Profits surge for Sun Life in Q4

Sun Life Financial met expectations as its net income surged 24% to $719 million in the fourth quarter.

The Toronto-based insurer says it earned $1.22 per share in the three months ended Dec. 31, up from 96¢ per share or $580 million a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, underlying earnings grew 10.3% to $792 million or $1.34 per share. That compared with $718 million or $1.19 per share in the fourth quarter of 2018.

For the full year, its net income rose 3.8% to $2.62 billion.

Underlying profits rose to $3.6 billion or $5.16 per share, up from $2.95 billion or $4.86 per share in 2018.

The fourth-quarter and full-year results matched analyst forecasts, according to the financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is a national news agency headquartered in Toronto and founded in 1917.