PR Newswire | May 4, 2021 04:06PM EDT

Quarterly Dividend

05/04 15:06 CDT

Mercury General Corporation Announces First Quarter Results and Declares Quarterly Dividend LOS ANGELES, May 4, 2021

LOS ANGELES, May 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) reported today for the first quarter of 2021:

Consolidated Highlights



Three Months Ended March Change 31,

2021 2020 $ %

(000's except per-share amounts and ratios)

Net premiums earned $915,922 $922,574 $(6,652)(0.7)

Net premiums written ^(1) $950,383 $954,216 $(3,833)(0.4)



Net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax ^$32,936 $(198,543) $231,479NM (2)

Net income (loss) $106,995 $(139,204) $246,199NM

Net income (loss) per $1.93 $(2.51) $4.44 NM diluted share



Operating income ^(1) $74,059 $59,339 $14,720 24.8

Operating income per diluted$1.34 $1.07 $0.27 25.2 share ^(1)

Catastrophe losses net of $35,000 $2,000 $33,000 1,650.0reinsurance ^(3)

Combined ratio ^(4) 93.5 %95.9 %- (2.4) pts

NM = not meaningful

These measures are not based on U.S. generally accepted accounting^ principles ("GAAP"), are defined in "Information Regarding GAAP and(1) Non-GAAP Measures" and are reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in "Supplemental Schedules."

Net realized investment gains (losses) before tax were $42 million and $ (251) million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020,^ respectively. The changes in fair value of the Company's investments are(2) recorded as part of net realized investment gains or losses in its consolidated statements of operations due to the adoption of the fair value option for its investments as permitted under GAAP.

Catastrophe losses due to the events that occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2021 totaled approximately $39 million, with no reinsurance benefits used for these losses, resulting primarily from the deep freeze in Texas and Oklahoma and winter storms in California. These losses were^ partially offset by favorable development of approximately $4 million on(3) prior years' catastrophe losses. Catastrophe losses due to the events that occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2020 totaled approximately $4 million, with no reinsurance benefits used for these losses, resulting primarily from windstorms in California and Oklahoma. These losses were partially offset by favorable development of approximately $2 million on prior years' catastrophe losses.

The Company experienced favorable development of approximately $1 million and unfavorable development of approximately $15 million on prior accident^ years' loss and loss adjustment expense reserves for the three months ended(4) March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The unfavorable development in 2020 was primarily attributable to higher than estimated losses and loss adjustment expenses in the homeowners and commercial automobile lines of insurance business.

Investment Results



Three Months Ended March 31,

2021 2020

(000's except average annual yield)

Average invested assets at cost ^(1) $4,538,185 $4,212,398

Net investment income ^(2)

Before income taxes $32,279 $34,495

After income taxes $28,784 $30,533

Average annual yield on investments - after 2.5 %2.9 %income taxes^ (2)

^ Fixed maturities and short-term bonds at amortized cost; equities and other(1) short-term investments at cost. Average invested assets at cost are based on the monthly amortized cost of the invested assets for each period.

Lower net investment income before and after income taxes for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to the corresponding period in 2020 resulted largely from a lower average yield on investments, partially^ offset by higher average invested assets. Average annual yield on(2) investments after income taxes for the three months ended March 31, 2021 decreased compared to the corresponding period in 2020, primarily due to the maturity and replacement of higher yielding investments purchased when market interest rates were higher with lower yielding investments, as a result of decreasing market interest rates.

The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.6325 per share. The dividend will be paid on June 30, 2021 to shareholders of record on June 16, 2021.

Mercury General Corporation and its subsidiaries are a multiple line insurance organization offering predominantly personal automobile and homeowners insurance through a network of independent producers in many states. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.mercuryinsurance.com.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. Certain statements contained in this report are forward-looking statements based on the Company's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by the Company. Actual results may differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) and are subject to change based upon various factors, including but not limited to the following risks and uncertainties: changes in the demand for the Company's insurance products, inflation and general economic conditions, including general market risks associated with the Company's investment portfolio; the accuracy and adequacy of the Company's pricing methodologies; catastrophes in the markets served by the Company; uncertainties related to estimates, assumptions and projections generally; the possibility that actual loss experience may vary adversely from the actuarial estimates made to determine the Company's loss reserves in general; the Company's ability to obtain and the timing of the approval of premium rate changes for insurance policies issued in the states where it operates; legislation adverse to the automobile insurance industry or business generally that may be enacted in the states where the Company operates; the Company's success in managing its business in non-California states; the presence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing and marketing efforts; the ability of the Company to successfully manage its claims organization outside of California; the Company's ability to successfully allocate the resources used in the states with reduced or exited operations to its operations in other states; changes in driving patterns and loss trends; acts of war and terrorist activities; pandemics, epidemics, widespread health emergencies, or outbreaks of infectious diseases; court decisions and trends in litigation and health care and auto repair costs; and legal, cybersecurity, regulatory and litigation risks. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a more detailed discussion of some of the foregoing risks and uncertainties, see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 16, 2021.

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES SUMMARY OF OPERATING RESULTS (000's except per-share amounts and ratios) (unaudited)



Three Months Ended March 31,

2021 2020

Revenues:

Net premiums earned $915,922 $922,574

Net investment income 32,279 34,495

Net realized investment gains (losses) 41,691 (251,320)

Other 3,204 2,562

Total revenues 993,096 708,311

Expenses:

Losses and loss adjustment expenses 626,344 651,670

Policy acquisition costs 164,430 156,533

Other operating expenses 65,558 76,557

Interest 4,343 4,256

Total expenses 860,675 889,016

Income (loss) before income taxes 132,421 (180,705)

Income tax expense (benefit) 25,426 (41,501)

Net income (loss) $106,995 $(139,204)



Basic average shares outstanding 55,361 55,358

Diluted average shares outstanding 55,372 55,358



Basic Per Share Data

Net income (loss) $1.93 $(2.51)

Net realized investment gains (losses), net of $0.59 $(3.58) tax



Diluted Per Share Data

Net income (loss) $1.93 $(2.51)

Net realized investment gains (losses), net of $0.59 $(3.58) tax



Operating Ratios-GAAP Basis

Loss ratio 68.4 %70.6 %

Expense ratio 25.1 %25.3 %

Combined ratio 93.5 %95.9 %

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS AND OTHER INFORMATION (000's except per-share amounts and ratios)



March 31, December 31, 2021 2020

(unaudited)

ASSETS

Investments, at fair value:

Fixed maturity securities (amortized cost $3,587,496 $3,549,810 $3,434,162; $3,388,418)

Equity securities (cost $667,380; $695,150)810,602 803,851

Short-term investments (cost $548,975; 548,104 375,609 $376,547)

Total investments 4,946,202 4,729,270

Cash 338,430 348,479

Receivables:

Premiums 623,011 599,070

Allowance for credit losses on (7,000) (10,000) premiums receivable

Premiums receivable, net of 616,011 589,070 allowance for credit losses

Accrued investment income 44,182 42,985

Other 6,675 10,730

Total receivables 666,868 642,785

Reinsurance recoverables 54,312 48,579

Allowance for credit losses on reinsurance- (91) recoverables

Reinsurance recoverables, net of 54,312 48,488 allowance for credit losses

Deferred policy acquisition costs 243,736 246,994

Fixed assets, net 178,393 178,923

Operating lease right-of-use assets 38,889 40,554

Goodwill 42,796 42,796

Other intangible assets, net 11,055 11,322

Other assets 33,473 38,635

Total assets $6,554,154 $6,328,246

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves $2,041,100 $1,991,304

Unearned premiums 1,440,434 1,405,873

Notes payable 372,632 372,532

Accounts payable and accrued expenses 191,121 194,421

Operating lease liabilities 42,038 43,825

Current income taxes 34,238 10,426

Deferred income taxes 42,747 41,132

Other liabilities 285,407 236,136

Shareholders' equity 2,104,437 2,032,597

Total liabilities and shareholders' $6,554,154 $6,328,246 equity



OTHER INFORMATION

Common stock shares outstanding 55,371 55,358

Book value per share $38.01 $36.72

Statutory surplus ^(a) $1.87 billion$1.77 billion

Net premiums written to surplus ratio ^(a) 1.93 2.04

Debt to total capital ratio^ (b) 15.1 %15.6 %

Portfolio duration (including all short-term 2.9 years 3.0 years instruments) ^(a) (c)

Policies-in-force (company-wide "PIF") ^(a)

Personal Auto PIF 1,106 1,116

Homeowners PIF 677 671

Commercial Auto PIF 39 38

(a) Unaudited.

(b) Debt to Debt plus Shareholders' Equity (Debt at face value).

(c) Modified duration reflecting anticipated early calls.

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES

(000's except per-share amounts and ratios) (unaudited)

Three Months Ended March 31,

2021 2020



Reconciliations of Comparable GAAP Measures to Operating Measures ^(a)



Net premiums earned $915,922 $922,574

Change in net unearned premiums 34,461 31,642

Net premiums written $950,383 $954,216



Incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses $626,344 $651,670

Change in net loss and loss adjustment expense (49,374) 16,424 reserves

Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses $576,970 $668,094



Net income (loss) $106,995 $(139,204)

Less: Net realized investment gains (losses) 41,691 (251,320)

Tax on net realized investment gains 8,755 (52,777) (losses) ^(b)

Net realized investment gains 32,936 (198,543) (losses), net of tax

Operating income $74,059 $59,339



Per diluted share:

Net income (loss) $1.93 $(2.51)

Less: Net realized investment gains (losses), net 0.59 (3.58) of tax

Operating income $1.34 $1.07



Combined ratio 93.5 %95.9 %

Effect of estimated prior periods' loss 0.1 %(1.6) %development

Combined ratio-accident period basis 93.6 %94.3 %

(a) See "Information Regarding GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures" on page 7.

(b) Federal statutory rate of 21%.

Information Regarding GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures

The Company has presented information within this document containing operating measures which in management's opinion provide investors with useful, industry specific information to help them evaluate, and perform meaningful comparisons of, the Company's performance, but that may not be presented in accordance with GAAP. These measures are not intended to replace, and should be read in conjunction with, the GAAP financial results.

Net incomeis the GAAP measure that is most directly comparable to operating income. Operating income is net income excluding realized investment gains and losses, net of tax. Operating income is used by management along with the other components of net income to assess the Company's performance. Management uses operating income as an important measure to evaluate the results of the Company's insurance business. Management believes that operating income provides investors with a valuable measure of the Company's ongoing performance as it reveals trends in the Company's insurance business that may be obscured by the effect of net realized investment gains and losses. Realized investment gains and losses may vary significantly between periods and are generally driven by external economic developments such as capital market conditions. Accordingly, operating income highlights the results from ongoing operations and the underlying profitability of the Company's core insurance business. Operating income, which is provided as supplemental information and should not be considered as a substitute for net income, does not reflect the overall profitability of the Company's business. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See "Supplemental Schedules" above for a reconciliation of net income to operating income.

Net premiums earned, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to net premiums written, represents the portion of premiums written that is recognized as revenue in the financial statements for the periods presented and earned on a pro-rata basis over the term of the policies. Net premiums written is a statutory financial measure which represents the premiums charged on policies issued during a fiscal period less any applicable reinsurance. Net premiums written is designed to determine production levels and is meant as supplemental information and not intended to replace net premiums earned. Such information should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See "Supplemental Schedules" above for a reconciliation of net premiums earned to net premiums written.

Incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses is the most directly comparable GAAP measure to paid losses and loss adjustment expenses.Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses excludes the effects of changes in the loss reserve accounts. Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses is provided as supplemental information and is not intended to replace incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See "Supplemental Schedules" above for a reconciliation of incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses to paid losses and loss adjustment expenses.

Combined ratio is the most directly comparable measure to combined ratio-accident period basis. Combined ratio-accident period basisis computed as the difference between two GAAP operating ratios: the combined ratio and prior accident periods' loss development ratio. Management believes that combined ratio-accident period basis is useful to investors and it is used to reveal the trends in the Company's results of operations that may be obscured by development on prior accident periods' loss reserves. Combined ratio-accident period basis is meant as supplemental information and is not intended to replace the GAAP combined ratio. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See "Supplemental Schedules" above for a reconciliation of GAAP combined ratio to combined ratio-accident period basis.

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SOURCE Mercury General Corporation