Torchmark Q4 Profit Meets Estimate

(RTTNews) - Torchmark Corp. (TMK) reported net income for the fourth quarter of $146.7 million or $1.13 per share, compared to $142.8 million or $1.04 per share for the year-ago quarter.

Net operating income for the fourth quarter was $130.8 million or $1.00 per share, compared to $133.7 million or $0.97 per share in the prior year quarter.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $1.00 per share for the fourth quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Looking forward, Torchmark forecasts full year 2015 net operating income per share of $4.20 to $4.40, compared to its prior guidance of $4.15 to $4.55. Analysts currently expect the company to earn $4.34 per share for the full year 2015.

The five cent reduction of the midpoint from the previous guidance is due mainly to an increase in pension expense and to a lesser extent, a reduction in expected Part D margin and a reduction in the expected earnings from the company's Canadian operations due to the recent change in the Canadian exchange rate, the company said.