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8-K - FORM 8-K - First American Financial Corpd872989d8k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO    NEWS   

FOR

IMMEDIATE

RELEASE

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL REPORTS RESULTS

FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR OF 2014

Reports Earnings of 74 Cents per Diluted Share for the Fourth Quarter

SANTA ANA, Calif., Feb. 12, 2015 – 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 fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 31, 2014.

Current Quarter Highlights

 

    Total revenue of $1.3 billion, up 3 percent compared with last year

 

    Title Insurance segment pretax margin of 10.8 percent, up from 7.8 percent last year

 

    Commercial revenues of $198.7 million, up 13 percent compared with last year

 

    Specialty Insurance segment pretax margin of 18.4 percent

 

    Cash flow from operations of $182.4 million

 

    Cash flow for the full year 2014 of $348.6 million

 

    Issued $300 million of 4.6 percent senior unsecured notes with a 10-year term

 

    Debt-to-capital ratio of 18.6 percent as of Dec. 31, 2014

Selected Financial Information

($ in millions, except per share data)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
December 31
     For the Full Year Ended
December 31
 
     2014      2013      2014      2013  

Total revenue

   $ 1,255.5       $ 1,219.9       $ 4,677.9       $ 4,956.1   

Income before taxes

     122.9         84.8         350.6         310.7   

Net income

   $ 80.5       $ 51.6       $ 233.5       $ 186.4   

Net income per diluted share

     0.74         0.48         2.15         1.71   

Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2014 was $1.3 billion, an increase of 3 percent relative to the fourth quarter of 2013. Net income in the current quarter was $80.5 million, or 74 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $51.6 million, or 48 cents per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2013. The current quarter results include net realized investment gains of $6.8 million, or 4 cents per diluted share, compared with gains of $2.4 million, or 1 cent per share, in the fourth quarter of last year. In addition, investment income in the current quarter was reduced by impairments of investments in affiliates totaling $20.0 million, or 12 cents per diluted share, compared with impairments of $7.8 million, or 4 cents per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Total revenue for the full year of 2014 was $4.7 billion, a decline of 6 percent relative to the prior year. Net income was $233.5 million, or $2.15 per diluted share, compared with $186.4 million, or $1.71 per diluted share, in 2013.

 

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First American Financial Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

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“I am pleased with the company’s strong results in the fourth quarter,” said Dennis J. Gilmore, chief executive officer at First American Financial Corporation. “Our consistent focus on expense management drove strong operating leverage in the quarter, resulting in a 10.8 percent pretax margin for the title segment. Our commercial business achieved another record quarter, with revenues up 13 percent, and our specialty insurance segment generated a pretax margin of 18.4 percent, driven by continued momentum in our home warranty business.

“Given the backdrop of an improving economy, we remain optimistic that the housing market will continue to strengthen in 2015. In January, refinance activity rose sharply in response to the unexpected decline in mortgage rates, driving total open orders per day up 27 percent compared with January last year. While the increase in refinance orders will provide short-term benefits, it’s uncertain how long this level of elevated activity will continue. With regard to the purchase market, our full-year expectation is for modest growth in originations, with some improvement in both transaction levels and home prices.

“Based on our positive long-term outlook, our board of directors recently approved a 4 percent increase in the common stock dividend to $1.00 per share annually.”

Title Insurance and Services

($ in millions, except average revenue per order)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
December 31
 
     2014     2013  

Total revenue

   $ 1,157.9      $ 1,125.5   

Income before taxes

   $ 124.5      $ 87.9   

Pretax margin

     10.8     7.8

Direct open orders

     268,600        270,500   

Direct closed orders

     204,700        217,300   

U.S. Commercial

    

Total revenues

   $ 198.7      $ 175.7   

Open orders

     31,800        30,200   

Closed orders

     20,800        20,900   

Average revenue per order

   $ 9,600      $ 8,400   

Total revenue for the Title Insurance and Services segment was $1.2 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014, an increase of 3 percent from the same quarter of 2013. Direct premiums and escrow fees were up 9 percent compared with last year, due to a 16 percent increase in average revenue per order that was partly offset by a 6 percent decline in the number of direct title orders closed in the quarter. The average revenue per direct title order climbed to $2,171, due to an increase in the average revenue per closed order for commercial and purchase transactions, as well as a shift in the mix to higher-premium purchase and commercial transactions. Agent premiums were down by 3 percent in the current quarter, reflecting the normal reporting lag of approximately one quarter.

 

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First American Financial Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

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Information and other revenues were $154.7 million this quarter, up 8 percent compared with the same quarter of last year. This increase was primarily due to the impact of recent acquisitions, partly offset by lower demand for the company’s default information products as a result of the decline in loss mitigation and foreclosure activity during the quarter.

Investment income in the current quarter was $2.7 million, down $11.1 million, due primarily to impairments of investments in affiliates totaling $20.0 million, compared with $5.8 million in impairments in the fourth quarter of 2013. Net realized investment gains were $4.6 million in the quarter, up $6.8 million from last year.

Personnel costs were $340.8 million in the fourth quarter, up $10.3 million, or 3 percent, compared with the fourth quarter of 2013. This increase was primarily due to higher incentive-based compensation driven by the improvement in revenues and profitability in the current quarter compared to last year.

Other operating expenses were $192.1 million in the fourth quarter, down $15.2 million, or 7 percent, compared with the fourth quarter of 2013. This decline was primarily due to lower legal expenses as well as lower production-related costs given the decline in orders in the current quarter.

The provision for policy losses and other claims was $64.7 million in the fourth quarter, or 6.5 percent of title premiums and escrow fees, compared with a loss provision rate of 5.8 percent in the same quarter of the prior year.

Pretax income for the Title Insurance and Services segment was $124.5 million in the fourth quarter, compared with $87.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. Pretax margin was 10.8 percent in the current quarter, compared with 7.8 percent last year.

Specialty Insurance

($ in millions)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
December 31
 
     2014     2013  

Total revenue

   $ 95.5      $ 88.0   

Income before taxes

   $ 17.6      $ 14.9   

Pretax margin

     18.4     17.0

Total revenue for the Specialty Insurance segment was $95.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2014, up 9 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2013. The overall loss ratio for the Specialty Insurance segment was 52 percent in the current quarter, essentially flat with the prior year. Growth in premiums and an increase in net realized investment gains drove a pretax margin of 18.4 percent, up from 17.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013.

 

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First American Financial Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

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Teleconference/Webcast

First American’s fourth quarter and full year 2014 results will be discussed in more detail on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015, at 11 a.m. EST, via teleconference. The toll-free dial-in number is 877-407-8293. Callers from outside the United States may dial 201-689-8349. 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 Feb. 26, 2015, by dialing 201-612-7415 and using the conference ID 13598928. 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, 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 $4.7 billion in 2014, 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 U.S. 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 an improving economy; the outlook for the housing market, including an uncertain refinance market and increasing home purchase transaction volumes and prices; the company’s ability to capitalize on the housing recovery; the outlook for the commercial market, including declining growth rates; continued strength in the company’s home warranty business; expense management, including projected interest and defined benefit plan expenses; and our expected normalized tax rate, 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; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s exercise of its broad rulemaking and supervisory powers; regulation of title insurance rates; reform of government-sponsored mortgage enterprises; limitations on access to public records and other data; changes in relationships with large mortgage lenders and government-sponsored enterprises; changes in measures of the strength of the company’s title insurance

 

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First American Financial Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

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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; any inadequacy in the company’s risk mitigation efforts; 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 quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014, 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. 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 Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 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      For the Twelve Months Ended  
     December 31      December 31  
     2014      2013      2014      2013  

Total revenues

   $ 1,255,451       $ 1,219,872       $ 4,677,949       $ 4,956,077   

Income before income taxes

   $ 122,897       $ 84,847       $ 350,560       $ 310,708   

Income tax expense

     42,159         33,058         116,345         123,644   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income

  80,738      51,789      234,215      187,064   

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

  227      162      681      697   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income attributable to the Company

$ 80,511    $ 51,627    $ 233,534    $ 186,367   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income per share attributable to stockholders:

Basic

$ 0.75    $ 0.49    $ 2.18    $ 1.74   

Diluted

$ 0.74    $ 0.48    $ 2.15    $ 1.71   

Cash dividends declared per share

$ 0.24    $ 0.12    $ 0.84    $ 0.48   

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

Basic

  107,356      105,765      106,884      106,991   

Diluted

  109,143      107,974      108,688      109,102   

Selected Title Information

Title orders opened

  268,600      270,500      1,155,500      1,384,600   

Title orders closed

  204,700      217,300      816,400      1,103,400   

Paid title claims

$ 67,567    $ 86,972    $ 272,123    $ 295,982   

 

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First American Financial Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

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First American Financial Corporation

Selected Balance Sheet Information

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     December 31,
2014
     December 31,
2013
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 1,190,080       $ 834,837   

Investment portfolio

     4,033,892         3,385,328   

Goodwill and other intangible assets, net

     1,015,757         892,373   

Total assets

     7,660,553         6,559,183   

Reserve for claim losses

     1,011,780         1,018,365   

Notes and contracts payable

     587,337         310,285   

Total stockholders’ equity

   $ 2,572,917       $ 2,453,049   

 

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First American Financial Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

Page 8

 

First American Financial Corporation

Segment Information

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

For the Three Months Ended December 31, 2014

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

Revenues

          

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 585,883       $ 495,291      $ 90,592       $ —     

Agent premiums

     500,597         500,597        —           —     

Information and other

     155,377         154,677        707         (7

Net investment income

     6,787         2,703        1,983         2,101   

Net realized investment gains(1)

     6,807         4,601        2,206         —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
  1,255,451      1,157,869      95,488      2,094   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

Personnel costs

  364,797      340,840      14,698      9,259   

Premiums retained by agents

  400,635      400,635      —        —     

Other operating expenses

  211,657      192,091      12,992      6,574   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

  112,284      64,744      47,540      —     

Depreciation and amortization

  21,718      20,405      1,191      122   

Premium taxes

  15,223      13,766      1,457      —     

Interest

  6,240      841      —        5,399   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
  1,132,554      1,033,322      77,878      21,354   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

$ 122,897    $ 124,547    $ 17,610    $ (19,260
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

For the Three Months Ended December 31, 2013

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

Revenues

          

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 540,292       $ 455,567      $ 84,725       $ —     

Agent premiums

     514,615         514,615        —           —     

Information and other

     144,215         143,820        401         (6

Net investment income

     18,351         13,788        2,047         2,516   

Net realized investment gains (losses) (1)

     2,399         (2,248     781         3,866   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
  1,219,872      1,125,542      87,954      6,376   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

Personnel costs

  358,443      330,551      14,478      13,414   

Premiums retained by agents

  412,674      412,674      —        —     

Other operating expenses

  225,397      207,295      11,419      6,683   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

  100,612      56,086      44,526      —     

Depreciation and amortization

  19,775      17,717      1,239      819   

Premium taxes

  14,032      12,651      1,381      —     

Interest

  4,092      682      —        3,410   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
  1,135,025      1,037,656      73,043      24,326   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

$ 84,847    $ 87,886    $ 14,911    $ (17,950
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(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 Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

Page 9

 

First American Financial Corporation

Segment Information

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2014

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

Revenues

           

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 2,115,274       $ 1,761,462       $ 353,812       $ —     

Agent premiums

     1,841,618         1,841,618         —           —     

Information and other

     619,949         617,713         2,260         (24

Net investment income

     71,041         59,785         7,288         3,968   

Net realized investment gains (1)

     30,067         23,850         5,306         911   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  4,677,949      4,304,428      368,666      4,855   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

Personnel costs

  1,410,752      1,314,089      62,118      34,545   

Premiums retained by agents

  1,470,895      1,470,895      —        —     

Other operating expenses

  833,681      761,584      45,599      26,498   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

  450,023      253,122      196,901      —     

Depreciation and amortization

  85,597      77,820      4,978      2,799   

Premium taxes

  57,194      51,098      6,096      —     

Interest

  19,247      2,796      —        16,451   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  4,327,389      3,931,404      315,692      80,293   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

$ 350,560    $ 373,024    $ 52,974    $ (75,438
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2013

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

Revenues

           

Direct premiums and escrow fees

   $ 2,184,464       $ 1,855,270       $ 329,194       $ —     

Agent premiums

     2,044,862         2,044,862         —           —     

Information and other

     627,645         626,016         1,652         (23

Net investment income

     89,895         76,606         7,342         5,947   

Net realized investment gains (1)

     9,211         3,334         1,425         4,452   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  4,956,077      4,606,088      339,613      10,376   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expenses

Personnel costs

  1,445,582      1,338,361      58,261      48,960   

Premiums retained by agents

  1,636,694      1,636,694      —        —     

Other operating expenses

  885,805      816,870      41,725      27,210   

Provision for policy losses and other claims

  530,356      343,461      186,895      —     

Depreciation and amortization

  74,916      66,956      4,865      3,095   

Premium taxes

  56,715      50,980      5,735      —     

Interest

  15,301      2,601      —        12,700   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  4,645,369      4,255,923      297,481      91,965   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

$ 310,708    $ 350,165    $ 42,132    $ (81,589
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(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 Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

Page 10

 

First American Financial Corporation

Expense Ratio Reconciliation

Title Insurance and Services Segment

($ in thousands, unaudited)

 

     For the Three Months Ended     For the Twelve Months Ended  
     December 31     December 31  
     2014     2013     2014     2013  

Total revenues

   $ 1,157,869      $ 1,125,542      $ 4,304,428      $ 4,606,088   

Less: Net realized investment gains (losses) (1)

     4,601        (2,248     23,850        3,334   

 Net investment income

     2,703        13,788        59,785        76,606   

 Premiums retained by agents

     400,635        412,674        1,470,895        1,636,694   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net operating revenues

$ 749,930    $ 701,328    $ 2,749,898    $ 2,889,454   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Personnel and other operating expenses

$ 532,931    $ 537,846    $ 2,075,673    $ 2,155,231   

Ratio (% net operating revenues)

  71.1   76.7   75.5   74.6

Ratio (% total revenues)

  46.0   47.8   48.2   46.8

 

(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 Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

Page 11

 

First American Financial Corporation

Supplemental Direct Title Order Information

U.S. Operations

(unaudited)

 

     Q414     Q314     Q214     Q114     Q413  

Open Orders per Day

          

Purchase

     1,611        2,033        2,189        1,892        1,626   

Refinance

     1,627        1,521        1,554        1,397        1,462   

Refinance as % of residential orders

     50     43     42     42     47

Commercial

     505        485        528        475        480   

Other1

     522        609        701        682        726   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total open orders per day

  4,263      4,648      4,972      4,446      4,294   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Closed Orders per Day

Purchase

  1,420      1,573      1,579      1,217      1,383   

Refinance

  1,122      1,113      983      907      1,096   

Refinance as % of residential orders

  44   41   38   43   44

Commercial

  330      308      306      290      331   

Other1

  377      404      479      538      640   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total closed orders per day

  3,249      3,397      3,347      2,952      3,449   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Average Revenue per Order (ARPO)

Purchase

$ 1,944    $ 1,950    $ 1,918    $ 1,799    $ 1,829   

Refinance

  869      857      812      813      819   

Commercial

  9,558      7,568      6,746      6,530      8,425   

Other1

  437      480      488      489      409   

Total ARPO

$ 2,171    $ 1,926    $ 1,830    $ 1,723    $ 1,878   

Business Days

  63      64      64      61      63   

 

(1) Includes default and other orders

Totals may not foot due to rounding

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