Prudential operating profit up 16% to US$3.2b

ASIA-FOCUSED insurer Prudential posted a total adjusted operating profit before tax of US$3.2 billion on Wednesday (Mar 9), up 16 per cent from US$2.8 billion in the year-ago period.

The London- and Hong Kong-listed company saw a 13 per cent rise in new business profit to US$2.5 billion. Meanwhile, annual premium equivalent (APE) sales - a measure of new business activity - was up 8 per cent to US$4.2 billion.

The group's board has declared a second interim ordinary dividend of US$0.1186 per share. Combined with its first interim dividend of US$0.0537, the group's total 2021 cash dividend is US$0.1723 per share.