Aviva plc 2020 preliminary results announcement

Resilient financial performance

• Operating profit^1,‡# of £3,161m (2019: £3,184m) and IFRS profit for the year of £2,910m (2019: £2,663m)
• Core business unit operating profit^1,‡# of £2,492m (2019: £2,558m)
• Cash remittances^‡# of £1,500m (2019: £2,597m)
• Core business cash remittances^‡# of £1,359m (2019: £1,409m excluding UK Life special remittance)

Sales of Aviva France and Aviva Italy in 2021 – major progress in our strategic transformation

• On completion will significantly strengthen capital and liquidity: excess capital by c. £3.0bn and centre cash by c. £3.9bn
• Build on announced sales of Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Turkey

Robust financial strength

• Solvency II shareholder cover ratio^‡# of 202% (2019: 206%) and centre liquidity^‡ of £4.1bn (2019: £2.4bn)
• Solvency II debt leverage ratio^‡ of 31% (2019: 31%)

Delivering against our capital framework

• Expect £1.7bn debt reduction in H1 2021 including £800m tender offer announced today
• Investing for cash generative growth in our Core markets
• Expect to return to shareholders excess capital above 180% Solvency II shareholder cover ratio^‡#
• Total dividend of 21p (2019: 15.5p per share) with a final proposed dividend of 14p per share

Targeting sustainable growth across the UK, Ireland and Canada

• Momentum with record trading in Savings & Retirement, BPA and Group Protection
• New cumulative cash remittance^‡# target of over £5bn between 2021-23 with guidance for £1.8bn in 2023
• First major insurer globally to target Net Zero greenhouse emission status by 2040

Amanda Blanc, Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Over the past year we have supported our customers in the most challenging of circumstances. Across the whole of Aviva our people have been outstanding and I cannot thank them enough for all they have achieved.

2020 was a year of significant change for Aviva. We have taken major steps forward in simplifying the business, most recently with the sale of Aviva France and today’s announcement of the sale of the rest of our Italian operations. Our strategic focus is now on the UK, Ireland and Canada where we have leading positions. We are putting customers at the heart of everything we do and I am confident we will transform Aviva’s financial performance and deliver greater value for our shareholders. I recognise we have much more to do and we are getting on with it.

Our performance in 2020 demonstrates the resilience of our Core businesses and our growth potential. We delivered record sales in group protection; record sales of bulk purchase annuities; and record net flows^‡ in savings and retirement, where we are the largest provider of workplace pensions in the UK.

Aviva is financially strong and following the completion of the major disposals, we will be in a position to make a substantial return of capital to our shareholders. We are also announcing today an £800m debt tender offer. This allows us to accelerate our debt reduction plans and lower debt by a total of £1.7bn in the first half of this year.

Aviva is proud to be the UK’s leading insurer. We are the only insurer in the UK to meet the needs of customers at every stage of their lives. Our potential is clear and we are determined to realise it for the benefit of our customers, our people and our shareholders.”

Watch our analyst update

Download our preliminary results announcement PDF (1.80 MB)

Download our preliminary results presentation PDF (9.0 MB)

Footnotes:

^# _{Symbol denotes key financial performance indicators used as a base to determine or modify remuneration.}

^‡ _{Denotes Alternative Performance Measures (APMs) and further information can be found in the "Other information" section of the full year 2020 preliminary results announcement.}

¹ _{Operating profit represents Group adjusted operating profit which is a non-GAAP APM. Operating profit is not bound by the requirements of IFRS. Further details of this measure are included in the "Other information" section of the full year 2020 preliminary results announcement.}

Notes to editors

All comparators are for the full year 2019 position unless otherwise stated.

Income and expenses of foreign entities are translated at average exchange rates while their assets and liabilities are translated at the closing rates on 31 December 2020. The average rates employed in this announcement are 1 euro = £0.88 (2019: 1 euro = £0.88) and CAD$1 = £0.58 (2019: CAD$1 = £0.59).

Growth rates in the press release have been provided in sterling terms unless stated otherwise. The full year 2020 preliminary results announcement presents this information on both a sterling and constant currency basis.

Contacts

Investor contacts

Jakub Rosochowski
+44 (0) 7385 382206

Media contacts

Andrew Reid
+44 (0)20 7662 3131

Sarah Swailes
+44 (0)20 7662 6700

Timings

Presentation slides: 0700 hrs GMT
Real time media conference call: 0730 GMT
Analyst conference call / audiocast: 0830 hrs GMT

Download our preliminary results announcement PDF (1.80 MB)