Valued at a market cap of $47 billion, Sun Life Financial (TSX:SLF) is among the largest insurance companies in the world. In the last 10 years, the TSX stock has returned 87% to shareholders. After adjusting for dividend reinvestments, cumulative returns are closer to 176%. Despite these steady gains, Sun Life offers investors a dividend yield of more than 4%.
Sun Life Financial is a global financial services company that provides comprehensive insurance products, including life, health, dental, critical illness, and disability coverage, alongside wealth management and asset management solutions.
It serves clients worldwide through operations in Canada, Asia, and the U.S., partnering with nearly 50,000 employers and organizations. In Canada, its virtual care provider Dialogue serves over 3.5 million clients, representing approximately 20% of the Canadian population with primary care and mental health support.
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Is the TSX stock a good buy right now?
Sun Life Financial reported impressive first-quarter (Q1) 2025 results, which showcase the resilience of its diversified business model amid challenging economic conditions. In Q1, the insurance giant reported a net income of $1.045 billion, or $1.82 per share, an increase of 21% year over year.
All business segments contributed to the strong performance. Asset Management and Wealth saw robust growth, with SLC Management generating a record underlying net income of $85 million, more than doubling from the prior year.
The division raised $4.4 billion in capital during the quarter, with fee-earning assets under management surpassing $201 billion. MFS maintained solid performance despite industry headwinds, while Canada delivered 21% earnings growth driven by favourable insurance experience and strong business momentum.
Asia continued its growth trajectory with a record underlying net income of $197 million, up 11% year over year, supported by strong individual protection sales growth of 17% across several markets. The launch of the CIMB Niaga partnership in Indonesia and continued strength in Hong Kong and India underscore the region’s potential.
The U.S. business showed improvement with underlying net income of $151 million, up 7% year over year. Stop loss results stabilized following Q4 challenges, with claims experience aligning with expectations and pricing discipline maintaining healthy margins. The dental business benefited from repricing actions and expense efficiency measures.
Is the TSX dividend stock undervalued?
Analysts tracking Sun Life stock forecast adjusted earnings to expand from $6.66 per share in 2024 to $8.82 per share in 2029. A widening earnings base should enable the company to raise its annual dividend from $3.24 per share in 2024 to $3.70 per share in 2029.
Today, the TSX dividend stock is priced at 11.3 times forward earnings, which is in line with its historical average. If it can maintain a similar valuation, SLF stock should trade around $100 in early 2029, indicating an upside potential of 20% from current levels. If we account for dividends, cumulative returns could be closer to 35%.
Sun Life’s strong capital position, with a LICAT (Life Insurance Capital Adequacy Test) ratio of 149% and $1.3 billion in holdco (holding company) cash, enabled a 5% dividend increase and $520 million in share repurchases. The company renewed its share-buyback program while maintaining financial flexibility for the planned $2.1 billion buyout of remaining stakes in SLC affiliates scheduled for the first half of 2026, positioning Sun Life for continued growth momentum.
