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(Reuters) -Australian insurer Suncorp posted a 17% rise in annual cash earnings on Monday, but forecast a slower growth in fiscal 2025 gross written premiums that was in line with expectations as premium rates moderate and inflation eases.
Shares of the country's second-biggest insurer by market value fell as much as 2.2% in early trade before rebounding to trade 1.3% higher.
Suncorp expects the general insurance gross written premium growth to be in the mid- to high-single digits for the current fiscal year, largely in line with a Visible Alpha consensus estimate of a 7% increase.
The company's general insurance gross written premiums rose 14% to A$14.1 billion ($9.42 billion) in fiscal 2024, with price increases offsetting natural hazard and higher reinsurance costs.
Suncorp recorded cash earnings of A$1.37 billion for the full year ended June 30, 2024, higher than the A$1.18 billion logged in the prior year. However, the cash earnings missed a Visible Alpha consensus of A$1.52 billion for the year.
The insurer's cash earnings were helped by higher net investment returns, which jumped 46.6% to A$661 million on the back of solid underlying yield on its interest-earning portfolio and stronger equity markets.
The Brisbane-headquartered firm declared a final dividend of 44 Australian cents per share, slightly ahead of the Visible Alpha consensus of 43 Australian cents per share.
($1 = 1.4963 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by John Biju and Archishma Iyer in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese and Subhranshu Sahu)