EX-99.1 2 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE DATED NOVEMBER 1, 2006 Press Release Dated November 1, 2006

Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

 

Press Contact:    Investor Relations:   
Drew Guthrie    Melissa Kivett    John Egan
Manager, Communications    Senior Vice President    Vice President
and Media Relations    Investor Relations    Investor Relations
Phone: 212-859-7002    Phone: 212-859-7029    Phone: 212-859-7197
Fax: 212-859-5893    Fax: 212-859-5893    Fax: 212-859-5893
drew.guthrie@assurant.com    melissa.kivett@assurant.com    john.egan@assurant.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Assurant Reports Q3 2006 Net Operating Income of $153.0 Million ($1.20 per diluted share), An Increase of 22% Over 2005;

Net Income of $151.3 Million ($1.18 per diluted share)

New York – November 1, 2006 – Assurant, Inc. (“Assurant”) (NYSE: AIZ), a premier provider of specialized insurance and insurance-related products and services, today reported its results for the third quarter 2006.

Robert B. Pollock, Assurant’s president and chief executive officer, said: “Our strong results this quarter demonstrate our focus on products we believe offer the best long-term profitable growth as well as the strength of our diversified specialty insurance strategy. We are very pleased with the contributions made by each of our specialty businesses this quarter.”

Third Quarter Results

Net income in the third quarter of 2006 was $151.3 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, versus third quarter 2005 net income of $100.3 million, or $0.74 per diluted share. Net income in the third quarter 2005 included a $35.1 million after-tax charge for a 1995-1997 excess of loss reinsurance program.

Net operating income (see footnote 1 at the end of this release) for the third quarter of 2006 increased 22% to $153.0 million, or $1.20 per diluted share, compared to third quarter 2005 net operating income of $125.6 million, or $0.92 per diluted share. Net operating income excludes capital gains and losses and other unusual, or non-recurring, items.

Net earned premiums of $1.72 billion in the third quarter of 2006 increased 6% from $1.62 billion in the same period in 2005.

Net investment income in the third quarter of 2006 increased to $180.7 million from $175.2 million in the third quarter of 2005 primarily as a result of an increase in average


invested assets. The third quarter of 2006 and 2005 both included $3.2 million of investment income from real estate partnerships. The yield on average invested assets and cash and cash equivalents which excludes real estate investment income was 5.66% in the third quarter of 2006, compared to 5.71% in the third quarter of 2005.

Nine-Month Results

Net income in the first nine months of 2006 was $464.9 million, or $3.58 per diluted share, versus $342.3 million, or $2.47 per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2005. Net income for the first nine months of 2005 included a $40.3 million after-tax charge for the 1995-1997 excess of loss reinsurance program.

Net operating income for the first nine months of 2006 increased 26% to $466.5 million, or $3.59 per diluted share, compared to $370.8 million, or $2.67 per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2005. Net operating income excludes capital gains and losses and other unusual, or non-recurring, items.

Net earned premiums in the first nine months of 2006 were $5.08 billion, a 4% increase compared to $4.88 billion in the first nine months of 2005.

Net investment income in the first nine months of 2006 increased 7% to $553.7 million from $516.4 million in the first nine months of 2005. Net investment income includes $18.0 million of investment income from real estate partnerships in the first nine months of 2006 compared to $12.6 million for the first nine months of 2005. The yield on average invested assets and cash and cash equivalents, which excludes real estate investment income, was 5.70% in the first nine months of 2006 compared to 5.57% in the first nine months of 2005.

 

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The following chart provides a reconciliation of net operating income to net income for Assurant:

 

     For the Three Months Ended     For the Nine Months Ended  
    

September 30,

2006

   

September 30,

2005

   

September 30,

2006

   

September 30,

2005

 
        
     (UNAUDITED)  
     (amounts in millions, net of tax)  

Assurant Solutions

   $ 41.7     $ 31.9     $ 118.6     $ 97.8  

Assurant Specialty Property

     53.4       31.7       177.2       104.2  

Assurant Health

     44.8       45.7       131.0       144.8  

Assurant Employee Benefits

     24.4       22.8       64.2       49.0  

Amortization of deferred gain on disposal of businesses

     6.1       7.6       18.4       23.0  

Interest expense

     (9.9 )     (10.0 )     (29.9 )     (29.9 )

Corporate and other

     (7.5 )     (4.1 )     (13.0 )     (18.1 )
                                

Net operating income

     153.0       125.6       466.5       370.8  

Adjustments:

        

Net realized (losses) gains on investments

     (1.7 )     9.8       (3.1 )     12.8  

Excess of loss reinsurance program (1995-1997)

     —         (35.1 )     —         (40.3 )

Expenses directly related to stock offerings

     —         —         —         (1.0 )
                                

Net income before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     151.3       100.3       463.4       342.3  

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —         —         1.5       —    
                                

Net income

   $ 151.3     $ 100.3     $ 464.9     $ 342.3  
                                

Assurant Solutions

Assurant Solutions third quarter 2006 net operating income was $41.7 million, up 31% from third quarter 2005 net operating income of $31.9 million. Net operating income for the first nine months of 2006 was $118.6 million, up 21%, from $97.8 million during the same period of 2005. During the third quarter and first nine months of 2006, results were positively impacted by increased investment income, higher fee income resulting primarily from continued growth in the domestic and international extended service contract business, and $7.8 million of fee income from a closed block of extended service contracts in the third quarter 2006.

Assurant Solutions third quarter 2006 net earned premiums increased 6% to $591.2 million from $556.1 million in the third quarter of 2005. Net earned premiums during the first nine months of 2006 increased 7% to $1.75 billion from $1.65 billion during the first nine months of 2005. The increases are attributable primarily to the steady growth in extended service contracts partially offset by the decline in preneed premiums due to the sale of the U.S. independent preneed franchise in 2005.

 

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Assurant Specialty Property

Assurant Specialty Property third quarter 2006 net operating income was $53.4 million, up 69% from third quarter 2005 net operating income of $31.7 million. Net operating income for the first nine months of 2006 grew 70% to $177.2 million compared to $104.2 million during the first nine months of 2005. Net operating income increases for the third quarter and the nine-month period are primarily the result of continued favorable combined ratios, the growth of creditor-placed homeowners insurance including the second quarter 2006 acquisition of Safeco’s creditor-placed insurance business, and no significant catastrophe losses in the third quarter of 2006 compared with $31.1 million of catastrophe losses, net of reinsurance, in the third quarter of 2005. Net operating income during the third quarter and first nine months of 2005 benefited by $6.5 million after-tax and $11.1 million after-tax, respectively, from favorable client settlements.

Assurant Specialty Property third quarter net earned premiums increased by 43%, to $313.6 million, compared to $219.4 million in the same period a year ago. Net earned premiums during the first nine months of 2006 increased 36% to $857.4 million compared to $628.2 million during the first nine months of 2005. These increases are a result of continued growth in creditor-placed homeowners insurance and the acquisition of Safeco’s creditor-placed insurance business in May 2006.

Assurant Health

Assurant Health third quarter 2006 net operating income decreased 2% to $44.8 million from $45.7 million in the same period in 2005. Continued favorable combined ratios were offset by continued declines in small group membership. Net operating income for the first nine months of 2006 decreased 10% to $131.0 million from $144.8 million during the same period in 2005. Results for the first nine months of 2006 reflect continued favorable combined ratios and a 12% increase in investment income primarily related to investment income from a real estate investment partnership in the first quarter of 2006.

Assurant Health third quarter 2006 net earned premiums decreased 3% to $521.5 million from $538.8 million during the same period in 2005. Net earned premiums for the first nine months of 2006 decreased 4% to $1.56 billion compared to $1.63 billion in the first nine months of 2005. Continued growth in individual medical net earned premiums was offset by declines in small group premiums.

 

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Assurant Employee Benefits

Assurant Employee Benefits third quarter 2006 net operating income increased 7% to $24.4 million from net operating income of $22.8 million in the same period of 2005. Net operating income for the first nine months of 2006 increased 31% to $64.2 million from $49.0 million during the first nine months of 2005. The increases are primarily due to very favorable loss experience across all product lines.

Assurant Employee Benefits third quarter 2006 net earned premiums decreased 5% to $291.2 million from $306.9 million in the same period of 2005. Disability premiums include single premium amounts of $12.4 million in the third quarter of 2006 related to the assumption of closed blocks. Net earned premiums for the first nine months of 2006 decreased 7% to $899.9 million from $969.3 million in the first nine months of 2005. Disability premiums include single premium amounts of $46.3 million for the first nine months of 2006 related to the assumption of closed blocks compared to $26.7 million in the first nine months of 2005. The decreases for the quarter and the nine months are a result of lower sales and persistency as the business continues to implement its small case strategy.

Corporate

Corporate and Other net operating loss for the third quarter of 2006 was $7.5 million compared to a loss of $4.1 million in the third quarter of 2005. Corporate and Other net operating loss for the first nine months of 2006 totaled $13.0 million, compared to a loss of $18.1 million in the same period last year. The year to date decline in the net operating loss is primarily attributable to a reduction in expenses associated with the change in accounting methodology for stock appreciation rights costs, effective January 1, 2006, and higher investment income.

Financial Position

September 30, 2006 total assets were $25.0 billion. Stockholders’ equity, excluding Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI,) was $3.6 billion and book value per diluted share, excluding AOCI, was up 8% to $28.47 from $26.25 at December 31, 2005. AOCI, which mainly consists of unrealized gains and losses on our fixed income securities, decreased by $61.3 million after-tax to $158.2 million from $219.5 million at December 31, 2005. Debt to total capital, excluding AOCI, decreased to 21.6% from 22.2% at December 31, 2005.

 

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Earnings Conference Call

Assurant will host a conference call Thursday, November 2, 2006 at 9:00 A.M. (ET) with access available via Internet and telephone. Investors and analysts may participate in the live conference call by dialing 800-473-6123 (toll-free domestic) or 973-582-2706 (international); passcode: 7216431. Please call to register at least 10 minutes before the conference call begins. A replay of the call will be available for one week via the telephone starting at approximately 11:00 am (ET) on November 2, 2006 and can be accessed at 877-519-4471 (toll-free domestic) or 973-341-3080 (international); passcode: 7216431. The webcast will be archived on Assurant’s website.

About Assurant

Assurant is a premier provider of specialized insurance products and related services in North America and selected other international markets. The four key businesses – Assurant Employee Benefits; Assurant Health; Assurant Solutions; and Assurant Specialty Property — have partnered with clients who are leaders in their industries and have built leadership positions in a number of specialty insurance market segments in the U.S. and selected international markets. The Assurant business units provide creditor-placed homeowners insurance; manufactured housing homeowners insurance; debt protection administration; credit-related insurance; warranties and extended service contracts; individual health and small employer group health insurance; group dental insurance; group disability insurance; group life insurance; and pre-funded funeral insurance.

The company, which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ, has over $20 billion in assets and $7 billion in annual revenue. Assurant has more than 12,000 employees worldwide and is headquartered in New York’s financial district. www.assurant.com

Safe Harbor Statement

Some of the statements included in this press release, particularly those anticipating future financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies and similar matters, are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For a discussion of the factors that could affect our actual results please refer to the risk factors identified from time to time in our SEC reports, including, but not limited to, our 10-K, as filed with the SEC.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Assurant uses the following non-GAAP financial measures to analyze the company’s operating performance for the periods presented in this press release. Because Assurant’s calculation of these measures may differ from similar measures used by other companies, investors should be careful when comparing Assurant’s non-GAAP financial measures to those of other companies.

(1) Assurant uses net operating income as an important measure of the company’s operating performance. Net operating income equals net income excluding net realized gains (losses) on investments and other unusual and/or infrequent items. The company believes net operating income provides investors a valuable measure of the performance of the company’s ongoing business, because it excludes both the effect of realized gains (losses) on investments that tend to be highly variable from period to period, and those events that are unusual and/or unlikely to recur.

 

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Assurant, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statement of Operations

Three and Nine months Ended September 30, 2006 and 2005 (unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30,
  

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

     2006     2005    2006     2005
     (in thousands except number of shares and per share amount)

Revenues

         

Net earned premiums and other considerations

   $ 1,717,640     $ 1,621,186    $ 5,075,615     $ 4,876,319

Net investment income

     180,672       175,175      553,672       516,393

Net realized (losses) gains on investments

     (2,675 )     11,965      (4,855 )     16,536

Amortization of deferred gain on disposal of businesses

     9,428       11,706      28,283       35,353

Fees and other income

     79,014       59,409      210,236       171,497
                             

Total revenues

     1,984,079       1,879,441      5,862,951       5,616,098

Benefits, losses and expenses

         

Policyholder benefits

     888,317       970,596      2,652,200       2,838,131

Selling, underwriting, general and administrative expenses

     849,414       752,156      2,459,254       2,225,828

Interest expense

     15,307       15,315      45,937       45,943
                             

Total benefits, losses and expenses

     1,753,038       1,738,067      5,157,391       5,109,902
                             

Income before income taxes and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     231,041       141,374      705,560       506,196

Income tax expense

     79,738       41,087      242,196       163,887
                             

Net income before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     151,303       100,287      463,364       342,309

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —         —        1,547       —  
                             

Net income

   $ 151,303     $ 100,287    $ 464,911     $ 342,309
                             

Net income per share:

         

Basic

   $ 1.20     $ 0.74    $ 3.63     $ 2.49

Diluted

   $ 1.18     $ 0.74    $ 3.58     $ 2.47

Dividends per share

   $ 0.10     $ 0.08    $ 0.28     $ 0.23

Share Data:

         

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

     125,793,731       134,706,785      128,078,026       137,362,736

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

     127,766,049       136,177,498      129,877,613       138,712,630

 

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Assurant, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets

At September 30, 2006 (unaudited) and December 31, 2005

 

    

September 30,

2006

  

December 31,

2005

     
     (in thousands)

Assets

     

Investments and cash and cash equivalents

   $ 13,428,506    $ 13,371,392

Reinsurance recoverables

     3,979,129      4,447,810

Deferred acquisition costs

     2,272,035      2,022,308

Goodwill

     805,186      804,864

Assets held in separate accounts

     3,212,685      3,472,435

Other assets

     1,325,909      1,246,644
             

Total assets

     25,023,450      25,365,453
             

Liabilities

     

Policyholder benefits and claims payable

     10,249,740      10,540,077

Unearned premiums

     4,215,615      3,851,614

Debt

     971,753      971,690

Mandatorily redeemable preferred stock

     23,160      24,160

Liabilities related to separate accounts

     3,212,685      3,472,435

Accounts payable and other liabilities

     2,591,056      2,805,918
             

Total liabilities

     21,264,009      21,665,894

Stockholders' equity

     

Equity, excluding accumulated other comprehensive income

     3,601,291      3,480,060

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     158,150      219,499
             

Total stockholders' equity

     3,759,441      3,699,559
             

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

   $ 25,023,450    $ 25,365,453
             

 

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