Allianz said its asset management business "generated lower operating profit in line with expectations amid the change in management at Pimco [the California-based fund management firm owned by Allianz]." But Allianz Global Investors, the second pillar of Allianz Asset Management, achieved a record operating profit and experienced positive net inflows over the course of 2014.
As the German insurer announced its 2014 results, CFO Dieter Wemmer noted, "After weekly net outflows at Pimco peaked around the end of the third quarter of 2014, we saw a clear trend of receding outflows that has continued in 2015."
Wemmer added that this would be the basis for further stabilisation in 2015 and that Pimco's total return fund recently regained its five-star rating from the investment research company Morningstar.
Noting that a new investment management team is now in place at Pimco following the exit of its founder Bill Gross in September 2014, Allianz said third-party net outflows reached their highest point after the announcement of his departure, totalling €236bn ($268) for the full year.
Revenues in Allianz's asset management business overall declined by 10.8% to €6.39bn and operating profit was down 17.6% to €2.6bn, driven by lower third-party average assets under management and high non-recurring performance fees from one private fund in 2013.
Total assets under management reached €1.801bn at 31 December 2014, increasing 1.8%.
Third-party assets under management declined over the same period to €1.313bn from €1.361bn. Allianz said the third-party net outflows of €226bn were offset to a large extent by a strong market return and favourable foreign exchange effects.
Allianz Global Investors saw net inflows for the eighth consecutive quarter and surpassed €400m in operating profit for the first time since Allianz's new asset management structure was set up in 2012.
Allianz also said its renewable energy portfolio now exceeds €2bn and comprises 48 wind and seven solar parks. It also invested in a UK rolling stock company, Porterbrook (IAR, 13 October 2014, Allianz part of consortium buying Porterbrook) and has raised its mid-term target for real asset-based financing to €110bn from €80bn.
Allianz's asset allocation has barely changed over the past year. Of its total investment portfolio of €614.6bn in 2014 (€536.8bn in 2013), 89% is in debt instruments, down 1% from 2013, while the allocations to equities (7%), real estate (2%) and cash/other (2%) remain the same.
Allianz's holdings of debt instruments are 25% AAA rated, 24% AA, 20% A and 26% BBB, with the other 5% in non-investment grade or unrated debt.
The insurer's current yield is 3.7%, reflecting the long duration of its portfolio.
The allocations to government bonds are concentrated on France (20%), Italy (15%) and Germany (14%), and 65% of the portfolio is AAA or AA quality. The insurer does not hold any Greek or Ukrainian bonds.
Among the portfolio changes Allianz noted were an active increase in traded equity, up €3.7bn in 2014, expansion in private equity, infrastructure and renewables (up €1.1bn, plus new commitments of €1.3bn) and a focus on infrastructure, mortgages and private placements (up €5.2bn).
Projects in which Allianz has invested, in addition to Porterbrook, include Nice Etoile, a major shopping centre in Nice in the south of France and a by-pass in Aberdeen in Scotland – a 30-year fixed-rate financing which the insurer noted is "an attractive match with long-term insurance liabilities."
Allianz also commented on the economic implications of Solvency II capital charges on the different asset classes for investment. Because under the Solvency II framework, "the sovereign debt crisis is not reflected" and the capital charge for government bonds of EU member states is 0%, "sovereigns become the preferred asset class."
At the same time the 39-49% capital charge for equities, "in combination with IFRS 9", means "the role of the insurance industry as an equity investor becomes less important" and yields will shrink for privately financed pension savings.
The proposed Solvency II capital charge on real estate of 25%, said Allianz, is calibrated to the UK market, which has traditionally high volatility, unlike many markets in continental Europe. The result: "The attractiveness of real estate investments decreases" and there will be "less inflation protection for private pension savings."
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