FWD (01828) released its interim results, with after-tax operating profit rising by 20% to $298 million.

FWD (01828) announced its six-month results for the period ending June 30, 2026. The new business sales, calculated based on annualized new premiums, increased by 7% year-on-year to $1.35 billion. The service margin of new business contracts was $996 million, reflecting a 25% year-on-year growth. After-tax operating profit rose by 20% to $298 million. FWD's CEO and Executive Director, Huang Qingfeng, stated: "The first full-year performance since FWD went public has been strong. We have once again demonstrated our ability to drive business growth continuously while converting growth into higher profitability alongside expanding our profit margins. This is attributed to the diverse regional presence, multi-channel distribution model, and capital structure we have established over the past 13 years, which positions FWD favorably to seize future development opportunities." In the Group's local market of Hong Kong SAR, despite the exceptionally high baseline from last year, the business still benefited from robust local demand and Hong Kong's position as one of the world's largest cross-border wealth management centers, with growth momentum remaining strong. Japan has achieved outstanding growth, primarily driven by FWD's expansion into savings and retirement needs starting July 2025, which complements existing protection-related businesses. Additionally, the ongoing trend of an aging population in Japan continues to drive demand related to the longevity economy, providing support for business growth. In Thailand, FWD continues to focus on enhancing new business profitability through its market-leading exclusive bancassurance partnership with TMBThanachart Bank and its agent distribution channel. The management transition has been successfully completed with Khun Knattapisit Krutkrongchai "KK" joining as CEO of FWD Thailand in May. The expansion markets segment, comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam, achieved strong growth despite some countries facing macroeconomic uncertainties. Huang Qingfeng added: "This interim performance further confirms FWD's stable performance as a listed company while continuously serving over 40 million customers across ten Asian markets. FWD will continue to uphold a customer-first philosophy and leverage the opportunities brought by the current golden age of innovative technology." In the first half of 2026, FWD launched 21 new products in Asia to respond to the evolving needs of customers. The consumer outlook survey results released by the Group in February this year indicated that most of the middle class in Asia were already feeling anxious about their financial situations and inadequately prepared for retirement, even before the impact of the Middle East conflict on global energy and the economy.