Axa lifts dividends by 16% despite missing forecasts on higher costs

Full-year underlying earnings rose by 5% from a year earlier to €7.6bn

Chief executive of AXA, Thomas Buberl. Pic: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg

Axa plans to return about €6bn of last year’s earnings to investors under a new payout policy unveiled by Chief Executive Officer Thomas Buberl.

The French insurer vowed to return 75% of underlying earnings per share over the coming years, including 15% via buybacks.