US Asset Manager Voya Financial Under Pressure to Sell from Activist Fund - FT
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 23 2026
0mins
Should l Buy VOYA?
Source: moomoo
Financial Pressure on Asset Manager: A U.S. asset manager is facing significant financial pressure due to actions taken by an activist fund.
Impact of Activist Fund: The activist fund's involvement is leading to increased scrutiny and challenges for the asset manager's operations and strategies.
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Analyst Views on VOYA
Wall Street analysts forecast VOYA stock price to rise
8 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 79.690
Low
84.00
Averages
88.00
High
93.00
Current: 79.690
Low
84.00
Averages
88.00
High
93.00
About VOYA
Voya Financial, Inc. is a provider of workplace benefits and savings solutions and technologies. The Retirement segment provides retirement plan solutions and administration technology and services to employers. Its products and services include full-service and recordkeeping-only defined contribution plan administration; stable value and fixed general account investment products; and services to promote the financial well-being and retirement security of employees. The Employee Benefits segment provides workplace employee benefits including group life insurance, disability insurance, leave management services, supplemental benefit insurance, financial wellness, and decision support products and services to mid-size and large corporate employers and professional associations. The Investment Management segment provides investment products and retirement solutions across a broad range of geographies, market sectors, investment styles and capitalization spectrums.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
TOMS Capital Urges Voya Financial to Initiate Strategic Review
- Investor Call: TOMS Capital Investment Management reiterated its call for Voya Financial (VOYA) to conduct a strategic review, asserting that Voya is one of the most compelling and undervalued franchises in financial services, highlighting its concern for the company's future direction.
- Asset Performance: Voya recently surpassed $1 trillion in assets and has outperformed peers in delivering consistent net inflows, indicating its competitive position and prudent financial management in the market.
- Management Critique: TOMS Capital criticized Voya's management for lacking urgency and failing to adjust strategies in a timely manner, which has led to a de-rating of the company's valuation, emphasizing the need for management to fulfill their fiduciary duties and initiate a formal review of strategic alternatives.
- Market Pressure: Under pressure from TOMS Capital, Voya may need to consider selling its underperforming health insurance arm or making other strategic adjustments to enhance shareholder value and restore market confidence.
See More
TOMS Capital Expresses Strong Discontent with Voya Financial
- Lack of Urgency in Management: TOMS Capital highlights that Voya's management has shown a lack of urgency, resulting in a three-year shareholder return ranking 14th out of 17 in its self-selected peer group, indicating significant underperformance that undermines investor confidence.
- Strong Asset Management Performance: Despite Voya surpassing $1 trillion in assets and outperforming peers in net inflows, the failure of management to effectively execute its strategy has led to the company's historically wider discount to peers, impacting market expectations for future growth.
- Controversial Executive Compensation: In 2025, CEO Heather Lavallee earned over $16.2 million, while the CFO and other executives earned more than $7.5 million, raising shareholder concerns about the disconnect between compensation and performance, questioning management's commitment to shareholder value.
- Lack of Clear Strategic Plan: TOMS Capital expresses skepticism regarding Voya's management commitment to creating long-term shareholder value, citing a lack of a viable strategic plan, and the CEO's mention of “execution” during the earnings call has not gained market confidence, prompting calls for a formal review of strategic alternatives.
See More
Voya Financial Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
- Significant Growth: Voya Financial reported an adjusted operating EPS of $2.26 in Q1 2026, reflecting a 13% year-over-year increase, which underscores the company's strong revenue and cash flow growth, thereby reinforcing its competitive position in the market.
- Capital Return Strategy: The company generated approximately $200 million in excess capital this quarter and plans to execute an additional $150 million in share repurchases in Q2, a move that not only enhances shareholder returns but also reflects management's confidence in future profitability.
- Integration Progress: With the completion of the OneAmerica integration work, expenses are expected to ease in Q2 due to normal seasonality, which will help improve overall profitability and optimize resource allocation, further supporting the company's long-term growth strategy.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: Management maintains an unchanged outlook for 2026, expecting to achieve over 2% organic growth, particularly in the Investment Management sector, indicating the company's strong growth potential in the face of market challenges.
See More
Voya Financial Q1 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Voya Financial reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $2.26, exceeding expectations by $0.26, indicating strong profitability despite a delayed re-rating in market sentiment.
- Revenue Growth: The company achieved Q1 revenue of $2.03 billion, reflecting a 3.0% year-over-year increase and beating market expectations by $50 million, showcasing stability and growth potential in revenue generation that boosts investor confidence.
- Dividend Declaration: Voya Financial declared a dividend of $0.47 per share, demonstrating its commitment to shareholder returns and indicating a healthy cash flow position, which is likely to attract long-term investors.
- Investor Conference: Voya Financial presented at the 47th Annual Raymond James Institutional Investor Conference, enhancing its visibility and credibility among investors, and while facing a rating downgrade, it still reflects robust fundamentals.
See More
Voya Welcomes Executive Order to Enhance Retirement Savings Access
- Executive Order Impact: Voya Financial welcomes a new executive order aimed at providing better retirement savings options for millions of Americans currently lacking adequate choices, marking a significant step forward in expanding retirement savings opportunities.
- New Platform Launch: The order directs the U.S. Treasury Department to establish a new platform that highlights high-quality, low-cost private-sector Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), providing individuals with enrollment information and lowering participation barriers.
- Saver's Match Incentive: Taxpayers who qualify may take advantage of the Saver's Match, a direct Treasury matching contribution of up to $1,000 annually, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, further incentivizing personal savings.
- Voya's Strategic Response: Voya Financial CEO Jay Kaduson stated that the platform directly addresses a significant gap in the retirement system, and Voya will closely monitor Treasury guidance while evaluating how to support this framework.
See More
US Asset Manager Voya Financial Under Pressure to Sell from Activist Fund - FT
Financial Pressure on Asset Manager: A U.S. asset manager is facing significant financial pressure due to actions taken by an activist fund.
Impact of Activist Fund: The activist fund's involvement is leading to increased scrutiny and challenges for the asset manager's operations and strategies.
See More
TOMS Capital Urges Voya Financial to Initiate Strategic Review
- Investor Call: TOMS Capital Investment Management reiterated its call for Voya Financial (VOYA) to conduct a strategic review, asserting that Voya is one of the most compelling and undervalued franchises in financial services, highlighting its concern for the company's future direction.
- Asset Performance: Voya recently surpassed $1 trillion in assets and has outperformed peers in delivering consistent net inflows, indicating its competitive position and prudent financial management in the market.
- Management Critique: TOMS Capital criticized Voya's management for lacking urgency and failing to adjust strategies in a timely manner, which has led to a de-rating of the company's valuation, emphasizing the need for management to fulfill their fiduciary duties and initiate a formal review of strategic alternatives.
- Market Pressure: Under pressure from TOMS Capital, Voya may need to consider selling its underperforming health insurance arm or making other strategic adjustments to enhance shareholder value and restore market confidence.
See More
TOMS Capital Expresses Strong Discontent with Voya Financial
- Lack of Urgency in Management: TOMS Capital highlights that Voya's management has shown a lack of urgency, resulting in a three-year shareholder return ranking 14th out of 17 in its self-selected peer group, indicating significant underperformance that undermines investor confidence.
- Strong Asset Management Performance: Despite Voya surpassing $1 trillion in assets and outperforming peers in net inflows, the failure of management to effectively execute its strategy has led to the company's historically wider discount to peers, impacting market expectations for future growth.
- Controversial Executive Compensation: In 2025, CEO Heather Lavallee earned over $16.2 million, while the CFO and other executives earned more than $7.5 million, raising shareholder concerns about the disconnect between compensation and performance, questioning management's commitment to shareholder value.
- Lack of Clear Strategic Plan: TOMS Capital expresses skepticism regarding Voya's management commitment to creating long-term shareholder value, citing a lack of a viable strategic plan, and the CEO's mention of “execution” during the earnings call has not gained market confidence, prompting calls for a formal review of strategic alternatives.
See More
Voya Financial Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
- Significant Growth: Voya Financial reported an adjusted operating EPS of $2.26 in Q1 2026, reflecting a 13% year-over-year increase, which underscores the company's strong revenue and cash flow growth, thereby reinforcing its competitive position in the market.
- Capital Return Strategy: The company generated approximately $200 million in excess capital this quarter and plans to execute an additional $150 million in share repurchases in Q2, a move that not only enhances shareholder returns but also reflects management's confidence in future profitability.
- Integration Progress: With the completion of the OneAmerica integration work, expenses are expected to ease in Q2 due to normal seasonality, which will help improve overall profitability and optimize resource allocation, further supporting the company's long-term growth strategy.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: Management maintains an unchanged outlook for 2026, expecting to achieve over 2% organic growth, particularly in the Investment Management sector, indicating the company's strong growth potential in the face of market challenges.
See More
Voya Financial Q1 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Voya Financial reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $2.26, exceeding expectations by $0.26, indicating strong profitability despite a delayed re-rating in market sentiment.
- Revenue Growth: The company achieved Q1 revenue of $2.03 billion, reflecting a 3.0% year-over-year increase and beating market expectations by $50 million, showcasing stability and growth potential in revenue generation that boosts investor confidence.
- Dividend Declaration: Voya Financial declared a dividend of $0.47 per share, demonstrating its commitment to shareholder returns and indicating a healthy cash flow position, which is likely to attract long-term investors.
- Investor Conference: Voya Financial presented at the 47th Annual Raymond James Institutional Investor Conference, enhancing its visibility and credibility among investors, and while facing a rating downgrade, it still reflects robust fundamentals.
See More
Voya Welcomes Executive Order to Enhance Retirement Savings Access
- Executive Order Impact: Voya Financial welcomes a new executive order aimed at providing better retirement savings options for millions of Americans currently lacking adequate choices, marking a significant step forward in expanding retirement savings opportunities.
- New Platform Launch: The order directs the U.S. Treasury Department to establish a new platform that highlights high-quality, low-cost private-sector Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), providing individuals with enrollment information and lowering participation barriers.
- Saver's Match Incentive: Taxpayers who qualify may take advantage of the Saver's Match, a direct Treasury matching contribution of up to $1,000 annually, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, further incentivizing personal savings.
- Voya's Strategic Response: Voya Financial CEO Jay Kaduson stated that the platform directly addresses a significant gap in the retirement system, and Voya will closely monitor Treasury guidance while evaluating how to support this framework.
See More
US Asset Manager Voya Financial Under Pressure to Sell from Activist Fund - FT
Financial Pressure on Asset Manager: A U.S. asset manager is facing significant financial pressure due to actions taken by an activist fund.
Impact of Activist Fund: The activist fund's involvement is leading to increased scrutiny and challenges for the asset manager's operations and strategies.
See More
