Principal Financial Group to Announce Q4 Earnings on February 9
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 08 2026
0mins
Should l Buy PFG?
Source: seekingalpha
- Earnings Announcement Date: Principal Financial Group is set to release its Q4 2023 earnings on February 9 after market close, with a consensus EPS estimate of $2.22, reflecting a 5.7% year-over-year growth, which could positively influence the stock price.
- Performance Expectations: Over the past two years, PFG has beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time but has never exceeded revenue expectations, indicating a level of uncertainty in profitability that may affect investor confidence.
- Estimate Revision Dynamics: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen six upward revisions and two downward adjustments, while revenue estimates experienced one upward and one downward revision, reflecting mixed market sentiments regarding the company's future performance that could impact shareholder decisions.
- Buyback Program Impact: Principal Financial Group's share buyback initiatives are driving shareholder value growth; although the company has not met revenue expectations, these buybacks may enhance EPS, thereby bolstering market confidence in the firm.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy PFG?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on PFG
Wall Street analysts forecast PFG stock price to fall
9 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
6 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 93.670
Low
74.00
Averages
91.33
High
103.00
Current: 93.670
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.
- 401(k) Growth: In his State of the Union address, Trump highlighted that the typical 401(k) balance has increased by at least $30,000 since he took office, with the average balance rising 11% to $146,400 in 2025, indicating a positive impact of market performance on retirement savings.
- IRA Performance: The average individual retirement account balance also saw a gain of $9,561, reaching $137,095 in 2025, reflecting a 7% year-over-year increase, which suggests that more low- and middle-income Americans are investing, signaling a recovery in the economy.
- Withdrawal Trends: Despite the increase in account balances, hardship withdrawals from 401(k) plans reached a record high, with about 6% of workers taking such withdrawals in 2025, indicating financial strain on households and raising concerns about long-term retirement security.
- Market Performance Impact: The S&P 500 index achieved significant gains for the third consecutive year in 2025, rising 24%, 23%, and 16%, respectively, providing strong market support for the growth of 401(k) accounts and reflecting investor confidence in the market.
See More
- Acquisition Deal: Principal Financial Group (PFG) has agreed to acquire DentaNet, a single-state dental network in Alabama with approximately 1,500 dental providers, significantly enhancing PFG's dental business in the small and midsized enterprise market.
- Renewal Rights: The agreement also includes PFG obtaining renewal rights for a block of group insurance contracts through Canopy Insurance, indicating the company's strategic intent to expand its group benefits business.
- Market Commitment: PFG executives stated that expanding the dental network and group benefits presence in Alabama demonstrates the company's commitment to continued above-market growth in the small and midsized business sector, which is expected to drive future business growth.
- Market Reaction: Despite the acquisition announcement, PFG's stock slipped 2.1% in Tuesday afternoon trading, reflecting the broader market decline's short-term impact on the company's stock price.
See More
- Acquisition Agreement: Principal Financial Group® has announced a definitive agreement to acquire DentaNet, Alabama's largest dental network, from Southland Benefit Solutions, which is expected to enhance its competitiveness in the small and midsized business market, driving business growth.
- Network Expansion: With approximately 1,500 dental providers, the acquisition of DentaNet will increase the number of Principal's wholly owned networks, further solidifying its market position in the Southeast and enhancing service capabilities.
- Strategic Investment: By obtaining renewal rights for group insurance contracts through Canopy Insurance, Principal demonstrates its ongoing commitment to investing in its dental business, aiming to strengthen customer relationships through a localized service model.
- Market Impact: As of December 31, 2025, Principal serves over 60,000 employer dental plans, providing coverage to nearly 2.8 million participants, and this acquisition is set to further expand its market share and enhance brand influence.
See More
- Retirement Savings Optimization: Research indicates that couples who switch retirement savings to accounts with higher match rates could see an increase of approximately $750 annually for about 20% of couples, significantly enhancing their retirement wealth.
- Wealth Loss Risk: Couples who fail to focus on the highest match rates may sacrifice an average of $14,000 in retirement wealth over their lifetimes, with 10% potentially losing as much as $40,000, highlighting the costly consequences of lack of coordination.
- Current Financial Coordination: The study reveals that couples managing finances independently may operate like roommates, missing out on collaborative decision-making opportunities that could lead to financial losses, underscoring the importance of joint management.
- Regular Financial Meetings: Couples who hold regular financial meetings are better positioned to identify coordination opportunities, particularly when applying for workplace benefits and increasing retirement plan contributions, ensuring alignment on financial goals.
See More
- Significant Earnings Growth: Principal Financial Group reported a 12% increase in adjusted non-GAAP EPS and nearly 20% in reported EPS for 2025, indicating strong profitability, with expectations to maintain performance within target ranges for EPS growth, free capital flow conversion, and ROE in 2026.
- Strong Retirement Business: Total retirement transfer deposits reached $35 billion, up 9% year-over-year, while recurring deposits in workplace savings and retirement solutions grew by 5%, reflecting the company's increasing competitiveness in the retirement market and its ability to attract more client funds.
- Outstanding Asset Management Performance: Global asset management gross sales hit $127 billion, a 16% increase, with private markets sales soaring by 50%, which not only enhances the company's market position but also lays the groundwork for future capital appreciation.
- Capital Deployment Plans: The company plans to deploy $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion in capital in 2026, including $800 million to $1.1 billion in share repurchases and increasing common stock dividends, demonstrating management's confidence in future growth and commitment to shareholder returns.
See More
- Quarterly Dividend Increase: Principal Financial Group has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.80 per share, representing a 1.3% increase from the previous dividend of $0.79, indicating the company's ongoing growth in cash flow and profitability.
- Dividend Yield: The forward yield of 3.34% not only attracts income-seeking investors but also reflects the company's confidence in its future financial health and stability.
- Dividend Payment Schedule: The dividend will be payable on March 27, with a record date of March 11 and an ex-dividend date also set for March 11, ensuring shareholders receive timely returns and bolstering investor confidence.
- Impact of Buyback Program: The company's share buyback program drives shareholder value growth, further solidifying its competitive position in the market while laying the groundwork for future dividend increases.
See More






