Prudential had a busy weekend. On Monday, the firm reported preliminary fourth-quarter and full-year 2009 earnings, and also disclosed that it had agreed to purchase Asian operations of troubled insurance giant American International Group (AIG) for consideration totalling about $36 billion. This is a very large transaction with significant implications for Prudential's shareholders.
Prudential's recovery from the financial crisis continued in the fourth quarter, with its Asian operations leading the way. Prudential's new business sales in Asia climbed to a quarterly record, rising 40% from the third quarter of 2009. The firm's Jackson National Life unit in the United States has been performing relatively well, and its market share of total annuity sales in the US climbed significantly during 2009. Prudential's total external funds under management rose to £90 billion in 2009 (on an actual exchange rate basis), up from £62 billion at the start of the year. On an embedded value basis, shareholder funds rose 11% in the latter half of 2009, recouping all of the ground lost in the first half of the year.
The timing of the acquisition of AIG's Asian operations coincided with the news of the burst of activity in Prudential's own Asian businesses as 2009 came to a close. Today's news underlines the importance of the company's stake in Asia. Future returns for Prudential will be more closely levered to the Asian market, as well as Prudential's ability to perform in what we have been expecting to become a more competitive environment. We are placing our coverage of Prudential under review while we review the terms of the transaction. Strategically, we think the move makes sense, but we will need to dig further into the details to determine whether the price is fair.
What do you think of Prudential's shopping spree? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments box below.