Equitable Holdings Reports $1.38B Net Loss for 2025, Equity Turns Negative Amid Reinsurance & Novation Losses
Summary
Equitable Holdings reported a $1.38 billion GAAP net loss for 2025, leading to negative total equity, primarily due to significant losses from reinsurance and legacy annuity transactions.
Key Events
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Reports Substantial GAAP Net Loss
Equitable Holdings reported a GAAP net loss of $1.38 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, a significant decline from net income of $1.28 billion in 2024.
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Total Equity Attributable to Holdings Turns Negative
The company's total equity attributable to Holdings shifted to a negative $(74) million as of December 31, 2025, compared to a positive $1.565 billion in the prior year.
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Incurs Major Loss from RGA Reinsurance Transaction
A $1.1 billion loss was recorded in Investment gains (losses), net, primarily due to assets transferred as part of the RGA reinsurance transaction completed on July 31, 2025.
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Records Significant Loss from Legacy VA Novation
A pre-tax net income loss of $499 million resulted from the novation of certain legacy variable annuity policies in the first quarter of 2025.
Analysis
Equitable Holdings, Inc. has reported a significant GAAP net loss of $1.38 billion for the fiscal year 2025, a stark reversal from prior year profits. This substantial loss has caused the total equity attributable to Holdings to turn negative, indicating a severe deterioration in the company's financial position. Key drivers of the loss include a $1.1 billion loss from the RGA reinsurance transaction and a $499 million pre-tax loss from the novation of legacy variable annuity policies. Additionally, the company increased its deferred tax asset valuation allowance by $176 million, signaling concerns about future taxable income. While the company maintains a share repurchase program, the magnitude of these losses and the negative equity position fundamentally challenge the investment thesis and warrant close scrutiny from investors, especially given the stock is trading near its 52-week low.
At the time of this filing, EQH was trading at $41.13 on NYSE in the Finance sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $11.8B. The 52-week trading range was $39.53 to $56.61. This filing was assessed with negative market sentiment and an importance score of 9 out of 10.