Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH): Marketing Mix Analysis [Dec-2025 Updated]

You need a clear picture of Equitable Holdings, Inc.'s current market game plan, and after years heading up analysis for firms like BlackRock, I can tell you their late-2025 strategy is sharp: double down on guaranteed income products while funding growth with serious digital muscle. We're seeing them back this with an estimated $55 million in 2025 digital promotion, all while their core Variable Annuities carry management fees from 1.50% to 2.50% of AUM to support a General Account projected near $155 billion. To be fair, mapping out their Product, Place, Promotion, and Price reveals exactly where they are betting for the next cycle. Keep reading; the details below show you the whole picture.

Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) - Marketing Mix: Product

You're looking at the core offerings from Equitable Holdings, Inc. as of late 2025. The product strategy centers on delivering retirement security and protection through a mix of insurance and asset management capabilities. This is definitely a business built on long-term contracts and managing substantial pools of capital.

The Variable Annuity (VA) suite remains a cornerstone. Equitable Holdings was the first company to provide variable annuities with guaranteed living benefits back in 1996. They are recognized as the #1 overall variable annuity provider in the industry. Key products like Structured Capital Strategies® Premier and Structured Capital Strategies® PLUS are designed to offer clients upside market potential alongside various levels of downside protection, which is a major selling point in today's environment.

For retirement plans, the focus on the education and non-profit sectors is clear. Equitable Holdings holds the #1 position in the K-12 educator market, supporting teachers with supplemental retirement income for over 40 years. This is supported by a worksite advice model utilizing over 1,000 K-12 dedicated advisors and maintaining access to approximately 9,000 school districts.

The life insurance segment, while undergoing a strategic shift, still forms part of the product ecosystem. Equitable announced an agreement to reinsure 75% of its in-force individual life insurance block. This move frees up capital and reduces future mortality volatility exposure.

Investment management and advisory services are delivered primarily through AllianceBernstein (AB). As of October 2025, AB reported preliminary assets under management (AUM) reaching $869 billion. Equitable Holdings, Inc. maintains a significant stake, owning an approximate 68.5% economic interest in AllianceBernstein as of September 30, 2025. The Private Markets business within AB, a key growth area, held $77 billion in assets under management as of the second quarter of 2025.

Here's a quick look at some of the key financial and asset figures underpinning these product lines:

The product structure is designed to capture flows across different client needs, which you can see reflected in the distribution channels:

• Variable Annuities feature guaranteed lifetime income options.
• Life Insurance includes term and universal life products.
• Retirement segment targets K-12 educators specifically.
• Investment Management capabilities span active equity and fixed income.
• AB's capabilities include multi-asset and alts strategies.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) - Marketing Mix: Place

You're looking at how Equitable Holdings, Inc. gets its products into the hands of clients, which is all about the distribution footprint. This is where the rubber meets the road for their retirement and protection strategies.

The primary channel remains the human network. Equitable Holdings maintains an exclusive distribution network that, as of late 2025, includes over 8,000 affiliated financial professionals, including those with Equitable Advisors, LLC. This large, dedicated force is key for complex product sales and deep client relationships.

Distribution isn't just internal, though. Equitable Holdings actively engages with external channels through strategic partnerships. They work with third-party broker-dealers and independent Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs) to broaden market reach beyond the captive advisor force. This multi-channel approach helps capture assets from various practice models across the industry.

For simpler products and ongoing client servicing, a direct-to-consumer digital platform is in use. While the core business leans on advice, this digital layer helps manage simpler transactions and client needs efficiently, supporting the overall service model.

A major focus area for distribution is the US retirement market, specifically within the public sector. Equitable Holdings is the number one provider of 403(b) plans for public school employees, having served more than 800,000 educators across the nation for nearly five decades. This deep penetration in the K-12 and higher education space represents a stable, recurring distribution channel for their Group Retirement segment.

The physical location of the central hub matters for coordination. The corporate headquarters for Equitable Holdings, Inc. is located in New York City, New York, acting as the central command for these far-reaching distribution strategies.

Here's a quick look at the scale of the business supported by this distribution structure as of mid-2025:

The distribution strategy is clearly segmented to address different client needs:

• Exclusive Network: Focus on high-touch sales via Equitable Advisors professionals.
• Institutional Sales: Targeting Group Retirement plans for K-12 and higher education.
• Third-Party Access: Utilizing broker-dealers and RIAs for broader market penetration.
• Digital Channel: Supporting simpler product sales and ongoing servicing needs.

If onboarding new financial professionals takes longer than expected, client acquisition velocity could slow down. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) - Marketing Mix: Promotion

Promotion for Equitable Holdings, Inc. centers on reinforcing its role as a provider of long-term financial security across its core franchises: Equitable, AllianceBernstein, and Equitable Advisors.

The brand campaign emphasizes long-term financial well-being and security, aligning with the company's mission to help clients secure their financial well-being so they can pursue long and fulfilling lives. This is supported by tangible actions, such as the launch of Equitable Retirement Access, a pooled employer plan (PEP), on January 30, 2025, designed to offer small and medium-sized businesses a cost-efficient workplace retirement plan. Furthermore, the call for applications for the 2026 Equitable Excellence Scholarship was announced on November 13, 2025, demonstrating community investment.

Digital marketing spend is estimated near $55 million in 2025, reflecting the industry-wide trend where digital channels captured $107 billion in U.S. media spending for the first eight months of 2024, accounting for nearly two-thirds of total U.S. media spending. This investment supports reaching a broad audience in a market where digital ad spend is projected to surpass $730 billion globally in 2025.

Targeted advisor-facing content is crucial, given that Equitable Advisors has 4,500 duly registered and licensed financial professionals. The firm focuses on a supported independence model, emphasizing recruiting and training. Data suggests this advisor relationship is highly valued; a study co-sponsored by WSJ Intelligence and Equitable revealed that 88% of respondents valued advisors who truly grasped their personal and financial aspirations. Separately, an independent study with SCORE found that 83% of small business owners consider working with a financial professional for business guidance important.

Sponsorships and community engagement build brand trust. The firm actively communicates its commitment through initiatives like the Equitable Excellence Scholarship and by releasing research, such as the October 21, 2025, study with SCORE on small business owners.

Investor relations communications highlight strong 2025 operating performance. Key figures reported as of late 2025 include:

The firm's execution against its growth strategy is a key promotional point for investors. Equitable has hit every number laid out to the Street since its IPO, supporting a growth strategy underpinned by tailwinds in the U.S. retirement market, where 4 million Americans retire every year, with $600 billion of assets in motion.

The promotion strategy leverages the strength of its integrated model:

• Premier investment capabilities through AllianceBernstein.
• Risk management via an economic fair value approach.
• Diversified distribution through Equitable Advisors.
• A performance culture focused on execution.

Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) - Marketing Mix: Price

Price for Equitable Holdings, Inc. involves the structure of fees, charges, and compensation embedded within its insurance and investment products, reflecting the cost to the client and the compensation to the distribution network. This element is heavily influenced by the guarantees embedded in the products, which the company manages through hedging strategies.

For variable annuities, the pricing structure includes several components that contribute to the overall cost to the investor. These charges are explicitly mentioned as being subject to market risk and include:

• Mortality and expense (M&E) charges embedded in life insurance premiums and variable annuity contracts.
• Account fees.
• Investment management fees.
• Administrative fees.
• Charges for special contract features or optional benefits, which are available for an extra charge in addition to ongoing fees and expenses.

Regarding investment management fees for retirement plans, for the Members Retirement Program, the investment options have asset-based fees that vary by the option selected. Furthermore, for that specific program, the Program Expense Charge is tiered based on total plan assets:

• The first $250,000 in assets is subject to a Program expense charge of 0.85% per year.
• Assets exceeding $250,000 (up to $500,000) are subject to a lower charge of either 0.65% or 0.55% depending on the schedule.

The estimated annual cost of recordkeeping services for the Members Retirement Program is $120.00 per participant. For the ADA Members Retirement Program, a one-time only enrollment fee of $25 per participant applies.

Commissions paid to advisors are structured to incentivize sales, though Equitable Advisors, LLC promotes a supported independence model featuring flat fees for predictable compensation, contrasting with firms that take a percentage. For specific equity transactions through Equitable Advisors, LLC, the pricing structure includes:

The company employs value-based pricing, particularly for guaranteed income features in variable annuities, by fully hedging the equity market and interest rate exposure underlying the product guarantees. This hedging protects the capital position, meaning market declines primarily impact the income statement, not the balance sheet. Financially, Equitable Holdings, Inc. reported second quarter 2025 Non-GAAP operating earnings of $352 million, or $1.10 per share, which adjusted to $447 million, or $1.41 per share, excluding notable items. The company maintains a forward-looking target of a 12-15% earnings per share growth CAGR by 2027.