On July 10, Lincoln Financial Group (LNC) announced the completion of its capital raising plan. The company issued preferred shares worth $950 million to the U.S. Treasury under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). This is a part of the company’s $2 billion capital bolstering initiatives, which also include $600 million of common stock offering and a $500 million of senior notes in the private market.

Of the total proceeds, Lincoln contributed about $1 billion to “The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company," its principal insurance subsidiary. This will improve its risk-based capital ratios.   Lincoln was one of the six big insurers including Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG), Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU), Allstate Corp. (ALL), Ameriprise Financial Inc. (AMP) and Principal Financial Group Inc. (PFG), who qualified for the bailout funds under TARP in May. However, Prudential Financial Inc., Principal Financial Group Inc., Allstate

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Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

Animal Health International Inc (AHII) Benihana Inc (BNHNA) BT Group Plc (BT) Carnival Plc (CUK) Cummins Inc (CMI) Delta Natural Gas Company Inc (DGAS) Dover Motorsports Inc (DVD) Eagle Materials Inc (EXP) Entertainment Properties Trust (EPR) Esterline Technologies Corp (ESL) First Advantage Corp (FADV) First State Bancorp NM (FSNM) FirstEnergy Corp (FE) FirstService Corp (FSRV) Gerber Scientific Inc (GRB) GlobalOptions Group Inc (GLOI) HEICO Corp (HEI) ING Groep NV (ING) Limco-Piedmont Inc (LIMC) Lodgian Inc (LGN) Mack-Cali Realty Corp (CLI) Nalco Holding Co (NLC) National Retail Properties Inc (NNN) Pitney Bowes Inc (PBI) Prospect Capital Corp (PSEC) Pulte Homes Inc (PHM) RBC Bearings Inc (ROLL) Republic Airways Holdings ...

Earlier today, Unum Group (UNM) named Richard P. McKenney as executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. McKenney (40) succeeds Robert C. Greving, who in February 2009 announced his plans to retire later this year.However, Mr. Greving will remain with the insurer for the next several months to ensure a smooth transition. McKenney has served as Executive Vice President and CFO of Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) and CFO Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW).UNM provides group and individual disability insurance, long term care insurance, life insurance, employer and employee-paid group benefits, and related services within the United States and the United Kingdom. Read the full analyst report on "UNM"Read the full analyst report on "SLF"Read the full analyst report on "GNW"Zacks Investment Research

Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) shed over 4% in midday trading and was pressuring support at $24.13. Earlier today, the company raised its fees and limited new deposits in its segregated funds as falling stock prices have battered guarantees of those products.

The average forecast on the company's full-year earnings has been falling progressively and is now pegged at $1.77 a share. However, the most accurate estimate is even more bearish at $1.34. Sun Life Financial is a Zacks#5 Rank ("Strong Sell") stock.

"SLF" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks Investment Research

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc (ANW) AeroVironment, Inc (AVAV) American River Bankshares (AMRB) Aon Corp (AON) Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings, Inc (AVRNQ) Benchmark Electronics, Inc (BHE) Boise Inc (BZ) BT Group Plc (BT) C&D Technologies, Inc (CHP) Cincinnati Financial Corp (CINF) CLARCOR Inc (CLC) CoBiz Financial Inc (COBZ) Cousins Properties Inc (CUZ) CRH Plc (CRH) Cumulus Media Inc (CMLS) Dayton Superior Corp (DSUPQ) Doral Financial Corp (DRL) Eastman Kodak Co (EK) Echostar Corp (SATS) EMS Technologies, Inc (ELMG) Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc (FDP) GenVec, Inc (GNVC) Helmerich & Payne, Inc (HP) HFF, Inc (HF) Hypercom Corp (HYC) Insteel Industries, Inc (IIIN) InterOil Corp (IOC) Keynote Systems, Inc ...

Private Placement InsurancePrivate Placement Life InsuranceBelow is a short article on private placement life insurance. I do not personally recommend any tax or investment strategies or provide financial advice of any type but this topic is highly relevant to both hedge fund investors and professionals so I thought I would include it here:

A small but growing number of wealthy investors have discovered a legal way to invest in hedge funds without paying income taxes on the gains.

It's called "private placement" life insurance. These special insurance contracts allow policyholders to invest in a wide range of products, including hedge funds. The main attraction: Because the investments are held within an insurance wrapper, gains inside the policy are shielded from income taxes -- as is the payout upon death. What's more, policyholders may be able

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