Compared to Estimates, CNO (CNO) Q4 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

For the quarter ended December 2023, CNO Financial (CNO) reported revenue of $1.17 billion, up 20.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.18, compared to $0.56 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $934.05 million, representing a surprise of +25.31%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +38.82%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.85.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how CNO performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Insurance policy income: $625.70 million compared to the $628.34 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -0.1% year over year.
• Net investment income (loss)- General account assets: $325.10 million versus $295.10 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +10.3% change.
• Insurance policy income- Life: $219.40 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $219.78 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +1.4%.
• Insurance policy income- Long-term care: $66.30 million compared to the $68.37 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.5% year over year.
• Insurance policy income- Annuity- Fixed index annuities: $5.50 million versus $4.43 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Insurance policy income- Annuity- Fixed interest annuities: $0.20 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $0.23 million.
• Insurance policy income- Annuity- Other annuities: $2.30 million compared to the $1.81 million average estimate based on two analysts.
• Insurance policy income- Health- Supplemental health and other health: $178.10 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $176.43 million.
• Insurance policy income- Life- Interest-sensitive life: $46.20 million versus $45.14 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Insurance policy income- Life- Traditional life: $173.20 million compared to the $174.64 million average estimate based on two analysts.
• Net Investment Income- Annuity- Fixed index annuities: $105.90 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $96.86 million.
• Net Investment Income- Annuity- Fixed interest annuities: $20.80 million compared to the $20.46 million average estimate based on two analysts.

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