Goldman Sachs has released a research report assigning a "Buy" rating to FWD (01828) with a price target of HK$42. The firm noted that the company's first-half new business value (VNB) exceeded expectations, primarily reflecting stronger-than-anticipated margin expansion across several regions, including Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand.

After incorporating the 2026 first-half results and the latest management guidance, the investment bank has raised its fiscal 2026 VNB forecast by 8%. This upward revision is driven by sustained growth momentum in both sales and profit margins within the Hong Kong market, as well as continued strong growth in the Japanese market.

Goldman Sachs has lifted its VNB projection for FWD in fiscal 2026 by 8%, while making minor adjustments to its forecasts for fiscal 2027 and 2028, with changes ranging between 2% and 3%. Overall, the projected new business contractual service margin (NBCSM) for the fiscal 2026 to 2028 period has been increased by 1% to 8%.

However, due to factors such as rising interest rates, slower investment returns, and foreign exchange translation losses, the firm has slightly reduced its embedded value forecasts for fiscal 2026 through 2028 by 1%.