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8-K - FORM 8-K - PENN MILLERS HOLDING CORPc14719e8vk.htm
Exhibit 99.1
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Michael O. Banks — 570-200-1340
PENN MILLERS REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND
TWELVE MONTHS RESULTS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, (Business Wire) March 28, 2011 — Penn Millers Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: PMIC) (“Penn Millers” or “the Company”) reported today its financial results for the fourth quarter and twelve months ended December 31, 2010.
For the three months ended December 31, 2010, Penn Millers reported net income of $1.2 million, compared to net income of $1.3 million for the prior year quarter. The $0.1 million decrease in net income was primarily due to:
   
Net premiums earned in the Agribusiness segment increased $0.3 million after-tax, as a result of year over year growth in direct premiums written during the last three quarters of 2010. In the Commercial Business segment, premiums earned declined by $0.6 million after-tax as the Company continues to reposition that segment from being a generalist insurer of small businesses to being a specialist focused on select industries for small and middle market customers.
   
In the fourth quarter of 2010, consolidated losses and loss adjustment expenses (LAE) were lower compared to 2009 by $0.4 million after-tax, mostly due to increased favorable loss reserve development in the Agribusiness segment.
   
Underwriting expenses on a consolidated basis were lower by $0.4 million after-tax in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. The reduction was mostly due to the lower premium volume and lower employee incentive compensation costs in 2010 compared to 2009.
   
These favorable items were offset by increased income tax expense due to an increase in the Company’s consolidated federal deferred tax valuation allowance. Net income for 2009 included a tax benefit of $0.3 million from a reversal of a federal tax valuation allowance related to 2008 capital losses.
Book value per share decreased by $0.26 per share compared to September 30, 2010, and was $20.85 per share at year end 2010. Shareholders’ equity decreased from $93.9 million at September 30, 2010 to $93.0 million at December 31, 2010, primarily as a result of declines in the value of the Company’s fixed maturity investment portfolio, which was partly offset by the net income for the quarter. Diluted earnings per share were $0.27 per share for the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to $0.19 for the fourth quarter of 2009.

 

 


 

For the year ended December 31, 2010, Penn Millers reported a net loss of $3.5 million compared to net income of $2.6 million for the year ended 2009.
   
The Company had an operating loss after taxes from continuing operations (which excludes after-tax realized investment gains or losses) of $5.3 million in the year ended 2010, compared to income of $3.3 million for the same period of 2009.
   
The $8.6 million decline in operating income was driven by the $4.3 million unfavorable variance in year over year tax valuation allowance changes.
 
   
A $4.8 million after-tax decrease in net premiums earned, mostly in the Commercial Business segment, also contributed to the decline in operating income in the year to date period.
 
   
Catastrophe losses were $3.7 million, after-tax in 2010, compared to $1.3 million, after-tax in 2009. In the second quarter of 2010, Penn Millers experienced an unusually high level of catastrophe losses due to severe wind events that affected four of its large Agribusiness insureds. In the first quarter of 2010, the Commercial Business segment was impacted by losses from late winter storms in the Northeast. Penn Millers was also adversely impacted by losses from storms that were not declared catastrophes. For the year ended 2010, the Company experienced $0.8 million more in after-tax, non-catastrophe-related weather losses compared to the year ended 2009.
 
   
In 2010 Penn Millers experienced $1.4 million of net after-tax favorable prior year reserve development, compared to $1.8 million of net after-tax favorable development for the full year of 2009, excluding the effects that the stop loss contract had on 2009 results.
 
   
The declines in operating income were partially offset by an improvement arising from a $1.6 million adverse after-tax impact attributable to the stop loss reinsurance contract, which was reversed in the third quarter of 2009.
 
   
Underwriting expenses were lower by $1.0 million after-tax in 2010, compared to 2009, due mostly to: the decline in earned premiums; a one-time benefit recognized in the second quarter of 2010 for the termination of the Company’s Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (or SERP); and lower employee-related incentive compensation costs in 2010.
   
In addition, the decrease in operating income was partially offset by an after-tax increase in realized investment gains of $1.7 million, most of which occurred in the second quarter.
   
Net income for the year to date period of 2009 included a net after-tax loss from discontinued operations of $0.8 million resulting from the tax impact of the sale of Eastern Insurance Group.
Book value per share was $20.85 at December 31, 2010, $0.46 per share lower than December 31, 2009. Shareholders’ equity decreased from $100.0 million at December 31, 2009 to $93.0 million at December 31, 2010 as a result of share repurchases and the net loss for the current year. Diluted earnings per share were a loss of $0.76 per share for 2010, compared to net income per share of $0.19 in 2009.

 

 


 

Douglas A. Gaudet, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the Company’s results: “Our Agribusiness segment performed reasonably well in the fourth quarter. Direct premiums written were up in this segment by 3.8% quarter-over-quarter versus last year. Premiums earned in our Commercial Business segment have declined as we withdraw from certain unprofitable classes of business, terminate relationships with several underperforming producers and use financial scoring in the underwriting process to improve the profitability of this segment.”
Penn Millers management will host an investor conference call and webcast on March 30, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time to discuss fourth quarter and full year 2010 results. Registration for the event can be accessed via the Company’s website at www.pennmillers.com located under Investor News. The conference call will be available for replay through April 13, 2011 through the Company’s website, www.pennmillers.com.
The Company provides property and casualty insurance through its wholly owned subsidiary, Penn Millers Insurance Company. Penn Millers Insurance Company provides agribusiness insurance and commercial lines insurance in 33 states. Penn Millers Insurance Company is rated “A-” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company, Inc. The Company is located at 72 North Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The Company’s web address is http://www.pennmillers.com.
Some of the statements contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the time the statements are made and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the Company’s actual results include, among others, the fact that our loss reserves are based on estimates and may be inadequate to cover our actual losses; the uncertain effects of emerging claim and coverage issues on our business, including the effects of climate change; the geographic concentration of our business; an inability to obtain or collect on our reinsurance protection; a downgrade in the A.M. Best rating of our insurance subsidiaries; the impact of extensive regulation of the insurance industry and legislative and regulatory changes; a failure to realize our investment objectives; the effects of intense competition; the loss of one or more principal employees; the inability to acquire additional capital on favorable terms; a failure of independent insurance brokers to adequately market our products; and the effects of acts of terrorism or war. More information about these and other factors that potentially could affect our financial results is included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC and in our other public filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Contact: Michael O. Banks of Penn Millers Holding Corporation, (570) 200-1340

 

 


 

PENN MILLERS HOLDING CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
Financial Highlights
                                 
    Three Months Ended     Year Ended  
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2010     2009     2010     2009  
 
                               
U.S. GAAP ratios:
                               
Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio
    62.3 %     63.8 %     78.8 %     70.0 %
Underwriting expense ratio
    35.1 %     37.4 %     35.0 %     33.7 %
 
                       
Combined ratio
    97.4 %     101.2 %     113.8 %     103.7 %
 
                       
 
                               
Return on average shareholders’ equity, continuing operations (1)
    5.2 %     6.0 %     -3.6 %     5.4 %
Return on average shareholders’ equity (1)
    5.2 %     5.7 %     -3.6 %     4.1 %
 
                               
Basic earnings per share (2)
  $ 0.27     $ 0.19     $ (0.76 )   $ 0.19  
 
                               
Diluted earnings per share (2)
  $ 0.27     $ 0.19     $ (0.76 )   $ 0.19  
 
                               
Net book value per share
                  $ 20.85     $ 21.31  
     
(1)  
Return on average shareholders’ equity for the three month periods is annualized. The information for 2009 has been weighted to account for the days in 2009 we were a publicly traded company.
 
(2)  
Earnings per share data for 2009 reflects only the net income for the period October 17, 2009 through December 21, 2009, the period of 2009 we were a publicly traded company. The net income during this period was $929,000.

 

 


 

PENN MILLERS HOLDING CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
Consolidated Balance Sheets
December 31, 2010 and 2009
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
                 
    December 31,     December 31,  
  2010     2009  
Assets
               
Investments:
               
Fixed maturities:
               
Available for sale, at fair value (amortized cost $158,193 in 2010 and $161,730 in 2009)
  $ 162,771       167,155  
Equity securities:
               
Available for sale, at fair value (cost $10,885 in 2010)
    10,874        
 
               
Cash and cash equivalents
    6,510       20,220  
Premiums and fees receivable
    28,394       29,526  
Reinsurance receivables and recoverables
    24,912       19,502  
Deferred policy acquisition costs
    9,735       10,053  
Prepaid reinsurance premiums
    4,320       4,076  
Accrued investment income
    1,621       1,810  
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation
    3,323       3,769  
Income taxes receivable
    1,253        
Deferred income taxes
          3,518  
Other
    1,008       3,821  
 
           
Total assets
  $ 254,721       263,450  
 
           
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
               
Liabilities:
               
Losses and loss adjustment expense reserves
  $ 109,973       106,710  
Unearned premiums
    42,807       43,313  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
    8,913       12,762  
Income taxes payable
          617  
 
           
Total liabilities
    161,693       163,402  
 
           
Shareholders’ equity:
               
Preferred stock, no par value, authorized 1,000,000; no shares issued or outstanding
           
Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 10,000,000; issued 2010: 5,444,022 shares and 2009: 5,444,022 shares; outstanding 2010: 4,462,131 shares and 2009: 4,695,262 shares
    54       54  
Additional paid-in capital
    51,068       50,520  
Accumulated other comprehensive income
    2,054       2,519  
Retained earnings
    50,993       54,481  
Unearned ESOP, 476,999 and 530,999 shares
    (4,770 )     (5,310 )
Treasury stock, at cost, 504,892 and 217,761 shares
    (6,371 )     (2,216 )
 
           
Total shareholders’ equity
    93,028       100,048  
 
           
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 254,721       263,450  
 
           

 

 


 

PENN MILLERS HOLDING CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Three Months Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
                 
    2010     2009  
Revenues:
               
Premiums earned
  $ 17,178       17,637  
Investment income, net of investment expense
    1,337       1,457  
Realized investment gains, net:
               
Total other-than-temporary impairment losses
           
Portion of loss recognized in other comprehensive income
           
Other realized investment gains, net
    407       328  
 
           
Total realized investment gains, net
    407       328  
 
           
Other income
    89       31  
 
           
Total revenues
    19,011       19,453  
 
           
Losses and expenses:
               
Losses and loss adjustment expenses
    10,696       11,252  
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs
    5,031       5,172  
Underwriting and administrative expenses
    999       1,427  
Interest expense
    25       26  
Other expense, net
    56       103  
 
           
Total losses and expenses
    16,807       17,980  
 
           
Income from continuing operations, before income taxes
    2,204       1,473  
Income tax expense
    1,011       116  
 
           
 
               
Income from continuing operations
    1,193       1,357  
 
           
Discontinued operations:
               
Loss from discontinued operations, before income taxes
           
Income tax expense
          53  
 
           
 
               
Loss from discontinued operations
          (53 )
 
           
Net income
  $ 1,193       1,304  
 
           
 
               
Earnings per share (1):
               
Basic:
               
Income from continuing operations
  $ 0.27       0.19  
Loss from discontinued operations
           
 
           
Net income per common share
  $ 0.27       0.19  
 
           
 
               
Diluted:
               
Income from continuing operations
  $ 0.27       0.19  
Loss from discontinued operations
           
 
           
Net income per common share
  $ 0.27       0.19  
 
           
     
(1)  
Earnings per share data for 2009 reflects only the net income for the period October 17, 2009 through December 21, 2009, the period of 2009 we were a publicly traded company. The net income during this period was $929.

 

 


 

PENN MILLERS HOLDING CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Years Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
                 
    2010     2009  
Revenues:
               
Premiums earned
  $ 68,097       75,358  
Investment income, net of investment expense
    5,700       5,648  
Realized investment gains, net:
               
Total other-than-temporary impairment losses
          (197 )
Portion of loss recognized in other comprehensive income
           
Other realized investment gains, net
    2,712       396  
 
           
Total realized investment gains, net
    2,712       199  
 
           
Other income
    325       223  
 
           
Total revenues
    76,834       81,428  
 
           
Losses and expenses:
               
Losses and loss adjustment expenses
    53,686       52,754  
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs
    20,170       21,383  
Underwriting and administrative expenses
    3,656       3,999  
Interest expense
    31       22  
Other expense, net
    164       209  
 
           
Total losses and expenses
    77,707       78,367  
 
           
(Loss) income from continuing operations, before income taxes
    (873 )     3,061  
Income tax expense (benefit)
    2,615       (346 )
 
           
 
               
(Loss) income from continuing operations
    (3,488 )     3,407  
 
           
Discontinued operations:
               
Income from discontinued operations, before income taxes
          39  
Income tax expense
          879  
 
           
 
               
Loss from discontinued operations
          (840 )
 
           
Net (loss) income
  $ (3,488 )     2,567  
 
           
 
               
Earnings per share (1):
               
Basic:
               
(Loss) income from continuing operations
  $ (0.76 )     0.19  
Loss from discontinued operations
           
 
           
Net (loss) income per common share
  $ (0.76 )     0.19  
 
           
 
               
Diluted:
               
(Loss) income from continuing operations
  $ (0.76 )     0.19  
Loss from discontinued operations
           
 
           
Net (loss) income per common share
  $ (0.76 )     0.19  
 
           
     
(1)  
Earnings per share data for 2009 reflects only the net income for the period October 17, 2009 through December 21, 2009, the period of 2009 we were a publicly traded company. The net income during this period was $929.

 

 


 

Reconciliation of non-GAAP Measures
The Company uses a non-GAAP financial measure called “operating income (loss) from continuing operations” which excludes realized investment gains or losses and the results of discontinued operations. Management believes this is useful to investors because investment gains and losses and the results of discontinued operations could distort the analysis of insurance operating trends. While these measures are utilized by investors to evaluate performance, they are not a substitute for the U.S. GAAP financial measure of “income (loss) from continuing operations.” Therefore, a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the U.S. GAAP financial measure of “income (loss) from continuing operations” is provided below:
                                 
    Three Months Ended     Year Ended  
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2010     2009     2010     2009  
    (dollars in thousands)  
 
                               
Operating income (loss) from continuing operations
  $ 924       1,141     $ (5,278 )     3,276  
Net realized investment gains, net of income taxes
    269       216       1,790       131  
 
                       
 
                               
Income (loss) from continuing operations
  $ 1,193       1,357     $ (3,488 )     3,407