Sun Life Financial Inc. is acquiring the U.S. group benefits business of Genworth Financial Inc. for US$650 million.

The deal “adds significant scale and scope to Sun Life’s U.S. group business and is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings per share and return on equity,” Toronto-based Sun Life said today.

Genworth’s group operations, which primarily offer group life, disability, stop-loss and dental insurance, strengthen and complement Sun Life’s existing product offerings in the U.S., Sun Life said in a release.

“The acquisition significantly enhances Sun Life’s market share across its U.S. group lines of business and positions the company as the second-largest U.S. medical stop-loss provider.”

The group benefits business “is one of Sun Life’s core competencies and the addition of this high-quality franchise with its talented team further strengthens our competitive position in the United States,” said CEO Donald Stewart.

“This acquisition solidifies Sun Life’s top-10 position in the U.S. group business and demonstrates our continued delivery on key shareholder commitments.”

Sun Life said the transaction will be financed with existing capital and is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to the approval of regulatory authorities in the United States and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions in Canada.

Sun Life has operations in key markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China and Bermuda. As of Sept. 30, 2006, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had total assets under management in excess of $400 billion.

Commenting on the Sun Life purchase, Moody’s Investors Service said it viewed the transaction as a marginal positive from a credit perspective. The businesses acquired by SLF are small in relation to the total company, and to the company’s U.S. franchise, but they will add additional market presence, particularly in the long-term and short-term disability market. In addition, Sun Life expects to realize US$20 million in expense synergies over the next two years. Finally, the acquisition will expand geographically Sun Life’s distribution network.

Partially offsetting these positives are: a decline in Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada’s (SLA, insurance financial strength Aa2) regulatory capital ratio, or MCCSR, by approximately 10-15 percentage points; and integration risk in the company’s U.S. group life and health business.

At the end of the third quarter of 2006, SLF’s MCCSR stood at 225% and, thus, a potential drop of 10-15 points will not cause the company to fall below the 200% expectation Moody’s has for Aa-rated companies. Consolidated financial leverage will not be materially affected by the transaction, which will be funded internally from cash. SLF’s earnings coverage ratio will not rise materially.