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8-K - 8-K - Blue Capital Reinsurance Holdings Ltd.a14-11417_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

Blue Capital Reinsurance Holdings Reports First Quarter Financial Results

 

·                  Book value per share of $20.20, up 3.5% from December 31, 2013,

·                  Quarterly operating earnings per share of $0.70,

·                  Strong underwriting results highlighted by a 41% combined ratio.

 

HAMILTON, Bermuda, April 29, 2014 - Blue Capital Reinsurance Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:BCRH) (the “Company”), a Bermuda holding company that offers collateralized reinsurance in the property catastrophe market and invests in various insurance-linked securities, today reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2014.  The Company was formed on June 24, 2013 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on November 6, 2013.

 

The Company’s book value per common share (BVPS) was $20.20 at March 31, 2014, an increase of $0.40 from December 31, 2013, reflecting a 3.5% increase inclusive of dividends declared in the quarter.  The Company’s net income and operating income for the quarter was $6.1 million ($0.70 per share).

 

The table below illustrates the components of our first quarter 2014 activities:

 

 

 

Amount in

 

Impact per share

 

Three Month Period ended March 31, 2014

 

millions

 

Earnings

 

BVPS

 

Net income and operating income

 

$

6.1

 

$

.70

 

$

.70

 

Common dividends declared

 

(2.6

)

 

 

(.30

)

Net change in book value

 

$

3.5

 

 

 

$

.40

 

 

During the first quarter of 2014, the Company bound indemnity reinsurance contracts with expected total annual premiums of $41.0 million and wrote $21.8 million in premium. The business generated by the Company since its inception collectively represents $181.9 million in total reinsurance contract limit.

 

Of the total capital deployed by the Company thus far, approximately 40% was deployed in support of first event reinsurance coverages, 40% was deployed in support of a catastrophe quota share and the balance was deployed in support of second and subsequent event reinsurance coverages.

 

During the quarter, the Company earned $10.2 million of reinsurance premiums, representing approximately 25% of the expected total annual premium associated with its in-force reinsurance contracts at March 31, 2014. The Company also earned $0.1 million from a derivative contract.

 



 

Loss and loss adjustment expenses for the quarter were $0.9 million, nearly all of which represents losses that are believed to have occurred but for which no claims have been reported.

 

Acquisition costs were $2.2 million, which included $0.6 million of accrued profit commissions.

 

General and administration expenses were $1.1 million, which consisted of management fees of $0.7 million, public company expenses of $0.3 million and administrative fees of $0.1 million.

 

As of March 31, 2014, the Company’s net exposures to: (i) a single natural catastrophe occurrence within certain broadly defined major catastrophe zones; and (ii) single event losses for certain defined natural catastrophe region and peril combinations, were each in compliance with its underwriting guidelines.

 

On March 31, 2014, the Company declared its first regular quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, which is payable on April 30, 2014 to all shareholders of record as of April 15, 2014.

 

The Company expects to close on a $20.0 million revolving credit facility during the second quarter of 2014, which will allow it to more effectively meet its short-term liquidity demands. Such a facility would permit the Company to fully deploy all of the net proceeds it raised in its Initial Public Offering during the initial year of its operations.

 

William Pollett, President and CEO, commented: “I am pleased to report that we generated a 3.5% increase in book value per share during our first full quarter of operations. Our underwriting team executed well during the key January renewal period, enabling us to construct a diversified portfolio of risks in-line with our expectations.”

 

Additional information can be found in the Company’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and at www.bcapre.bm.

 

Blue Capital Management Ltd. and Blue Capital Insurance Managers Ltd., which serve as the Company’s  investment manager and reinsurance manager, respectively, are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: MRH, “Montpelier”), a leading global provider of property catastrophe and short tail reinsurance solutions with over $3.5 billion of assets. Through this relationship, the Company benefits from Montpelier’s industry leading proprietary reinsurance modelling tools, underwriting expertise and broker/client relationships.

 

Blue Capital Reinsurance Holdings Ltd.

 

Investors:

William Pollett, President and CEO

441-299-7576

 

General Inquiries:

441-278-5004

 



 

Application of the Safe Harbor of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States (the “U.S.”) federal securities laws, pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. These statements are based upon current plans, estimates and projections. Forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of uncertainties and various risk factors, many of which are outside our control. See Item 1A “Risk Factors” contained in the Company’s 2013 Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, for specific important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements in this earnings release by the use of words such as “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans” and “believes,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may” and “could.” These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to our future financial performance, our business prospects and strategy, our dividend policy and expected dividend payout, anticipated financial position, liquidity and capital needs and other similar matters. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events, which are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict.

 

Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements included in this press release as a result of various factors, including, among others:

 

·  the fact that we have little operating history;

 

·  the possibility of severe or unanticipated losses from natural and man-made catastrophes, including those that may result from changes in climate conditions, including global temperatures and expected sea levels;

 

·  the effectiveness of our loss limitation methods;

 

·  our dependence on our Chief Executive Officer and interim Chief Financial Officer and our service providers;

 

·  our ability to effectively execute our business plan and any new ventures that we may enter into;

 

·  acceptance of our business strategy, security and financial condition by regulators, brokers and insureds;

 

·  failure by any service provider to carry out its obligations to us in accordance with the terms of its appointment;

 

·  conflicts of interest that could result from our relationships and potential overlaps in business with related parties, including Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. and its subsidiaries;

 

·  the cyclical nature of the property catastrophe insurance and reinsurance industry;

 



 

·  the availability of capital and financing, including our ability to raise more equity capital and our ability to release capital from existing obligations to redeploy annually;

 

·  the levels of new and renewal business achieved;

 

·  the availability of opportunities to increase writings in our core property and specialty insurance and reinsurance lines of business and in specific areas of the casualty reinsurance market and our ability to capitalize on those opportunities;

 

·  the inherent uncertainty of our risk management process, which is subject to, among other things, industry loss estimates and estimates generated by modeling techniques;

 

·  the accuracy of those estimates and judgments used in the preparation of our financial statements, including those related to revenue recognition, insurance and other reserves, reinsurance recoverables, asset valuations, contingencies and litigation which, for a new reinsurance company like us, are even more difficult to make than those made in a mature company because of limited historical information;

 

·  the inherent uncertainties of establishing reserves for loss and loss adjustment expenses and unanticipated adjustments to premium estimates;

 

·  changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance or retrocessional coverage;

 

·  general economic and market conditions, including inflation, volatility in the credit and capital markets, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, and conditions specific to the insurance and reinsurance markets in which we operate;

 

·  changes in and the impact of governmental legislation or regulation, including changes in tax laws in the jurisdictions where we conduct business;

 

·  statutory or regulatory developments, including as to tax policy and reinsurance and other regulatory matters such as the adoption of proposed legislation that would affect Bermuda-headquartered companies or Bermuda-based insurers or reinsurers;

 

·  potential treatment of us as an investment company or a passive foreign investment company for purposes of U.S. securities laws or U.S. federal taxation, respectively;

 

·  the amount and timing of any reinsurance recoverables and reimbursements we actually receive from our reinsurers;

 

·  the overall level of competition, and the related supply and demand dynamics in our markets relating to growing capital levels in our industry;

 

·  declining demand due to increased retentions by cedants and other factors;

 

·  acts of terrorism, political unrest, outbreak of war and other hostilities or other non-forecasted and unpredictable events;

 



 

·  unexpected developments concerning the small number of insurance and reinsurance brokers upon whom we rely for a large portion of revenues;

 

·  operational risks, including the risk of fraud and any errors and omissions, as well as technology breaches or failures;

 

·  our dependence as a holding company upon dividends or distributions from our operating subsidiaries;

 

·  changes in accounting principles or the application of such principles by regulators; and

 

· the impact of any foreign currency fluctuations.

 

We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made.

 



 

BLUE CAPITAL REINSURANCE HOLDINGS LTD.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In millions of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts)

Unaudited

 

 

 

March 31,

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

29.3

 

$

173.8

 

Cash and cash equivalents pledged as collateral

 

100.1

 

 

Reinsurance premiums receivable

 

10.7

 

 

Deferred reinsurance acquisition costs

 

0.9

 

 

Funds held by reinsured companies as collateral

 

54.0

 

 

Other assets

 

0.1

 

1.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Assets

 

$

195.1

 

$

175.5

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves

 

$

0.9

 

$

 

Unearned reinsurance premiums

 

11.6

 

 

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

 

4.4

 

0.7

 

Other liabilities

 

1.4

 

1.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

 

18.3

 

2.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders’ Equity

 

 

 

 

 

Common Shares and additional paid-in capital

 

174.0

 

174.0

 

Retained earnings (deficit)

 

2.8

 

(0.7

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Shareholders’ Equity

 

176.8

 

173.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

 

$

195.1

 

$

175.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book value per Common Share (1)

 

$

20.20

 

$

19.80

 

Ending Common Shares outstanding (000s)

 

8,750

 

8,750

 

 


(1)         This measure constitutes a “non-GAAP financial measure” as defined in Regulation G and represents the Company’s shareholders’ equity at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, divided by its ending Common Shares outstanding at those dates.

 



 

BLUE CAPITAL REINSURANCE HOLDINGS LTD.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(In millions of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)

Unaudited

 

 

 

Three Month

 

 

 

Period Ended

 

 

 

March 31, 2014

 

Revenues

 

 

 

Reinsurance premiums written

 

$

21.8

 

Change in unearned reinsurance premiums

 

(11.6

)

 

 

 

 

Reinsurance premiums earned

 

10.2

 

Net income from derivative instruments

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

Total revenues

 

10.3

 

Expenses

 

 

 

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

 

0.9

 

Reinsurance acquisition costs

 

2.2

 

General and administrative expenses

 

1.1

 

 

 

 

 

Total expenses

 

4.2

 

 

 

 

 

Net income, operating income and comprehensive income

 

$

6.1

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted earnings per Common Share

 

$

0.70

 

Dividends declared per Common Share

 

0.30

 

 

 

 

 

Insurance ratios:

 

 

 

Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio

 

8.5

%

Acquisition costs ratio

 

21.3

%

General and administrative expense ratio

 

11.2

%

Combined ratio

 

41.0

%

 



 

BLUE CAPITAL REINSURANCE HOLDINGS LTD.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Three Month Period Ended March 31, 2014

(In millions of U.S. dollars)

Unaudited

 

 

 

Total

 

Common

 

Additional

 

Retained

 

 

 

shareholders’

 

Shares at

 

paid-in

 

earnings

 

 

 

equity

 

par value

 

capital

 

(deficit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening balances at January 1, 2014

 

$

173.3

 

$

8.8

 

$

165.2

 

$

(0.7

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

6.1

 

 

 

6.1

 

Dividends declared on Common Shares

 

(2.6

)

 

 

(2.6

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ending balances at March 31, 2014

 

$

176.8

 

$

8.8

 

$

165.2

 

$

2.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends declared as a percentage of year-to-date net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

42.6

%

 



 

BLUE CAPITAL REINSURANCE HOLDINGS LTD.

 

Natural Catastrophe Risk Management

 

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A of the Company’s 2013 Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in particular the risk factor entitled “Our stated catastrophe and enterprise-wide risk management exposures are based on estimates and judgments which are subject to significant uncertainties.”

 

Exposure Management

 

The Company’s Investment and Insurance Managers (the “Managers”) monitor our net exposure to a single natural catastrophe occurrence within certain broadly defined major catastrophe zones. Our February 15, 2014 projected net exposures by zone were in compliance with our underwriting guidelines.  Namely, our projected net exposure to any one zone was below 50% of our shareholders’ equity at March 31, 2014.

 

These broadly defined major catastrophe zones are currently defined as follows:

 

North America:

 

Europe:

 

Rest of World:

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. - Northeast

 

Western Central Europe (1)

 

Australia

U.S. - Mid-Atlantic

 

Eastern Europe

 

New Zealand

U.S. - Florida

 

Southern Europe

 

Japan

U.S. - Gulf

 

Northern Europe, Benelux

 

South America

U.S. - New Madrid

 

and Scandinavia

 

Middle East

U.S. - Midwest

 

U.K. and Ireland

 

 

U.S. - California

 

 

 

 

U.S. - Hawaii

 

 

 

 

Canada - Eastern

 

 

 

 

Canada - Western

 

 

 

 

 


(1)  Consisting of France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

 

Single Event Losses

 

For certain defined natural catastrophe region and peril combinations, the Managers assess the probability and likely magnitude of losses using a combination of industry third-party models, proprietary models and underwriting judgment. The Managers attempt to model the projected net impact from a single event, taking into account contributions from property catastrophe reinsurance (including retrocessional business), property pro-rata reinsurance and event-linked derivative securities, offset by the net benefit of any reinsurance or derivative protections we purchase and the benefit of premiums.

 

The table that follows details the projected net impact from single event losses as of February 15, 2014 for selected zones at selected return period levels using AIR Worldwide Corporation’s CLASIC/2 model version 15.0, one of several industry-recognized third-party vendor models. It is important to note that each catastrophe model contains its own assumptions as to the frequency and severity of loss events, and results may vary significantly from model to model.

 

Since the Managers utilize a combination of third-party models, proprietary models and underwriting judgement to project the net impact from single event losses, our internal projections may be higher or lower than those presented in the following table:

 

Net Impact From Single Event Losses at Specified Return Periods

 

 

 

Net Impact

 

 

 

Percentage of March 31, 2014

 

 

 

(Millions)

 

Return Period (1)

 

Shareholders’ Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. - Florida hurricane

 

$

45

 

1 in 100 year

 

25%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.K. and Ireland windstorm

 

32

 

1 in 100 year

 

18%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. - Gulf hurricane

 

30

 

1 in 100 year

 

17%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. - California earthquake

 

27

 

1 in 250 year

 

15%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All other zones

 

 

 

 

 

less than 15%

 

 


(1)   A “100-year” return period can also be referred to as the 1.0% occurrence exceedance probability (“OEP”), meaning there is a 1.0% chance in any given year that this level will be exceeded.  A “250-year” return period can also be referred to as the 0.4% OEP, meaning there is a 0.4% chance in any given year that this level will be exceeded.

 

Our February 15, 2014 single event loss exposures were in compliance with our underwriting guidelines. Namely, the projected net impact from any one catastrophe loss event (excluding earthquake) at the 1 in 100 year return period for any one zone did not exceed 35% of our shareholders’ equity at March 31, 2014, and the projected net impact from any one earthquake loss event at the 1 in 250 year return period for any zone did not exceed 35% of our shareholders’ equity at March 31, 2014.

 

Our single event loss estimates represent snapshots as of February 15, 2014. The composition of our in-force portfolio may change materially at any time due to the acceptance of new policies, the expiration of existing policies, and changes in our outwards reinsurance and derivative protections.