Arch Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:ACGL) reports that net income
available to Arch common shareholders for the 2017 first quarter
was $241.9 million, or $1.74 per share, compared to $149.3 million,
or $1.20 per share, for the 2016 first quarter. The Company’s net
income available to Arch common shareholders represented an
annualized return on average common equity of 12.6% for the 2017
first quarter, compared to 10.0% for the 2016 first quarter. For
the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2017, net income
available to Arch common shareholders produced a 10.9% return on
average common equity. The Company’s book value per common share
was $57.69 at March 31, 2017, a 4.5% increase from $55.19 per share
at December 31, 2016 and a 16.4% increase from $49.55 per share at
March 31, 2016. All earnings per share amounts discussed in this
release are on a diluted basis.
The Company also reported after-tax operating income available
to Arch common shareholders, a non-GAAP measure, of $198.0 million,
or $1.42 per share, for the 2017 first quarter, compared to $145.7
million, or $1.17 per share, for the 2016 first quarter. The
Company’s after-tax operating income available to Arch common
shareholders represented an annualized return on average common
equity of 10.3% for the 2017 first quarter, compared to 9.8% for
the 2016 first quarter. For the trailing twelve months ended March
31, 2017, after-tax operating income available to Arch common
shareholders produced a 9.1% return on average common equity. See
‘Comments on Regulation G’ for further details.
The following table summarizes the Company’s consolidated
underwriting results:
(U.S. dollars in thousands)
Three Months Ended
March 31, 2017 2016 % Change
Gross premiums written $ 1,657,990 $ 1,437,966 15.3 Net
premiums written 1,276,260 1,121,235 13.8 Net premiums earned
1,117,017 951,579 17.4 Underwriting income 212,072 115,691 83.3
Underwriting Ratios
% Point Change Loss ratio 49.5 % 55.0 % (5.5 ) Acquisition
expense ratio 16.3 % 17.6 % (1.3 ) Other operating expense ratio
15.6 % 15.8 % (0.2 ) Combined ratio 81.4 % 88.4 % (7.0 )
Please note that these amounts include the impact of the ‘other’
segment (i.e., results of Watford Re). See ‘Comments on Regulation
G’ for a reconciliation of underwriting income or loss to income
before income taxes and net income available to Arch common
shareholders. The ‘other’ segment includes amounts related to
Watford Re. Pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles,
Watford Re is considered a variable interest entity and the Company
concluded that it is the primary beneficiary of Watford Re. As
such, the Company consolidates the results of Watford Re in its
consolidated financial statements, although it only owns
approximately 11% of Watford Re’s common equity.
The following table summarizes the Company’s consolidated
financial data, including a reconciliation of net income available
to Arch common shareholders to after-tax operating income available
to Arch common shareholders and related diluted per share
results:
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share data)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
2016 Net income available to Arch common shareholders $
241,909 $ 149,314 Net realized (gains) losses (29,134 ) (32,464 )
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings 1,807 7,639 Equity in
net (income) loss of investment funds accounted for using the
equity method (48,088 ) (6,655 ) Net foreign exchange (gains)
losses 19,796 22,209 UGC transaction costs and other 15,584 —
Income tax (benefit) expense (1) (3,909 ) 5,699 After-tax
operating income available to Arch common shareholders $ 197,965
$ 145,742
Diluted per common
share results:
Net income available to Arch common shareholders $ 1.74 $ 1.20 Net
realized (gains) losses (0.21 ) (0.26 ) Net impairment losses
recognized in earnings 0.01 0.06 Equity in net (income) loss of
investment funds accounted for using the equity method (0.34 )
(0.05 ) Net foreign exchange (gains) losses 0.14 0.18 UGC
transaction costs and other 0.11 — Income tax (benefit) expense (1)
(0.03 ) 0.04 After-tax operating income available to Arch
common shareholders $ 1.42 $ 1.17 Weighted
average common shares and common share equivalents outstanding —
diluted 139,047,672 124,496,496 Beginning common
shareholders’ equity $ 7,481,163 $ 5,841,542 Ending common
shareholders’ equity 7,833,289 6,050,248 Average
common shareholders’ equity $ 7,657,226 $ 5,945,895
Annualized return on average common equity 12.6 % 10.0 %
Annualized operating return on average common equity 10.3 % 9.8 %
(1)
Income tax expense on net realized gains or losses, net impairment
losses recognized in earnings, equity in net income (loss) of
investment funds accounted for using the equity method, net foreign
exchange gains or losses and UGC transaction costs and other
reflects the relative mix reported by jurisdiction and the varying
tax rates in each jurisdiction.
Each line item in the table above reflects the impact of the
Company’s approximate 11% ownership of Watford Re’s common equity.
See ‘Comments on Regulation G’ for a discussion of non-GAAP
financial measures.
Segment Information
The following section provides analysis on the Company’s 2017
first quarter performance by operating segment. For additional
details regarding the Company’s operating segments, please refer to
the Company’s Financial Supplement dated March 31, 2017. The
Company’s segment information includes the use of underwriting
income and a combined ratio excluding catastrophic activity and
prior year development for the insurance segment and reinsurance
segment and a combined ratio excluding prior year development for
the mortgage segment. Such items are non-GAAP financial measures
(see ‘Comments on Regulation G’ for further details).
Insurance Segment
Three Months Ended March 31, (U.S. dollars in
thousands)
2017 2016 % Change
Gross premiums written $ 782,281 $ 798,553 (2.0 ) Net
premiums written 548,186 549,764 (0.3 ) Net premiums earned 505,646
513,089 (1.5 ) Underwriting income $ 10,011 $ 30,074 (66.7 )
Underwriting Ratios % Point Change Loss ratio
65.8 % 63.1 % 2.7 Underwriting expense ratio 32.2 % 31.1 % 1.1
Combined ratio 98.0 % 94.2 % 3.8 Catastrophic
activity and prior year development: Current accident year
catastrophic events, net of reinsurance and reinstatement premiums
0.5 % 0.1 % 0.4 Net (favorable) adverse development in prior year
loss reserves, net of related adjustments (0.3 )% (0.8 )% 0.5
Combined ratio excluding catastrophic activity and prior
year development (1) 97.8 % 94.9 % 2.9 (1) See ‘Comments on
Regulation G’ for further discussion.
Gross premiums written by the insurance segment in the 2017
first quarter were 2.0% lower than in the 2016 first quarter while
net premiums written were 0.3% lower than in the 2016 first
quarter. The decrease in net premiums written reflected reductions
in property, energy, marine and aviation and excess and surplus
casualty, both reflecting weak market conditions, partially offset
by growth in programs and travel, accident and health. Growth in
program business primarily reflected the impact of two new programs
while the increase in travel, accident and health reflected
continued expansion in existing travel accounts. Net premiums
earned by the insurance segment in the 2017 first quarter were 1.5%
lower than in the 2016 first quarter, and reflect changes in net
premiums written over the previous five quarters.
The 2017 first quarter loss ratio reflected 0.5 points of
current year catastrophic activity, compared to 0.1 points in the
2016 first quarter. Estimated net favorable development in prior
year loss reserves, before related adjustments, reduced the loss
ratio by 0.4 points in the 2017 first quarter, compared to 1.2
points in the 2016 first quarter. The estimated net favorable
development in the 2017 first quarter primarily resulted from
better than expected claims emergence in longer-tail lines from
earlier accident years. The balance of the change in the 2017 first
quarter loss ratio resulted, in part, from deteriorating market
conditions and changes in the mix of business.
The underwriting expense ratio was 32.2% in the 2017 first
quarter, compared to 31.1% in the 2016 first quarter. The
comparison of the two periods was affected by certain non-recurring
items which benefited the 2016 first quarter. In addition, the
underwriting expense ratios and the underlying acquisition expense
and other operating expense ratios reflected changes in the mix of
business and the level of reinsurance ceded on a quota share
basis.
Reinsurance Segment
Three Months Ended March 31, (U.S. dollars in
thousands)
2017 2016 % Change
Gross premiums written $ 475,782 $ 481,390 (1.2 ) Net
premiums written 309,690 320,824 (3.5 ) Net premiums earned 244,851
261,208 (6.3 ) Other underwriting income (306 ) 325 (194.2 )
Underwriting income $ 55,411 $ 58,919 (6.0 )
Underwriting
Ratios % Point Change Loss ratio 43.1 % 42.7 % 0.4
Underwriting expense ratio 34.1 % 34.9 % (0.8 ) Combined ratio 77.2
% 77.6 % (0.4 ) Catastrophic activity and prior year
development: Current accident year catastrophic events, net of
reinsurance and reinstatement premiums 4.0 % 1.4 % 2.6 Net
(favorable) adverse development in prior year loss reserves, net of
related adjustments (24.4 )% (18.0 )% (6.4 ) Combined ratio
excluding catastrophic activity and prior year development (1) 97.6
% 94.2 % 3.4 (1) See ‘Comments on Regulation G’ for further
discussion.
Gross premiums written by the reinsurance segment in the 2017
first quarter were 1.2% lower than in the 2016 first quarter, while
net premiums written were 3.5% lower than in the 2016 first
quarter. The lower level of net premiums written in the 2017 first
quarter reflected decreases in casualty, marine and aviation and
property catastrophe lines. The reduction in casualty business and
marine and aviation business both reflected share decreases and
non-renewals. Property catastrophe net premiums written in both
periods reflects the impact of retrocessional portfolio
transactions, with a higher level of cessions in the 2017 first
quarter. Such amounts were partially offset by growth in other
specialty business.
The 2017 first quarter loss ratio included 4.0 points of current
year catastrophic activity, compared to 1.4 points of catastrophic
activity in the 2016 first quarter, and a higher level of current
year facultative attritional losses than in the 2016 first quarter.
Estimated net favorable development in prior year loss reserves,
before related adjustments, reduced the loss ratio by 23.4 points
in the 2017 first quarter, compared to 18.1 points in the 2016
first quarter. The estimated net favorable development in the 2017
first quarter primarily resulted from better than expected claims
emergence in short-tail business from more recent underwriting
years and in longer-tail business across earlier underwriting
years. The balance of the change in the 2017 first quarter loss
ratio resulted, in part, from a higher level of large loss activity
and changes in the mix of business.
The underwriting expense ratio was 34.1% in the 2017 first
quarter, compared to 34.9% in the 2016 first quarter. The
comparison of the underwriting expense ratios and the underlying
acquisition expense and other operating expense ratios reflected
changes in the mix and type of business.
Mortgage Segment
Three Months Ended March 31, (U.S. dollars in
thousands)
2017 2016 % Change
Gross premiums written $ 348,623 $ 111,280 213.3 Net
premiums written 274,698 106,513 157.9 Net premiums earned 244,523
61,765 295.9 Other underwriting income 4,123 3,793 8.7
Underwriting income $ 148,945 $ 27,642 438.8
Underwriting
Ratios % Point Change Loss ratio 11.9 % 14.0 % (2.1 )
Underwriting expense ratio 28.9 % 47.4 % (18.5 ) Combined ratio
40.8 % 61.4 % (20.6 ) Net (favorable) adverse development in
prior year loss reserves, net of related adjustments (9.6 )% (4.4
)% (5.2 ) Combined ratio excluding prior year development (1) 50.4
% 65.8 % (15.4 ) (1) See ‘Comments on Regulation G’ for further
discussion.
The mortgage segment includes the Company’s U.S. mortgage
insurance operations (“Arch MI U.S.”), international mortgage
insurance and reinsurance operations as well as government
sponsored enterprise (“GSE”) credit-risk sharing transactions. On
December 31, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of United
Guaranty Corporation (“UGC”). As such, the 2017 first quarter
results reflect the combination of Arch and UGC while the 2016
first quarter does not reflect UGC activity. The acquisition of UGC
expanded the scale of Arch MI U.S. by combining UGC’s position as
the market leader in the U.S. private mortgage insurance industry
with Arch’s financial strength and history of innovation.
Gross premiums written by the mortgage segment in the 2017 first
quarter were 213.3% higher than in the 2016 first quarter, driven
by U.S. primary business growth. The lower growth in net premiums
written of 157.9% primarily reflected cessions to AIG under the 50%
quota share reinsurance agreement, which covers 2014 to 2016 policy
years on a run-off basis. Net premiums earned for the 2017 first
quarter were 295.9% higher than in the 2016 first quarter.
Other underwriting income, which is primarily related to older
GSE risk-sharing transactions receiving derivative accounting
treatment, was $4.1 million for the 2017 first quarter, compared to
$3.8 million for the 2016 first quarter. The higher level of income
in the 2017 first quarter primarily resulted from mark-to-market
adjustments.
The loss ratio for the 2017 first quarter reflected estimated
net favorable development in prior year loss reserves, before
related adjustments, of 9.6 points, compared to 4.4 points in the
2016 first quarter. The estimated net favorable development in the
2017 first quarter was primarily driven by continued lower than
expected claim rates and subrogation activity.
At March 31, 2017, the mortgage segment’s risk-in-force (before
reinsurance) of $65.49 billion consisted of $60.59 billion from
Arch MI U.S. with the remainder from reinsurance and risk-sharing
operations. Arch MI U.S. generated $12.66 billion of new insurance
written (“NIW”) during the 2017 first quarter, of which 81.9% was
from monthly premium policies. For additional information on the
mortgage segment, please refer to the Company’s Financial
Supplement dated March 31, 2017.
Corporate and Non-Underwriting
Corporate and non-underwriting results include net investment
income, other income (loss), corporate expenses, UGC transaction
costs and other, amortization of intangible assets, interest
expense, dividends on the Company’s non-cumulative preferred
shares, net realized gains or losses, net impairment losses
included in earnings, equity in net income or loss of investment
funds accounted for using the equity method, net foreign exchange
gains or losses and income taxes. Such amounts exclude the results
of the ‘other’ segment.
Net investment income for the 2017 first quarter was $0.69 per
share, or $95.8 million, compared to $0.57 per share, or $70.4
million, for the 2016 first quarter, and $0.56 per share, or $70.1
million, for the 2016 fourth quarter. The 2017 first quarter net
investment income reflected income on the acquired UGC portfolio
and higher returns on fund investments. The annualized pre-tax
investment income yield was 2.13% for the 2017 first quarter,
compared to 2.13% for the 2016 first quarter and 1.92% for the 2016
fourth quarter.
Corporate expenses were $12.2 million for the 2017 first
quarter, compared to $9.4 million for the 2016 first quarter, with
the increase primarily due to higher incentive compensation costs.
UGC transaction costs and other were $15.6 million for the 2017
first quarter, compared to $34.6 million in the 2016 fourth
quarter. UGC transaction costs and other include advisory,
financing, legal and other transaction costs related to the UGC
acquisition. Amounts for the 2017 first quarter reflected $8.2
million of severance and severance related costs, with the
remainder primarily due to incentive compensation paid in
conjunction with the UGC acquisition.
Amortization of intangible assets for the 2017 first quarter was
$31.3 million, compared to $4.7 million for the 2016 first quarter.
During the 2017 first quarter, the Company reclassified its
presentation of amortization of intangible assets on its
consolidated statements of income to reflect such item separately
(previously reflected in underwriting expenses). The higher level
of expense for the 2017 first quarter reflects the amortization of
intangible assets included in the UGC acquisition, including
intangible assets related to acquired insurance contracts and
distribution relationships.
Interest expense for the 2017 first quarter was $25.8 million,
compared to $12.6 million for the 2016 first quarter, with the
increase primarily reflecting the impact of the issuance of the
Company’s 2026 and 2046 senior notes in December 2016 and the
higher level of borrowings under the Company’s revolving credit
agreement. Preferred dividends for the 2017 first quarter were
$11.2 million, compared to $5.5 million for the 2016 first quarter,
with the increase reflecting the impact of the issuance of series E
preferred shares in September 2016. For additional information on
the Company’s capital structure, please refer to the Financial
Supplement dated March 31, 2017.
On a pre-tax basis, net foreign exchange losses for the 2017
first quarter were $19.8 million, compared to net foreign exchange
losses for the 2016 first quarter of $22.0 million. For both
periods, such amounts were primarily unrealized and resulted from
the effects of revaluing the Company’s net insurance liabilities
required to be settled in foreign currencies at each balance sheet
date. Changes in the value of available-for-sale investments held
in foreign currencies due to foreign currency rate movements are
reflected as a direct increase or decrease to shareholders’ equity
and are not included in the consolidated statements of income.
Although the Company generally attempts to match the currency of
its projected liabilities with investments in the same currencies,
the Company may elect to over or underweight one or more currencies
from time to time, which could increase the Company’s exposure to
foreign currency fluctuations and increase the volatility of the
Company’s shareholders’ equity.
The Company’s effective tax rate on income before income taxes
(based on the Company’s estimated annual effective tax rate) was
10.1% for the 2017 first quarter, compared to 9.5% for the 2016
first quarter. The Company’s effective tax rate on pre-tax
operating income available to Arch shareholders was 13.4% for the
2017 first quarter, compared to 6.6% for the 2016 first quarter.
The Company’s effective tax rate fluctuates from year to year based
upon the relative mix of income or loss reported by jurisdiction
and the varying tax rates in each jurisdiction. The Company’s
quarterly tax provision is adjusted to reflect changes in its
estimated annual effective tax rate, if any.
Capitalization and Shareholders’ Equity
At March 31, 2017, total capital available to Arch of $10.84
billion consisted of $1.73 billion of senior notes, representing
16.0% of the total, $500.0 million of revolving credit agreement
borrowings, representing 4.6% of the total, $772.6 million of
preferred shares, representing 7.1% of the total, and common
shareholders’ equity of $7.83 billion, representing 72.3% of the
total. At December 31, 2016, total capital available to Arch of
$10.49 billion consisted of $1.73 billion of senior notes,
representing 16.5% of the total, $500.0 million of revolving credit
agreement borrowings, representing 4.8% of the total, $772.6
million of preferred shares, representing 7.4% of the total, and
common shareholders’ equity of $7.48 billion, representing 71.3% of
the total.
Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call for investors and
analysts at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on April 26, 2017. A live
webcast of this call will be available via the Investors section of
the Company’s website at http://www.archcapgroup.com. A telephone replay of
the conference call also will be available beginning on April 26,
2017 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time until May 3, 2017 at midnight
Eastern Time. To access the replay, domestic callers should dial
855-859-2056, and international callers should dial 404-537-3406
(passcode 1339544 for all callers).
Please refer to the Company’s Financial Supplement dated March
31, 2017, which is available via the Investors section of the
Company’s website at http://www.archcapgroup.com. The Financial
Supplement provides additional detail regarding the financial
performance of the Company. From time to time, the Company posts
additional financial information and presentations to its website,
including information with respect to its subsidiaries. Investors
and other recipients of this information are encouraged to check
the Company’s website regularly for additional information
regarding the Company.
Arch Capital Group Ltd., a Bermuda-based company with
approximately $10.84 billion in capital at March 31, 2017, provides
insurance and reinsurance on a worldwide basis through its wholly
owned subsidiaries.
Comments on Regulation G
Throughout this release, the Company presents its operations in
the way it believes will be the most meaningful and useful to
investors, analysts, rating agencies and others who use the
Company’s financial information in evaluating the performance of
the Company and that investors and such other persons benefit from
having a consistent basis for comparison between quarters and for
comparison with other companies within the industry. These measures
may not, however, be comparable to similarly titled measures used
by companies outside of the insurance industry. Investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these non-GAAP financial
measures in assessing the Company’s overall financial
performance.
This presentation includes the use of “after-tax operating
income or loss available to Arch common shareholders,” which is
defined as net income available to Arch common shareholders,
excluding net realized gains or losses, net impairment losses
recognized in earnings, equity in net income or loss of investment
funds accounted for using the equity method, net foreign exchange
gains or losses, UGC transaction costs and other and income taxes,
and the use of annualized operating return on average common
equity. The presentation of after-tax operating income available to
Arch common shareholders and annualized operating return on average
common equity are non-GAAP financial measures as defined in
Regulation G. The reconciliation of such measures to net income
available to Arch common shareholders and annualized return on
average common equity (the most directly comparable GAAP financial
measures) in accordance with Regulation G is included on the
following page of this release.
The Company believes that net realized gains or losses, net
impairment losses recognized in earnings, equity in net income or
loss of investment funds accounted for using the equity method, net
foreign exchange gains or losses and UGC transaction costs and
other in any particular period are not indicative of the
performance of, or trends in, the Company’s business performance.
Although net realized gains or losses, net impairment losses
recognized in earnings, equity in net income or loss of investment
funds accounted for using the equity method and net foreign
exchange gains or losses are an integral part of the Company’s
operations, the decision to realize investment gains or losses, the
recognition of the change in the carrying value of investments
accounted for using the fair value option in net realized gains or
losses, the recognition of net impairment losses, the recognition
of equity in net income or loss of investment funds accounted for
using the equity method and the recognition of foreign exchange
gains or losses are independent of the insurance underwriting
process and result, in large part, from general economic and
financial market conditions. Furthermore, certain users of the
Company’s financial information believe that, for many companies,
the timing of the realization of investment gains or losses is
largely opportunistic. In addition, net impairment losses
recognized in earnings on the Company’s investments represent
other-than-temporary declines in expected recovery values on
securities without actual realization. The use of the equity method
on certain of the Company’s investments in certain funds that
invest in fixed maturity securities is driven by the ownership
structure of such funds (either limited partnerships or limited
liability companies). In applying the equity method, these
investments are initially recorded at cost and are subsequently
adjusted based on the Company’s proportionate share of the net
income or loss of the funds (which include changes in the fair
value of the underlying securities in the funds). This method of
accounting is different from the way the Company accounts for its
other fixed maturity securities and the timing of the recognition
of equity in net income or loss of investment funds accounted for
using the equity method may differ from gains or losses in the
future upon sale or maturity of such investments. UGC transaction
costs and other include advisory, financing, legal, severance,
incentive compensation and other transaction costs related to the
UGC acquisition. During the 2016 fourth quarter, UGC transaction
costs and other included non-recurring expenses related to a change
in the Company’s approach on the deferral of certain internal
underwriting costs which are no longer being deferred. The Company
believes that UGC transaction costs and other, due to their
non-recurring nature, are not indicative of the performance of, or
trends in, the Company’s business performance. Due to these
reasons, the Company excludes net realized gains or losses, net
impairment losses recognized in earnings, equity in net income or
loss of investment funds accounted for using the equity method, net
foreign exchange gains or losses and UGC transaction costs and
other from the calculation of after-tax operating income or loss
available to Arch common shareholders.
The Company believes that showing net income available to Arch
common shareholders exclusive of the items referred to above
reflects the underlying fundamentals of the Company’s business
since the Company evaluates the performance of and manages its
business to produce an underwriting profit. In addition to
presenting net income available to Arch common shareholders, the
Company believes that this presentation enables investors and other
users of the Company’s financial information to analyze the
Company’s performance in a manner similar to how the Company’s
management analyzes performance. The Company also believes that
this measure follows industry practice and, therefore, allows the
users of the Company’s financial information to compare the
Company’s performance with its industry peer group. The Company
believes that the equity analysts and certain rating agencies which
follow the Company and the insurance industry as a whole generally
exclude these items from their analyses for the same reasons.
The Company’s segment information includes the presentation of
consolidated underwriting income or loss and a subtotal of
underwriting income or loss before the contribution from the
‘other’ segment. Such measures represent the pre-tax profitability
of its underwriting operations and include net premiums earned plus
other underwriting income, less losses and loss adjustment
expenses, acquisition expenses and other operating expenses. Other
operating expenses include those operating expenses that are
incremental and/or directly attributable to the Company’s
individual underwriting operations. Underwriting income or loss
does not incorporate items included in the Company’s corporate
(non-underwriting) segment. While these measures are presented in
the Segment Information footnote to the Company’s Consolidated
Financial Statements, they are considered non-GAAP financial
measures when presented elsewhere on a consolidated basis. The
reconciliations of underwriting income or loss to income before
income taxes (the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure)
on a consolidated basis and a subtotal before the contribution from
the ‘other’ segment, in accordance with Regulation G, is shown on
the following pages.
Management measures segment performance for its three
underwriting segments based on underwriting income or loss. The
Company does not manage its assets by underwriting segment and,
accordingly, investment income and other non-underwriting related
items are not allocated to each underwriting segment. As noted
earlier, the ‘other’ segment includes the results of Watford Re.
Watford Re has its own management and board of directors that is
responsible for the overall profitability of the ‘other’ segment.
For the ‘other’ segment, performance is measured based on net
income or loss. The Company does not guarantee or provide credit
support for Watford Re, and the Company’s financial exposure to
Watford Re is limited to its investment in Watford Re’s common and
preferred shares and counterparty credit risk (mitigated by
collateral) arising from reinsurance transactions. Along with
consolidated underwriting income, the Company provides a subtotal
of underwriting income or loss before the contribution from the
‘other’ segment and believes that this presentation enables
investors and other users of the Company’s financial information to
analyze the Company’s underwriting performance in a manner similar
to how the Company’s management analyzes performance.
In addition, the Company’s segment information includes the use
of a combined ratio excluding catastrophic activity and prior year
development for the insurance segment and reinsurance segment and a
combined ratio excluding prior year development for the mortgage
segment. These ratios are non-GAAP financial measures as defined in
Regulation G. The reconciliation of such measures to the combined
ratio (the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure) in
accordance with Regulation G are shown on the individual segment
pages. The Company’s management utilizes the adjusted combined
ratio excluding current accident year catastrophic events and
favorable or adverse development in prior year loss reserves in its
analysis of the underwriting performance of each of its
underwriting segments.
The following tables summarize the Company’s results by segment
for the 2017 first quarter and 2016 first quarter and a
reconciliation of underwriting income or loss to income before
income taxes and net income available to Arch common
shareholders:
(U.S. Dollars in thousands)
Three Months Ended
March 31, 2017 Insurance Reinsurance
Mortgage Sub-total Other
Total Gross premiums written (1) $ 782,281 $ 475,782
$ 348,623 $ 1,606,686 $ 154,120 $ 1,657,990 Premiums ceded (234,095
) (166,092 ) (73,925 ) (474,112 ) (10,434 ) (381,730 ) Net premiums
written 548,186 309,690 274,698 1,132,574 143,686 1,276,260 Change
in unearned premiums (42,540 ) (64,839 ) (30,175 ) (137,554 )
(21,689 ) (159,243 ) Net premiums earned 505,646 244,851 244,523
995,020 121,997 1,117,017 Other underwriting income — (306 ) 4,123
3,817 816 4,633 Losses and loss adjustment expenses (332,641 )
(105,454 ) (29,065 ) (467,160 ) (85,410 ) (552,570 ) Acquisition
expenses (74,868 ) (46,147 ) (28,766 ) (149,781 ) (32,508 )
(182,289 ) Other operating expenses (88,126 ) (37,533 ) (41,870 )
(167,529 ) (7,190 ) (174,719 ) Underwriting income (loss) $
10,011
$ 55,411 $ 148,945 214,367 (2,295 ) 212,072
Net investment income 95,812 22,062 117,874 Net realized
gains (losses) 28,512 5,641 34,153 Net impairment losses recognized
in earnings (1,807 ) — (1,807 ) Equity in net income (loss) of
investment funds accounted for using the equity method 48,088 —
48,088 Other income (loss) (782 ) — (782 ) Corporate expenses
(12,208 ) — (12,208 ) UGC transaction costs and other (15,584 ) —
(15,584 ) Amortization of intangible assets (31,294 ) — (31,294 )
Interest expense (25,756 ) (2,920 ) (28,676 ) Net foreign exchange
gains (losses) (19,845 ) 441 (19,404 )
Income before
income taxes 279,503 22,929 302,432 Income tax expense (28,397
) — (28,397 )
Net income 251,106 22,929 274,035
Dividends attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests —
(4,584 ) (4,584 ) Amounts attributable to nonredeemable
noncontrolling interests — (16,324 ) (16,324 )
Net income
available to Arch 251,106 2,021 253,127 Preferred dividends
(11,218 ) — (11,218 )
Net income available to Arch common
shareholders $ 239,888 $ 2,021 $ 241,909
Underwriting Ratios Loss ratio 65.8 % 43.1 % 11.9 %
46.9 % 70.0 % 49.5 % Acquisition expense ratio 14.8 % 18.8 % 11.8 %
15.1 % 26.6 % 16.3 % Other operating expense ratio 17.4 % 15.3 %
17.1 % 16.8 % 5.9 % 15.6 % Combined ratio 98.0 % 77.2 % 40.8 % 78.8
% 102.5 % 81.4 % Net premiums written to gross premiums
written 70.1 % 65.1 % 78.8 % 70.5 % 93.2 % 77.0 % (1) Certain
amounts included in the gross premiums written of each segment are
related to intersegment transactions and are included in the gross
premiums written of each segment. Accordingly, the sum of gross
premiums written for each segment does not agree to the total gross
premiums written as shown in the table above due to the elimination
of intersegment transactions in the total. (U.S.
Dollars in thousands)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2016 Insurance Reinsurance
Mortgage Sub-total Other
Total Gross premiums written (1) $ 798,553 $ 481,390 $
111,280 $ 1,391,061 $ 148,606 $ 1,437,966 Premiums ceded (248,789 )
(160,566 ) (4,767 ) (413,960 ) (4,472 ) (316,731 ) Net premiums
written 549,764 320,824 106,513 977,101 144,134 1,121,235 Change in
unearned premiums (36,675 ) (59,616 ) (44,748 ) (141,039 ) (28,617
) (169,656 ) Net premiums earned 513,089 261,208 61,765 836,062
115,517 951,579 Other underwriting income — 325 3,793 4,118 929
5,047 Losses and loss adjustment expenses (323,609 ) (111,598 )
(8,629 ) (443,836 ) (79,113 ) (522,949 ) Acquisition expenses
(74,348 ) (54,758 ) (5,793 ) (134,899 ) (32,939 ) (167,838 ) Other
operating expenses (85,058 ) (36,258 ) (23,494 ) (144,810 ) (5,338
) (150,148 ) Underwriting income (loss) $ 30,074 $ 58,919
$ 27,642 116,635 (944 ) 115,691 Net investment
income 70,409 23,326 93,735 Net realized gains (losses) 31,862
5,462 37,324 Net impairment losses recognized in earnings (7,639 )
— (7,639 ) Equity in net income (loss) of investment funds
accounted for using the equity method 6,655 — 6,655 Other income
(loss) (25 ) — (25 ) Corporate expenses (9,383 ) — (9,383 )
Amortization of intangible assets (4,748 ) — (4,748 ) Interest
expense (12,627 ) (3,480 ) (16,107 ) Net foreign exchange gains
(losses) (22,041 ) (1,525 ) (23,566 )
Income before income
taxes 169,098 22,839 191,937 Income tax expense (16,310 ) —
(16,310 )
Net income 152,788 22,839 175,627 Dividends
attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests — (4,587 )
(4,587 ) Amounts attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling
interests — (16,242 ) (16,242 )
Net income available to
Arch 152,788 2,010 154,798 Preferred dividends (5,484 ) —
(5,484 )
Net income available to Arch common
shareholders $ 147,304 $ 2,010 $ 149,314
Underwriting Ratios Loss ratio 63.1 % 42.7 % 14.0 %
53.1 % 68.5 % 55.0 % Acquisition expense ratio 14.5 % 21.0 % 9.4 %
16.1 % 28.5 % 17.6 % Other operating expense ratio 16.6 % 13.9 %
38.0 % 17.3 % 4.6 % 15.8 % Combined ratio 94.2 % 77.6 % 61.4 % 86.5
% 101.6 % 88.4 % Net premiums written to gross premiums
written 68.8 % 66.6 % 95.7 % 70.2 % 97.0 % 78.0 % (1) Certain
amounts included in the gross premiums written of each segment are
related to intersegment transactions and are included in the gross
premiums written of each segment. Accordingly, the sum of gross
premiums written for each segment does not agree to the total gross
premiums written as shown in the table above due to the elimination
of intersegment transactions in the total.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”)
provides a “safe harbor” for forward-looking statements. This
release or any other written or oral statements made by or on
behalf of the Company may include forward-looking statements, which
reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events
and financial performance. All statements other than statements of
historical fact included in or incorporated by reference in this
release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements,
for purposes of the PSLRA or otherwise, can generally be identified
by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,”
“expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe” or
“continue” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking
nature or their negative or variations or similar terminology.
Forward-looking statements involve the Company’s current
assessment of risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results
may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these
statements. Important factors that could cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those indicated in such
statements are discussed below and elsewhere in this release and in
the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and include:
- the Company’s ability to successfully
implement its business strategy during “soft” as well as “hard”
markets;
- acceptance of the Company’s business
strategy, security and financial condition by rating agencies and
regulators, as well as by brokers and its insureds and
reinsureds;
- the integration of United Guaranty
Corporation and any other businesses the Company has acquired or
may acquire into its existing operations;
- the Company’s ability to maintain or
improve its ratings, which may be affected by its ability to raise
additional equity or debt financings, by ratings agencies’ existing
or new policies and practices, as well as other factors described
herein;
- general economic and market conditions
(including inflation, interest rates, foreign currency exchange
rates, prevailing credit terms and the depth and duration of a
recession) and conditions specific to the reinsurance and insurance
markets (including the length and magnitude of the current “soft”
market) in which the Company operates;
- competition, including increased
competition, on the basis of pricing, capacity (including
alternative sources of capital), coverage terms or other
factors;
- developments in the world’s financial
and capital markets and the Company’s access to such markets;
- the Company’s ability to successfully
enhance, integrate and maintain operating procedures (including
information technology) to effectively support its current and new
business;
- the loss of key personnel;
- accuracy of those estimates and
judgments utilized in the preparation of the Company’s financial
statements, including those related to revenue recognition,
insurance and other reserves, reinsurance recoverables, investment
valuations, intangible assets, bad debts, income taxes,
contingencies and litigation, and any determination to use the
deposit method of accounting, which for a relatively new insurance
and reinsurance company, like the Company, are even more difficult
to make than those made in a mature company since relatively
limited historical information has been reported to the Company
through March 31, 2017;
- greater than expected loss ratios on
business written by the Company and adverse development on claim
and/or claim expense liabilities related to business written by its
insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries;
- severity and/or frequency of
losses;
- claims for natural or man-made
catastrophic events in the Company’s insurance or reinsurance
business could cause large losses and substantial volatility in its
results of operations;
- acts of terrorism, political unrest and
other hostilities or other unforecasted and unpredictable
events;
- availability to the Company of
reinsurance to manage its gross and net exposures and the cost of
such reinsurance;
- the failure of reinsurers, managing
general agents, third party administrators or others to meet their
obligations to the Company;
- the timing of loss payments being
faster or the receipt of reinsurance recoverables being slower than
anticipated by the Company;
- the Company’s investment performance,
including legislative or regulatory developments that may adversely
affect the fair value of the Company’s investments;
- changes in general economic conditions,
including new or continued sovereign debt concerns in Eurozone
countries or downgrades of U.S. securities by credit rating
agencies, which could affect the Company’s business, financial
condition and results of operations;
- the volatility of the Company’s
shareholders’ equity from foreign currency fluctuations, which
could increase due to us not matching portions of the Company’s
projected liabilities in foreign currencies with investments in the
same currencies;
- losses relating to aviation business
and business produced by a certain managing underwriting agency for
which the Company may be liable to the purchaser of its prior
reinsurance business or to others in connection with the
May 5, 2000 asset sale described in the Company’s periodic
reports filed with the SEC;
- changes in accounting principles or
policies or in the Company’s application of such accounting
principles or policies;
- changes in the political environment of
certain countries in which the Company operates, underwrites
business or invests;
- statutory or regulatory developments,
including as to tax policy matters and insurance and other
regulatory matters such as the adoption of proposed legislation
that would affect Bermuda-headquartered companies and/or
Bermuda-based insurers or reinsurers and/or changes in regulations
or tax laws applicable to the Company, its subsidiaries, brokers or
customers; and
- the other matters set forth under Item
1A “Risk Factors”, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and other sections
of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the other
factors set forth in the Company’s other documents on file with the
SEC, and management’s response to any of the aforementioned
factors.
All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are
expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary
statements. The foregoing review of important factors should not be
construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with
other cautionary statements that are included herein or elsewhere.
The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise
any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170425006815/en/
Arch Capital Group Ltd.Mark D. Lyons, 441-278-9250Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer
Arch Capital (NASDAQ:ACGL)
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