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FINWIRES

Research Alert: CFRA Keeps Hold Opinion On Shares Of Principal Financial Group

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-- CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

We raise our 12-month target price by $12 to $108, valuing PFG shares at 11.8x our 2026 operating EPS estimate of $9.12 (raised by $0.02) and at 10.7x our 2027 EPS estimate of $10.10 (upped by $0.18). This compares to the shares' one-year average forward multiple of 9.5x and a peer average of 8.3x. We lower our operating revenue forecast for 2026 to flat to 3% growth (versus our previous forecast of a 3% to 6% rise in revenues), but we keep our 2027 revenue forecast of a 3% to 6% rise. Q1 2026 operating revenues sank by 13% on 34% lower premiums, partly offset by 3.7% higher fee income and a 2.9% rise in net investment income. Weighing the broad based margin improvement in Q1 with a declining revenue base and the shares' premium valuation to peers ad historical averages, we view the shares as fairly valued.

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