defa14a
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by
the Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
o Preliminary Proxy Statement
o Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
o Definitive Proxy Statement
þ Definitive Additional Materials
o Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
ENSTAR GROUP LIMITED
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
þ No fee required.
o Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
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Date Filed:
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Enstar Group
Limited
To all our Shareholders,
As with my previous letters to you, before reviewing our
performance for 2010 and commenting on what I see as the main
highlights, I think it is helpful to repeat our objectives and
how we achieve them.
Our primary corporate objective is to grow our net book value
per share. We believe growth in our net book value is driven
primarily by growth in our net earnings, which is in turn
partially driven by successfully completing new acquisitions.
Our principal business consists of acquiring and managing
property and casualty insurance and reinsurance companies that
have ceased underwriting new business meaning they
are in run-off. The vendors of these businesses are
often keen to find long-term solutions for their non-core legacy
operations that may release capital, improve ratings, free up
management time, effort and cost and provide financial certainty
and finality. The solutions that we provide to these vendors
focus on the acquisition of the run-off business either by
purchasing the entire share capital of the run-off entity or, if
the legacy business is part of an ongoing company and not able
to be sold, assuming the run-off liabilities by way of portfolio
transfer or providing reinsurance protection. During 2010, we
acquired six insurance companies in run-off and eight portfolios
of run-off business through portfolio transfers, which brings
the total number of acquisitions completed from our formation
through December 31, 2010, to 30 insurance companies in
run-off and 15 portfolios of run-off business acquired through
portfolio transfer.
We generate our earnings in the following ways:
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settling net loss reserves of acquired businesses below their
acquired fair value;
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generating investment income on the cash and investment
portfolios of acquired businesses;
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in some cases, purchasing companies at a discount to the fair
value of the assets acquired, which has resulted in negative
goodwill that has, in the past, been recorded as extraordinary
gains, and now is recorded as income; and
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providing expert run-off management services for a fixed
and/or
incentive based fee in cases where vendors are not ready or able
to dispose of their run-off operations, but require third-party
services to stabilize the business and, where possible, add
value to the core business.
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2010
PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL POSITION REVIEW
During 2008, we completed a significant number of acquisitions,
and our balance sheet almost doubled in terms of both assets and
liabilities. In 2009, we made few acquisitions but achieved
record earnings from prior acquisitions. In 2010, I am pleased
to report, we benefited from both significant acquisitions and
even higher earnings than in 2009. The result was that our total
assets increased to a little over $5.2 billion, our gross
loss reserves increased to almost $3.3 billion and our
shareholders equity (excluding noncontrolling interest)
increased to almost $950 million. Book value per share, on
a fully diluted basis, increased by 23.5% to $71.68 per share as
of December 31, 2010.
The following table provides abbreviated balance sheets for
December 31, 2006 through December 31, 2010:
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2010
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2009
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2008
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2007
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2006
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(expressed in millions of U.S. dollars)
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Assets
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Cash and investments
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$
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3,884.5
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$
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3,321.1
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$
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3,487.9
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$
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1,800.5
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$
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1,261.1
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Reinsurance balances receivable
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961.4
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638.3
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672.7
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465.3
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408.1
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Other
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390.0
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211.4
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197.6
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151.3
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105.1
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Total Assets
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$
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5,235.9
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$
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4,170.8
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$
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4,358.2
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$
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2,417.1
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$
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1,774.3
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Liabilities
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Loss reserves
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$
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3,291.3
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$
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2,479.1
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$
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2,798.3
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$
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1,591.4
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$
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1,214.4
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Other
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728.8
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615.6
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688.7
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311.7
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185.8
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Total Liabilities
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4,020.1
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3,094.7
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3,487.0
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1,903.1
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1,400.2
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Enstar Group Limited Shareholders Equity
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948.4
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801.9
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615.2
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450.6
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318.6
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Noncontrolling interest
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267.4
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274.2
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256.0
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63.4
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55.5
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Total Liabilities and Shareholders Equity
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$
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5,235.9
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$
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4,170.8
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$
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4,358.2
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$
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2,417.1
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$
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1,774.3
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In 2010, total assets increased by $1.07 billion, or 25.5%,
from $4.17 billion at December 31, 2009 to
$5.24 billion at December 31, 2010. Total liabilities
increased during 2010 by $925.4 million, or 29.9%, from
$3.10 billion at December 31, 2009 to
$4.02 billion at December 31, 2010. Enstars
shareholders equity increased by $146.5 million, or
18.3%, from $801.9 million at December 31, 2009 to
$948.4 million at December 31, 2010. The total number
of employees increased during 2010 from 287 at December 31,
2009 to 335 at December 31, 2010, as we increased staff to
support new acquisitions.
We generated record net earnings in 2010 of $174.1 million
(or $12.66 per diluted share), which represented a return of
21.7% on opening shareholders equity, up
$38.9 million, or 28.8%, from 2009 net earnings of
$135.2 million (or $9.84 per diluted share), which
represented a return of 22.0% on opening 2009 shareholders
equity.
The following table presents our abbreviated consolidated
statements of earnings for the years ended December 31,
2006 through December 31, 2010:
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2010
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2009
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2008
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2007
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2006
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(expressed in millions of U.S. dollars)
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Income
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Consulting fees
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$
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23.0
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$
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16.1
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$
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25.2
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$
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31.9
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$
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33.9
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Net investment income
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99.9
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81.4
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26.6
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64.1
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48.1
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Net realized and unrealized gains (losses)
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13.1
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4.2
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(1.7
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0.3
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(0.1
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136.0
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101.7
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50.1
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96.3
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81.9
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Expenses
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Net reduction in ultimate loss and loss adjustment expense
liabilities
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(311.9
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(259.6
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(242.1
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(24.5
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(31.9
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Salaries and benefits
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86.7
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68.4
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56.3
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47.0
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40.1
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General and administrative expenses
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59.2
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46.9
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53.3
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31.4
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18.8
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Interest expense
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10.3
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17.6
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23.4
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4.9
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2.0
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Net foreign exchange (gain) loss
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(0.4
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23.8
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15.0
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(7.9
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(10.8
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(156.1
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(102.9
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(94.1
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50.9
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18.2
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Earnings before income taxes and share of net earnings (loss)
of partly owned company
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292.1
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204.6
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144.2
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45.4
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63.7
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Income taxes
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(87.1
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(27.6
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(46.8
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7.4
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0.3
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Share of net earnings (loss) of partly owned company
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10.7
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(0.2
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0.5
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Earnings before extraordinary gain
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215.7
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177.0
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97.2
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52.8
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64.5
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Extraordinary gain negative goodwill
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50.3
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15.7
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31.0
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Net earnings
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215.7
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177.0
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147.5
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68.5
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95.5
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Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest
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(41.6
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(41.8
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(65.9
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(6.7
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(13.2
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Net earnings attributable to Enstar Group Limited
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$
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174.1
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$
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135.2
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$
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81.6
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$
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61.8
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$
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82.3
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The following chart presents the growth in our diluted book
value per share from December 31, 2004 to December 31,
2010:
ACQUISITIONS
During 2010, we acquired the entire share capital of six
insurance and reinsurance companies in run-off with total assets
and liabilities of $823.9 million and $707.8 million,
respectively, that were located in the United Kingdom, Sweden,
the United States and Bermuda. In addition, we acquired eight
portfolios of run-off business with reinsurance liabilities of
$859.3 million by way of loss portfolio transfer.
So far in 2011, we have completed the acquisition of Laguna Life
Limited (formerly CitiLife Financial Limited), a Dublin,
Ireland-based life insurer that is in run-off. This is our first
acquisition of a life insurance run-off company. In our
reinsurance to close (RITC) business, we have, in
2011, assumed the reinsurance liabilities via portfolio transfer
of two Lloyds syndicates with insurance reserves of
approximately $129.6 million. Furthermore, in December
2010, we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire
Clarendon National Insurance Company, a New Jersey-domiciled
insurer in run-off we expect this transaction to
close in the second quarter of 2011.
In last years letter to shareholders, we stated that
completing fewer and smaller transactions in 2009 than 2008 did
not concern us as the timing of acquisitions is unpredictable.
The greater level of acquisitions in 2010 supports this view. We
continue to believe that the size of the run-off market in
Europe and the United States remains as large if not larger than
before and feel that we are beginning to see additional
opportunities arising from the possible impacts of the new
regulatory solvency regime to be implemented in Europe in early
2013.
GOLDMAN
SACHS INVESTMENT
We were pleased to announce last month the transaction with GS
Capital Partners (GSCP), private equity funds
managed by Goldman, Sachs & Co, whereby GSCP will,
subject to applicable regulatory and shareholder approvals,
invest up to $291.6 million in us for up to a 19.9% fully
diluted economic equity interest in the company at a price of
$86.00 per share, as well as warrants to acquire an additional
2.0% fully diluted interest in us at an exercise price of
$115.00 per share. The transaction is described in greater
detail in the enclosed proxy statement for our 2011 Annual
General Meeting as certain aspects of the transaction must be
approved by our shareholders. I encourage you to read the proxy
statement carefully and cast your vote FOR the
various proposals related to the transaction.
We considered numerous options for raising additional capital to
support our acquisition program prior to committing to the GSCP
transaction. We concluded that the GSCP transaction provided us
with:
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More total capital than we believed we could comfortably raise
in a public offering of equity or debt securities;
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More permanent capital in the sense that as an
equity investment, GSCP does not need to be repaid the principal
amount of its investment as would have been the case had we
sought additional debt financing;
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An increased capital base upon which we could seek additional
debt financing on more favorable terms in the future;
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Greater certainty as to pricing terms relative to other
alternatives that were subject to equity market risk; and
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The benefits of a significant new minority investor that is a
world-class financial institution.
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We see tremendous opportunity in front of us to build on our
unique skills and capabilities in the run-off market, and the
GSCP transaction gives us greater financial flexibility to
pursue acquisitions for the benefit of all our shareholders. In
addition, as with most sectors in the insurance and reinsurance
industry, we have always faced competition. I believe that with
our track record of acquisitions, attention to regulatory
relationships and disciplined approach to pricing acquisitions,
the capital provided by the GSCP transaction will position us to
continue our growth despite existing competition and any new
entrants to our market.
LOSS
RESERVES
At December 31, 2010, our gross loss reserves (being the
estimated amount we expect to pay to all of our policyholders
over time) amounted to $3.3 billion. Based on our estimate
of gross loss reserves, we expect that we will collect
$0.5 billion from our reinsurers over time, which is our
ceded loss reserves. Our net loss reserves at December 31,
2010 were, therefore, $2.8 billion.
Settlement of claims reserves below their acquired and carried
values has been a core element of our net earnings. Net loss
reserves of $2.8 billion at the end of 2010 continue to
provide us with a basis for sustainable earnings growth,
provided that we continue to execute successfully our strategy
to settle claims below their acquired value. In 2010, our total
net reduction in ultimate loss and loss adjustment expense
liabilities amounted to $311.9 million, up
$52.2 million, or 20.1%, compared to $259.6 million in
2009, $242.1 million in 2008, $24.5 million in 2007
and $31.9 million in 2006. The greater net reductions in
the last three years are a direct result of acquiring more
claims liabilities in recent years and settling them below their
acquired values.
Our gross loss reserves are a combination of claim reserves
advised to us by policyholders and an estimate of losses that
have occurred but have not yet been reported to us
Incurred But Not Reported (IBNR) reserves. Our IBNR
reserves are determined by our management in conjunction with
independent actuaries and are based on independent actuarial
analysis and estimates, among other factors.
Our actuaries provide a low and high end of a range of
reasonable estimates of the gross loss reserves. The table below
highlights that our carried gross loss reserves at
December 31, 2010 were approximately 10.2% lower than the
high end of a range of reasonable estimates (compared to 6.0% at
December 31, 2009) and approximately 10.6% above the
low end (compared to 16.6% at December 31, 2009). This
level of prudent reserving provides us with the comfort that our
reserves are adequate, but
the process of calculating our
reserves involves numerous estimates and uncertainties and there
can be no assurance that our ultimate losses will not exceed our
reserves.
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Low
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Selected
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High
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(in millions of U.S. dollars)
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Exposure Category
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Asbestos
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$
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612.3
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$
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714.4
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$
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784.5
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Environmental
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97.1
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110.9
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123.9
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All other
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2,087.6
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2,287.8
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2,578.4
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Unallocated loss adjustment expenses
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178.2
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178.2
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178.2
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Total
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$
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2,975.2
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$
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3,291.3
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$
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3,665.0
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INVESTMENTS
At December 31, 2010, our total cash and investment
portfolio amounted to approximately $3.9 billion,
representing 74.2% of our total assets of approximately
$5.2 billion as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
% of Total Assets
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash
|
|
$
|
1,455.4
|
|
|
|
27.8
|
%
|
Fixed maturities,
available-for-sale,
at fair value
|
|
|
1,094.9
|
|
|
|
20.9
|
%
|
Fixed maturities, trading, at fair value
|
|
|
524.1
|
|
|
|
10.0
|
%
|
Short-term investments, trading, at fair value
|
|
|
508.0
|
|
|
|
9.7
|
%
|
Other investments, at fair value
|
|
|
234.7
|
|
|
|
4.5
|
%
|
Equities, trading, at fair value
|
|
|
60.1
|
|
|
|
1.2
|
%
|
Short-term investments,
available-for-sale,
at fair value
|
|
|
7.3
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total cash and investments
|
|
$
|
3,884.5
|
|
|
|
74.2
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The cash flow of our acquired run-off companies is likely to be
negative because we aim to accelerate the run-off of our
companies by commuting claims and eliminating any future
exposure to the related policies. Therefore, we need to protect
our cash and investment portfolio so that we have sufficient
assets and liquidity to pay our claims and negotiated
commutation settlements as opportunities arise, which is not
predictable. Our cash and investment portfolio is split amongst
all our regulated entities, each of which is subject to local
regulatory admissibility constraints. In addition, our largest
risk is contained in our loss reserves, so we aim to take
relatively little risk with our investments. These constraints
drive our investment philosophy, which seeks to manage a prudent
cash and short term investment portfolio, but with modest
returns. In order to enhance yield, but not put a large element
of the portfolio at risk, through December 31, 2010, we
have invested or committed to invest $319.4 million in
alternative or other investments, including $100.0 million
committed to J.C. Flowers II L.P.
(Fund II) and $100.0 million committed to
J.C. Flowers III L.P. (Fund III). During
2010, we also invested approximately $61.2 million in
residential and commercial mortgage and asset backed securities
and also increased our equity portfolio from $25 million to
$60 million. Fund II and Fund III are private
investment funds advised by J.C. Flowers & Co. LLC. J.
Christopher Flowers, one of our largest shareholders and
formerly a member of our Board of Directors, is the founder,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of J.C. Flowers &
Co. LLC.
On May 6, 2011, we announced the resignation of Chris
Flowers from our Board of Directors. Chris has been a valuable
contributor to the company for over 15 years. During that
time, we have grown into a substantial company with considerable
prospects and opportunities, and on behalf of our shareholders,
board and management, I would like to thank Chris for his many
contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors.
I would also like to thank you, our long-term shareholders, many
of whom have supported us and, previously, The Enstar Group,
Inc. loyally for many years.
Finally, we very much look forward to seeing as many
shareholders as possible at our Annual General Meeting on
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at the Tuckers Point Hotel at
60 Tuckers Point Drive, Hamilton Parish, Bermuda.
May 24,
2011
Dominic F. Silvester
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer