Standard Life PLC

Standard Life reported a 25% year-over-year increase in IFRS-adjusted operating profit to £563 million for the first half of 2026, with operating cash generation rising 6% to £745 million and total cash generation up 15% to £900 million. Assets under management grew 5% from year-end 2025 to £333 billion, driven by strong performance in Pensions and Savings, where average AUA rose 10% to £217 billion and adjusted operating profit climbed 36% to £244 million. Retirement Solutions also contributed, with operating cash generation up 5% to £466 million and adjusted operating profit increasing 13% to £324 million. The company remains on track to complete its £2 billion acquisition of Aegon UK around the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, and plans to expand its pension risk transfer business through a proposed partnership that could provide up to £2 billion of initial combined capital and support £5 billion to £7 billion of additional annual PRT capacity. Standard Life has already achieved its roughly 30% SII leverage target, reaching 29% at the end of the first half, and expects about £500 million of excess cash generation in 2026. The next major milestone is its November 30 capital markets update, where it will outline post-2026 strategy and financial guidance.

CVC Capital Partners is co-leading a consortium of institutional investors committing capital to Standard Life's UK pension risk transfer business. CVC will commit £400 million, or $545.8 million, to the partnership, to be drawn over multiple years, as part of a consortium led by CVC and Prudential Financial, alongside Goldman Sachs and MS&AD. Together with £500 million from Standard Life, the consortium will fund up to £2 billion in total. Under the deal, CVC will provide Standard Life's PRT business with access to private market investment opportunities, including asset-backed lending, structured credit, real estate credit, infra credit, direct lending, opportunistic and liquid credit, as the firm eyes the £1.2 trillion of defined benefit pension liabilities yet to transfer to insurers. Standard Life will retain majority control of the venture, holding 51% of voting rights, with CVC and the consortium providing capital and asset origination. The partnership is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approval.