Swiss Life announces spending cut plans

In a statement released before an “investors’ day”, the Zurich-based company did not spell out whether that meant job reductions.

But the company, whose primary markets are in Switzerland, France and Germany, said that planned “operational efficiency” steps would free up resources for investment.

At the same time Swiss Life said it plans to boost its investment in “quality of advice, digitalization and organic growth initiatives” by 100 million francs a year in three years.

The company reported a net profit of 493 million for the first six months of 2015, up just one percent from the same period a year earlier.

But the corporate executive board is proposing a dividend of at least eight francs for 2015, up from 6.50 francs in 2014.

Patrick Frost, CEO of the Swiss Life group, said the company had exceeded its previously set goals.

“That gives us an excellent basis to take our company to the next stage,” Frost said.

“We are going to keep doing what has worked for us so far, while at the same time focusing on earnings quality.”

The company said it aimed to increase its fee and commission income to 400-450 million francs by 2018.

It said it expected the cumulative value of new business to exceed 750 million francs by 2018 and is aiming for an adjusted return on equity of eight to ten percent.