MetLife Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

MetLife NYSE: MET reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of approximately $1.6 billion, or $2.43 per share, up 15% from a year earlier. Adjusted earnings per share increased 20%, while adjusted return on equity reached 17%, the top end of the company’s 15% to 17% annual target range. President and Chief Executive Officer Michel Khalaf said the results reflected the execution of MetLife’s “New Frontier” strategy, which combines capital-light businesses such as Group Benefits, international operations and asset management with capital-driven retirement and spread-based operations.

“Adjusted earnings increased in every business segment compared with a year ago,” Khalaf said, citing strong underwriting, broad volume growth and continued capital returns to shareholders.

MetLife repurchased about $700 million of common shares during the quarter and returned more than $2.4 billion to shareholders through July through buybacks and common dividends. The company also announced a new $3 billion share repurchase authorization. Holding-company cash and liquid assets totaled $3.4 billion at June 30, within MetLife’s stated target buffer of $3 billion to $4 billion. Chief Financial Officer and Head of MetLife Investment Management John McCallion said the company returned approximately $1.1 billion to shareholders in the second quarter, including the share repurchases, and bought an additional roughly $225 million of shares in July. The direct expense ratio was 12.1% in the quarter, compared with 11.7% in the year-ago quarter and for full-year 2025. The ratio included an approximately 50-basis-point impact from the addition of PineBridge Investments, which has a structurally higher expense profile. Management said it remains on track to beat its 12.1% full-year 2026 target through expense discipline and productivity initiatives. Khalaf said artificial intelligence is becoming a structural advantage for the company because of the volume of policies, customer interactions and claims MetLife handles. He said the company monitors AI-related investment and usage costs under the same return standards applied to other investments and expenses.

Group Benefits generated adjusted earnings of $503 million, up 25% year over year, supported by favorable life underwriting and volume growth. The group life mortality ratio was 79%, better than the company’s 2026 target range of 83% to 88%, reflecting improved mortality trends among the working-age population. Ramy Tadros, president of MetLife’s U.S. business, said the quarter included about two points of mortalit...