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8-K - FORM 8-K - First American Financial Corpd713849d8k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO   LOGO

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2014 RESULTS

—Reports Earnings of 20 Cents per Diluted Share

SANTA ANA, Calif., April 24, 2014 – First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a leading global provider of title insurance, settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014.

Current Quarter Highlights

 

    Total revenues down 12 percent compared with last year

- Refinance closed orders down 64 percent

 

    Title Insurance and Services segment pretax margin of 4.6 percent

 

    Title order mix shifting to higher-premium purchase transactions

- Refinance transactions accounted for 42 percent of residential open orders

 

    Commercial revenues of $115.7 million, up 25 percent compared with last year

 

    Specialty Insurance segment total revenues up 7 percent, with a pretax margin of 16.0 percent

 

    Debt-to-capital ratio of 15.6 percent as of March 31, 2014

 

    Significant capital management actions taken:

- Doubled dividend to annual rate of $0.96 per share; 3.6 percent yield at quarter end

- Raised share repurchase authorization to $250 million, with $183 million remaining

- Closed $155 million acquisition of Interthinx, Inc. on March 12, 2014

Selected Financial Information

($ in millions, except per share data)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
March 31
 
     2014      2013  

Total revenues

   $ 1,012.8       $ 1,146.8   

Income before taxes

     35.3         59.6   

Net income

   $ 21.7       $ 36.2   

Net income per diluted share

     0.20         0.33   

Total revenues for the first quarter of 2014 were $1.0 billion, a decline of 12 percent relative to the first quarter of 2013. Net income in the current quarter was $21.7 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $36.2 million, or 33 cents per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2013. The current quarter results include net realized investment gains of $2.6 million as well as impairments of investments accounted for under the equity method of $2.0 million, which together impacted net income by less than 1 cent per diluted share. The first quarter of 2013 included net realized investment gains of $9.3 million, or 5 cents per diluted share.

“During the first quarter, we benefited from revenue growth in our higher-premium purchase and commercial businesses, which partly offset a significant drop in refinance transactions,” said Dennis J. Gilmore, chief executive officer at First American Financial Corporation. “We also continued to focus on expense management in response to a 12 percent decline in total company revenue. While open orders per day for purchase transactions accelerated from 1,700 in January to 2,000 in March, the ultimate strength of this year’s spring selling season remains to be determined.

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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“Our long-term business outlook continues to be positive and, given our confidence in future earnings and cash flow, we doubled our dividend to an annual rate of $0.96 per share. We also increased our share repurchase authorization to $250 million, which we expect to deploy on an opportunistic basis over time. These actions demonstrate a long-term commitment to create value for our shareholders, while leaving the company with the financial flexibility to continue to execute on our growth strategies.”

Title Insurance and Services

($ in millions, except average revenue per order)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
March 31
 
     2014     2013  

Total revenues

   $ 925.3      $ 1,062.6   

Income before taxes

   $ 42.6      $ 64.3   

Pretax margin

     4.6     6.0

Direct open orders

     271,200        376,600   

Direct closed orders

     180,100        291,400   

U.S. Commercial

    

Total revenues

   $ 115.7      $ 92.7   

Open orders

     29,000        29,400   

Closed orders

    
17,700
  
   
17,000
  

Average revenue per order

   $ 6,500      $ 5,500   

Total revenues for the Title Insurance and Services segment were $925 million, a 13 percent decline from the same quarter of 2013. Direct premiums and escrow fees were down 13 percent from the first quarter of 2013, driven by a 38 percent decline in the number of direct title orders closed in the quarter, partly offset by a 39 percent increase in the revenue per direct title order to $1,723. The increase in revenue per direct title order closed was primarily attributable to a shift in the title order mix to higher-premium purchase and commercial transactions, and to an increase in their average fees per order. Agent premiums were also down by 13 percent in the current quarter, which is consistent with the decline in direct premiums experienced in the previous quarter, reflecting the typical reporting lag of approximately one quarter.

Information and other revenues were $137.2 million this quarter, down 10 percent compared with the same quarter of last year. The decline was primarily due to lower demand for the company’s default and title plant information products as a result of the slowdown in transaction activity during the quarter.

Investment income was $15.7 million in the first quarter, a decline of $3.3 million from the first quarter of 2013. The decline was primarily related to investments accounted for using the equity method, including both lower earnings and $2.0 million in impairments. These negative impacts on investment income were partly offset by higher dividend and interest income from the investment portfolio. Net realized investment gains totaled $2.2 million in the current quarter, down from $7.4 million in the first quarter of 2013, primarily reflecting the timing of sales of debt and equity securities in the investment portfolio.

 

 

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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Personnel costs were $300.3 million in the first quarter, a decline of $16.6 million, or 5 percent, compared with the first quarter of 2013. The decline was primarily due to a reduction in expense for employee benefits and overtime.

Other operating expenses were $170.1 million in the first quarter, down $18.5 million, or 10 percent, compared with the first quarter of 2013. The decrease was primarily due to lower production-related expenses and temporary labor costs driven by the decline in order volumes in the current quarter.

The provision for policy losses and other claims was $46.2 million in the first quarter, or 6.0 percent of title premiums and escrow fees, a decline of $31.1 million compared with the same quarter of the prior year. The current quarter rate reflects an ultimate loss rate of 6.0 percent for the current policy year with no reserve adjustments for prior policy years.

Pretax income for the Title Insurance and Services segment was $42.6 million in the first quarter, compared with $64.3 million in the first quarter of 2013. Pretax margin was 4.6 percent in the current quarter, compared with 6.0 percent last year.

Specialty Insurance

($ in millions)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
March 31
 
     2014     2013  

Total revenues

   $ 87.1      $ 81.5   

Income before taxes

   $ 13.9      $ 15.9   

Pretax margin

     16.0     19.5

Total revenues for the Specialty Insurance segment were $87.1 million in the first quarter of 2014, an increase of 7 percent compared with the first quarter of 2013. 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 52 percent in the current quarter, compared with a 50 percent loss ratio in the prior year. The increase in the loss ratio was driven by higher weather-related claims in the property and casualty business. As a result, the pretax margin in the current quarter declined to 16.0 percent from 19.5 percent in the first quarter of 2013, which also benefited from higher net realized investment gains.

Teleconference/Webcast

First American’s first quarter 2014 results will be discussed in more detail on Thursday, April 24, 2014, at 11 a.m. EDT, via teleconference. The toll-free dial-in number is 888-946-7608. Callers from outside the United States may dial 312-470-7331. The passcode 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 May 1, 2014, by dialing 203-369-3402. An audio archive of the call will also be available on First American’s investor website.

 

 

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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About First American

First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a leading provider of title insurance, settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions that traces its heritage back to 1889. First American also provides 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 $5.0 billion in 2013, the company offers its products and services directly and through its agents throughout the United 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.

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 expense management; the company’s long-term business outlook, including future earnings, cash flow, growth strategies and share repurchases; the market outlook, including the spring selling season and anticipated revenues from home purchases; and the company’s credit facility balance, 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 in relationships with large mortgage lenders and government-sponsored enterprises; changes in measures of the strength of the company’s title insurance underwriters, including ratings and statutory capital and surplus; 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; challenges and adverse effects arising from acquisitions and other factors described in the company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, 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.

 

 

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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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 personnel and other operating expense ratios. 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 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:
Marcus Ginnaty   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 First Quarter 2014 Results

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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
March 31
 
     2014      2013  

Total revenues

   $ 1,012,799       $ 1,146,763   

Income before income taxes

   $ 35,253       $ 59,592   

Income tax expense

     13,401         23,360   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income

     21,852         36,232   

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

     128         54   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income attributable to the Company

   $ 21,724       $ 36,178   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income per share attributable to stockholders:

     

Basic

   $ 0.20       $ 0.34   

Diluted

   $ 0.20       $ 0.33   

Cash dividends declared per share

   $ 0.36       $ 0.12   

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

     

Basic

     106,166         107,552   

Diluted

     108,276         109,993   

Selected Title Information

     

Title orders opened

     271,200         376,600   

Title orders closed

     180,100         291,400   

Paid title claims

   $ 77,930       $ 71,337   

 

 

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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First American Financial Corporation

Selected Balance Sheet Information

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

     March 31,
2014
     December 31,
2013
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 770,420       $ 834,837   

Investment portfolio

     3,376,215         3,385,328   

Goodwill and other intangible assets

     1,045,261         892,373   

Total assets

     6,629,621         6,559,183   

Reserve for claim losses

     979,381         1,018,365   

Notes payable

     457,001         310,285   

Total stockholders’ equity

   $ 2,459,523       $ 2,453,049   

 

 

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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First American Financial Corporation

Segment Information

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

 
For the Three Months Ended           Title      Specialty      Corporate  

March 31, 2014

   Consolidated      Insurance      Insurance      (incl. Elims.)  

Revenues

           

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 433,872       $ 349,363       $ 84,509       $ —     

Agent premiums

     420,924         420,924         —           —     

Information and other

     137,642         137,178         470         (6

Investment income

     17,767         15,703         1,729         335   

Net realized investment gains(1)

     2,594         2,161         433         —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     1,012,799         925,329         87,141         329   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

           

Personnel costs

     326,518         300,279         15,514         10,725   

Premiums retained by agents

     336,665         336,665         —           —     

Other operating expenses

     188,367         170,082         11,468         6,817   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

     89,883         46,216         43,667         —     

Depreciation and amortization

     19,972         17,914         1,239         819   

Premium taxes

     12,290         10,936         1,354         —     

Interest

     3,851         600         —           3,251   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     977,546         882,692         73,242         21,612   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

   $ 35,253       $ 42,637       $ 13,899       $ (21,283
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
For the Three Months Ended           Title      Specialty      Corporate  

March 31, 2013

   Consolidated      Insurance      Insurance      (incl. Elims.)  

Revenues

           

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 477,851       $ 399,985       $ 77,866       $ —     

Agent premiums

     484,465         484,465         —           —     

Information and other

     152,133         151,749         390         (6

Investment income

     23,058         18,986         1,678         2,394   

Net realized investment gains(1)

     9,256         7,396         1,575         285   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     1,146,763         1,062,581         81,509         2,673   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

           

Personnel costs

     344,500         316,844         14,331         13,325   

Premiums retained by agents

     387,543         387,543         —           —     

Other operating expenses

     205,346         188,614         10,219         6,513   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

     116,026         77,360         38,666         —     

Depreciation and amortization

     18,395         16,483         1,179         733   

Premium taxes

     12,117         10,904         1,213         —     

Interest

     3,244         564         —           2,680   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     1,087,171         998,312         65,608         23,251   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

   $ 59,592       $ 64,269       $ 15,901       $ (20,578
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes impairment losses recorded in earnings, except for impairments on investments accounted for under the equity method, which are recorded in investment income.

 

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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First American Financial Corporation

Expense Ratio Reconciliation

Title Insurance and Services Segment

($ in thousands, unaudited)

 

         For the Three Months Ended
March 31
 
             2014             2013      

Total revenues

   $ 925,329      $ 1,062,581   

Less:

 

Net realized investment gains (1)

     2,161        7,396   
 

Investment income

     15,703        18,986   
 

Premiums retained by agents

     336,665        387,543   
    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net operating revenues

   $ 570,800      $ 648,656   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Personnel and other operating expenses

   $ 470,361      $ 505,458   

Ratio (% net operating revenues)

     82.4     77.9

Ratio (% total revenues)

     50.8     47.6

 

(1) Includes impairment losses recorded in earnings, except for impairments on investments accounted for under the equity method, which are recorded in investment income.

 

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First American Financial Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

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First American Financial Corporation

Supplemental Direct Title Order Information

(unaudited)

 

     Q114     Q413     Q313     Q213     Q113  

Open Orders per Day

          

Purchase

     1,892        1,626        2,054        2,199        1,900   

Refinance

     1,397        1,462        1,628        2,967        2,905   

Refinance as % of residential orders

     42     47     44     57     60

Commercial

     475        480        477        548        482   

Other1

     682        726        779        872        887   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total open orders per day

     4,446        4,294        4,938        6,586        6,174   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Closed Orders per Day

          

Purchase

     1,217        1,383        1,657        1,637        1,218   

Refinance

     907        1,096        1,645        2,311        2,496   

Refinance as % of residential orders

     43     44     50     59     67

Commercial

     290        331        316        313        278   

Other1

     538        640        653        759        785   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total closed orders per day

     2,952        3,449        4,272        5,020        4,777   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Average Revenue per Order (ARPO)2

          

Purchase

   $ 1,799      $ 1,829      $ 1,813      $ 1,810      $ 1,700   

Refinance

     813        819        807        802        820   

Commercial

     6,530        8,425        6,895        6,886        5,465   

Other1

     489        409        504        337        367   

Total ARPO

   $ 1,723      $ 1,878      $ 1,602      $ 1,440      $ 1,240   

Business Days

     61        63        64        64        61   

 

(1) Includes default and other orders
(2) U.S. operations only

Totals may not foot due to rounding

 

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