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CNO Financial (CNO)
NYSE:CNO
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CNO Financial (CNO) AI Stock Analysis

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CNO

CNO Financial

(NYSE:CNO)

Rating:73Outperform
Price Target:
$42.00
▲(10.29% Upside)
CNO Financial's overall stock score reflects strong earnings performance and strategic execution, offset by high leverage and mixed technical indicators. The company's valuation is fair, and recent corporate events have positively influenced investor sentiment.
Positive Factors
Business Growth
New business growth remained solid and underwriting margins were stable.
Cash Flow Management
CNO's buybacks significantly exceeded estimates, indicating strong cash flow management.
Demand
Total Life / Health NAP rose significantly, reflecting robust demand in these segments.
Earnings
CNO's operating EPS exceeded expectations, indicating strong financial performance.
Negative Factors
Cash Flow Yield
CNO currently trades at an estimated 2025 FCF yield of ~6.5%, which is modestly lower/less attractive versus the Life peer median of ~6.9%.
Valuation
CNO screens as fairly valued on BMO's FCF regression framework, without a significant near-term improvement in ROE and free cash flow run-rates.

CNO Financial (CNO) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

CNO Financial Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCNO Financial Group, Inc. is a leading provider of insurance and financial services in the United States, primarily serving middle-income Americans. The company operates through three main segments: Life Insurance, Health Insurance, and Annuities. CNO offers a range of products including life insurance, supplemental health insurance, and retirement solutions, catering to the needs of its diverse customer base.
How the Company Makes MoneyCNO Financial generates revenue primarily through the sale of insurance products and annuities. The company earns premiums from its life and health insurance policies, which are collected regularly from policyholders. Additionally, CNO generates income from investment returns on the reserves held to back its insurance liabilities. The company also receives fees from the management of its annuity products and investment portfolios. Significant partnerships with agents and brokers enhance its distribution channels, allowing CNO to reach a wider audience. Furthermore, the company's focus on middle-income consumers often leads to stable demand for its insurance products, contributing to consistent revenue streams.

CNO Financial Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 28, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: 1.33%|
Next Earnings Date:Nov 10, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
CNO Financial Group's earnings call highlighted strong growth in new annualized premiums, operating earnings, and annuity sales. Despite challenges in alternative investment yields and Medicare Supplement claims, the company demonstrated consistent performance across multiple segments and returned significant capital to shareholders. The overall sentiment is positive with strong sales momentum and strategic execution.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record New Annualized Premiums
CNO Financial Group reported record total new annualized premiums of $120 million, up 17% from the previous year, showcasing strong sales momentum across both divisions.
Strong Operating Earnings
Operating earnings per diluted share were $0.87, supported by favorable insurance product margins and solid investment results.
Annuity Growth
Annuity collected premiums hit a new record, surpassing $500 million for the first time in a single quarter, driven by 19% growth.
Brokerage and Advisory Growth
Client assets in brokerage and advisory were up 27% to $4.6 million, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of growth.
Life and Health NAP Growth
Life and health new annualized premiums (NAP) posted double-digit growth, up 17% in the quarter.
Worksite Division Performance
Record second quarter performance for insurance sales within Worksite life and health, with NAP up 16%.
Shareholder Returns
CNO returned $117 million to shareholders in the quarter and $234 million year-to-date.
Negative Updates
Challenges in Alternative Investments
The yield on alternative investments remained below the long-term run rate expectation, creating a partial offset to strong operating results.
Medicare Supplement Claims
Higher claims were noted in the Medicare Supplement products, although these allowed for annual rate adjustments.
Fee Sales Performance
Fee sales were flat for the quarter, although improvement is expected in the second half of the year.
Company Guidance
During the CNO Financial Group Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Call, CEO Gary Bhojwani and CFO Paul McDonough highlighted several financial metrics and strategic achievements. CNO reported record total new annualized premiums of $120 million, a 17% increase, alongside double-digit insurance sales growth across divisions. Operating earnings per diluted share were $0.87, benefiting from favorable insurance product margins and solid investment results. Book value per diluted share, excluding AOCI, rose by 6% to $38.05. The company returned $117 million to shareholders during the quarter and $234 million year-to-date. The growth scorecard metrics improved, with particular emphasis on annuity collected premiums surpassing $500 million for the first time in a single quarter, driven by 19% growth. Life and health new annualized premiums grew by 17%, with life insurance sales up by 20%. The company maintained strong agent productivity and retention, with a 3% increase in producing agent count. CNO reaffirmed its 2025 guidance, adjusting the expense ratio's upper bound to 19.2% due to better operating leverage.

CNO Financial Financial Statement Overview

Summary
CNO Financial demonstrates solid revenue growth and improved profitability, yet faces significant balance sheet challenges with negative equity and limited cash flow visibility. The lack of EBIT and EBITDA data for 2024 enhances uncertainty regarding operational efficiency. The company needs to address equity deficiencies and improve cash flow transparency to ensure financial stability.
Income Statement
68
Positive
CNO Financial shows a notable revenue growth trajectory, with an increase from $4.15 billion in 2023 to $4.45 billion in 2024, marking a 7.29% growth. The net profit margin improved, reaching 9.08% in 2024 from 6.67% in 2023. However, EBIT and EBITDA margins are not available for 2024, indicating potential variability in operating efficiency.
Balance Sheet
45
Neutral
The balance sheet indicates a concerning financial position with negative stockholders' equity of $58.1 million in 2024, suggesting potential insolvency risks. The company shows no debt as of 2024, which reduces leverage risks, but the negative equity ratio and weakened return on equity, which was 12.48% in 2023 but cannot be calculated for 2024, are significant red flags.
Cash Flow
50
Neutral
CNO Financial's cash flow statements reveal a lack of operating cash flow data for 2024, complicating analysis. The free cash flow to net income ratio cannot be calculated for 2024, but the operating cash flow to net income ratio was 2.11 in 2023, indicating strong cash conversion. The absence of free cash flow data in 2024 limits insight into cash generation capabilities.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue4.30B4.45B4.15B3.58B4.12B3.82B
Gross Profit1.70B1.82B4.15B3.58B4.12B3.82B
EBITDA945.80M1.07B862.80M1.20B1.07B757.00M
Net Income305.40M404.00M276.50M630.60M441.00M301.80M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets37.44B37.85B35.03B33.13B36.20B35.34B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments8.84B341.00M22.28B20.42B24.91B23.44B
Total Debt4.40B4.52B4.15B3.88B4.00B3.93B
Total Liabilities34.91B35.35B32.81B31.36B30.94B29.86B
Stockholders Equity2.53B2.50B2.22B1.77B5.26B5.48B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow669.80M627.70M582.90M495.40M598.30M735.50M
Operating Cash Flow669.80M627.70M582.90M495.40M598.30M735.50M
Investing Cash Flow-2.00B-1.49B-872.30M-1.78B-1.53B-608.40M
Financing Cash Flow1.71B1.97B533.50M1.20B667.60M210.10M

CNO Financial Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price38.08
Price Trends
50DMA
37.34
Positive
100DMA
37.93
Positive
200DMA
38.23
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.05
Negative
RSI
56.52
Neutral
STOCH
96.37
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CNO, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 38.08 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 37.03, above the 50-day MA of 37.34, and below the 200-day MA of 38.23, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.05 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 56.52 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 96.37 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CNO.

CNO Financial Risk Analysis

CNO Financial disclosed 33 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. CNO Financial reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

CNO Financial Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
79
Outperform
$4.78B14.508.40%2.46%1.78%0.77%
73
Outperform
$3.69B14.0411.35%1.71%0.82%-29.29%
71
Outperform
$7.77B7.1512.97%4.39%11.33%-38.17%
68
Neutral
$17.51B11.6510.43%3.82%9.93%1.68%
67
Neutral
$3.46B19.392.42%2.61%465.03%
61
Neutral
$6.57B82.500.30%3.11%27.18%-100.02%
59
Neutral
$2.67B5.0513.53%59.27%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CNO
CNO Financial
38.08
5.53
16.99%
GNW
Genworth Financial
8.55
1.85
27.61%
LNC
Lincoln National
40.98
11.32
38.17%
BHF
Brighthouse Financial
46.68
3.22
7.41%
JXN
Jackson Financial Incorporation
96.45
9.90
11.44%
FG
F&G Annuities & Life Inc
35.33
-5.14
-12.70%

CNO Financial Corporate Events

Business Operations and Strategy
CNO Financial Highlights Investment Strategy in Latest Briefing
Positive
Jun 10, 2025

On June 10, 2025, CNO Financial Group released an Investments Briefing presentation, highlighting its proven investment approach and solid track record. The briefing emphasized the company’s strong asset quality, disciplined management, and competitive advantages, which are expected to drive improvements in operating return on equity. The presentation also detailed CNO’s strategic investments and asset management strategies, underscoring its commitment to enhancing financial stability and stakeholder value.

The most recent analyst rating on (CNO) stock is a Buy with a $38.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on CNO Financial stock, see the CNO Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 13, 2025