Great Eastern Holdings Ltd booked a record profit attributable to shareholders of S$1.207 billion for the year ended 31 December 2025, up 21 percent year-on-year, buoyed by favourable investment performance and earnings from its existing in-force insurance portfolio.
The board proposed a final one-tier tax-exempt dividend of 30 Singapore cents a share, payable on 6 May 2026, bringing the full-year payout to 55 cents. Adjusted for last August’s one-for-one bonus issue, the distribution translates into the equivalent of S$1.10 a share on a pre-bonus basis, 22 percent higher than FY-24.
Total Weighted New Sales (TWNS) fell 15 percent YoY to S$1.54 billion as the group continued to pivot away from short-term single-premium products towards a broader, more balanced portfolio. Despite the pull-back for the year, fourth-quarter TWNS edged up 5 percent to S$453.7 million. New Business Embedded Value (NBEV) rose 19 percent to S$739.7 million, helped by a 45 percent jump in Singapore, where new product launches and stronger bancassurance and financial-adviser channels lifted margins.
Management attributed the profit surge chiefly to investment gains alongside steady earnings emergence from the in-force book. The insurer said capital adequacy ratios across its regulated subsidiaries remained comfortably above statutory minimums.
Outside Singapore, the Malaysian business delivered a “resilient” showing despite higher medical inflation and new regulatory requirements introduced in 2025. The launch of “The Great Journey” connected 85 hospitals and more than 1,000 clinics to provide coordinated medical care across both conventional and Family Takaful lines, while Great Eastern Labuan broadened distribution reach.
The group accelerated its digital agenda during the year, rolling out an AI-enabled advisory platform that it estimates cuts financial-adviser preparation time by about 75 percent. It also deployed an AI-powered medical-claims automation engine and is piloting similar tools in underwriting.
Group chief executive officer Greg Hingston said the 2025 results reflected disciplined capital management, operational efficiency and consistent strategy execution across markets. He noted that the shift to a diversified product mix is strengthening the quality and resilience of the portfolio and positions the insurer for sustainable growth.
Looking ahead, Great Eastern intends to maintain progressive dividends “in line with sustainable profit trends” and aims to keep each payout no lower than the preceding one, barring unforeseen circumstances. The company said it will continue to invest in product innovation, digital capabilities and distribution partnerships to capture growth opportunities across its core markets.