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best insurance stock - China Life Insurance expanding  business 2013 : China Life Insurance Co. (LFC) will primarily focus on expanding its life insurance business this year despite growing pressure due to slower sales in the sector, President Yang Mingsheng said Thursday. The company will also eye investment opportunities in state-backed projects in regions like the Yangtze River Delta and the Zhujiang Delta, Mr. Yang said at a press briefing after the company reported a 40% drop in 2012 net profit late Wednesday, citing a "decline in investment yield" and an "increase in impairment losses resulting from continued weakness in capital markets." Net profit for the 12 months ended Dec. 31 was 11.06 billion yuan ($1.78 billion) compared with CNY18.33 billion a year earlier, China's top life insurer by premiums said. Mr. Yang also said bancassurance sales are likely to continue falling this year as insurers face increasing competition from bank products such as hi...

China Life Insurance stock rating prices target by zacks, China Life Insurance stock rating 2013 : China Life Insurance (NYSE: LFC) was downgraded by Zacks from a �neutral� rating to an �underperform� rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday. They currently have a $46.00 price target on the stock. Zacks� analyst wrote , �We are downgrading our recommendation on China Life to Underperform based on the constant decline in operating cash flow, which is affecting the financials. The gradual decline in premiums and increasing competition on the domestic front are the other downsides. The company also faces substantial interest rate and currency risks, which limit the upside. China Life also reported a net loss in the third quarter, due to a surge in operating expenses, which offset the operating income increases. However, total assets and shareholders� equity improved, although cash fund deteriorated. Meanwhile, the subordinated debt issue has improved the solvency ratio...

Best Insurance stock - LFC stock prices forecast 2013 :  China Life Insurance (NYSE: LFC)   reported a net loss in the third quarter, due to a surge in operating expenses, which offset the operating income increases. However, premiums earned and investment income witnessed a notable improvement. Total assets and shareholders� equity also improved, while cash fund deteriorated. Meanwhile, the subordinated debt issue has improved solvency ratio.  Extensive domestic distribution channel, strong investment and stable ratings are other positives. However, the constant decline in operating cash flow is affecting financials. The company also inherently faces substantial interest rate and currency risks, which limit the upside. Despite a strong brand name, significant competition on the domestic front hampers earnings growth. Overall, we expect limited upside in the near term China Life Insurance Co Ltd announced that it expects its net profit for the first three quarters of fis...