16 February 2017

Legal & General today announced a year of strong performance of the assets held for their with profits policyholders with a return of 15.3% (before tax) for the 12 months to 31 December 2016.

The company added bonuses worth £316 million to its with profits policies last year. This is lower than the £366 million added in 2015, reflecting a gradual reduction in the number of customers as policies continue to mature.

Long-term returns continue to be well above inflation…

Over 25 years the assets held on behalf of Legal & General's with profits policyholders have returned 8.6% per annum before tax and over 10 years the annual return is 5.9% before tax. This has exceeded the return on an average balanced managed fund and continues to be more than the average inflation rate over the same period, based on the Retail Prices Index (RPI).

Single Premium Investment Return per annum over 10 years Return per annum over 25 years
Legal & General With Profits 5.9% (before tax) 8.6% (before tax)
Average balanced managed fund* 5.2% (before tax) 7.4% (before tax)
Retail Prices Index Inflation (RPI) 2.8% 2.7%

*Source: ABI UK Balanced (mixed investment 40-85% equity) fund

Commenting on our 2016 with profits performance Jackie Noakes, Managing Director Savings, Legal & General Assurance Society said;

'Our with profits customers will benefit from a year of strong investment returns for 2016 of 15.3%. This clearly demonstrates the benefits for our existing customers of remaining invested in a fund with a broad range of assets. It also means that our with profits customers continue to see steady growth on their investments over the long-term, well in excess of inflation.'

The fund continues to maintain a broad mix of assets, similar to the asset allocation of previous years.

Asset allocation:

Asset allocation for With Profits Growth Bonds, With Profits Endowments and With Profits Pensions

As at 31/12/2016 With Profits Growth Bonds and Endowments Unitised With Profits Pensions
(up to 31/12/1994) 		All other With Profits Pensions*
UK shares 19% 15% 16%
Overseas shares 30% 23% 25%
Fixed interest securities 39% 53% 49%
Commerical property 12% 9% 10%

*Excludes With Profits Annuities and AF4

Further information (Journalists only)

For Examples of Investment values please see below.

Bond investors:

10 Year Return for £10,000 invested in a Legal & General With Profits Growth Bond

Date of investment Cash-in value as at 18/2/2016 Cash-in value as at 16/2/2017 Return over year Return per annum
Invested on 16 Feb 2007 £12,347 £13,704 11.0% 3.2%

Endowment mortgages:

25 year mortgage endowment maturing on 1 March 2017 (male aged 29 at entry)

Payment Total paid Cash in Value as at 1/3/2016 Maturity value as at 1/3/2017 Return over year Return per annum
£50 per month level premium £15,000 £23,803 £26,408 8.3% 4.2%

Pension savers:

Value of With Profits Pensions for a male retiring at age 65, paying monthly contribution of £200

Plan Term Transfer value as at 1/3/2016 Total payments since 1/3/2016 Retirement value as at 1/3/2017 Return over year Return per annum
10 year £27,685 £2,400 £32,766 9.3% 6.1%
15 year £49,670 £2,400 £56,979 9.7% 5.9%
20 year* £74,193 £2,400 £83,816 9.6%

5.3%

*Assumes level commission

NOTES TO EDITORS

The information contained in this press release is intended solely for journalists and should not be relied upon by private investors or any other persons to make financial decisions.

The return generated in 2016 is on total assets backing with profits policies and is stated pre-tax and charges. Returns generated for the assets underlying individual products may differ from this value.

  • Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
  • The value of investments may fall as well as rise and investors may get back less than the amount originally invested.
  • What a customer gets back depends on future bonus rates, which may change.
  • We may apply an early surrender charge and/or market value reduction if a customer cashes in all or part of their policy or moves out of with profits. This would reduce the amount paid.

Legal & General Assurance Society Ltd
Registered in England and Wales No. 00166055
Registered office: One Coleman Street,
London EC2R 5AA
We are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority

Legal & General Group plc published this content on 16 February 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 16 February 2017 14:46:11 UTC.

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