Press release

Ageas reports full year 2021 results

Ageas reports full year 2021 results

  • Net result at top end of the guidance
  • Double digit growth drives inflows to EUR 40 billion thanks to solid commercial performance across regions and businesses
  • Full delivery on all financial targets at the end of the Connect21 strategic cycle
  • Gross cash dividend proposal of EUR 2.75 per share
Key Figures 2021
Net Result
  • Group net result was EUR 845 million driven by an excellent performance in Life, but offset by RPN(i)
  • Insurance net result increased from EUR 960 million to EUR 1,070 million
  • Net result in Non-Life amounted to EUR 328 million compared to EUR 391 million in last year
  • Life net result of EUR 742 million compared to EUR 570 million last year
  • Group Q4 net result amounted to EUR 277 million
Inflows
  • Group inflows (at 100%) were up 12% to EUR 40 billion
  • Life inflows (at 100%) were up 11% to EUR 32 billion driven by strong Unit-Linked sales
  • Non-Life inflows (at 100%) were up significantly to EUR 8 billion mainly thanks to Belgium and the inclusion of Taiping Re
  • Q4 inflows (at 100%) increased by 14% from EUR 7.7 billion to EUR 8.8 billion
Balance Sheet
  • Shareholders’ equity at EUR 11.9 billion or EUR 64.14 per share
  • General Account Total Liquid Assets at EUR 1.1 billion
  • Life Technical Liabilities excl. shadow accounting of the consolidated entities at EUR 75.2  billion, up 2% compared to end 2020
Full delivery on the Connect21 financial targets
  Target Performance
Combined Ratio 96% 95.4%
Operating Margin Guaranteed 85-95 bps 99 bps
Operating Margin Unit-Linked 30-40 bps 35 bps
Group Solvency IIageas ratio 175% 197%
Earnings per share (CAGR), excl RPN(i) 5-7% 11%
Dividend Pay-out ≥50% 52%

A complete overview of the figures and comparison with previous year can be found on page 4 of this press release and on the Ageas website. Key figures and main highlights on the segments can be found in the Annexes of this press release.

Ageas CEO Hans De Cuyper said: I’m very pleased and proud that in a year marked by a challenging economic environment, increasing inflation and extreme weather events, all our businesses delivered a strong commercial and operating performance resulting in double digit growth in inflows at EUR 40 billion and an excellent net insurance result above EUR 1 billion. The Group’s performance was propelled by a strong fourth quarter, especially in Asia, while our focus on less capital intensive Unit-Linked products contributed to the strong increase in the Life result.

With these outstanding results, we closed Connect21, one of Ageas’s most challenging strategic cycles ever. Regardless of the pressure on business, the uncertain times in people’s lives and society in rapid transformation, we managed to not only deliver on our targets but also on the promises towards all our stakeholders. Throughout Connect21 we demonstrated that we are a true supporter of the life of our stakeholders by providing best in class assistance and protection for our customers, creating a great place to grow for our employees, fostering long term relationships with our partners and creating value for our investors. We can also be proud of our contribution to a better and more sustainable society, a focus that will be at the centre of our business in Impact24, Ageas’s next strategic cycle. This result does not come easy. It is the work of many; our employees, our partners, and our customers. I would like to sincerely thank all of them for their continuous trust, loyalty and commitment.”