TLDR
- First-half operating profit rose 24% to £1.33 billion, beating the £1.26 billion analyst forecast
- Direct Line acquisition drove general insurance gross written premiums up 29% to £8.1 billion
- Wealth management net inflows jumped 32% to £7.6 billion
- Cash remittances surged 47% to £1.5 billion; Aviva reiterates three-year financial targets
- Interim dividend raised 7% to 14 pence per share
Aviva posted first-half operating profit of £1.33 billion, up 24% from £1.07 billion a year earlier. The result beat the £1.26 billion analyst consensus. The stock was trading up 0.84% at 719.60p following the release.
Operating earnings per share rose 10% to 31.8p. That keeps Aviva on track for its 11% compound annual growth target through 2028.
The Direct Line acquisition, completed for £3.7 billion, was a key driver. General insurance gross written premiums climbed 29% to £8.1 billion, ahead of the £7.8 billion consensus forecast.
Today we’ve announced our half year 2026 results.
We’ve delivered very strong results in the first half of 2026, our sixth consecutive year of excellent financial performance.
More details here 👉https://t.co/WaPdTVKOpB#FinancialUpdate #AvivaResults pic.twitter.com/HHsbsF4Srv
— Aviva plc (@avivaplc) August 14, 2026
CEO Amanda Blanc said the company has quickly improved Direct Line’s profitability, grown price comparison website sales, and maintained customer service standards.
All Direct Line employees have been transferred. Nearly £5 billion in assets have moved to Aviva Investors.
Aviva has delivered £100 million in run-rate cost synergies toward a £225 million target. The company remains on track to deliver more than £350 million in capital synergies by year-end.
Wealth Management and Cash Generation
Wealth management net inflows rose 32% to £7.6 billion. That performance added meaningful weight to the overall results alongside the insurance business.
Cash remittances jumped 47% to £1.5 billion. Aviva is targeting more than £7 billion in cumulative remittances between 2026 and 2028.
The Solvency II shareholder cover ratio stood at 176%, near the top of its working range. The company expects this to reach the high 180s by year-end, subject to market conditions.
IFRS return on equity improved to 20.3% from 18.2%, meeting the company’s target of above 20%.
Dividend and Outlook
Aviva raised its interim dividend by 7% to 14 pence per share.
The company reiterated its three-year targets: 11% operating EPS growth, IFRS return on equity above 20% by 2028, and cumulative cash remittances above £7 billion.
Aviva now expects 2026 operating EPS growth to come in broadly in line with its 11% target.
Remaining cash remittances of around £0.8 billion are expected in the second half of the year.
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