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8-K - 8-K - SAFETY INSURANCE GROUP INCa12-25991_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

GRAPHIC

 

SAFETY ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER 2012 RESULTS AND DECLARES FOURTH QUARTER 2012 DIVIDEND

 

Boston, Massachusetts, November 2, 2012.  Safety Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAFT) today reported third quarter 2012 results.  Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 was $14.3 million, or $0.94 per diluted share, compared to net income of $8.8 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, for the comparable 2011 period.  Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 was $48.5 million, or $3.17 per diluted share, compared to $8.9 million, or $0.59 per diluted share, for the comparable 2011 period.  Safety’s book value per share increased to $45.46 at September 30, 2012 from $43.22 at December 31, 2011.  Safety paid $0.60 per share in dividends to investors during the quarter ended September 30, 2012, compared to $0.50 per share during the comparable 2011 period.  Safety paid $2.00 per share in dividends to investors during the year ended December 31, 2011.

 

Direct written premiums for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 increased by $11.9 million, or 7.1%, to $179.0 million from $167.1 million for the comparable 2011 period.  Direct written premiums for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 increased by $36.7 million, or 7.3%, to $541.1 million from $504.4 million for the comparable 2011 period.  The 2012 increases occurred primarily in our personal automobile and homeowners business lines, which experienced increases of 5.0%, and 3.8%, respectively, in average written premium per exposure.  Written exposures remained consistent in our personal automobile line and increased by 8.0% in our homeowners business line.

 

Net written premiums for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 increased by $13.5 million, or 8.5%, to $171.7 million from $158.2 million for the comparable 2011 period.  Net written premiums for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 increased by $34.5 million, or 7.1%, to $518.0 million from $483.5 million for the comparable 2011 period.  Net earned premiums for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 increased by $11.2 million, or 7.4%, to $162.5 million from $151.3 million for the comparable 2011 period.  Net earned premiums for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 increased by $32.5 million, or 7.3%, to $477.1 million from $444.6 million for the comparable 2011 period.  Net written and net earned premiums increased primarily due to direct written premium increases in our personal automobile and homeowners business lines as discussed above.

 

Net investment income for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 was $10.1 million, consistent with the comparable 2011 period.  Net investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 increased by $0.8 million, or 2.8%, to $30.5 million from $29.7 million for the comparable 2011 period.  Net effective annualized yield on the investment portfolio for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 was 3.6%, down from 3.7% for the comparable 2011 period.  Net effective annualized yield on the investment portfolio for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 was 3.7%, the same as the comparable 2011 period.  Our duration was 3.6 years at September 30, 2012, down from 3.7 years at December 31, 2011.

 

For the quarter ended September 30, 2012, loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred decreased by $5.1 million, or 4.6%, to $106.4 million from $111.5 million for the comparable 2011 period.  For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred decreased by $40.2 million, or 11.6%, to $307.2 million from $347.4 million for the comparable 2011 period.  The decrease was primarily due to pre-tax catastrophic weather event losses incurred of $2.4 million during the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2012, compared to $12.4 million and $53.0 million, respectively, during the comparable 2011 periods.  Loss, expense, and combined ratios calculated under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 were 65.5%, 30.8%, and 96.3%, respectively, compared to 73.7%, 30.1%, and 103.8%, respectively, for the comparable 2011 period.  Loss, expense, and combined ratios calculated under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 were 64.4%, 30.7%, and 95.1%, respectively, compared to 78.1%, 29.7%, and 107.8%, respectively, for the comparable 2011 period.  Total prior year favorable development included in the

 



 

pre-tax results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2012 was $4.3 million and $11.9 million, respectively, compared to $6.3 million and $25.1 million, respectively, for the comparable 2011 periods.

 

Today, our Board of Directors approved and declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.60 per share on the issued and outstanding common stock, payable on December 14, 2012 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 3, 2012.

 

About Safety:  Safety Insurance Group, Inc. is the parent of Safety Insurance Company, Safety Indemnity Insurance Company, and Safety Property and Casualty Insurance Company which are Boston, MA, based writers of property and casualty insurance.  Safety is a leading writer of personal automobile insurance in Massachusetts.

 

Additional Information:  Press releases, announcements, U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Filings and investor information are available under “About Safety,” “Investor Information” on our Company website located at www.SafetyInsurance.com.  Safety filed its December 31, 2011 Form 10-K with the SEC on March 13, 2012 and urges shareholders to refer to this document for more complete information concerning Safety’s financial results.

 

Contacts:

Safety Insurance Group, Inc.
Office of Investor Relations
877-951-2522
InvestorRelations@SafetyInsurance.com

 

Cautionary Statement under “Safe Harbor” Provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

 

This press release contains, and Safety may from time to time make, written or oral “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws.  Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts.  They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “aim,” “projects,” or words of similar meaning and expressions that indicate future events and trends, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may”.  All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company’s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expenditures and financial results, are forward-looking statements.

 

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.  By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties.  There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause actual future conditions, events, results or trends to differ significantly and/or materially from historical results or those projected in the forward-looking statements.  These factors include but are not limited to the competitive nature of our industry and the possible adverse effects of such competition.  Although a number of national insurers that are much larger than we are do not currently compete in a material way in the Massachusetts private passenger automobile market, if one or more of these companies decided to aggressively enter the market it could have a material adverse effect on us.  Other significant factors include conditions for business operations and restrictive regulations in Massachusetts, the possibility of losses due to claims resulting from severe weather, the possibility that the Commissioner of Insurance may approve future Rule changes that change the operation of the residual market, our possible need for and availability of additional financing, and our dependence on strategic relationships, among others, and other risks and factors identified from time to time in our reports filed with the SEC, such as those set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 filed with the SEC on March 13, 2012.

 

We are not under any obligation (and expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.  You should carefully consider the possibility that actual results may differ materially from our forward-looking statements.

 



 

Safety Insurance Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Dollars in thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

September 30,

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Investments:

 

 

 

 

 

Securities available for sale:

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed maturities, at fair value (amortized cost: $1,100,759 and $1,032,660)

 

$

1,171,464

 

$

1,086,813

 

Equity securities, at fair value (cost: $21,077 and $20,431)

 

22,833

 

21,080

 

Total investments

 

1,194,297

 

1,107,893

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

33,697

 

37,890

 

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts

 

180,333

 

154,143

 

Receivable for securities sold

 

866

 

 

Accrued investment income

 

10,092

 

10,169

 

Taxes recoverable

 

3,551

 

8,406

 

Receivable from reinsurers related to paid loss and loss adjustment expenses

 

8,762

 

3,526

 

Receivable from reinsurers related to unpaid loss and loss adjustment expenses

 

52,115

 

51,774

 

Ceded unearned premiums

 

15,012

 

14,022

 

Deferred policy acquisition costs

 

63,905

 

56,716

 

Equity and deposits in pools

 

16,567

 

14,507

 

Other assets

 

14,242

 

13,448

 

Total assets

 

$

1,593,439

 

$

1,472,494

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves

 

$

413,641

 

$

403,872

 

Unearned premium reserves

 

371,437

 

329,562

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

48,720

 

52,032

 

Payable for securities purchased

 

18,198

 

 

Payable to reinsurers

 

14,877

 

5,338

 

Deferred income taxes

 

9,745

 

3,014

 

Other liabilities

 

20,412

 

22,363

 

Total liabilities

 

897,030

 

816,181

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock: $0.01 par value; 30,000,000 shares authorized; 17,047,104 and 16,915,432 shares issued

 

170

 

169

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

161,726

 

157,167

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes

 

47,099

 

35,621

 

Retained earnings

 

542,983

 

518,925

 

Treasury stock, at cost: 1,728,645 shares

 

(55,569

)

(55,569

)

Total shareholders’ equity

 

696,409

 

656,313

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$

1,593,439

 

$

1,472,494

 

 



 

Safety Insurance Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

 

Net earned premiums

 

$

162,493

 

$

151,254

 

$

477,099

 

$

444,620

 

Net investment income

 

10,142

 

10,081

 

30,551

 

29,716

 

Net realized gains on investments

 

153

 

1,844

 

1,226

 

2,702

 

Finance and other service income

 

4,743

 

4,856

 

13,769

 

13,731

 

Total revenue

 

177,531

 

168,035

 

522,645

 

490,769

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Losses and loss adjustment expenses

 

106,445

 

111,545

 

307,184

 

347,359

 

Underwriting, operating and related expenses

 

50,054

 

45,453

 

146,602

 

132,153

 

Interest expense

 

22

 

23

 

66

 

66

 

Total expenses

 

156,521

 

157,021

 

453,852

 

479,578

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

21,010

 

11,014

 

68,793

 

11,191

 

Income tax expense

 

6,676

 

2,204

 

20,294

 

2,249

 

Net income

 

$

14,334

 

$

8,810

 

$

48,499

 

$

8,942

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per weighted average common share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.94

 

$

0.58

 

$

3.17

 

$

0.59

 

Diluted

 

$

0.94

 

$

0.58

 

$

3.17

 

$

0.59

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash dividends paid per common share

 

$

0.60

 

$

0.50

 

$

1.60

 

$

1.50

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Number of shares used in computing earnings per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

15,312,178

 

15,187,430

 

15,277,560

 

15,157,762

 

Diluted

 

15,319,885

 

15,195,819

 

15,284,400

 

15,169,738

 

 

Safety Insurance Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Additional Premium Information

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

 

Written Premiums

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct

 

$

179,007

 

$

167,168

 

$

541,090

 

$

504,382

 

Assumed

 

4,505

 

3,115

 

13,234

 

11,812

 

Ceded

 

(11,820

)

(12,068

)

(36,341

)

(32,635

)

Net written premiums

 

$

171,692

 

$

158,215

 

$

517,983

 

$

483,559

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earned Premiums

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct

 

$

170,616

 

$

158,631

 

$

499,890

 

$

465,583

 

Assumed

 

4,139

 

3,609

 

12,560

 

11,499

 

Ceded

 

(12,262

)

(10,986

)

(35,351

)

(32,462

)

Net earned premiums

 

$

162,493

 

$

151,254

 

$

477,099

 

$

444,620