Manulife: The Market Is Underestimating The Risk After Q1 2026

Manulife Financial Corporation is rated Hold with a reiterated price target of $25/share, reflecting structural unattractiveness post-1Q26. MFC's core U.S. and Canadian insurance segments underperformed, with deteriorating fundamentals and significant $4.4B net outflows in wealth management. The company's persistent cost ratio (46%) and declining investment spreads challenge the bullish thesis and signal margin compression risk.