Brighthouse Financial jumps after FT report Aquarian nears $4 billion take-private deal

Brighthouse Financial

31/10/2025 13:38

** Shares of life insurer Brighthouse Financial BHF.O rise  20.3% to $54.93 in early trading

** Aquarian Holdings in advanced talks to take private U.S. life insurer Brighthouse Financial in $4 billion deal, Financial Times reports, equating to $69.98 per share according to Reuters' calculation

** Reuters earlier reported Aquarian would pay $70 per share; Sixth Street also explored the deal after talks cooled in September

** Aquarian, backed by Abu Dhabi's Mubadala and RedBird Capital Partners, focuses on insurance and asset management

** Brighthouse, Aquarian and Sixth Street did not immediately respond to requests for comment

** Among 10 analysts covering BHF, average rating is "hold"; median PT at $53

** BHF stock down 4.89% YTD, as of last close

 (Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru)

 ((tharuniyaa@thomsonreuters.com))