CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO) Earnings Call Transcripts
CNO Financial Group, Inc.'s Latest Earnings Call - Q1 FY2026
CNO Financial Group reported strong first-quarter results for 2026, with operating earnings per diluted share increasing by 33% to $1.05. The company achieved its 15th consecutive quarter of sales growth, driven by a robust performance in both its Consumer and Worksite divisions, with total new annualized premiums up 11%. Management affirmed their original guidance for the year, indicating confidence in sustaining momentum despite a volatile macroeconomic environment.
Reported metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating EPS | $1.05 (beat) |
| Total New Annualized Premiums | $X million (positive) |
| Expense Ratio | 18.9% (neutral) |
| Net Investment Income | $X million (positive) |
| Book Value per Share | $3.98 (positive) |
| Return on Equity | 12.2% (positive) |
Guidance from management
Management affirmed their original guidance for 2026, indicating confidence in sustaining momentum despite economic uncertainties. They expect to refine projections later in the year based on performance trends.
What management said
Thanks, Paul. Turning to Slide 13. Consistent, repeatable results continue to drive our momentum as we grow earnings, to improve profitability and reinvest in the business. Our results reflect the resilience of our business model and the strength of our diversified products and distribution. Disciplined execution will continue to drive our growth and create meaningful value for customers associates and shareholders i...
Yes. So long-term care continues to perform exceptionally well. It continues to surprise us a bit to the upside, including in this quarter. We revised assumptions a bit last third quarter. We'll do that again this year in the third quarter and we'll see how things evolve. But the claims experience has been reasonably stable and favorable. It continues to be a great business for us. It's a product that our customers...
What analysts pressed on
Analysts raised concerns about the potential normalization of expenses after a favorable first quarter, questioning whether this trend could impact future profitability. Additionally, there were inquiries regarding the sustainability of growth in the annuity segment given tough comparables from the previous year.
Main topics on the call
- Strong Earnings Growth — CNO reported operating earnings per diluted share of $1.05, reflecting a 33% increase year-over-year. Management noted, 'We remain pleased with the consistent results we're generating,' indicating a strong operational pe...
- Sales Growth Continuation — The company achieved its 15th consecutive quarter of sales growth, with total new annualized premiums up 11%. This performance underscores the strength of their middle-market focus and distribution model, as stated by ma...
- Capital Management and Share Repurchases — CNO returned $77 million to shareholders through share repurchases, contributing to a 7% reduction in diluted shares outstanding. CFO Paul McDonough emphasized a 'measured, disciplined approach to expense and capital man...
- Medicare Supplement Performance — CNO's Medicare business showed strong results, with total Medicare policies sold up 24%. Management noted a shift in consumer preferences towards Medicare supplements, stating, 'This environment underscores the value of ...
Read the full CNO Financial Group, Inc. transcript (Q1 FY2026) → Summary generated from the call transcript; every figure above is stated by management on the record.
About CNO Financial Group, Inc.
CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO) is a publicly listed company in the Insurance industry, within the Financials sector. It trades on NYSE and is based in US. EarningsCalls.dev maintains a free, full-text archive of its earnings call transcripts — 34 calls on record spanning February 12, 2020 to July 31, 2026. Every transcript is split into speaker-by-speaker segments with headline metrics, free to read or available through our REST API.
Earnings Call History
EarningsCalls.dev has 34 CNO Financial Group, Inc. earnings call transcripts on record, spanning February 12, 2020 to July 31, 2026. Based on this history, CNO Financial Group, Inc. reports quarterly. The most recent call on file is dated July 31, 2026. The full list is below — each row opens the complete, free-to-read transcript.
- Ticker
- CNO
- Exchange
- NYSE
- Country
- US
- Sector
- Financials
- Industry
- Insurance
- Calls on record
- 34
- First call
- February 12, 2020
- Most recent
- July 31, 2026
- Reporting cadence
- quarterly