The French insurer AXA wants to increase its dividend and buy back its own shares after a significant increase in profits last year.
In addition, profit adjusted for special effects is expected to continue to increase. After the publication of the business figures on Thursday, AXA boss Thomas Buberl spoke in an interview on “Bloomberg TV” about very good prospects for 2026. The insurer wants to strengthen its core business after selling the fund company AXA Investment Managers to the major bank BNP Paribas.
In the current year, Buberl is targeting an increase in adjusted earnings per share at the upper end of the medium-term target range of 6 to 8 percent. In 2025, adjusted earnings per share rose by 8 percent to 3.86 euros. The forecast is just as in line with experts’ expectations as last year’s result.
The profit adjusted for special effects increased by four percent to 8.4 billion euros in 2025 compared to the previous year. Revenues climbed by five percent to 116 billion euros. All in all, AXA earned around a quarter more at 9.8 billion euros. This was mainly due to the sale of the fund company AXA Investment Managers, which was completed in the summer. The insurer used the money to buy up its own shares worth 3.8 billion euros; the program ran until mid-January.
In view of the profit development last year, the French now want to purchase additional shares for 1.25 billion euros as part of their annual share buyback. Companies use such buybacks as a means of returning capital to shareholders in addition to dividends. Since the earnings per paper increase mathematically as a result of this step when the shares are withdrawn, the companies hope for an increase in the price.
The direct profit participation of AXA shareholders in the form of dividends is now expected to increase by eight percent to 2.32 euros per share, as the Allianz competitor, which is listed in the EuroStoxx 50, also announced. Experts expected this.
On the Paris stock exchange, AXA shares temporarily rose by a good two percent to 41.13 euros. In the past few months it had failed several times at the threshold of 41 euros; A sustained leap above this could become a liberation.
/mis/zb/stw/jha/
PARIS (dpa-AFX)
Selected leverage products on AXA
With knock-outs, speculative investors can participate disproportionately in price movements. Simply select the lever you want and we will show you suitable open-end products on AXA
The leverage must be between 2 and 20
Advertising