"Aegon's recent first quarter results, which included a continued profitable growth of the value of new business and improvements in our internal rate of return, confirmed that we are doing better than expected in our target to double the value of new business by 2010," said Aegon Chairman and CEO Donald J. Shepard.
Today and tomorrow, May 22-23, Aegon is hosting its semi-annual Analyst & Investor conference in Amsterdam, titled "Growing the Value". The presentations will focus on Aegon's businesses in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom as well as on the progress toward the target of doubling the Group's value of new business from EUR 550 million in 2005 to EUR 1.1 billion by 2010. In addition, a number of smaller group meetings with members of the Management Board, senior management of various country units and group staff are scheduled that will cover Aegon's growth strategy, its capital management, as well as business developments in Central and Eastern Europe, in Asia and the Americas.
"Aegon's recent first quarter results, which included a continued profitable growth of the value of new business and improvements in our internal rate of return, confirmed that we are doing better than expected in our target to double the value of new business by 2010," said Aegon Chairman and CEO Donald J. Shepard. "We always welcome the opportunity to interact with investors to discuss the steps we are taking to create long-term value for our many stakeholders."
Aegon's value of new business provides a good indication of future value creation and the increasing international spread of the Group's operations. In recent years, Aegon has made substantial progress in establishing a solid basis for further growth in its developing markets in Europe and Asia. In 2006, total value of new business increased 41% to EUR 775 million. The value of new business generated by Other countries (Asia, CEE, France and Spain) was 20% of Aegon's total VNB for 2006, while accounting for only 6% of Aegon's total embedded value 2006.
Aegon THE NETHERLANDS
Aegon The Netherlands has made good progress in repositioning the organization in a rapidly changing market. Aegon The Netherlands is on track to deliver on its 2010 growth targets to increase new production by 8-10% per annum and more than double the value of new business by 2010.
Aegon UNITED KINGDOM
Aegon UK's strategy is to grow the business profitably by continuing to diversify into higher margin products; adding scale by penetrating new distribution channels; building on our existing capabilities in life, pensions, asset management and distribution; and by further strengthening lines of business that present an opportunity for Aegon in the UK market. Aegon UK is ahead of its '20/10 target' plan, namely to achieve a VNB margin* of at least 20% and an overall market share in life and pensions of at least 10% by 2010.
Aegon AMERICAS
Aegon USA will continue combining administrative functions to improve efficiency, and will continue to focus on shifting the business mix to include a higher percentage of fee-based business. Aegon Americas is ahead of plan in achieving its 2010 target to grow the VNB by 84%.
All of the Conference slides of the presentations will be available on this website. The main presentations will be audio webcast live. The full program of the conference is as follows (CET time):
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
5:00 pm Welcome and opening conference
Don Shepard, Chairman of the Executive Board
5:20 pm Aegon The Netherlands – Progression toward 2010 Target
Johan van der Werf, CEO Aegon NL
Edgar Koning, CFO Aegon NL
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
8:30 am Aegon UK – Progression toward "20/10" by 2010
Otto Thoresen, CEO Aegon UK
Mark Laidlaw, CFO Aegon UK
10:00 am Small group meetings remainder of the day
* VNB pre-solvency and pre-tax, divided by annualized premium income
