Aviva Shares Surge to Multi-Year High as Markets Cheer Robust H1 Results and Dividend Hike

The Aviva plc (LON:AV.) share price has rallied on Thursday, reaching levels not seen in several years, as markets digest a strong set of interim results for the first half of 2025.

The UK's leading diversified insurer reported a 22% jump in operating profit, coupled with a 10% increase in the interim dividend, fueling investor confidence and driving renewed interest in the stock.

Shares in Aviva climbed to 688.8p on Thursday, marking a more than 4% increase over the previous close and extending a strong rally that has seen the stock price appreciate by approximately 45.6% this year. The company's shares are now trading at levels last seen in May 2018.

The headline figures from Aviva’s H1 2025 results paint a picture of a company firing on all cylinders. Group operating profit soared to £1.068 billion, a significant leap from the £875 million recorded in the first half of 2024.

This growth was underpinned by strong performance across key business segments, with General Insurance premiums rising by 7% to £6.29 billion and Insurance, Wealth & Retirement (IWR) sales climbing by 9% to £21.5 billion. The company's Solvency II operating own funds generation (OFG) also saw a substantial increase of 20%, reaching £909 million.

Aviva’s profitability metrics also demonstrated improvement. The Solvency II return on equity jumped to 16.7%, while the IFRS return on equity reached an impressive 20.6%.

The enhanced profitability has translated into increased shareholder returns, with the interim dividend per share raised to 13.1p, a 10% increase compared to the previous year.

The company's strong capital position is further evidenced by a robust Solvency II shareholder cover ratio of 206%.

Looking ahead, the company is targeting £2 billion in operating profit by 2026.