Connect with us

Sun Life Reports First Quarter 2022 Results

Sun Life Reports First Quarter 2022 Results
PR Newswire
TORONTO, May 11, 2022

Sun Life Financial Inc. (“SLF Inc.”), its subsidiaries and, where applicable, its joint ventures and associates are collectively referred to as “the Company”, “Sun Life”,…

Published

on

Sun Life Reports First Quarter 2022 Results

PR Newswire

Sun Life Financial Inc. ("SLF Inc."), its subsidiaries and, where applicable, its joint ventures and associates are collectively referred to as "the Company", "Sun Life", "we", "our", and "us". We manage our operations and report our financial results in five business segments: Canada, United States ("U.S."), Asset Management, Asia, and Corporate. The information in this document is based on the unaudited interim financial results of SLF Inc. for the period ended March 31, 2022 and should be read in conjunction with the interim management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") and our unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes ("Interim Consolidated Financial Statements") for the period ended March 31, 2022, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). We report certain financial information using non-IFRS financial measures. For more details, refer to the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section in this document. Additional information relating to SLF Inc. is available on www.sunlife.com under Investors – Financial results and reports, on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, and on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov. Reported net income (loss) refers to Common shareholders' net income (loss) determined in accordance with IFRS. Unless otherwise noted, all amounts are in Canadian dollars.

TORONTO, May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) announced its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022.

  • Q1'22 reported net income of $858 million decreased 8% and underlying net income(1) of $843 million decreased 1% from Q1'21.
  • Q1'22 reported EPS(2) was $1.46 and underlying EPS(1)(2) was $1.44.

"Sun Life delivered solid first quarter results driven by the strength of our diversified business model. We continue to deliver on our Purpose for Clients amidst a challenging economic environment and ongoing COVID-19 impacts. We saw our insurance and wealth sales grow this quarter, highlighting the value our Clients place on financial security and healthier lives, and we delivered strong long-term investment performance," said Kevin Strain, President and CEO of Sun Life. "Our capital position remained strong and we are pleased to announce a 4.5% increase in our dividend to $0.69 per common share, reflecting our confidence in meeting our medium-term financial goals."

Sun Life also announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with CIMB Niaga, a leading regional bank in Indonesia. This extended partnership will increase distribution and product offerings starting in 2025, and more importantly, help millions of people to access financial security solutions across all life stages.



Quarterly results

Profitability

Q1'22

Q1'21


Reported net income - Common shareholders ($ millions)

858

937


Underlying net income ($ millions)(1)

843

850


Reported EPS ($)(2)

1.46

1.59


Underlying EPS ($)(1)(2)

1.44

1.45


Reported return on equity ("ROE")(1)

14.3%

16.9%


Underlying ROE(1)

14.0%

15.3%





Growth

Q1'22

Q1'21


Insurance sales ($ millions)(1)

799

730


Wealth sales and asset management gross flows ($ millions)(1)

57,887

65,962


Value of new business ("VNB") ($ millions)(1)

258

278


Assets under management ("AUM") ($ billions)(1)(3)

1,352

1,304





Financial Strength

Q1'22

Q1'21


LICAT ratios (at period end)(4)




Sun Life Financial Inc.

143%

141%


Sun Life Assurance(5)

123%

124%


Financial leverage ratio (at period end)(1)(6)

25.9%

22.7%

_________________

(1)   

Represents a non-IFRS financial measure. For more details, see the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section in this document and in our MD&A for the period
ended March 31, 2022 ("Q1 2022 MD&A").

(2)   

All earnings per share ("EPS") measures refer to fully diluted EPS, unless otherwise stated.

(3)   

AUM is comprised of General Funds and Segregated Funds on our Statements of Financial Position, and other third-party assets managed by the Company
("other AUM"). For more details, see the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section in this document and in our Q1 2022 MD&A.

(4)   

For further information on the Life Insurance Capital Adequacy Test ("LICAT"), see section E - Financial Strength in this document. Our LICAT ratios are
calculated in accordance with OSFI-mandated guideline, Life Insurance Capital Adequacy Test.

(5)   

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada ("Sun Life Assurance") is SLF Inc.'s principal operating life insurance subsidiary.

(6)   

Includes $2.0 billion of proceeds from the subordinated debt offerings completed in November 2021, of which $1.5 billion is subject to contractual terms
requiring us to redeem the underlying securities, in full, if the closing of the DentaQuest Group Inc. ("DentaQuest") acquisition does not occur. These amounts
will not qualify as LICAT capital until the acquisition closes.


Financial and Operational Highlights - Quarterly Comparison (Q1 2022 vs. Q1 2021)

Our strategy is focused on key business segments, where we aim to be a leader in the markets in which we operate.

($ millions, unless otherwise noted)


Reported net income (loss) -
Common shareholders

Underlying

net income (loss)(1)

Insurance

sales(1)

Wealth sales and asset
management gross flows(1)


Q1'22

Q1'21

change

Q1'22

Q1'21

change

Q1'22

Q1'21

change

Q1'22

Q1'21

change

Canada

263

405

(35)%

298

285

5%

332

233

42%

4,939

4,435

11%

U.S.

169

211

(20)%

118

171

(31)%

148

154

(4)%

Asset Management

308

230

34%

326

291

12%

49,427

58,231

(15)%

Asia

161

198

(19)%

152

159

(4)%

319

343

(7)%

3,521

3,296

7%

Corporate

(43)

(107)

nm(2)

(51)

(56)

nm(2)

Total

858

937

(8)%

843

850

(1)%

799

730

9%

57,887

65,962

(12)%

(1)   

Represents a non-IFRS financial measure. See the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section in this document and in the Q1 2022 MD&A.

(2)   

Not meaningful.


Reported net income of $858 million decreased $79 million or 8% from prior year, driven by less favourable market-related impacts, partially offset by a Q1'21 restructuring charge and lower fair value changes on MFS' share-based payment awards.(1) Underlying net income of $843 million(2) was down slightly, driven by broad-based business growth, higher investment gains and lower Corporate expenses, offset by unfavourable mortality and disability which included impacts from COVID-19, and lower available-for-sale ("AFS") gains.

Canada: A leader in insurance and asset management

Canada reported net income of $263 million decreased $142 million or 35% from prior year, primarily reflecting changes in interest rates and lower equity markets, partially offset by an increase in the value of real estate investments and an increase in underlying net income of $13 million. Underlying net income of $298 million increased 5%, driven by business growth and new business gains.

Experience in the quarter consisted of higher investment gains, partially offset by morbidity reflecting longer durations for disability claims, and unfavourable credit impacts.

Canada insurance sales were $332 million, up 42% year-over-year, driven by large case group benefits sales in Sun Life Health. Canada wealth sales were $5 billion, up 11%, driven by defined contribution sales in Group Retirement Services ("GRS"), partially offset by individual wealth sales.

Aligned with our Purpose to help Clients achieve lifetime financial security, we launched Prospr by Sun Life, a hybrid advice solution combining a best-in-class digital platform with a team of licensed advisors, to meet Canadians' personalized and holistic financial planning needs. Prospr by Sun Life makes it easier for Canadians to select, prioritize and track their goals all in one place.

U.S.: A leader in health and benefits

U.S. reported net income of $169 million decreased $42 million or 20% from prior year, reflecting a $53 million decrease in underlying net income. Underlying net income of $118 million decreased 31%, driven by mortality and morbidity, partially offset by business growth.

In the first quarter, COVID-19 impacts of US$30 million ($39 million) were largely driven by elevated group life mortality. Earnings for the quarter also reflected higher long-term disability claims in Group Benefits, offset by higher medical stop-loss margins and investment gains. The trailing four-quarter after-tax profit margin for Group Benefits(3) was 4.9% as of Q1'22 (Q1'21 - 8.1%).

U.S. insurance sales were $148 million, down 4% year-over-year, reflecting a large employee benefits case sale in the prior year, largely offset by a 56% increase in medical stop-loss sales.

During Q1, we launched Benefits Explorer, an interactive platform designed to provide employees with personalized, live educational content and customized tools to help them make well-informed benefits decisions. We also continued to invest in our dental business and digital capabilities by partnering with Teledentistry.com. The service offers members 24/7 virtual access to dental providers, making it easier to get dental care and advice in emergencies while traveling or during evenings and weekends. This complements the recent announcement of our intention to acquire DentaQuest Group Inc. ("DentaQuest"), one of the largest providers of dental benefits in the U.S., and their mission to make oral health accessible to all.

_________

(1) 

MFS Investment Management ("MFS").

(2) 

Refer to section C - Profitability in the Q1 2022 MD&A for more information about experience-related items and the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section in this document for a reconciliation between reported net income and underlying net income.

(3) 

Represents a non-IFRS financial measure. For more details, see the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section in this document and in the Q1 2022 MD&A.


Asset Management: A global leader in both public and alternative asset classes through MFS and SLC Management

Asset Management reported net income of $308 million increased $78 million or 34% from prior year, driven by lower fair value changes on MFS' share-based payment awards and an increase in underlying net income of $35 million. Underlying net income of $326 million increased 12%, driven by higher results in MFS and SLC Management.

Asset Management ended Q1'22 with $981 billion in AUM, consisting of $796 billion (US$637 billion) in MFS and $185 billion in SLC Management. Total Asset Management net outflows of $2 billion in Q1'22 reflected MFS net outflows of approximately $7 billion (US$5 billion), largely offset by SLC Management net inflows of approximately $5 billion.

The MFS pre-tax net operating profit margin(1) was 39% for Q1'22, consistent with prior year. The SLC Management fee-related earnings margin(1)(2) was 23%, down from 26%.

Through its collective expertise, long-term investing philosophy and active risk management, MFS continues to deliver on its consistent track record as a top-performing active asset manager. For 2021, MFS ranked in the top 10(3) for its 5- and 10-year performance across its U.S. fund line up, marking the 13th time in the last 14 years that MFS has achieved this recognition.

During Q1, Crescent Capital Group LP ("Crescent") closed its third U.S. Direct Lending Fund, raising approximately US$6 billion, more than double the size of the predecessor fund. WELPUT(4), a fund managed by BentallGreenOak ("BGO"), won the 2022 Pension Real Estate Association ("PREA") Closed-End Fund ESG Award. In addition, SLC Management, and its affiliates, BGO and Crescent, have become founding signatories to the CFA Institute's recently launched Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI") Code in the U.S. and Canada.

Asia: A regional leader focused on fast-growing markets

Asia reported net income of $161 million decreased $37 million or 19% from prior year, reflecting less favourable market-related impacts. Underlying net income of $152 million decreased $7 million or 4%, reflecting new business strain in Hong Kong largely driven by lower sales as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, partially offset by experience-related items.

Experience in the quarter included higher investment gains, partially offset by higher mortality mainly in International, related to a small number of large claims. Foreign exchange translation led to a $5 million decline in reported net income and underlying net income.

Asia insurance sales were $319 million, down 7% year-over-year, reflecting lower sales in Hong Kong, partially offset by sales growth in India and Singapore. Asia wealth sales were $4 billion, up 7%, driven by higher sales in the Philippines and India, partially offset by lower sales in Hong Kong.

We continue to expand our distribution channels across Asia to better service Clients in our fast-growing markets. In Indonesia, we announced the expansion of our existing bancassurance partnership with CIMB Niaga, Indonesia's second largest privately-owned bank(5). Sun Life will be the provider of all insurance solutions to the bank's seven million customers, across all channels, starting in 2025 through 2039.

Corporate

Corporate reported net loss of $43 million improved $64 million from prior year, as Q1'21 included a restructuring charge of $57 million. Underlying net loss of $51 million improved by $5 million.

________

(1)

Represents a non-IFRS financial measure. For more details, see the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section in this document and in the Q1 2022 MD&A.

(2)

Based on a trailing 12-month basis.

(3)

Barron's 2021 Fund Family rankings.

(4)

West End of London Property Unit Trust.

(5)

Based on total assets, as at December 31, 2021.


Earnings Conference Call

The Company's Q1'22 financial results will be reviewed at a conference call on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. ET. To listen to the call via live audio webcast and to view the presentation slides, as well as related information, please visit www.sunlife.com and click on the link to Quarterly reports under Investors – Financial results & reports 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. Individuals participating in the call in a listen-only mode are encouraged to connect via our webcast. Following the call, the webcast and presentation will be archived and made available on the Company's website, www.sunlife.com, until the Q1 2023 period end. The conference call can also be accessed by phone by dialing 602-563-8756 (International) or 1-877-658-9101 (toll‑free within North America) using Conference ID: 6588671. A replay of the conference call will be available from Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET until 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 26, 2022 by calling 404-537-3406 or 1-855-859-2056 (toll‑free within North America) using Conference ID: 6588671.

Media Relations Contact:

Investor Relations Contact:

Krista Wilson

Yaniv Bitton

Director, Corporate Communications   

Vice-President, Head of Investor Relations and Capital Markets

Tel: 226-751-2391

Tel: 416-979-6496

krista.wilson@sunlife.com

yaniv.bitton@sunlife.com

 

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

We report certain financial information using non-IFRS financial measures, as we believe that these measures provide information that is useful to investors in understanding our performance and facilitate a comparison of our quarterly and full year results from period to period. These non-IFRS financial measures do not have any standardized meaning and may not be comparable with similar measures used by other companies. For certain non-IFRS financial measures, there are no directly comparable amounts under IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures should not be viewed in isolation from or as alternatives to measures of financial performance determined in accordance with IFRS. Additional information concerning non-IFRS financial measures and, if applicable, reconciliations to the closest IFRS measures are available in Q1 2022 MD&A under the heading M - Non-IFRS Financial Measures, in our annual MD&A under the heading L - Non-IFRS Financial Measures and the Supplementary Financial Information packages that are available on www.sunlife.com under Investors – Financial results and reports.


1. Underlying Net Income and Underlying EPS

Underlying net income (loss) and financial measures based on underlying net income (loss), including underlying EPS or underlying loss per share, and underlying ROE, are non-IFRS financial measures. Underlying net income (loss) removes from reported net income (loss) the impacts of the following items in our results under IFRS and when removed assist in explaining our results from period to period:

(a) 

market-related impacts that differ from our best estimate assumptions, which include: (i) impacts of returns in equity markets, net of hedging, for which our best estimate assumptions are approximately 2% per quarter. This also includes the impact of the basis risk inherent in our hedging program, which is the difference between the return on underlying funds of products that provide benefit guarantees and the return on the derivative assets used to hedge those benefit guarantees; (ii) the impacts of changes in interest rates in the reporting period and on the value of derivative instruments used in our hedging programs including changes in credit and swap spreads, and any changes to the assumed fixed income reinvestment rates in determining the actuarial liabilities; and (iii) the impacts of changes in the fair value of investment properties in the reporting period;

(b)

assumption changes and management actions, which include: (i) the impacts of revisions to the methods and assumptions used in determining our liabilities for insurance contracts and investment contracts; and (ii) the impacts on insurance contracts and investment contracts of actions taken by management in the current reporting period, referred to as management actions which include, for example, changes in the prices of in-force products, new or revised reinsurance on in-force business, and material changes to investment policies for assets supporting our liabilities; and

(c)

other adjustments:


(i)

fair value adjustments on MFS' share-based payment awards that are settled with MFS' own shares and accounted for as liabilities and measured at fair value each reporting period until they are vested, exercised and repurchased - this adjustment enhances the comparability of MFS' results with publicly traded asset managers in the United States;


(ii)

acquisition, integration and restructuring costs - this adjustment enhances comparability of our results from period to period, by removing the impacts of costs, including the unwinding of the discount for certain liabilities related to acquisitions, that are not ongoing in nature and are incurred with the intent to generate benefits in future periods;


(iii)

certain hedges in Canada that do not qualify for hedge accounting - this adjustment enhances the comparability of our results from period to period, as it reduces volatility to the extent it will be offset over the duration of the hedges; and


(iv)

other items that are unusual or exceptional in nature.



All factors discussed in this document that impact our underlying net income are also applicable to reported net income. All EPS measures in this document refer to fully diluted EPS, unless otherwise stated. As noted below, underlying EPS excludes the dilutive impacts of convertible instruments.


The following table sets out the post-tax amounts that were excluded from our underlying net income (loss) and underlying EPS and provides a reconciliation to our reported net income (loss) and EPS based on IFRS.



Reconciliations of Select Net Income Measures

Quarterly results

($ millions, unless otherwise noted)

Q1'22

Q1'21

Reported net income - Common shareholders

858

937

     Market-related impacts



          Equity market impacts



               Impacts from equity market changes

(24)

67

               Basis risk impacts

22

5

          Equity market impacts

(2)

72

          Interest rate impacts(1)



               Impacts of interest rate changes

(57)

161

               Impacts of credit spread movements

40

(8)

               Impacts of swap spread movements

(13)

(12)

          Interest rate impacts

(30)

141

          Impacts of changes in the fair value of investment properties

70

(4)

     Less: Market-related impacts

38

209

     Less: Assumption changes and management actions

1

(4)

          Other adjustments



               Fair value adjustments on MFS' share-based payment awards

(3)

(44)

               Acquisition, integration and restructuring(2)(3)

(21)

(74)

     Less: Total of other adjustments

(24)

(118)

Underlying net income

843

850

Reported EPS (diluted) ($)

1.46

1.59

     Less: Market-related impacts ($)

0.06

0.37

          Assumption changes and management actions ($)

(0.01)

          Fair value adjustments on MFS' share-based payment awards ($)

(0.08)

          Acquisition, integration and restructuring ($)

(0.04)

(0.13)

          Impact of convertible securities on diluted EPS ($)

(0.01)

Underlying EPS (diluted) ($)

1.44

1.45


(1)    Our exposure to interest rates varies by product type, line of business, and geography. Given the long-term nature of our business, we have a higher degree of sensitivity in respect of interest rates at long durations.

(2)    Amounts relate to acquisition costs for our SLC affiliates, BentallGreenOak, InfraRed Capital Partners and Crescent Capital Group LP, which include the unwinding of the
       discount for Other financial liabilities of $16 million in Q1'22 (Q1'21 - $14 million).

(3)    The restructuring charge of $57 million in Q1'21 related to our strategy for our workspace and redefining the role of the office.


The following table shows the pre-tax amount of underlying net income adjustments:



Quarterly results

($ millions, unless otherwise noted)

Q1'22

Q1'21

Reported net income - Common shareholders (after-tax)

858

937

Underlying net income adjustments (pre-tax):



     Less:  Market-related impacts

193

380

          Assumption changes and management actions

1

(6)

          Other adjustments(1)

(26)

(144)

          Total underlying net income adjustments (pre-tax)

168

230

     Less: Taxes related to underlying net income adjustments(1)

(153)

(143)

Underlying net income (after-tax)

843

850


(1)     Effective January 1, 2022, there was a change in presentation for the fair value adjustments on MFS' share-based payment awards. We have updated prior periods to reflect this
        change in presentation. The post-tax basis presentation was not affected.


Taxes related to underlying net income adjustments may vary from the expected effective tax rate range reflecting the mix of business based on the Company's international
operations.


2. Additional Non-IFRS Financial Measures

Management also uses the following non-IFRS financial measures:


Assets under management. AUM is a non-IFRS financial measure that indicates the size of our company's asset management, wealth, and insurance assets. There is no
standardized financial measure under IFRS. In addition to the most directly comparable IFRS measures, which are the balance of General funds and Segregated funds on our
Statements of Financial Position, AUM also includes Other AUM.


Other AUM is composed of retail, institutional and other-third party assets, as well as general fund and segregated fund assets managed by our joint ventures. In Canada, other
AUM includes Client assets in retail mutual fund products of Sun Life Global Investments. In Asia, other AUM includes Client assets in Hong Kong managed fund products,
International wealth products, Philippines mutual and managed fund products, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited equity and fixed income mutual fund products, Sun Life Everbright
Asset Management products and our joint ventures' general fund and segregated fund assets based on our proportionate equity interest. In Asset Management, other AUM
includes Client assets for retail and institutional Clients, as well as capital raising, such as uncalled commitments and fund leverage in SLC Management. There is no directly
comparable IFRS financial measure.


Effective January 1, 2022, certain components of Other AUM were renamed to "Retail" and "Institutional and managed funds" to align with market naming conventions. Previously,
these components were referred to as Mutual funds and Managed funds, respectively, in our interim and annual MD&A. While labeling changes have modified certain terminology,
the composition of these components has not been affected.



Quarterly results

($ millions)

Q1'22

Q1'21

General fund assets

196,685

190,072

Segregated funds

133,496

127,341

Other AUM

1,021,972

986,833

Total assets under management

1,352,153

1,304,246


Assumption changes and management actions. In this document the impacts of ACMA on shareholders' net income (after-tax) is included in reported net income and is excluded
from underlying net income, as described in section C - Profitability in the Q1 2022 MD&A.


Note 5.A of the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements for the period ended March 31, 2022 shows the pre-tax impacts of method and assumption changes on shareholders' and
participating policyholders' insurance contract liabilities net of reinsurance assets, excluding changes in other policy liabilities and assets. The view in this document of ACMA is the
impacts on shareholders' reported net income (after-tax). The Consolidated Financial Statements view is a component of the change in total company liabilities.


The following table provides a reconciliation of the differences between the two measures.


Quarterly results

($ millions)

Q1'22


Q1'21

Impacts of method and assumption changes on insurance contract liabilities (pre-tax)

5


(8)

     Less: Participating policyholders(1)

4


(4)

Impacts of method and assumption changes excluding participating policyholders (pre-tax)

1


(4)

     Less: Tax


(2)

Impacts of method and assumption changes excluding participating policyholders (after-tax)

1


(2)

     Add: Management actions (after-tax)(2)


(2)

          Other (after-tax)(3)


Assumption changes and management actions (after-tax)(4)(5)

1


(4)


(1)     Adjustment to remove the pre-tax impacts of method and assumption changes on amounts attributed to participating policyholders.

(2)     Adjustment to include the after-tax impacts of management actions on insurance contract liabilities and investment contract liabilities which include, for example, changes in the prices
        of in-force products, new or revised reinsurance on in-force business, and material changes to investment policies for assets supporting our liabilities. The pre-tax impact of
        management actions to Method and assumption changes on insurance contract liabilities was $nil in Q1'22 (Q1'21 - a decrease of $2 million).

(3)     Adjustments to include the after-tax impacts of method and assumption changes on investment contracts and other policy liabilities, and the pre-tax impact to Method and assumption
        changes on insurance contract liabilities was $nil in Q1'22 (Q1'21 - $nil).

(4)     Includes the tax impacts of ACMA on insurance contract liabilities and investment contract liabilities, reflecting the tax rates in the jurisdictions in which we do business. 

(5)     ACMA is included in reported net income and is excluded in calculating underlying net income, as described in section C - Profitability in the Q1 2022 MD&A.



Cash and other liquid assets. This measure is comprised of cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, and publicly traded securities that are held at SLF Inc. (the ultimate parent
company), and its wholly owned holding companies. This measure represents available funds for capital re-deployment to support business growth.


($ millions)

As at March 31, 2022


As at December 31, 2021

Cash, cash equivalents & short-term securities

2,310


2,383

Debt securities(1)

1,576


1,421

Equity securities(2)

834


861

Cash and other liquid assets (held at SLF Inc. and its wholly owned holding companies)(3)

4,720


4,665


(1)     Includes publicly traded bonds.

(2)     Includes ETF Investments.

(3)     Includes $2.0 billion of proceeds from the subordinated debt offerings completed in November 2021, of which $1.5 billion is subject to contractual terms requiring us to redeem the
        underlying securities, in full, if the closing of the DentaQuest


3. Reconciliations of Select Non-IFRS Financial Measures

Reported Net Income to Underlying Net Income Reconciliation - Pre-tax by Business Group



Q1'22

($ millions)

 Canada

 U.S.

Asset
Management

Asia

Corporate

Total

Reported net income (loss) - Common shareholders

263

169

308

161

(43)

858

     Less:  Market-related impacts (pre-tax)(1)

123

60

9

1

193

          ACMA (pre-tax)

(11)

11

1

1

          Other adjustments (pre-tax)(1)(2)

(6)

(19)

(1)

(26)

          Tax expense (benefit) on above items(2)

(147)

(14)

1

7

(153)

Underlying net income (loss)(1)

298

118

326

152

(51)

843


Q1'21

Reported net income (loss) - Common shareholders

405

211

230

198

(107)

937

     Less:  Market-related impacts (pre-tax)(1)

288

55

36

1

380

          ACMA (pre-tax)

(6)

(5)

3

2

(6)

          Other adjustments (pre-tax)(1)(2)

(66)

(78)

(144)

          Tax expense (benefit) on above items(2)

(162)

(10)

5

24

(143)

Underlying net income (loss)(1)

285

171

291

159

(56)

850


(1)     For a breakdown of this adjustment made to arrive at a non-IFRS financial measure, see the heading Underlying Net Income and Underlying EPS.

(2)     Effective January 1, 2022, there was a change in presentation for the fair value adjustments on MFS' share-based payment awards. We have updated prior periods to reflect this change
        in presentation. The post-tax basis presentation was not affected.

 

Forward-looking Statements

From time to time, the Company makes written or oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including the "safe harbour" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements contained in this document include statements (i) relating to our strategies; (ii) relating to the expansion of our bancassurance partnership with CIMB Niaga; (iii) relating to our intention to acquire DentaQuest; (iv) relating to our growth initiatives and other business objectives; (v) relating to the plans we have implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic conditions and their impact on the Company, (vi) that are predictive in nature or that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and (vii) that include words such as "achieve", "aim", "ambition", "anticipate", "aspiration", "assumption", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "goal", "initiatives", "intend", "may", "objective", "outlook", "plan", "project", "seek", "should", "strategy", "strive", "target", "will", and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include the information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations. These statements represent our current expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events and are not historical facts, and remain subject to change, particularly in light of the ongoing and developing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy and its uncertain impact on our business.

Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Future results and shareholder value may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements due to, among other factors, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic conditions on our operations, liquidity, financial conditions or results and the matters set out in Q1 2022 MD&A under the headings C - Profitability - 5 - Income taxes, E - Financial Strength and H - Risk Management and in SLF Inc.'s 2021 AIF under the heading Risk Factors, and the factors detailed in SLF Inc.'s other filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators, which are available for review at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively.

Important risk factors that could cause our assumptions and estimates, and expectations and projections to be inaccurate and our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this document, are set out below. The realization of our forward-looking statements, essentially depends on our business performance which, in turn, is subject to many risks, which have been further heightened with the current COVID-19 pandemic given the uncertainty of its duration and impact. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to: market risks - related to the performance of equity markets; changes or volatility in interest rates or credit spreads or swap spreads; real estate investments; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; insurance risks - related to policyholder behaviour; mortality experience, morbidity experience and longevity; product design and pricing; the impact of higher-than-expected future expenses; and the availability, cost and effectiveness of reinsurance; credit risks - related to issuers of securities held in our investment portfolio, debtors, structured securities, reinsurers, counterparties, other financial institutions and other entities; business and strategic risks - related to global economic and political conditions; the design and implementation of business strategies; changes in distribution channels or Client behaviour including risks relating to market conduct by intermediaries and agents; the impact of competition; the performance of our investments and investment portfolios managed for Clients such as segregated and mutual funds; changes in the legal or regulatory environment, including capital requirements and tax laws; the environment, environmental laws and regulations; operational risks - related to breaches or failure of information system security and privacy, including cyber-attacks; our ability to attract and retain employees; legal, regulatory compliance and market conduct, including the impact of regulatory inquiries and investigations; the execution and integration of mergers, acquisitions, strategic investments and divestitures; our information technology infrastructure; a failure of information systems and Internet-enabled technology; dependence on third-party relationships, including outsourcing arrangements; business continuity; model errors; information management; liquidity risks - the possibility that we will not be able to fund all cash outflow commitments as they fall due; and other risks - COVID-19 matters, including the severity, duration and spread of COVID-19; its impact on the global economy, and its impact on Sun Life's business, financial condition and or results; risks associated with IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts and IFRS 9 Financial Instruments; our international operations, including our joint ventures; market conditions that affect our capital position or ability to raise capital; downgrades in financial strength or credit ratings; and tax matters, including estimates and judgements used in calculating taxes.

The following risk factors are related to our intention to purchase DentaQuest that could have a material adverse effect on our forward-looking statements: (1) the ability of the parties to complete the transaction; (2) failure of the parties to obtain necessary consents and approvals or to otherwise satisfy the conditions to the completion of the transaction in a timely manner, or at all; (3) our ability to realize the financial and strategic benefits of the transaction; and (4) the impact of the announcement of the transaction and the dedication of our and DentaQuest's resources to completing the transaction. These risks all could have an impact on our business relationships (including with future and prospective employees, Clients, distributors and partners) and could have a material adverse effect on our current and future operations, financial conditions and prospects.

The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2022, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.35 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sun-life-reports-first-quarter-2022-results-301545481.html

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.

Read More

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Homes listed for sale in early June sell for $7,700 more

New Zillow research suggests the spring home shopping season may see a second wave this summer if mortgage rates fall
The post Homes listed for sale in…

Published

on

  • A Zillow analysis of 2023 home sales finds homes listed in the first two weeks of June sold for 2.3% more. 
  • The best time to list a home for sale is a month later than it was in 2019, likely driven by mortgage rates.
  • The best time to list can be as early as the second half of February in San Francisco, and as late as the first half of July in New York and Philadelphia. 

Spring home sellers looking to maximize their sale price may want to wait it out and list their home for sale in the first half of June. A new Zillow® analysis of 2023 sales found that homes listed in the first two weeks of June sold for 2.3% more, a $7,700 boost on a typical U.S. home.  

The best time to list consistently had been early May in the years leading up to the pandemic. The shift to June suggests mortgage rates are strongly influencing demand on top of the usual seasonality that brings buyers to the market in the spring. This home-shopping season is poised to follow a similar pattern as that in 2023, with the potential for a second wave if the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates midyear or later. 

The 2.3% sale price premium registered last June followed the first spring in more than 15 years with mortgage rates over 6% on a 30-year fixed-rate loan. The high rates put home buyers on the back foot, and as rates continued upward through May, they were still reassessing and less likely to bid boldly. In June, however, rates pulled back a little from 6.79% to 6.67%, which likely presented an opportunity for determined buyers heading into summer. More buyers understood their market position and could afford to transact, boosting competition and sale prices.

The old logic was that sellers could earn a premium by listing in late spring, when search activity hit its peak. Now, with persistently low inventory, mortgage rate fluctuations make their own seasonality. First-time home buyers who are on the edge of qualifying for a home loan may dip in and out of the market, depending on what’s happening with rates. It is almost certain the Federal Reserve will push back any interest-rate cuts to mid-2024 at the earliest. If mortgage rates follow, that could bring another surge of buyers later this year.

Mortgage rates have been impacting affordability and sale prices since they began rising rapidly two years ago. In 2022, sellers nationwide saw the highest sale premium when they listed their home in late March, right before rates barreled past 5% and continued climbing. 

Zillow’s research finds the best time to list can vary widely by metropolitan area. In 2023, it was as early as the second half of February in San Francisco, and as late as the first half of July in New York. Thirty of the top 35 largest metro areas saw for-sale listings command the highest sale prices between May and early July last year. 

Zillow also found a wide range in the sale price premiums associated with homes listed during those peak periods. At the hottest time of the year in San Jose, homes sold for 5.5% more, a $88,000 boost on a typical home. Meanwhile, homes in San Antonio sold for 1.9% more during that same time period.  

 

Metropolitan Area Best Time to List Price Premium Dollar Boost
United States First half of June 2.3% $7,700
New York, NY First half of July 2.4% $15,500
Los Angeles, CA First half of May 4.1% $39,300
Chicago, IL First half of June 2.8% $8,800
Dallas, TX First half of June 2.5% $9,200
Houston, TX Second half of April 2.0% $6,200
Washington, DC Second half of June 2.2% $12,700
Philadelphia, PA First half of July 2.4% $8,200
Miami, FL First half of June 2.3% $12,900
Atlanta, GA Second half of June 2.3% $8,700
Boston, MA Second half of May 3.5% $23,600
Phoenix, AZ First half of June 3.2% $14,700
San Francisco, CA Second half of February 4.2% $50,300
Riverside, CA First half of May 2.7% $15,600
Detroit, MI First half of July 3.3% $7,900
Seattle, WA First half of June 4.3% $31,500
Minneapolis, MN Second half of May 3.7% $13,400
San Diego, CA Second half of April 3.1% $29,600
Tampa, FL Second half of June 2.1% $8,000
Denver, CO Second half of May 2.9% $16,900
Baltimore, MD First half of July 2.2% $8,200
St. Louis, MO First half of June 2.9% $7,000
Orlando, FL First half of June 2.2% $8,700
Charlotte, NC Second half of May 3.0% $11,000
San Antonio, TX First half of June 1.9% $5,400
Portland, OR Second half of April 2.6% $14,300
Sacramento, CA First half of June 3.2% $17,900
Pittsburgh, PA Second half of June 2.3% $4,700
Cincinnati, OH Second half of April 2.7% $7,500
Austin, TX Second half of May 2.8% $12,600
Las Vegas, NV First half of June 3.4% $14,600
Kansas City, MO Second half of May 2.5% $7,300
Columbus, OH Second half of June 3.3% $10,400
Indianapolis, IN First half of July 3.0% $8,100
Cleveland, OH First half of July  3.4% $7,400
San Jose, CA First half of June 5.5% $88,400

 

The post Homes listed for sale in early June sell for $7,700 more appeared first on Zillow Research.

Read More

Continue Reading

Government

Survey Shows Declining Concerns Among Americans About COVID-19

Survey Shows Declining Concerns Among Americans About COVID-19

A new survey reveals that only 20% of Americans view covid-19 as "a major threat"…

Published

on

Survey Shows Declining Concerns Among Americans About COVID-19

A new survey reveals that only 20% of Americans view covid-19 as "a major threat" to the health of the US population - a sharp decline from a high of 67% in July 2020.

(SARMDY/Shutterstock)

What's more, the Pew Research Center survey conducted from Feb. 7 to Feb. 11 showed that just 10% of Americans are concerned that they will  catch the disease and require hospitalization.

"This data represents a low ebb of public concern about the virus that reached its height in the summer and fall of 2020, when as many as two-thirds of Americans viewed COVID-19 as a major threat to public health," reads the report, which was published March 7.

According to the survey, half of the participants understand the significance of researchers and healthcare providers in understanding and treating long COVID - however 27% of participants consider this issue less important, while 22% of Americans are unaware of long COVID.

What's more, while Democrats were far more worried than Republicans in the past, that gap has narrowed significantly.

"In the pandemic’s first year, Democrats were routinely about 40 points more likely than Republicans to view the coronavirus as a major threat to the health of the U.S. population. This gap has waned as overall levels of concern have fallen," reads the report.

More via the Epoch Times;

The survey found that three in ten Democrats under 50 have received an updated COVID-19 vaccine, compared with 66 percent of Democrats ages 65 and older.

Moreover, 66 percent of Democrats ages 65 and older have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine, while only 24 percent of Republicans ages 65 and older have done so.

“This 42-point partisan gap is much wider now than at other points since the start of the outbreak. For instance, in August 2021, 93 percent of older Democrats and 78 percent of older Republicans said they had received all the shots needed to be fully vaccinated (a 15-point gap),” it noted.

COVID-19 No Longer an Emergency

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued its updated recommendations for the virus, which no longer require people to stay home for five days after testing positive for COVID-19.

The updated guidance recommends that people who contracted a respiratory virus stay home, and they can resume normal activities when their symptoms improve overall and their fever subsides for 24 hours without medication.

“We still must use the commonsense solutions we know work to protect ourselves and others from serious illness from respiratory viruses, this includes vaccination, treatment, and staying home when we get sick,” CDC director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement.

The CDC said that while the virus remains a threat, it is now less likely to cause severe illness because of widespread immunity and improved tools to prevent and treat the disease.

Importantly, states and countries that have already adjusted recommended isolation times have not seen increased hospitalizations or deaths related to COVID-19,” it stated.

The federal government suspended its free at-home COVID-19 test program on March 8, according to a website set up by the government, following a decrease in COVID-19-related hospitalizations.

According to the CDC, hospitalization rates for COVID-19 and influenza diseases remain “elevated” but are decreasing in some parts of the United States.

Tyler Durden Sun, 03/10/2024 - 22:45

Read More

Continue Reading

Government

Rand Paul Teases Senate GOP Leader Run – Musk Says “I Would Support”

Rand Paul Teases Senate GOP Leader Run – Musk Says "I Would Support"

Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul on Friday hinted that he may jump…

Published

on

Rand Paul Teases Senate GOP Leader Run - Musk Says "I Would Support"

Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul on Friday hinted that he may jump into the race to become the next Senate GOP leader, and Elon Musk was quick to support the idea. Republicans must find a successor for periodically malfunctioning Mitch McConnell, who recently announced he'll step down in November, though intending to keep his Senate seat until his term ends in January 2027, when he'd be within weeks of turning 86. 

So far, the announced field consists of two quintessential establishment types: John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota. While John Barrasso's name had been thrown around as one of "The Three Johns" considered top contenders, the Wyoming senator on Tuesday said he'll instead seek the number two slot as party whip. 

Paul used X to tease his potential bid for the position which -- if the GOP takes back the upper chamber in November -- could graduate from Minority Leader to Majority Leader. He started by telling his 5.1 million followers he'd had lots of people asking him about his interest in running...

...then followed up with a poll in which he predictably annihilated Cornyn and Thune, taking a 96% share as of Friday night, with the other two below 2% each. 

Elon Musk was quick to back the idea of Paul as GOP leader, while daring Cornyn and Thune to follow Paul's lead by throwing their names out for consideration by the Twitter-verse X-verse. 

Paul has been a stalwart opponent of security-state mass surveillance, foreign interventionism -- to include shoveling billions of dollars into the proxy war in Ukraine -- and out-of-control spending in general. He demonstrated the latter passion on the Senate floor this week as he ridiculed the latest kick-the-can spending package:   

In February, Paul used Senate rules to force his colleagues into a grueling Super Bowl weekend of votes, as he worked to derail a $95 billion foreign aid bill. "I think we should stay here as long as it takes,” said Paul. “If it takes a week or a month, I’ll force them to stay here to discuss why they think the border of Ukraine is more important than the US border.”

Don't expect a Majority Leader Paul to ditch the filibuster -- he's been a hardy user of the legislative delay tactic. In 2013, he spoke for 13 hours to fight the nomination of John Brennan as CIA director. In 2015, he orated for 10-and-a-half-hours to oppose extension of the Patriot Act

Rand Paul amid his 10 1/2 hour filibuster in 2015

Among the general public, Paul is probably best known as Capitol Hill's chief tormentor of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease during the Covid-19 pandemic. Paul says the evidence indicates the virus emerged from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology. He's accused Fauci and other members of the US government public health apparatus of evading questions about their funding of the Chinese lab's "gain of function" research, which takes natural viruses and morphs them into something more dangerous. Paul has pointedly said that Fauci committed perjury in congressional hearings and that he belongs in jail "without question."   

Musk is neither the only nor the first noteworthy figure to back Paul for party leader. Just hours after McConnell announced his upcoming step-down from leadership, independent 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr voiced his support: 

In a testament to the extent to which the establishment recoils at the libertarian-minded Paul, mainstream media outlets -- which have been quick to report on other developments in the majority leader race -- pretended not to notice that Paul had signaled his interest in the job. More than 24 hours after Paul's test-the-waters tweet-fest began, not a single major outlet had brought it to the attention of their audience. 

That may be his strongest endorsement yet. 

Tyler Durden Sun, 03/10/2024 - 20:25

Read More

Continue Reading

Trending