MARIETTA, Pa., April 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Donegal Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DGICA and DGICB) today reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2020.The Company will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time. You may listen to the webcast of this conference call by accessing the event link at http://investors.donegalgroup.com.Significant items include:Net income of $3.7 million, or 13 cents per diluted Class A share, for the first quarter of 2020, compared to $23.0 million, or 82 cents per diluted Class A share, for the first quarter of 2019Net investment losses of $10.7 million for the first quarter of 2020, primarily related to unrealized losses in the fair value of equity securities held at March 31, 2020, compared to net investment gains of $18.1 million for the first quarter of 2019 that included $12.7 million from the sale of Donegal Financial Services CorporationNet premiums earned of $187.3 million for the first quarter of 2020 decreased 0.4% compared to the first quarter of 2019Net premiums written1 of $198.2 million for the first quarter of 2020 decreased 0.8% compared to the first quarter of 2019Combined ratio of 97.0% for the first quarter of 2020, compared to 99.3% for the prior-year quarterBook value per share of $15.92 at March 31, 2020, compared to $15.67 at year-end 2019
1The “Definitions of Non-GAAP and Operating Measures” section of this release defines and reconciles data that we prepare on an accounting basis other than U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).
2Not meaningful.
Management CommentaryKevin G. Burke, President and Chief Executive Officer of Donegal Group Inc., noted, “While we are pleased with our results for the first quarter of 2020, our thoughts are centered on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having both globally and locally on our employees, agents, policyholders and stockholders. Donegal Group is closely monitoring the ongoing impact of the pandemic while adhering to the various government requirements and evolving regulations throughout the regions where we operate. We proactively implemented measures in mid-March to promote the safety and health of employees and their families and to ensure a continuation of essential services to agents and policyholders. Our core operations are functioning effectively with the vast majority of our employees performing their duties remotely. We will continue to adapt to meet the changing needs of our customers and to respond to challenges resulting from the ongoing economic impacts in the coming months.”Mr. Burke continued, “Net income for the first quarter of 2020 benefitted from solid underwriting performance, with the 97.0% combined ratio for the first quarter of 2020 comparing favorably to the 99.3% combined ratio for the prior-year quarter. We continued to gain traction on underwriting initiatives we have implemented to improve profitability. Our commercial lines segment continued to perform well in spite of ongoing commercial automobile profitability challenges, and we are pleased with the continuing growth we achieved in that segment. The favorable underwriting performance was partially offset by net investment losses, primarily related to the decline in the market value of equity securities we held at March 31, 2020. Setting aside the impact of equity market volatility primarily related to COVID-19, we were pleased with our operating performance for the first quarter of 2020.”Jeffrey D. Miller, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Donegal Group Inc., commented on the first quarter results, “Net premiums written declined slightly as we continued to shift our business mix toward a greater proportion of commercial lines where we have historically achieved higher levels of profitability. The loss ratio was 62.6% for the first quarter of 2020, compared to 65.5% for the prior-year quarter, with the decrease largely due to a combination of improving loss cost trends in our core lines of business and relatively mild winter weather conditions throughout our operating regions. The expense ratio for the first quarter of 2020 increased modestly, in part due to our continuing implementation of new technology initiatives that will ultimately enhance our operational capabilities and efficiency. We recorded a $1.6 million income tax benefit during the first quarter of 2020 related to the anticipated carryback of 2018 net operating losses to past tax years, as allowed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act that was enacted in March 2020.”Mr. Burke concluded, “Our net income along with unrealized gains within our available-for-sale fixed-maturity portfolio due to a decline in market interest rates during the first quarter of 2020 contributed to an increase in our book value to $15.92 at March 31, 2020, compared to $15.67 at December 31, 2019.”Insurance Operations
Donegal Group is an insurance holding company whose insurance subsidiaries offer personal and commercial property and casualty lines of insurance in three Mid-Atlantic states (Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania), three New England states (Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont), six Southern states (Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia) and eight Midwestern states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin). Donegal Mutual Insurance Company and the insurance subsidiaries of Donegal Group conduct business together as the Donegal Insurance Group.
Net Premiums Written
The 0.8% decrease in net premiums written for the first quarter of 2020 compared to the first quarter of 2019, as shown in the table above, represents an 11.2% decline in personal lines net premiums written, offset by 7.1% growth in commercial lines net premiums written. The $1.7 million decline in net premiums written for the first quarter of 2020 compared to the first quarter of 2019 included:$8.0 million increase in commercial lines premiums that we attribute primarily to new commercial accounts our insurance subsidiaries have written throughout their operating regions and a continuation of renewal premium increases.$9.7 million decline in personal lines premiums that we attribute to net attrition as a result of underwriting measures our insurance subsidiaries implemented to slow new policy growth and to increase pricing on renewal policies, as well as the non-renewal of unprofitable personal lines business in seven states that was completed in February 2020, partially offset by premium rate increases our insurance subsidiaries have implemented over the past four quarters.Underwriting Performance
We evaluate the performance of our commercial lines and personal lines segments primarily based upon the underwriting results of our insurance subsidiaries as determined under statutory accounting practices. The following table presents comparative details with respect to the GAAP and statutory combined ratios1 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:
For the first quarter of 2020, the loss ratio decreased to 62.6%, compared to 65.5% for the first quarter of 2019. Weather-related losses of $6.9 million for the first quarter of 2020, or 3.7 percentage points of the loss ratio, decreased from $9.7 million for the first quarter of 2019, or 5.1 percentage points of the loss ratio. Weather-related loss activity for the first quarter of 2020 was lower than our previous five-year average of $10.7 million for first-quarter weather-related losses.
Large fire losses, which we define as individual fire losses in excess of $50,000, for the first quarter of 2020 were $6.3 million, or 3.4 percentage points of the loss ratio. That amount was slightly lower than the large fire losses of $6.6 million, or 3.5 percentage points of the loss ratio, for the first quarter of 2019.Net development of reserves for losses incurred in prior accident years of $4.3 million decreased the loss ratio for the first quarter of 2020 by 2.3 percentage points, compared to $4.0 million that decreased the loss ratio for the first quarter of 2019 by 2.1 percentage points. With the exception of modest unfavorable development in the homeowners and commercial automobile lines of business, our insurance subsidiaries experienced modest favorable development in all lines of business in the first quarter of 2020.The expense ratio was 33.4% for the first quarter of 2020, compared to 32.6% for the first quarter of 2019. The increase in the expense ratio reflected an increase in technology systems-related expenses and higher underwriting-based incentive costs for the first quarter of 2020 compared to the prior-year quarter.Investment Operations
Donegal Group’s investment strategy is to generate an appropriate amount of after-tax income on its invested assets while minimizing credit risk through investment in high-quality securities. As a result, we had invested 89.7% of our consolidated investment portfolio in diversified, highly rated and marketable fixed-maturity securities at March 31, 2020.
Short-term investments at March 31, 2020 increased by $58.7 million from the year-end 2019 balance, primarily reflecting contingent liquidity funding that Atlantic States Insurance Company, our largest insurance subsidiary, obtained in March 2020 for added security in light of uncertainty surrounding the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Atlantic States Insurance Company issued $50.0 million of debt to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh in exchange for a cash advance in the same amount. The debt carries a fixed interest rate of 0.83% and is due in March 2021.
Net investment income of $7.4 million for the first quarter of 2020 increased 4.6% compared to $7.0 million in net investment income for the first quarter of 2019. The increase in net investment income reflected primarily an increase in average invested assets relative to the prior-year first quarter.Net investment losses of $10.7 million for the first quarter of 2020 were primarily related to unrealized losses in the fair value of equity securities held at March 31, 2020. Net investment gains of $18.1 million for the first quarter of 2019 included $12.7 million from the sale of Donegal Financial Services Corporation with the remainder primarily related to unrealized gains in the fair value of equity securities we held at March 31, 2019.Definitions of Non-GAAP and Operating Measures
We prepare our consolidated financial statements on the basis of GAAP. Our insurance subsidiaries also prepare financial statements based on statutory accounting principles state insurance regulators prescribe or permit (“SAP”). In addition to using GAAP-based performance measurements, we also utilize certain non-GAAP financial measures that we believe provide value in managing our business and for comparison to the financial results of our peers. These non-GAAP measures are net premiums written, operating income or loss and statutory combined ratio.Net premiums written and operating income or loss are non-GAAP financial measures investors in insurance companies commonly use. We define net premiums written as the amount of full-term premiums our insurance subsidiaries record for policies effective within a given period less premiums our insurance subsidiaries cede to reinsurers. We define operating income or loss as net income or loss excluding after-tax net investment gains or losses, after-tax restructuring charges and other significant non-recurring items. Because our calculation of operating income or loss may differ from similar measures other companies use, investors should exercise caution when comparing our measure of operating income or loss to the measure of other companies.The following table provides a reconciliation of net premiums earned to net premiums written for the periods indicated:
The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to operating income for the periods indicated:
The statutory combined ratio is a non-GAAP standard measurement of underwriting profitability that is based upon amounts determined under SAP. The statutory combined ratio is the sum of:
the statutory loss ratio, which is the ratio of calendar-year incurred losses and loss expenses, excluding anticipated salvage and subrogation recoveries, to premiums earned;the statutory expense ratio, which is the ratio of expenses incurred for net commissions, premium taxes and underwriting expenses to premiums written; andthe statutory dividend ratio, which is the ratio of dividends to holders of workers’ compensation policies to premiums earned.The statutory combined ratio does not reflect investment income, federal income taxes or other non-operating income or expense. A statutory combined ratio of less than 100% generally indicates underwriting profitability.Conference Call and WebcastWe will hold a conference call and webcast on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, beginning at 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time. You may listen via the Internet by accessing the webcast link on our website at http://investors.donegalgroup.com. A replay of the conference call will also be available via our website.About Donegal Group Inc.Donegal Group is an insurance holding company. The insurance subsidiaries of Donegal Group and Donegal Mutual Insurance Company conduct business together as the Donegal Insurance Group. Our Class A common stock and Class B common stock trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols DGICA and DGICB, respectively. We are focused on several primary strategies, including growing profitably in commercial lines, improving our financial performance, leveraging technology to transform our business, strategically modernizing our business in order to achieve operational excellence and competing effectively to enhance our market position.Safe HarborWe base all statements contained in this release that are not historic facts on our current expectations. These statements are forward-looking in nature (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially include: our ability to attract new business, retain existing business and collect balances due to us as a result of the prolonged economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and related business shutdown, adverse and catastrophic weather events, our ability to maintain profitable operations, the adequacy of the loss and loss expense reserves of our insurance subsidiaries, business and economic conditions in the areas in which our insurance subsidiaries operate, interest rates, competition from various insurance and other financial businesses, terrorism, the availability and cost of reinsurance, legal and judicial developments including those related to COVID-19 business interruption coverage exclusions, changes in regulatory requirements and other risks we describe in the periodic reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. We disclaim any obligation to update such statements or to announce publicly the results of any revisions that we may make to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
For Further Information:
Jeffrey D. Miller, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (717) 426-1931
E-mail: [email protected]
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