Stock news for investors: Q4 results from Manulife, Sun Life, Air Canada, and more

Manulife reports $1.5 billion in Q4 earnings, raises dividend by 10%

Manulife Financial Corp. reported $1.5 billion in net income attributed to shareholders in the fourth quarter, down from $1.64 billion during the same period a year earlier. The insurer also increased its dividend by just over 10% to 49 cents per common share. 

On a per share basis, its earnings for the quarter amounted to 83 cents, down about 6% year-over-year from 88 cents. 

The insurer says adjusted earnings, or what it calls core earnings, came in at $2 billion during the fourth quarter, rising 5% from $1.9 billion a year earlier. Core earnings for Manulife’s Asia segment came in at US$564 million during the period, while core earnings for its Canada segment came in at $413 million. Both results were slightly better than a year earlier. 

Manulife CEO Phil Witherington says 2025 was a defining year for the company as it achieved record core earnings.   

Sun Life Financial reports $722M Q4 profit, up from $237M last year

Sun Life Financial Inc. says it earned $722 million in net income during the fourth quarter. That compares with a profit of $237 in the same quarter a year ago, when the Toronto-based insurer took a $186 million writedown and had lower-than-expected investment income

Earnings for the period ended Dec. 31 worked out to $1.96 per share, up from $1.68 during the prior year quarter. 

Underlying net income for its asset management and wealth business came in at $534 million, while underlying net income for its health and protection business came in at $308 million.

The Toronto-based insurer says assets under management totalled $1.6 billion during the period, up from $1.54 billion during the same period a year earlier.   

Sun Life CEO Kevin Strain says in a news release that the company saw robust earnings and sales in Asia and solid wealth sales in Canada. 

Cineplex reports $369,000 Q4 profit down from $3.3 million a year earlier

Cineplex Inc. reported a fourth-quarter profit of $369,000, down from $3.3 million a year earlier, as its revenue also edged lower. The movie theatre company says the profit amounted to a penny per diluted share for the quarter ended Dec. 31 compared with a profit of five cents per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Revenue totalled $334.8 million for the quarter, down from $340.9 million a year earlier, while theatre attendance totalled 10.1 million, down from 11.1 million. Box office revenue per patron was $13.87, up from $13.26 a year earlier, while concession revenue per patron rose to $9.92, up from $9.41 in the last three months of 2024.

Cineplex also announced the retirement of Robert Bruce from its board of directors. The company says former Scotiabank executive Sean McGuckin will replace Bruce on the board.

Air Canada reports Q4 profit of $296 million, up from last year

Air Canada reported $296 million in net income during its fourth quarter, up from a loss of $644 million during the same period a year earlier. Its diluted earnings per share amounted to $1 during the period, compared with a loss per share of $1.81 last year. 

The Montreal-based airline says its operating revenue came in at a record $5.8 billion during the period ended Dec. 31, up year-over-year from $5.4 billion. 

Michael Rousseau, Air Canada’s CEO, says the company’s results came amid shifting demand trends as well as continued macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. 

On Wednesday, Air Canada announced the acquisition of eight Airbus A350-1000 wide-body aircraft with rights to purchase another eight planes. 

The airline moved to suspend flights to Cuba earlier this month due to a fuel shortage in the Caribbean country.  

Brookfield Corp. reports Q4 profit up from year earlier, raises quarterly dividend

Brookfield Corp. raised its quarterly dividend as it reported its fourth-quarter profit rose compared with a year ago. 

The investment firm, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, says it will now pay a quarterly dividend of seven cents US per share, up from six cents US per share. The increased payment to shareholders came as Brookfield reported net income attributable to shareholders of US$743 million or 30 cents US per diluted share for the quarter ended Dec. 31, up from US$432 million or 17 cents US per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue totalled US$20.16 billion, up from US$19.43 billion.

The company says its distributable earnings before realizations totalled 63 cents US per share for the quarter, the same as a year earlier, while total distributable earnings amounted to 67 cents US per share for the quarter, also matching a year earlier.

Brookfield said it had a record US$188 billion in capital available to deploy into new investments at the end of the quarter including US$77 billion in cash, financial assets and undrawn credit lines, as well as US$111 billion in uncalled private fund commitments.

Electric and gas utility Fortis reports $422M Q4 profit, up from $396M a year earlier

Fortis Inc. reported a fourth-quarter profit of $422 million, up from $396 million a year earlier. The electric and gas utility company says the profit amounted to 83 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Dec. 31. The result was up from 79 cents per diluted share for the same period in 2024. 

On an adjusted basis, Fortis says it earned 90 cents per share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 83 cents per share a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter totalled $3.08 billion, up from $2.95 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Fortis has utility customers in five provinces, 10 U.S. states, and the Caribbean.

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