Aviva PLC announced a 10% increase in its final dividend alongside a £350 million share buyback as it posted results for what chief executive Amanda Blanc boasted was an "outstanding performance" for 2025.
Group operating profit jumped 25% to £2.2 billion as the life insurer delivered financial targets 12 months ahead of schedule.
IFRS return on equity climbed to 17.5% from 15.7% the prior year and cash remittances rose 4% to just over £2 billion. The dividend was lifted to 26.2p per share.
Blanc noted that it marked Aviva's fifth consecutive year of strong, profitable growth, with broad-based momentum across its divisions.
General insurance premiums jumped 18% to £14.1 billion, underpinned by the acquisition of Direct Line and robust growth in both UK personal and commercial lines.
Blanc said the wealth business "cemented our position as the number one player" with over £230 billion of assets, attracting record net inflows of almost £11 billion and winning more than 500 new workplace pension schemes.
Looking ahead, Aviva set new three-year targets that included operating earnings per share growth of 11% annually through to 2028 and an IFRS return on equity exceeding 20%, with cumulative cash remittances of more than £7 billion targeted between 2026 and 2028.
The FTSE 100 group said it expects growth and earnings momentum to continue in 2026, supported by its diversified model and the full contribution of Direct Line.