Principal Financial Group Reports Strong 2025 Results with Dividend Increase
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 09 2026
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Should l Buy PFG?
Source: Newsfilter
- Dividend Increase: Principal Financial Group announced an increase in its common stock dividend to $0.80 per share for Q1 2026, representing a 7% rise over Q1 2025, reflecting the company's strong profitability and commitment to shareholder returns.
- Earnings Performance: The full-year non-GAAP operating earnings per share for 2025 reached $8.55, a 12% increase that met the high end of the company's 9-12% target, indicating sustained growth and execution strength across its diversified businesses.
- Capital Return: In 2025, the company returned over $1.5 billion to shareholders, including $900 million in share repurchases and $700 million in dividends, demonstrating its disciplined capital deployment strategy and focus on enhancing shareholder value.
- Assets Under Management: As of 2025, Principal's assets under management totaled $781 billion, showcasing the company's strong market position and growth potential, particularly in the retirement and income solutions sector driven by ongoing demand.
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Analyst Views on PFG
Wall Street analysts forecast PFG stock price to fall
9 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
6 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 99.340
Low
74.00
Averages
91.33
High
103.00
Current: 99.340
Low
74.00
Averages
91.33
High
103.00
About PFG
Principal Financial Group, Inc. is a global financial company. The Company offers businesses, individuals, and institutional clients a range of financial products and services, including retirement, asset management and insurance, through its diverse family of financial services companies. The Company's segments include Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal Asset Management, and Benefits and Protection. The Retirement and Income Solutions segment offers workplace savings and retirement solutions, banking, trust and custodial services, individual variable annuities, and pension risk transfer, among others. The Principal Asset Management segment provides global investment solutions to institutional, retirement, retail, and high-net worth investors. The Benefits and Protection segment is organized into Specialty Benefits, which provides group dental, group life insurance, group disability insurance, supplemental health products, and individual disability and life insurance.
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.
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- Significant Earnings Growth: In Q1 2026, Principal Financial Group achieved a 13% growth in adjusted non-GAAP earnings per share, surpassing the upper end of its target range, primarily driven by favorable underwriting results and improved mortality, indicating strong momentum in earnings growth.
- Increased Capital Returns: The company returned approximately $375 million to shareholders in Q1, including $200 million in share repurchases, while also raising its common stock dividend to $0.82 per share for the 12th consecutive quarter, reflecting a strong commitment to shareholder value.
- Strong Retirement Business: Total retirement transfer deposits reached $12 billion in Q1, a 35% year-over-year increase, while recurring deposits grew by 7%, demonstrating robust performance and increased client trust in the retirement market.
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- Dividend Increase: Principal Financial Group has declared a quarterly dividend increase from $0.80 to $0.82 per share, reflecting a 2.5% growth that indicates ongoing improvements in cash flow and profitability, which is expected to enhance investor confidence and attract more long-term investors.
- Yield Performance: The forward yield of 3.3% is competitive in the current market environment, likely appealing to investors seeking stable income sources, thereby increasing the market attractiveness of the company's stock.
- Shareholder Assurance: The dividend will be payable on June 26, with a record date of June 1 and an ex-dividend date also on June 1, ensuring that existing shareholders receive timely returns, further solidifying the trust relationship between the company and its shareholders.
- Future Growth Targets: The company aims for 9% to 12% EPS growth in 2026 and plans to deploy $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion in capital, demonstrating a proactive strategy in optimizing its portfolio and expanding margins, indicating robust growth potential ahead.
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