Principal Financial (PFG)
Principal Financial is a US-based firm that helps people save for retirement, manage their investments, and provides various insurance products.
Is Principal Financial a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Established player in the retirement and insurance space. Worth weighing: Revenue has seen a slight decline recently. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has Principal Financial actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Principal Financial fell as much as −24% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Significant growth in the aging population needing retirement solutions.
Major regulatory changes impacting the financial services sector.
What does Principal Financial do?
Principal Financial acts as a financial partner for individuals and businesses, helping them build savings through pension plans and investment funds. Income arrives through fees for managing those assets alongside the premiums collected on insurance policies. Their investment returns carry a lot of weight, as these shape their ability to attract new customers and keep existing ones happy.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and value, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 3.0% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 6% over the year
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- Value screens high (75/100)
- Momentum screens high (84/100)
- Established player in the retirement and insurance space
- Provides a regular dividend income to shareholders
- Solid return on equity suggests efficient management
- A prolonged market slump would reduce fee-based income
- Changes in government policy regarding pensions could impact business
- Intense competition from larger financial institutions
What do Principal Financial's numbers mean?
How much money does Principal Financial make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Principal Financial pay a dividend?
Yes - Principal Financial currently pays a dividend of about 3.0% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about Principal Financial's dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does Principal Financial report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Principal Financial is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-26 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-27 | $2.33 | $2.50 | Beat +7% |
| 2026-04-23 | $2.01 | $2.07 | Beat +3% |
| 2026-02-09 | $2.22 | $2.19 | Missed -2% |
| 2025-10-27 | $2.20 | $2.10 | Missed -5% |
| 2025-07-28 | $1.97 | $2.16 | Beat +10% |
| 2025-04-24 | $1.83 | $1.81 | Missed -1% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Principal Financial came in ahead of what analysts expected 3 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Financial Services
What are the scenarios for Principal Financial?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Principal Financial?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Established player in the retirement and insurance space
- Provides a regular dividend income to shareholders
- Solid return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. suggests efficient management
- Revenue has seen a slight decline recently
- Highly sensitive to the ups and downs of the stock market
- Earnings can be volatile due to accounting adjustments
- A prolonged market slump would reduce fee-based income
- Changes in government policy regarding pensions could impact business
- Intense competition from larger financial institutions
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained period of negative returns on managed assets
- A significant cut to the dividend payout
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.