. 5) Driven Brands — CEO Jonathan Fitzpatrick bought nearly $1 million worth of the automotive services company's stock on Tuesday.

Persons: Kevin O'Donnell, Validus, O'Donnell, Joe Kiani, Masimo, RenaissanceRE — O'Donnell, Bernard Lanigan, Kevin Dallas, — Kiani, Jonathan Fitzpatrick Organizations: AIG, Politan, Tech, Politan Capital Locations: RenaissanceRe, VerityData

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