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Principal Financial
(NASDAQ:PFG)
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Rating:77Outperform
Price Target:
$129.00
▲(15.00% Upside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:09/10/26
PFG scores above average primarily on solid financial performance—strong free cash flow generation, improved recent profitability, and moderate leverage—supported by a positive earnings update with reiterated guidance and shareholder-friendly capital returns. Technicals add a modest tailwind with price above major moving averages and neutral momentum. Valuation is reasonable with a supportive dividend, while the main risk tempering the score is significant investment-management outflows and historically uneven multi-year results.
Positive Factors
Strong cash generation
Robust operating and free cash flow provide substantial internal funding for dividends, buybacks, strategic investment, and balance-sheet needs. FCF tracking net income closely also supports earnings quality, reducing reliance on external financing to sustain shareholder returns.
Negative Factors
Investment-management outflows
Large outflows can reduce fee-bearing assets and pressure investment-management revenue, particularly when concentrated strategies represent a meaningful source of client relationships. Persistent flow weakness could also weaken scale benefits and require additional spending to rebuild performance and distribution momentum.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Strong cash generation
Robust operating and free cash flow provide substantial internal funding for dividends, buybacks, strategic investment, and balance-sheet needs. FCF tracking net income closely also supports earnings quality, reducing reliance on external financing to sustain shareholder returns.
Read all positive factors
Principal Financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Any
Operating Revenue by Segment
Shows the revenue earned from each of Principal’s business lines (like retirement solutions, asset management, insurance), revealing which segments drive growth and recurring income. Helps you see how shifts in customer demand, fee rates, or interest-sensitive products could affect overall top-line stability and future profitability.
Shows the revenue earned from each of Principal’s business lines (like retirement solutions, asset management, insurance), revealing which segments drive growth and recurring income. Helps you see how shifts in customer demand, fee rates, or interest-sensitive products could affect overall top-line stability and future profitability.
Data provided by:
The Fly
The FlyPrincipal Financial (PFG) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$22.96B
Dividend Yield3.03%
Average Volume (3M)1.41M
Price to Earnings (P/E)15.2
Beta (1Y)0.88
Revenue Growth3.72%
EPS Growth41.16%
CountryUS
Employees19,700
SectorFinancial
Sector Strength70
IndustryAsset Management
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)7.04
Shares Outstanding214,104,640
10 Day Avg. Volume1,268,082
30 Day Avg. Volume1,412,326
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-0.77
Price to Book (P/B)1.68
Price to Sales (P/S)1.27
P/FCF Ratio4.49
Enterprise Value/Market Cap1.25
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.83
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit3.76
Enterprise Value/Ebitda10.55
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$112.40Price Target Upside0.21% Upside
Rating ConsensusHold
Number of Analyst Covering10
EPS Forecast (FY)9.53
Revenue Forecast (FY)$16.33B
Principal Financial Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Principal Financial Group, Inc. engages in the investment management offering business. It offers financial products and services to businesses, individuals, and institutional clients. It operates its business through the following segments: Retir...
How the Company Makes Money
PFG generates revenue primarily through a mix of asset-based fees, premiums, net investment income, and spread-based earnings tied to retirement and insurance liabilities. (1) Principal Asset Management earns management and performance fees for ma...
Principal Financial Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Date:Jul 27, 2026
(Q2-2026)
| % Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 26, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call highlighted robust operating performance across multiple businesses — double-digit EPS growth, margin expansion (200 bps), improved ROE, strong underwriting in Benefits & Protection, AUM growth, and disciplined capital returns (raised dividend, large buybacks). These positives were tempered by significant Investment Management net outflows (~$11 billion) driven by an unusual market environment concentrated in a few U.S. active equity strategies, some fee-rate and performance-metric pressure, and elevated corporate investments/severance. Management maintained guidance, emphasized portfolio actions (Beam acquisition, Hong Kong transition, Chile sale) and a strong capital position, indicating confidence in navigating the near-term fund flow challenges.Positive Updates
Strong Earnings and EPS Growth
Non-GAAP operating earnings of $547 million, up 12% year-over-year; adjusted EPS of $2.50, up 16% year-over-year (excluding significant variances EPS was $2.42, up 17%). Year-to-date EPS growth of 15% noted.
Negative Updates
Large Investment Management Net Outflows
Total company net outflows of approximately $11 billion in the quarter concentrated in a small number of U.S. active equity strategies (strategies represent slightly more than 5% of firm AUM), creating short-term revenue and flow headwinds.
Read all updates
Q2-2026 Updates
Positive
Negative
Strong Earnings and EPS Growth
Non-GAAP operating earnings of $547 million, up 12% year-over-year; adjusted EPS of $2.50, up 16% year-over-year (excluding significant variances EPS was $2.42, up 17%). Year-to-date EPS growth of 15% noted.
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Management reiterated 2026 guidance and capital plans while highlighting strong Q2 results: they remain on track to deploy $1.5–$1.8 billion of capital for the year (YTD returns to shareholders $800M, including ~$427–$430M in Q2 with $250M buybacks), raised the common dividend to $0.84/sh payable in Q3 (+$0.02 q/q, +8% y/y) and target a ~40% payout ratio, and report over $1.6 billion of excess available capital (including $150M at the holding company, $300M in subsidiaries and ~$350M in excess of a 375% RBC target, with RBC ≈400%); financials underpinning the guidance include Q2 non‑GAAP operating earnings of $547M (+12% y/y) and EPS $2.50 (+16%) (ex‑items $529M, EPS $2.42), total company margin 32% (+200 bps) on 6% net revenue growth, non‑GAAP operating ROE ex‑items 16.4% (+120 bps) (within the 15–17% target), net income ex‑exited business $535M (+24% y/y), and managed AUM $808B (+5% q/q, +7% y/y); they expect full‑year 2026 performance fees in line with 2025, see SBD underwriting results emerging below the low end of the prior 60–64% loss‑ratio range (Q2 specialty benefits loss ratio 57.4%, specialty pretax earnings $162M; Benefits & Protection pretax $191M, +29% y/y), and noted $11B of concentrated net outflows in a few U.S. active equity strategies even as DCIO sales, roll‑ins and ETF flows remained healthy (DCIO $2B qtr / ~$8B TTM, roll‑ins $1.7B qtr / >$7B TTM, active ETF inflows $500M qtr / $2B TTM); management said they do not expect changes to their earnings, free capital flow or ROE outlook.Principal Financial Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
74
Positive
Balance Sheet
78
Positive
Cash Flow
80
Positive
| Breakdown | TTM | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 15.69B | 15.63B | 16.13B | 13.67B | 17.54B | 14.43B |
| Gross Profit | 7.62B | 7.06B | 7.35B | 5.90B | 11.04B | 7.08B |
| EBITDA | 2.72B | 1.67B | 2.15B | 1.01B | 6.28B | 2.19B |
| Net Income | 1.55B | 1.19B | 1.57B | 623.20M | 4.76B | 1.58B |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 352.75B | 341.38B | 313.66B | 305.05B | 303.00B | 304.66B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 5.26B | 33.49B | 72.46B | 70.38B | 67.74B | 80.91B |
| Total Debt | 4.34B | 3.95B | 4.11B | 3.99B | 4.08B | 4.69B |
| Total Liabilities | 339.86B | 328.99B | 302.19B | 293.84B | 292.70B | 288.20B |
| Stockholders Equity | 12.14B | 11.88B | 11.09B | 10.92B | 10.00B | 16.07B |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | 4.85B | 4.44B | 4.53B | 3.69B | 3.06B | 3.09B |
| Operating Cash Flow | 5.01B | 4.54B | 4.60B | 3.79B | 3.17B | 3.22B |
| Investing Cash Flow | -5.31B | -4.14B | -5.40B | -1.35B | 1.06B | -5.66B |
| Financing Cash Flow | 1.90B | -181.80M | 300.30M | -2.59B | -1.72B | 1.92B |
Principal Financial Technical Analysis
Negative
112.17
Price Trends
113.02
Negative
110.36
Negative
100.84
Positive
Market Momentum
-1.26
Positive
33.23
Neutral
9.48
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For PFG, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 112.17 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 113.48, below the 50-day MA of 113.02, and above the 200-day MA of 100.84, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -1.26 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 33.23 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 9.48 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for PFG.
Principal Financial Risk Analysis
Principal Financial disclosed 31 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Principal Financial reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks
Principal Financial Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
85 Outperform | $12.57B | 18.05 | 28.86% | 0.99% | 11.21% | 6.93% | |
79 Outperform | $22.43B | 10.54 | 20.45% | 4.92% | 6.97% | 11.41% | |
77 Outperform | $22.96B | 15.23 | 13.03% | 3.03% | 3.72% | 41.16% | |
77 Outperform | $44.21B | 11.91 | 61.73% | 1.32% | 8.79% | 28.59% | |
68 Neutral | $18.00B | 11.42 | 9.92% | 3.81% | 9.73% | 1.22% | |
65 Neutral | $15.20B | 19.94 | 7.53% | 2.90% | 25.42% | ― | |
58 Neutral | $14.45B | -16.18 | 845.66% | 2.15% | -17.70% | -356.46% |
* Financial Sector Average
PFG
Principal Financial
107.24
30.22
39.25%
AMP
Ameriprise Financial
500.51
25.01
5.26%
SEIC
SEI Investments Company
104.70
23.16
28.41%
TROW
T Rowe Price
105.16
5.06
5.06%
EQH
Equitable Holdings
52.92
5.31
11.15%
CRBG
Corebridge Financial, Inc.
34.09
3.58
11.73%
Principal Financial Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Principal Financial Expands Liquidity with New Credit Facility
Positive
Sep 10, 2026
On September 9, 2026, Principal Financial Group, Inc. and key subsidiaries entered into an amended and restated five-year unsecured credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., refinancing a revolving facility originall...
Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Principal Financial reports strong Q2 assets under management
Positive
Jul 20, 2026
As of June 30, 2026, Principal Financial Group reported total assets under management of $808.0 billion, with $601.9 billion overseen by Principal Asset Management – Investment Management and $168.5 billion managed by Principal Asset Managem...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.