Finance

UK's Just Group annual profit slumps on weakness in key segments

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on February 27, 2026

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· Last updated: April 2, 2026

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UK's Just Group annual profit slumps on weakness in key segments
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Feb 27 (Reuters) - British retirement income specialist Just Group reported a 39% fall in its annual underlying operating profit on Friday, hurt by a sharp drop in new business margins and retirement

Just Group's Annual Profit Declines Amid Market Challenges

Feb 27 (Reuters) - British retirement income specialist Just Group reported a 39% fall in its annual underlying operating profit on Friday, hurt by a sharp drop in new business margins and retirement income sales.

Impact of Market Competition

The results reflected the impact of an increasingly crowded bulk annuity market, where insurers take on the pension liabilities of corporate schemes, which intensified pricing competition particularly in the second half of the year.

Acquisition by Brookfield Wealth Solutions

The company had agreed to a 2.4-billion-pound ($3.23 billion) takeover deal by Canada's Brookfield Wealth Solutions in late July and expects the deal to close in the first half of 2026.

Financial Performance Overview

The group's underlying operating profit came in at 305 million pounds  for the year ended December 31, compared to 504 million pounds a year earlier.

($1 = 0.7426 pounds)

(Reporting by Sri Hari N S in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Ronojoy Mazumdar)

Key Takeaways

  • Just Group’s underlying operating profit fell 39% to £305 million for year ended December 31, 2025.
  • Drop driven by weak new business margins and retreat in retirement income sales amid crowded bulk annuity market.
  • Just Group’s pre-tax result swung to a loss, reflecting deferred profit and investment challenges.
  • Company expects its £2.4 billion acquisition by Brookfield Wealth Solutions to complete in H1 2026.
  • Competitive bulk annuity landscape pressured pricing, especially in second half of 2025.

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Just Group’s profit fall so sharply?
A sharp drop in new business margins and soft retirement income sales amid intense competition in the bulk annuity market drove the 39 % fall in underlying operating profit.
What is the bulk annuity market and why is it competitive?
Bulk annuities are deals where insurers take on pension liabilities from corporates; rising participant numbers increased competition and pressured pricing, especially in late 2025.
What is happening with Just Group’s takeover?
Brookfield Wealth Solutions agreed a £2.4 billion all-cash takeover of Just Group, expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.

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