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Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO     NEWS  

 

FOR

IMMEDIATE

RELEASE

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2012 RESULTS

—Reports Earnings of 95 Cents per Diluted Share —

—Increases Quarterly Dividend by 50 Percent —

SANTA ANA, Calif., Oct. 25, 2012 – First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a leading global provider of title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012.

Current Quarter Highlights

 

   

Total revenues up 25 percent compared to last year

 

   

Title Insurance and Services segment pretax margin of 12.9 percent

 

   

Includes net realized gains that increased the segment pretax margin by 160 basis points

 

   

Title open orders per day up 29 percent compared to last year

 

   

Commercial division revenues of $106.3 million, up 19 percent compared to last year

 

   

Cash flow from operations of $147.2 million

 

   

Sold remaining 8.9 million CoreLogic shares, which resulted in $40.4 million net realized investment gain

Selected Financial Information

($ in millions, except per share data)

 

     For the Three Months  Ended
September 30
 
     2012      2011  

Total revenues

   $ 1,208.4       $ 965.0   

Income before taxes

     155.9         38.4   

Net income

   $ 103.5       $ 21.0   

Net income per diluted share

     0.95         0.20   

Total revenues for the third quarter of 2012 were $1.2 billion, an increase of 25 percent relative to the third quarter of 2011. Net income in the current quarter was $103.5 million, or 95 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $21.0 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2011. The current quarter results include net realized investment gains of $47.3 million, or 27 cents per diluted share, compared with net realized investment losses of $3.3 million, or 2 cents per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2011.

“Given continued strong financial results in 2012 and our increasing confidence in the outlook for the housing and mortgage markets, I am pleased to report that our board of directors has approved a 50 percent increase in the regular quarterly dividend,” said Dennis J. Gilmore, chief executive officer for First American Financial Corporation.

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 2

 

“Our strong results in the third quarter were driven by the company’s efficient operations and continued improvement in title activity,” Gilmore noted. “Open orders were up 29 percent year-over-year, primarily driven by refinance activity which, combined with our commercial business, provides us with a healthy pipeline as we move into the fourth quarter.”

Title Insurance and Services

($ in millions, except average revenue per order)

 

     For the Three Months  Ended
September 30
 
     2012     2011  

Total revenues

   $ 1,100.3      $ 898.3   

Income before taxes*

   $ 141.9      $ 52.8   

Pretax margin

     12.9     5.9

Direct open orders

     438,500        344,500   

Direct closed orders

     305,600        226,600   

Commercial**

    

Total revenues

   $ 106.3      $ 89.0   

Open orders

     19,500        17,300   

Closed orders

     10,900        9,400   

Average revenue per order

   $ 8,800      $ 7,600   

 

* See footnote (2) on page 8.
** Includes commercial activity from the National Commercial Services division only.

Total revenues for the Title Insurance and Services segment were $1.1 billion, a 23 percent increase from the same quarter of 2011. Direct premiums and escrow fees were up 29 percent from the third quarter of 2011, driven by a 35 percent increase in the number of direct title orders closed in the quarter, partially offset by a 4 percent decline in the average revenue per direct title order to $1,502. The decline in average revenue per order was primarily attributable to an increase in the mix of direct revenues generated from lower-premium refinance transactions. Agent premiums were up 21 percent in the current quarter, which is consistent with the 27 percent increase in direct premiums experienced in the previous quarter, reflecting the normal reporting lag of approximately one quarter.

Information and other revenues were $158.8 million this quarter, essentially flat compared to the same quarter of last year. While U.S. revenues increased 6 percent this quarter, they were offset by lower revenues in Canada due to a decline in mortgage transactions resulting primarily from the recent tightening of lending requirements. Total investment income was $39.3 million in the current quarter, an increase of $21.1 million from the third quarter of 2011, reflecting higher net realized investment gains primarily from the sale of CoreLogic common stock.

Personnel costs were $317.2 million in the third quarter, an increase of $43.1 million, or 16 percent, compared with the third quarter of 2011. This increase was primarily due to higher incentive-based compensation driven by improved revenues and profitability and, to a lesser extent, higher staffing levels required to support the increased order volume compared to the prior year.

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 3

 

Other operating expenses were $197.0 million in the third quarter, up $20.7 million, or 12 percent, compared with the third quarter of 2011. The increase was primarily due to higher production-related expenses and temporary labor costs driven by the increase in order volumes in the current quarter.

The provision for policy losses and other claims was $59.7 million in the third quarter, or 6.6 percent of title premiums and escrow fees, down $9.8 million compared with the same quarter of the prior year. The current quarter rate of 6.6 percent reflects an ultimate loss rate of 5.6 percent for the current policy year and a net increase in the loss reserve estimates for prior policy years.

Pretax income for the Title Insurance and Services segment was $141.9 million in the third quarter, compared with $52.8 million in the third quarter of 2011. Pretax margin was 12.9 percent in the current quarter, compared with 5.9 percent last year.

Specialty Insurance

($ in millions)

 

     For the Three Months  Ended
September 30
 
     2012     2011  

Total revenues

   $ 81.4      $ 74.3   

Income before taxes*

   $ 8.1      $ 6.8   

Pretax margin

     10.0     9.2

 

* See footnote (2) on page 8.

Total revenues for the Specialty Insurance segment were $81.4 million in the third quarter of 2012, an increase of 10 percent compared with the third quarter of 2011. The increase in revenues was driven by higher premiums earned in both the home warranty and property and casualty business lines. The overall loss ratio in the Specialty Insurance segment was 61 percent in the current quarter, as compared with a 60 percent loss ratio in the prior year. Total investment income was $4.4 million in the current quarter, up $1.6 million from the prior year due to higher net realized investment gains. As a result of higher total investment income in the current quarter, pretax margin was 10.0 percent, up from 9.2 percent in the third quarter of 2011.

Sale of CoreLogic Common Stock

During the third quarter, the company sold its remaining position in CoreLogic common stock. Proceeds from the sale were $207.9 million, which generated a net realized gain of $40.4 million. Of the approximately 8.9 million shares sold in the quarter, 6.0 million were held by First American’s holding company and 2.9 million were held by its primary insurance subsidiary, First American Title Insurance Company, with net realized gains of $25.4 million and $15.0 million, respectively.

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 4

 

Dividend Increase

First American’s board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per common share, representing a 50 percent increase from the prior level of 8 cents per common share. The cash dividend is payable on December 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 14, 2012.

Teleconference/Webcast

First American’s third quarter 2012 results will be discussed in more detail on Thursday, October 25, 2012, at 11 a.m. ET, via teleconference. The toll-free dial-in number is (800) 369-1839. Callers from outside the United States may dial (517) 308-9177. The pass code for the event is “First American.”

The live audio webcast of the call will be available on First American’s website at www.firstam.com/investor. An audio replay of the conference call will be available through Oct. 31, 2012, by dialing (402) 220-4725. An audio archive of the call will also be available on First American’s investor website.

About First American

First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a leading provider of title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries, that traces its heritage back to 1889. First American and its affiliated companies also provide title plant management services; title and other real property records and images; valuation products and services; home warranty products; property and casualty insurance; and banking, trust and investment advisory services. With revenues of $3.8 billion in 2011, the company offers its products and services directly and through its agents and partners in all 50 states and abroad. More information about the company can be found at www.firstam.com.

Website Disclosure

First American posts information of interest to investors at www.firstam.com/investor. This includes opened and closed title insurance order counts for its direct title insurance operations, which are posted approximately 12 days after the end of each month.

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 5

 

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release and the related management commentary and responses to investor questions, including but not limited to those related to the outlook for the housing and mortgage markets, title order pipelines and closed order outlook, future title margins, future title claims experience, corporate expense expectations, pursuit of growth in the core business, future tax rates, and future debt-to-capital ratios, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may contain the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “predict,” “estimate,” “project,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” or other similar words and phrases. Risks and uncertainties exist that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the anticipated results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements include: interest rate fluctuations; changes in the performance of the real estate markets; volatility in the capital markets; unfavorable economic conditions; impairments in the company’s goodwill or other intangible assets; failures at financial institutions where the company deposits funds; changes in applicable government regulations; heightened scrutiny by legislators and regulators of the company’s title insurance and services segment and certain other of the company’s businesses; regulation of title insurance rates; reform of government-sponsored mortgage enterprises; limitations on access to public records and other data; product migration; changes resulting from increases in the size of the company’s customers; changes in measures of the strength of the company’s title insurance underwriters, including ratings and statutory surpluses; losses in the company’s investment portfolio; expenses of and funding obligations to the pension plan; material variance between actual and expected claims experience; defalcations, increased claims or other costs and expenses attributable to the company’s use of title agents; systems interruptions and intrusions, wire transfer errors or unauthorized data disclosures; inability to realize the benefits of the company’s offshore strategy; inability of the company’s subsidiaries to pay dividends or repay funds; and other factors described in the company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This news release and related management commentary contain certain financial measures that are not presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), including a personnel and other operating expense ratio and adjusted corporate net expense. The company is presenting these non-GAAP financial measures because they provide the company’s management and investors with additional insight into the operational efficiency, level of corporate expenses and performance of the company relative to earlier periods and relative to the company’s competitors. The company does not intend for these non-GAAP financial measures to be a substitute for any GAAP financial information. In this news release, these non-GAAP financial measures have been presented with, and reconciled to, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Investors should use these non-GAAP financial measures only in conjunction with the comparable GAAP financial measures.

 

Media Contact:   Investor Contact:
Carrie Loranger   Craig Barberio
Corporate Communications   Investor Relations
First American Financial Corporation   First American Financial Corporation
(714) 250-3298   (714) 250-5214

(Additional Financial Data Follows)

 

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 6

 

First American Financial Corporation

Summary of Consolidated Financial Results and Selected Information

(in thousands, except per share amounts and title orders)

(unaudited)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
September 30
     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30
 
     2012      2011      2012      2011  

Total revenues

   $ 1,208,402       $ 964,965       $ 3,264,998       $ 2,824,008   

Income before income taxes

   $ 155,882       $ 38,411       $ 319,722       $ 64,177   

Income tax expense

     51,982         17,116         111,196         25,976   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income

     103,900         21,295         208,526         38,201   

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

     430         252         762         152   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income attributable to the Company

   $ 103,470       $ 21,043       $ 207,764       $ 38,049   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income per share attributable to stockholders:

           

Basic

   $ 0.97       $ 0.20       $ 1.95       $ 0.36   

Diluted

   $ 0.95       $ 0.20       $ 1.92       $ 0.36   

Cash dividends per share

   $ 0.08       $ 0.06       $ 0.24       $ 0.18   

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

           

Basic

     106,445         105,375         106,099         105,104   

Diluted

     108,709         107,005         108,243         106,837   

Selected Title Information

           

Title orders opened

     438,500         344,500         1,226,900         934,000   

Title orders closed

     305,600         226,600         856,200         667,800   

Paid title claims

   $ 66,644       $ 74,887       $ 218,949       $ 236,501   

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 7

 

First American Financial Corporation

Selected Balance Sheet Information

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     September 30,
2012
     December 31,
2011
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 745,372       $ 418,299   

Investment portfolio

     2,914,623         2,642,917   

Goodwill and other intangible assets

     894,743         878,414   

Total assets

     5,999,298         5,362,210   

Reserve for claim losses

     976,825         1,014,676   

Notes payable

     272,497         299,975   

Total stockholders’ equity

     2,280,797         2,028,600   

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 8

 

First American Financial Corporation

Segment Information

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2012

   Consolidated     Title
Insurance
    Specialty
Insurance
     Corporate
(incl. Elims.)
 

Revenues

         

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 535,846      $ 459,149      $ 76,697       $ —     

Agent premiums

     443,028        443,028        —           —     

Information and other

     159,103        158,803        303         (3

Investment income

     23,154        19,514        2,368         1,272   

Net realized investment gains(1)

     47,271        19,821        2,063         25,387 (3) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     1,208,402        1,100,315        81,431         26,656   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

         

Personnel costs

     344,140        317,197        14,298         12,645   

Premiums retained by agents

     355,191        355,191        —           —     

Other operating expenses

     213,111        197,030        9,950         6,131   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

     106,209        59,718        46,491         —     

Depreciation and amortization

     18,429        16,538        1,179         712   

Premium taxes

     13,470        12,063        1,407         —     

Interest

     1,970        671        —           1,299   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     1,052,520        958,408        73,325         20,787   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income before income taxes(2)

   $ 155,882      $ 141,907      $ 8,106       $ 5,869 (3) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2011

   Consolidated     Title
Insurance
    Specialty
Insurance
     Corporate
(incl. Elims.)
 

Revenues

         

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 426,533      $ 355,557      $ 70,976       $ —     

Agent premiums

     366,028        366,028        —           —     

Information and other

     158,969        158,490        477         2   

Investment income

     16,695        20,125        2,635         (6,065

Net realized investment (losses) gains(1)

     (3,260     (1,878     195         (1,577
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     964,965        898,322        74,283         (7,640
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

         

Personnel costs

     291,950        274,106        13,427         4,417   

Premiums retained by agents

     293,583        293,583        —           —     

Other operating expenses

     191,203        176,341        8,976         5,886   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

     112,177        69,538        42,639         —     

Depreciation and amortization

     19,018        17,062        1,046         910   

Premium taxes

     15,403        14,049        1,354         —     

Interest

     3,220        880        —           2,340   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     926,554        845,559        67,442         13,553   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes(2)

   $ 38,411      $ 52,763      $ 6,841       $ (21,193
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recorded in earnings.
(2) Beginning with the first quarter of 2012, changes were made to the allocation of certain expenses between business segments and the corporate division, primarily related to benefit plans, shared services, and interest expense. Prior period financials were reclassified to conform to the current presentation as further disclosed in the company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q.
(3) Excluding net realized investment gains of $25.4 million, income (loss) before taxes, or corporate net expense, is $(19.5) million.

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 9

 

First American Financial Corporation

Segment Information

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012

   Consolidated     Title
Insurance
    Specialty
Insurance
     Corporate
(incl. Elims.)
 

Revenues

         

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 1,446,920      $ 1,226,934      $ 219,986       $ —     

Agent premiums

     1,220,375        1,220,375        —           —     

Information and other

     482,690        481,503        1,196         (9

Investment income

     64,227        55,024        7,065         2,138   

Net realized investment gains (1)

     50,786        19,671        6,971         24,144   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     3,264,998        3,003,507        235,218         26,273   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

         

Personnel costs

     971,462        894,122        41,678         35,662   

Premiums retained by agents

     978,703        978,703        —           —     

Other operating expenses

     607,908        558,541        30,586         18,781   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

     288,276        166,717        121,559         —     

Depreciation and amortization

     54,944        49,539        3,351         2,054   

Premium taxes

     36,546        32,718        3,828         —     

Interest

     7,437        1,993        —           5,444   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     2,945,276        2,682,333        201,002         61,941   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes(2)

   $ 319,722      $ 321,174      $ 34,216       $ (35,668
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2011

   Consolidated     Title
Insurance
    Specialty
Insurance
     Corporate
(incl. Elims.)
 

Revenues

         

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 1,189,605      $ 984,907      $ 204,698       $ —     

Agent premiums

     1,114,390        1,114,390        —           —     

Information and other

     467,437        466,211        1,221         5   

Investment income

     59,560        57,718        7,710         (5,868

Net realized investment (losses) gains(1)

     (6,984     (5,133     1,131         (2,982
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     2,824,008        2,618,093        214,760         (8,845
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

         

Personnel costs

     868,703        802,912        37,569         28,222   

Premiums retained by agents

     893,382        893,382        —           —     

Other operating expenses

     578,373        533,636        28,074         16,663   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

     318,926        206,180        112,746         —     

Depreciation and amortization

     56,984        51,187        3,139         2,658   

Premium taxes

     34,359        30,796        3,563         —     

Interest

     9,104        2,179        —           6,925   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
     2,759,831        2,520,272        185,091         54,468   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes(2)

   $ 64,177      $ 97,821      $ 29,669       $ (63,313
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recorded in earnings.
(2) Beginning with the first quarter of 2012, changes were made to the allocation of certain expenses between business segments and the corporate division, primarily related to benefit plans, shared services, and interest expense. Prior period financials were reclassified to conform to the current presentation as further disclosed in the company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q.

 

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First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Page 10

 

First American Financial Corporation

Expense Ratio Reconciliation

Title Insurance and Services Segment

($ in thousands, unaudited)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
September 30
    For the Nine Months Ended
September 30
 
     2012     2011     2012     2011  

Total revenues

   $ 1,100,315      $ 898,322      $ 3,003,507      $ 2,618,093   

-Net realized investment gains (losses)

     19,821        (1,878     19,671        (5,133

-Investment income

     19,514        20,125        55,024        57,718   

-Premiums retained by agents

     355,191        293,583        978,703        893,382   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net operating revenues

     705,789        586,492        1,950,109        1,672,126   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Personnel and other operating expenses

   $ 514,227      $ 450,447      $ 1,452,663      $ 1,336,548   

Ratio (% net operating revenues)

     72.9     76.8     74.5     79.9

Ratio (% total revenues)

     46.7     50.1     48.4     51.1

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