10-K 1 d10k.htm FORM 10-K FORM 10-K
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Index to Financial Statements

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-K

 

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010

 

OR

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from                              to                             

 

Commission file number: 001-08052

 

TORCHMARK CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   63-0780404
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
3700 South Stonebridge Drive, McKinney, TX   75070
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

972-569-4000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

None

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

CUSIP

 

Name of each exchange on
which registered

Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share   891927104   New York Stock Exchange
Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share   891927104   The International Stock Exchange, London, England
7.10% Trust Originated Preferred Securities   89102W208   New York Stock Exchange

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:     None

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes  ¨      No  x    

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes  ¨      No  x    

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  ¨      No  x    

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes  x      No  ¨    

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer       x

   Accelerated filer   ¨

Non-accelerated filer         ¨

   Smaller reporting company   ¨

(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes  ¨      No  x

 

As of June 30, 2010, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $4,034,779,525 based on the closing sale price as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

 

Class

  

Outstanding at February 14, 2011

Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share    77,923,280 shares

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Document

  

Parts Into Which Incorporated

Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be
held April 28, 2011 (Proxy Statement)
   Part III


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Index to Financial Statements

TORCHMARK CORPORATION

INDEX

 

                Page  

PART I.

        
  

Item 1.

  

Business

       1   
  

Item 1A.

  

Risk Factors

       6   
  

Item 1B.

  

Unresolved Staff Comments

     12   
  

Item 2.

  

Properties

     13   
  

Item 3.

  

Legal Proceedings

     13   

PART II.

        
  

Item 5.

   Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities      15   
  

Item 6.

  

Selected Financial Data

     17   
  

Item 7.

   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations      18   
  

Item 7A.

  

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

     56   
  

Item 8.

  

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

     57   
  

Item 9.

   Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure      116   
  

Item 9A.

  

Controls and Procedures

     116   
  

Item 9B.

  

Other Information

     116   

PART III.

        
  

Item 10.

  

Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance

     119   
  

Item 11.

  

Executive Compensation

     119   
  

Item 12.

   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters      119   
  

Item 13.

   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence      119   
  

Item 14.

  

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

     119   

PART IV.

        
  

Item 15.

   Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules      120  


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PART I

 

Item 1.    Business

 

Torchmark Corporation (Torchmark) is an insurance holding company incorporated in Delaware in 1979. Its primary subsidiaries are American Income Life Insurance Company (American Income), Liberty National Life Insurance Company (Liberty), Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company (Globe), and United American Insurance Company (United American).

 

Torchmark’s website is: www.torchmarkcorp.com. Torchmark makes available free of charge through its website, its annual report on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after they have been electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The following table presents Torchmark’s business by primary marketing distribution method.

 

Primary
Distribution Method
  Company   Products and Target Markets   Distribution

 

 
Direct Response  

Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

  Individual life and supplemental health insurance including juvenile and senior life coverage, Medicare Supplement, and Medicare Part D marketed to middle-income Americans.   Direct response, mail, television, magazine; nationwide.

 

Liberty National Exclusive Agency  

Liberty National Life Insurance Company

McKinney, Texas

  Individual life and supplemental health insurance marketed to middle-income families.   2,001 producing agents; 153 branch offices.

 

American Income Exclusive Agency  

American Income Life Insurance Company

Waco, Texas

  Individual life and supplemental health insurance marketed to union and credit union members.   3,912 producing agents in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand.

 

United American Independent Agency  

United American
Insurance Company

McKinney, Texas

  Limited-benefit supplemental health coverage to people under age 65, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D coverage to Medicare beneficiaries and, to a lesser extent, life insurance.   1,406 independent producing agents in the U.S. and Canada.

 

Additional information concerning industry segments may be found in Management’s Discussion and Analysis and in Note 14—Business Segments in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Insurance

 

Life Insurance

 

Torchmark’s insurance subsidiaries write a variety of nonparticipating ordinary life insurance products. These include traditional and interest sensitive whole-life insurance, term life insurance, and other life insurance. The following table presents selected information about Torchmark’s life products.

 

     Annualized Premium in Force
(Amounts in thousands)
 
         2010              2009              2008      

Whole life:

        

Traditional

   $ 1,115,777       $ 1,077,347       $ 1,036,757   

Interest-sensitive

     76,248         80,229         84,112   

Term

     499,814         483,064         459,027   

Other

     61,207         53,762         45,653   
                          
   $ 1,753,046       $ 1,694,402       $ 1,625,549   
                          

 

The distribution methods for life insurance products include sales by direct response, exclusive agents and independent agents. These methods are described in more depth in the Distribution Method chart earlier in this report. The following table presents life annualized premium in force by distribution method.

 

     Annualized Premium in Force
(Amounts in thousands)
 
         2010              2009              2008      

Direct response

   $ 602,593       $ 578,223       $ 553,740   

Exclusive Agents:

        

American Income

     596,583         549,540         494,191   

Liberty National

     310,475         317,413         322,179   

Independent Agents:

        

United American

     24,726         27,740         30,998   

Other

     218,669         221,486         224,441   
                          
   $ 1,753,046       $ 1,694,402       $ 1,625,549   
                          

 

Health Insurance

 

Torchmark offers supplemental limited-benefit health insurance products that include primarily cancer and accident plans. These policies are designed to supplement health coverage that applicants already own. Medicare Supplements are also offered to enrollees in the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program. Medicare Supplement plans are standardized by federal regulation and are designed to pay deductibles and co-payments not paid by Medicare. We also offer Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance.

 

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The following table presents supplemental health annualized premium in force information for the three years ended December 31, 2010 by product category.

 

     Annualized Premium in Force

(Amounts in thousands)

 
         2010          2009      2008  
       Amount        % of
Total
       Amount        % of
Total
       Amount        % of
Total
 

Medicare Supplement

   $ 461,386         47       $ 474,987         46       $ 484,761         44   

Limited-benefit plans

     308,899         32         354,254         35         432,579         39   

Medicare Part D

     203,340         21         197,319         19         181,009         17   
                                                     

Total Health

   $ 973,625         100       $ 1,026,560         100       $ 1,098,349         100   
                                                     

 

The number of health policies in force (excluding Medicare Part D) was 1.57 million, 1.66 million, and 1.54 million at December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively. Medicare Part D enrollees at December 31, 2010 were approximately 144 thousand to begin the 2011 plan year.

 

The following table presents supplemental health annualized premium in force for the three years ended December 31, 2010 by marketing (distribution) method.

 

     Annualized Premium in Force
(Amounts in thousands)
 
         2010              2009              2008      

Direct response

   $ 57,014       $ 55,108       $ 48,105   

Exclusive agents:

        

Liberty National

     316,839         365,027         448,264   

American Income

     74,049         71,836         67,560   

Independent agents:

        

United American

     322,383         337,270         353,411   
                          
     770,285         829,241         917,340   

Medicare Part D

     203,340         197,319         181,009   
                          
   $ 973,625       $ 1,026,560       $ 1,098,349   
                          

 

Annuities

 

Annuity products offered include single-premium and flexible-premium deferred annuities. Annuities in each of the three years ending December 31, 2010 comprised less than 1% of premium.

 

Pricing

 

Premium rates for life and health insurance products are established using assumptions as to future mortality, morbidity, persistency, and expenses, all of which are generally based on Company experience and on projected investment earnings. Revenues for individual life and health insurance products are primarily derived from premium income, and, to a lesser extent, through policy charges to the policyholder account values on certain individual life products. Profitability is affected to the extent actual experience deviates from the assumptions made in pricing and to the extent investment income varies from that which is required for policy reserves.

 

Collections for annuity products and certain life products are not recognized as revenues but are added to policyholder account values. Revenues from these products are derived from charges to the account balances for insurance risk and administrative costs. Profits are earned to the extent these revenues exceed actual costs. Profits are also earned from investment income on the deposits invested in excess of the amounts credited to policyholder accounts.

 

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Underwriting

 

The underwriting standards of each Torchmark insurance subsidiary are established by management. Each subsidiary uses information from the application and, in some cases, telephone interviews with applicants, inspection reports, doctors’ statements and/or medical examinations to determine whether a policy should be issued in accordance with the application, with a different rating, with a rider, with reduced coverage or rejected.

 

Reserves

 

The life insurance policy reserves reflected in Torchmark’s financial statements as future policy benefits are calculated based on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These reserves, with premiums to be received in the future and the interest thereon compounded annually at assumed rates, must be sufficient to cover policy and contract obligations as they mature. Generally, the mortality and persistency assumptions used in the calculations of reserves are based on Company experience. Similar reserves are held on most of the health policies written by Torchmark’s insurance subsidiaries, since these policies generally are issued on a guaranteed-renewable basis. A list of the assumptions used in the calculation of Torchmark’s reserves are reported in the financial statements (See Note 6Future Policy Benefit Reserves in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements). Reserves for annuity products and certain life products consist of the policyholders’ account values and are increased by policyholder deposits and interest credited and are decreased by policy charges and benefit payments.

 

Investments

 

The nature, quality, and percentage mix of insurance company investments are regulated by state laws. The investments of Torchmark insurance subsidiaries consist predominantly of high-quality, investment-grade securities. Fixed maturities represented 94% of total investments at fair value at December 31, 2010. (See Note 4Investments in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis.)

 

Competition

 

Torchmark competes with other insurance carriers through policyholder service, price, product design, and sales efforts. While there are insurance companies competing with Torchmark, no individual company dominates any of Torchmark’s life or health markets.

 

Torchmark’s health insurance products compete with, in addition to the products of other health insurance carriers, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, and other health care-related institutions which provide medical benefits based on contractual agreements.

 

Management believes Torchmark companies operate at lower policy acquisition and administrative expense levels than peer companies. This allows Torchmark to have competitive rates while maintaining higher underwriting margins.

 

Regulation

 

Insurance.    Insurance companies are subject to regulation and supervision in the states in which they do business. The laws of the various states establish agencies with broad administrative and supervisory powers which include, among other things, granting and revoking licenses to transact business, regulating trade practices, licensing agents, approving policy forms, approving certain premium rates, setting minimum reserve and loss ratio requirements, determining the form and content of required financial statements, and prescribing the type and amount of investments permitted. They are also required to file detailed annual reports with supervisory agencies, and records of their business are subject to examination at any time. Under the rules of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), insurance companies are examined periodically by one or more of the supervisory agencies.

 

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Risk Based Capital.    The NAIC requires a risk based capital formula be applied to all life and health insurers. The risk based capital formula is a threshold formula rather than a target capital formula. It is designed only to identify companies that require regulatory attention and is not to be used to rate or rank companies that are adequately capitalized. All Torchmark insurance subsidiaries are more than adequately capitalized under the risk based capital formula.

 

Guaranty Assessments.    State guaranty laws provide for assessments from insurance companies into a fund which is used, in the event of failure or insolvency of an insurance company, to fulfill the obligations of that company to its policyholders. The amount which a company is assessed is determined according to the extent of these unsatisfied obligations in each state. Assessments are recoverable to a great extent as offsets against state premium taxes.

 

Holding Company.    States have enacted legislation requiring registration and periodic reporting by insurance companies domiciled within their respective jurisdictions that control or are controlled by other corporations so as to constitute a holding company system. Torchmark and its subsidiaries have registered as a holding company system pursuant to such legislation in Indiana, Nebraska, and New York.

 

Insurance holding company system statutes and regulations impose various limitations on investments in subsidiaries, and may require prior regulatory approval for material transactions between insurers and affiliates and for the payment of certain dividends and other distributions.

 

Personnel

 

At the end of 2010, Torchmark had 2,224 employees and 1,067 licensed employees under sales contracts.

 

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Item 1A.    Risk Factors

 

Risks Related to Our Business

 

Product Marketplace and Operational Risks:

 

The insurance industry is a mature, regulated industry, populated by many firms. We operate in the life and health insurance sections of the insurance industry, each with its own set of risks.

 

The development and maintenance of our various distribution systems are critical to growth in product sales and profits.    Because our life and health insurance sales are primarily made to individuals, rather than groups, and the face amounts sold are lower than that of policies sold in the higher income market, the development, maintenance, and retention of adequate numbers of producing agents and direct response systems to support growth of sales in this market are critical. We compete for producing agents with other insurers primarily on the basis of our products and compensation. Adequate compensation that is competitive with other employment opportunities and that also motivates producing agents to increase sales is critical, as our competitors seek to hire away our agents from time to time. Increased competition has led to a reduction in agents in our United American Branch Office Agency and United American Independent Agency, which have historically been our major health distribution channels. In direct response, continuous development of new offerings and cost efficiency are key. Less than optimum execution of these strategies may result in reduced sales and profits.

 

Economic conditions may materially adversely affect our business and results of operations. We serve primarily the middle-income market for individual protection life and health insurance and, as a result, we compete directly with alternative uses of a customer’s disposable income. If disposable income within this demographic group declines or the use of disposable income becomes more limited, as a result of an economic downturn or otherwise, then new sales of our insurance products could become more challenging, and our policyholders may choose to defer paying insurance premiums or stop paying insurance premiums altogether.

 

Variations in expected to actual rates of mortality, morbidity, and persistency could negatively affect our results of operations and financial condition.    We establish a liability for our policy reserves to pay future policyholder benefits and claims. These reserves do not represent an exact calculation of liability, but rather are actuarial estimates based on models that include many assumptions and projections which are inherently uncertain. The reserve computations involve the exercise of significant judgment with respect to levels of mortality, morbidity, and persistency as well as the timing of premium and benefit payments. Even though our actuaries continually test expected-to-actual results, actual levels that occur may differ significantly from the levels assumed when premium rates were first set. Accordingly, we cannot determine with precision the ultimate amounts of claims or benefits that we will pay or the timing of such payments. Significant variations from the levels assumed when policy reserves are first set could negatively affect our profit margins and income.

 

A ratings downgrade or other negative action by a rating agency could materially and negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.    Various rating agencies review the financial performance and condition of insurers, including our insurance subsidiaries, and publish their financial strength ratings as indicators of an insurer’s ability to meet policyholder and contract holder obligations. These ratings are important to maintaining public confidence in our insurance products, our ability to market these products and our competitive position. A downgrade or other negative action by a rating agency with respect to the financial strength ratings of our insurance subsidiaries could negatively affect us in many ways, including the following: limiting or restricting the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends to us and adversely affecting our ability to sell insurance products through our independent agencies.

 

Rating agencies also publish credit ratings for us. Credit ratings are indicators of a debt issuer’s ability to meet the terms of debt obligations in a timely manner. These ratings are important to our overall ability to access certain types of liquidity. Actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings, or an announcement that our ratings are under further review for a downgrade, could have a material adverse effect on our operations, including limiting our access to capital markets, increasing the cost of debt,

 

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impairing our ability to raise capital to refinance maturing debt obligations, limiting our capacity to support growth at our insurance subsidiaries, and making it more difficult to maintain or improve the current financial strength ratings of our insurance subsidiaries.

 

Ratings reflect only the rating agency’s views and are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold our securities. Rating agencies assign ratings based upon several factors. While most of the factors relate to the rated company, some of the factors relate to the views of the rating agency, general economic conditions and circumstances outside the rated company’s control. In addition, rating agencies use various models and formulas to assess the strength of a rated company, and from time to time rating agencies have, in their discretion, altered the models. Changes to the models could impact the rating agencies’ judgment of the rating to be assigned to the rated company. There can be no assurance that current credit ratings will remain in effect for any given period of time or that such ratings will not be lowered, suspended or withdrawn entirely by the rating agencies, if in each rating agency’s judgment, circumstances so warrant. We cannot predict what actions the rating agencies may take, or what actions we may take in response to the actions of the rating agencies, which could negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Life Insurance Marketplace Risk:

 

Our life products are sold in selected niche markets. We are at risk should any of these markets diminish.    We have two life distribution channels that focus on distinct market niches: labor union members and sales via direct response distribution. The contraction of the size of either market could adversely affect sales. In recent years, labor union membership has experienced minimal growth and has declined as a percentage of employed workers. Most of our direct response business is solicited either through direct mail or by insertion into other mail media for distribution. Significant adverse changes in postage cost or the acceptance of unsolicited marketing mail by consumers could negatively affect this business.

 

Health Insurance Marketplace Risks:

 

Congress could make changes to the Medicare program which could impact our Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance business. Medicare Supplement insurance constitutes a significant portion of our in-force health insurance business.    Because of increasing medical cost inflation and concerns about the solvency of the Medicare program, it is possible that changes will be made to the Medicare program by Congress in the future. The nature and timing of these changes cannot be predicted and could have a material adverse effect on that business.

 

Our Medicare Supplement business could be negatively affected by alternative healthcare providers.    Our Medicare Supplement business is impacted by market trends in the senior-aged health care industry that provide alternatives to traditional Medicare, such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and other managed care or private plans. The success of these alternative businesses could negatively affect the sales and premium growth of traditional Medicare Supplement insurance.

 

Our Medicare Supplement and other health insurance business is subject to intense competition primarily on the basis of price which could restrict future sales.    In recent years, price competition in the traditional Medicare Supplement market, as well as the market for other health products, has been significant, characterized by some insurers who have been willing to earn very small profit margins or to underprice new sales in order to gain market share. We have elected not to compete on those terms, which has negatively affected sales. Should these industry practices continue, it is likely that our sales of health insurance products will remain depressed.

 

An inability to obtain timely and appropriate premium rate increases for the health insurance policies we sell due to regulatory delay could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.    A significant percentage of the health insurance premiums that our insurance subsidiaries earn is from Medicare Supplement insurance. Medicare Supplement insurance and the terms under which the premiums for such policies may be increased are highly regulated at both the state and federal level. As a result, it is characterized by lower profit margins than life insurance and requires strict administrative discipline and economies of scale for success. Because Medicare Supplement policies are

 

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coordinated with the federal Medicare program, which experiences health care inflation every year, annual premium rate increases for the Medicare Supplement policies are necessary. Obtaining timely rate increases is of critical importance to our success in this market. Accordingly, the inability of our insurance subsidiaries to obtain approval of premium rate increases in a timely manner from state insurance regulatory authorities in the future could adversely impact their profitability.

 

Investment Risks:

 

Our investments are subject to market and credit risks.    Our invested assets are subject to the customary risks of defaults, downgrades, and changes in market values. Substantially all of our investment portfolio consists of fixed-maturity and short-term investments. A significant portion of our fixed-maturity investments is comprised of corporate bonds, exposing us to the risk that individual corporate issuers will not have the ability to make required interest or principal payments on the investment. Factors that may affect both market and credit risks include interest rate levels, financial market performance, disruptions in credit markets, and general economic conditions, as well as particular circumstances affecting the businesses or industries of each issuer. Additionally, because the majority of our investments are longer-term fixed maturities that we typically hold until maturity, significant increases in interest rates, widening of credit spreads, or inactive markets associated with market downturns could cause a material temporary decline in the fair value of our fixed investment portfolio, even with regard to performing assets. These declines could cause a material increase in unrealized losses in our investment portfolio. Significant unrealized losses can substantially reduce our capital position and shareholders’ equity. It is possible that our investment in certain of these securities with unrealized losses may experience a default event and that a portion or all of that unrealized loss may not be recoverable. In that case, the unrealized loss will be realized, at which point we would take an impairment charge, reducing our net income.

 

Difficulties in the business of particular issuers or in industries in which we hold investments could cause significant downgrades, delinquencies and defaults in our investment portfolio, potentially resulting in lower net investment income and increased realized and unrealized investment losses.    Difficult conditions in U.S. capital markets in recent periods caused a notable increase in the troubled status of businesses in which we hold investments. If difficulties within these businesses and industries increase, there could be deferrals and defaults on amounts owed to us. If conditions in the capital markets worsen, we could experience credit downgrades or default events within our investment portfolio.

 

A default by an issuer could result in a significant other-than-temporary impairment of that investment, causing us to write the investment down and take a charge against net income. The risk of default is higher for bonds with longer-term maturities, which we acquire in order to match our long-term insurance obligations. We attempt to reduce this risk by purchasing only investment grade securities and by carefully evaluating an issuer before entering into an investment. Also, while we have invested in a broad array of industries and issuers in order to attempt to maintain a highly diversified portfolio, a significant amount of our investments is in banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions, which have experienced an increased level of downgrades in recent years. Moreover, we cannot be assured that any particular issuer, regardless of industry, will be able to make required interest and principal payments, on a timely basis or at all. Material other-than-temporary impairments could reduce our statutory surplus, leading to lower risk-based capital ratios, potential downgrades of our ratings by rating agencies and a potential reduction of future dividend capacity from our insurance subsidiaries. While we intend to hold our investments until maturity, a severe increase in defaults could cause us to suffer a significant decrease in investment income or principal repayments, resulting in substantial realized losses from the writedowns of impaired investments. Current net income would be negatively impacted by the writedowns, and prospective net income would be adversely impacted by the loss of future interest income.

 

A decline in interest rates could negatively affect income.    Declines in interest rates expose insurance companies to the risk of not earning anticipated spreads between the interest rate earned on investments and the rates credited to the net policy liabilities. While we attempt to manage our investments to preserve the excess investment income spread, we provide no assurance that a significant and persistent decline in interest rates will not materially affect such spreads. Significant

 

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decreases in interest rates could result in calls by issuers of investments, where such features are available to issuers. These calls could result in a decline in our investment income, as reinvestment of the proceeds would likely be at lower rates.

 

Liquidity Risks:

 

Our liquidity to fund operations is substantially dependent on funds available, primarily dividends, from our insurance subsidiaries.    As a holding company with no direct operations, our principal asset is the capital stock of our insurance subsidiaries, which periodically declare and distribute dividends on their capital stock. Moreover, our liquidity, including our ability to pay our operating expenses and to make principal and interest payments on debt securities or other indebtedness owed by us, as well as our ability to pay dividends on our common stock or any preferred stock, depends significantly upon the surplus and earnings of our insurance subsidiaries and the ability of these subsidiaries to pay dividends or to advance or repay funds to us. Other sources of liquidity for us also include a variety of short- and long-term instruments, including our credit facility, commercial paper and medium- and long-term debt.

 

The principal sources of our insurance subsidiaries’ liquidity are insurance premiums, as well as investment income, maturities, repayments, and other cash flow from our investment portfolio. Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to various state statutory and regulatory restrictions applicable to insurance companies that limit the amount of cash dividends, loans, and advances that those subsidiaries may pay to us, including laws establishing minimum solvency and liquidity thresholds. For example, in the states where our companies are domiciled, an insurance company generally may pay dividends only out of its unassigned surplus as reflected in its statutory financial statements filed in that state. Additionally, dividends paid by insurance subsidiaries are generally limited to the greater of prior year statutory net income, excluding capital gains, on an annual noncumulative basis or 10% of prior year statutory surplus without regulatory approval. Accordingly, a disruption in our insurance subsidiaries’ operations could reduce their capital or cash flow and, as a result, limit or disallow payment of dividends to us, a principal source of our cash flow.

 

We can give no assurance that more stringent restrictions will not be adopted from time to time by states in which our insurance subsidiaries are domiciled, which could, under certain circumstances, significantly reduce dividends or other amounts paid to us by our subsidiaries. Although we do not anticipate changes, changes in these laws could constrain the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or to advance or repay funds to us in sufficient amounts and at times necessary to meet our debt obligations and corporate expenses. Additionally, the inability of our insurance subsidiaries to obtain approval of premium rate increases in a timely manner from state insurance regulatory authorities could adversely impact their profitability, and thus their ability to declare and distribute dividends to us. Limitations on the flow of dividends from our subsidiaries could limit our ability to service and repay debt or to pay dividends on our capital stock.

 

Adverse capital and credit market conditions may significantly affect our ability to meet liquidity needs or access capital, as well as affect our cost of capital.    The capital and credit markets have recently experienced extreme instability and disruption for an extended period of time. In some cases, the markets exerted downward pressure on the availability of liquidity and credit capacity for certain industries and issuers. Additionally, should credit spreads widen again in the future, the interest rate we must pay on any new debt obligation we may issue could increase, and our net income could be reduced. If the credit and capital markets were to experience significant disruption, uncertainty, and instability, these conditions could adversely affect our access to capital. Such market conditions may limit our ability to replace maturing liabilities (in a timely manner or at all) and/or access the capital necessary to grow our business.

 

In the unlikely event that current resources do not satisfy our needs, we may have to seek additional financing or raise capital. The availability of additional financing or capital will depend on a variety of factors such as market conditions, the general availability of credit or capital, the volume of trading activities, the overall availability of credit to the insurance industry, and our credit ratings and credit capacity. Additionally, customers, lenders, or investors could develop a negative perception of our long- or short-term financial prospects if we incur large investment losses or if the level of our business activity decreases due to a market downturn. Our access to funds may also be impaired if regulatory authorities

 

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or rating agencies take negative actions against us. Our internal sources of liquidity may prove to be insufficient, and, in such case, we may not be able to successfully obtain additional financing on favorable terms, or at all. As such, we may be forced to delay raising capital, issue shorter term securities than we prefer, or bear an unattractive cost of capital which could decrease our profitability and significantly reduce our financial flexibility. Therefore, as a result, our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows could be materially negatively affected by disruptions in the financial markets.

 

Regulatory Risks:

 

Our businesses are heavily regulated, and changes in regulation may reduce our profitability and growth.    Insurance companies, including our insurance subsidiaries, are subject to extensive supervision and regulation in the states in which we do business. The primary purpose of this supervision and regulation is the protection of our policyholders, not our investors. State agencies have broad administrative power over numerous aspects of our business, including premium rates and other terms and conditions that we can include in the insurance policies offered by our insurance subsidiaries, marketing practices, advertising, licensing agents, policy forms, capital adequacy, solvency, reserves, and permitted investments. Also, regulatory authorities have relatively broad discretion to grant, renew, or initiate procedures to revoke licenses or approvals. The insurance laws, regulations and policies currently affecting Torchmark and its insurance subsidiaries may change at any time, possibly having an adverse effect on our business. We may be unable to maintain all required licenses and approvals, and our business may not fully comply with the wide variety of applicable laws and regulations or the relevant authority’s interpretation of the laws and regulations, which may change from time to time. If we do not have the requisite licenses and approvals or do not comply with applicable regulatory requirements, the insurance regulatory authorities could preclude or temporarily suspend us from carrying on some or all of our activities or impose substantial fines.

 

We cannot predict the timing or substance of any future regulatory initiatives. In recent years, there has been increased scrutiny of insurance companies, including our insurance subsidiaries, by insurance regulatory authorities, which has included more extensive examinations and more detailed review of disclosure documents. These regulatory authorities may bring regulatory or other legal actions against us if, in their view, our practices, or those of our agents or employees, are improper. These actions can result in substantial fines, penalties, or prohibitions or restrictions on our business activities and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, or financial condition. Additionally, changes in the overall legal or regulatory environment may, even absent any particular regulatory authority’s interpretation of an issue changing, cause us to change our views regarding the actions that we need to take from a legal or regulatory risk management perspective, thus necessitating changes to our practices that may, in some cases, limit our ability to grow or otherwise negatively impact the profitability of our business.

 

Currently, the U.S. federal government does not directly regulate the business of insurance. However, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Record and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 establishes a Federal Insurance Office (FIO), whose duties have not yet been defined, within the Department of the Treasury and the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act created the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), originally established under the Department of Health and Human Services and subsequently transferred to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The creation of these insurance regulatory offices may indicate that the federal government intends to play a larger role in the regulation of the insurance industry. We cannot predict what impact, if any, the FIO and CCIIO, as well as any other proposals for federal regulation of insurance could have on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.

 

Changes in U.S. federal income tax law could increase our tax costs.    Changes to the Internal Revenue Code, administrative rulings or court decisions affecting the insurance industry could increase our effective tax rate and lower our net income.

 

Changes in accounting standards issued by accounting standard-setting bodies may adversely affect our financial statements and reduce our profitability.    Our financial statements are subject to the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), which principles are periodically revised and/or expanded. Accordingly, from time to time, we are

 

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required to adopt new or revised accounting standards or guidance issued by recognized authoritative bodies. It is possible that future accounting standards that we are required to adopt could change the current accounting treatment that we apply to our consolidated financial statements and that such changes could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Further, standard setters have a full agenda of unissued topics under review at any given time, any of which have the potential to negatively impact our profitability.

 

If we fail to comply with restrictions on patient privacy and information security, including taking steps to ensure that our business associates who obtain access to sensitive patient information maintain its confidentiality, our reputation and business operations could be materially adversely affected.    The collection, maintenance, use, disclosure and disposal of individually identifiable data by our insurance subsidiaries are regulated at the international, federal and state levels. These laws and rules are subject to change by legislation or administrative or judicial interpretation. Various state laws address the use and disclosure of individually identifiable health data to the extent they are more restrictive than those contained in the privacy and security provisions in the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (GLBA) and in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HIPAA also requires that we impose privacy and security requirements on our business associates (as that term is defined in the HIPAA regulations). Noncompliance with any privacy laws or any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential information, whether by us or by one of our business associates, could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation and results of operations and could include material fines and penalties, various forms of damages, consent orders regarding our privacy and security practices, adverse actions against our licenses to do business and injunctive relief.

 

Litigation Risk:

 

Litigation could result in substantial judgments against us or our subsidiaries.    We are, and in the future may be, subject to litigation in the ordinary course of business. Some of these proceedings have been brought on behalf of various alleged classes of complainants, and, in certain of these matters, the plaintiffs are seeking large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages. Members of our management and legal teams review litigation on a quarterly and annual basis. However, the outcome of any such litigation cannot be predicted with certainty. A number of civil jury verdicts have been returned against insurers in the jurisdictions in which Torchmark and its insurance subsidiaries do business involving the insurers’ sales practices, alleged agent misconduct, failure to properly supervise agents, and other matters. These lawsuits have resulted in the award of substantial judgments against insurers that are disproportionate to the actual damages, including material amounts of punitive damages. In some states in which we operate, juries have substantial discretion in awarding punitive damages. This discretion creates the potential for unpredictable material adverse judgments in any given punitive damages suit.

 

Our pending and future litigation could adversely affect us because of the costs of defending these cases, the costs of settlement or judgments against us, or changes in our operations that could result from litigation. Substantial legal liability in these or future legal actions could also have a material financial effect or cause significant harm to our reputation, which, in turn, could materially harm our business and our business prospects.

 

Catastrophic Event Risk:

 

Our business is subject to the risk of the occurrence of catastrophic events.    Our insurance policies are issued to and held by a large number of policyholders throughout the United States in relatively low-face amounts. Accordingly, it is unlikely that a large portion of our policyholder base would be affected by a single natural disaster. However, our insurance operations could be exposed to the risk of catastrophic mortality, caused by events such as a pandemic, an act of terrorism, or another event that causes a large number of deaths or injuries across a wide geographic area. These events could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in any period and, depending on their severity and geographic scope, could also materially and adversely affect our financial condition.

 

The extent of losses from a catastrophe is a function of both the total number of policyholders in the area affected by the event and the severity of the event. Pandemics, hurricanes, earthquakes, and man-

 

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made catastrophes, including terrorism and war, may produce significant claims in larger areas, especially those that are heavily populated. Claims resulting from natural or man-made catastrophic events could cause substantial volatility in our financial results for any fiscal quarter or year and could materially reduce our profitability or harm our financial condition.

 

Information Technology Risk:

 

The occurrence of computer viruses, network security breaches, disasters, or other unanticipated events could affect the data processing systems of Torchmark or its subsidiaries and could damage our business and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.    A computer virus could affect the data processing systems of Torchmark or its subsidiaries, destroying valuable data or making it difficult to conduct business. In addition, despite our implementation of network security measures, our servers could be subject to physical and electronic break-ins and similar disruptions from unauthorized tampering with our computer systems.

 

We retain confidential information in our computer systems and rely on sophisticated commercial technologies to maintain the security of those systems. Anyone who is able to circumvent our security measures and penetrate our computer systems could access, view, misappropriate, alter, or delete information in the systems, including personally identifiable customer information and proprietary business information. In addition, an increasing number of states require that customers be notified of unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of their information. Any compromise of the security of our computer systems that results in inappropriate access, use, or disclosure of personally identifiable customer information could damage our reputation in the marketplace, deter people from purchasing our products, subject us to significant civil and criminal liability, and require us to incur significant technical, legal, and other expenses.

 

In the event of a disaster such as a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, a blackout, or a terrorist attack or war, our computer systems may be inaccessible to our employees or customers for a period of time. Even if our employees are able to report to work, they may be unable to perform their duties for an extended period of time if our data or systems are disabled or destroyed.

 

Item 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments

 

As of December 31, 2010, Torchmark had no unresolved staff comments.

 

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Item 2.    Properties

 

Torchmark, through its subsidiaries, owns or leases buildings that are used in the normal course of business. Torchmark owns and occupies a 290,000 square foot facility located in McKinney, Texas (a north Dallas suburb). This facility is Torchmark’s corporate headquarters and also houses the operations of United American.

 

Liberty owns a 487,000 square foot building in Birmingham, Alabama which until 2010 served as Liberty’s home office. During 2010, Liberty vacated this building and currently operates its home office activities out of a 34,000 square foot facility leased in a Birmingham suburb. Approximately 15,000 square feet of storage space has also been leased near the new home office facility. Liberty also operates from 4 company-owned district offices used for agency sales personnel. Liberty is currently in the process of selling its remaining company-owned office buildings, including its former home office building, opting instead to operate from leased facilities.

 

A subsidiary of Globe owns a 112,000 square foot facility located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma which houses the Globe direct response operation. During 2008, Globe sold two office buildings located in Oklahoma City. The first was a 300,000 square foot building in which Globe previously occupied 56,000 square feet as its home office with the remainder either leased or available for lease. After the sale, Globe continued to occupy 37,000 square feet under a lease expiring in April, 2011. The other sold building was vacant, and consisted of 80,000 square feet.

 

American Income owns and is the sole occupant of an office building located in Waco, Texas. The building is a two-story structure containing approximately 72,000 square feet of usable floor space. American Income also owns a 43,000 square foot facility located in Waco which houses the American Income direct response operation.

 

Liberty and United American also lease district office space for their agency sales personnel.

 

Item 3.    Legal Proceedings

 

Torchmark and its subsidiaries, in common with the insurance industry in general, are subject to litigation, including claims involving tax matters, alleged breaches of contract, torts, including bad faith and fraud claims based on alleged wrongful or fraudulent acts of agents of Torchmark’s subsidiaries, employment discrimination, and miscellaneous other causes of action. Based upon information presently available, and in light of legal and other factual defenses available to Torchmark and its subsidiaries, management does not believe that such litigation will have a material adverse effect on Torchmark’s financial condition, future operating results or liquidity; however, assessing the eventual outcome of litigation necessarily involves forward-looking speculation as to judgments to be made by judges, juries and appellate courts in the future. This bespeaks caution, particularly in states with reputations for high punitive damage verdicts such as Alabama and Mississippi. Torchmark’s management recognizes that large punitive damage awards bearing little or no relation to actual damages continue to be awarded by juries in jurisdictions in which Torchmark and its subsidiaries have substantial business, particularly Alabama and Mississippi, creating the potential for unpredictable material adverse judgments in any given punitive damage suit.

 

As previously disclosed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), United American was named as a defendant in purported class action litigation originally filed on September 16, 2004, in the Circuit Court of Saline County, Arkansas on behalf of the Arkansas purchasers of association group health insurance policies or certificates issued by United American through Heartland Alliance of America Association and Farm & Ranch Healthcare, Inc. (Smith and Ivie v. Collingsworth, et al., CV2004-742-2). The plaintiffs asserted claims for fraudulent concealment, breach of contract, common law liability for non-disclosure, breach of fiduciary duties, civil conspiracy, unjust enrichment, violation of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and violation of Arkansas law and the rules and regulations of the Arkansas Insurance Department. Declaratory, injunctive, and equitable relief, as well as actual and punitive damages, were sought by the plaintiffs. On September 7, 2005, the plaintiffs amended their complaint to assert a nation-wide class, defined as all United American insureds who simultaneously purchased both an individual Hospital and Surgical Expense health insurance policy (Form HSXC) and an individual supplemental term life insurance policy (Form RT85) from Farm & Ranch through Heartland. Defendants removed this litigation to the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas

 

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(No. 4:05-cv-1382) but that Court remanded the litigation back to the state court on plaintiffs’ motion. On July 22, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a second amended complaint, asserting a class defined as “all persons who, between January 1998 and the present, were residents of Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana or Texas, and purchased through Farm & Ranch: (1) a health insurance policy issued by United American known as Flexguard Plan, CS-1 Common Sense Plan, GSP Good Sense Plan, SHXC Surgical & Hospital Expense Policy, HSXC 7500 Hospital/Surgical Plan, MMXC Hospital/Surgical Plan, SMXC Surgical/Medical Expense Plan and/or SSXC Surgical Safeguard Expense Plan, and (ii) a membership in Heartland.” Plaintiffs assert claims for breach of contract, violation of Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and/or applicable consumer protection laws in other states, unjust enrichment, and common law fraud. Plaintiffs seek actual, compensatory, statutory and punitive damages, equitable and declaratory relief. On September 8, 2009, the Saline County Circuit Court granted the plaintiff’s motion certifying the class. On October 7, 2009, United American filed its notice of appeal of the class certification and subsequently filed its appellate brief on April 8, 2010. On December 2, 2010, the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s decision to certify the class. Discovery is ongoing.

 

As reported in previous SEC filings, on June 3, 2009, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (Florida Office) issued an order to Liberty National to show cause why the Florida Office should not issue a final order suspending or revoking Liberty National’s certificate of authority to do insurance business in the State of Florida. The order asserted that Liberty National has engaged in alleged unfair trade practices in violation of Florida law through past underwriting practices used by Liberty National with regard to insurance applications submitted by persons who live in the United States but who were not U.S. citizens and persons traveling to certain foreign countries. Liberty National denies the allegations made by the Florida Office. Liberty National responded to the Florida Office’s order in a timely manner and the matter was transmitted to the Division of Administrative Hearings on July 10, 2009. The matter was assigned to an administrative law judge and was set for hearing commencing on February 1, 2010. On January 21, 2010, the Florida Office filed a motion for continuance which was granted and the hearing in the Florida Department of Administrative Hearings was held June 7-11, 2010. Each of the parties submitted proposed orders to the Administrative Law Judge on August 18, 2010 for her review. On November 9, 2010, the Administrative Law Judge issued a recommended order and transmitted it to all parties. The Florida Office filed exceptions to the order and Liberty National filed its response to those exceptions as well as its own exceptions on December 3, 2010. On February 9, 2011, the Florida Office issued a Final Order that essentially adopted the Administrative Law Judge’s previously recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law. However, in its Final Order, the Florida Office increased the recommended fines for the four non-willful violations and trebled the fine for each non-willful violation resulting in a total fine of $60,000. A decision whether or not the Final Order will be appealed has not been made.

 

As previously reported in filings with the SEC, on September 23, 2009, purported class action litigation was filed against American Income Life Insurance Company in the Superior Court of San Bernardino County, California (Hoover v. American Income Life Insurance Company, Case No. CIVRS 910758). The plaintiffs, former insurance sales agents of American Income who are suing on behalf of all current and former American Income sales agents in California for the four year period prior to the filing of this litigation, assert that American Income’s agents are employees, not independent contractors as they are classified by American Income. They allege failure to indemnify and reimburse for business expenses as well as failure to pay all wages due upon termination in violation of the California Labor Code; failure to pay minimum wages in violation of the California Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order No. 4-2001, originally and as amended; and unfair business practices in violation of the California Business and Professions Code §§17200, et seq. They seek, in a jury trial, reimbursement for business expenses and indemnification for losses, payment of minimum wages for their training periods, payment of moneys due immediately upon termination under the California Labor Code, disgorgement of profits resulting from unfair and unlawful business practices, and injunctive relief granting employee status to all of American Income’s California agents. On October 29, 2009, American Income filed a motion seeking to remove this litigation from the Superior Court in San Bernadino County to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Eastern Division. The U.S. District Court remanded the case without prejudice to the Superior Court and denied American Income’s motion to dismiss on December 15, 2009. On January 19, 2010, American Income filed a motion to dismiss which was denied by the Superior Court after a hearing held on March 16, 2010. On September 20, 2010, American Income again filed a motion to remove the case to federal court based upon jurisdictional grounds that had not been available previously. The Company’s motion was not successful, however, and the case was remanded back to Superior Court. On January 12, 2011, the Superior Court denied the Company’s motion to exercise the arbitration clauses of those agent contracts that contain them; the Company has appealed that denial. Discovery is proceeding.

 

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PART II

 

Item 5.    Market for Registrant’s Common Equity,

Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

(a)   Market Price of and Dividends on the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

 

The principal market in which Torchmark’s common stock is traded is the New York Stock Exchange. There were 3,784 shareholders of record on December 31, 2010, excluding shareholder accounts held in nominee form. The market prices and cash dividends paid by calendar quarter for the past two years are as follows:

 

           2010
Market Price
     Dividends
Per Share
 

Quarter

         High      Low     

1                

     $ 53.73       $ 44.04       $ .15   

2                

       56.22         48.74         .15   

3                

       55.16         48.33         .15   

4                

       61.99         52.87         .16   

Year-end closing price

  $ 59.74            
           2009
Market Price
     Dividends
Per Share
 

Quarter

         High      Low     

1                

     $ 46.32       $ 17.06       $ .14   

2                

       40.62         26.21         .14   

3                

       46.40         33.53         .14   

4                

       46.77         40.42         .14   

Year-end closing price

  $ 43.95            

 

(c)   Purchases of Certain Equity Securities by the Issuer and Others for the Fourth Quarter 2010

 

Period

   (a) Total Number
of Shares
Purchased
     (b) Average
Price Paid
Per Share
     (c) Total Number of
Shares Purchased
as Part of Publicly
Announced Plans
or Programs
     (d) Maximum Number
of Shares (or
Approximate Dollar
Amount) that May
Yet Be Purchased
Under the Plans or
Programs
 

October 1-31, 2010

     150,410       $ 53.89         150,410      

November 1-30, 2010

     706,000         58.36         706,000      

December 1-31, 2010

     802,831         60.91         802,831      

 

At its February 25, 2010 meeting, the board of Directors reactivated the Company’s previously suspended share repurchase program in amounts and with timing that management, in consultation with the Board, determines to be in the best interest of the Company. The program has no defined expiration date or maximum shares to be repurchased.

 

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(e)   Performance Graph

 

LOGO

 

 

      *   $100 invested on 12/31/05 in stock or index, including reinvestment of dividends. Fiscal year ending December 31.

 

Copyright© 2010 S&P, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.

 

The line graph shown above compares Torchmark’s cumulative total return on its common stock with the cumulative total returns of the Standard and Poor’s 500 Stock Index (S&P 500) and the Standard and Poor’s Life & Health Insurance Index (S&P Life & Health Insurance). Torchmark is one of the companies whose stock is included within both the S&P 500 and the S&P Life & Health Insurance Index.

 

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Item 6.    Selected Financial Data

 

The following information should be read in conjunction with Torchmark’s Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes reported elsewhere in this Form 10-K:

 

(Amounts in thousands except per share and percentage data)

 

Year ended December 31,         2010           2009     2008           2007           2006  

Premium revenue:

         

Life

  $ 1,663,699      $ 1,591,853      $ 1,544,219      $ 1,495,363      $ 1,448,160   

Health

    987,421        1,017,711        1,127,059        1,236,797        1,237,532   

Other

    638        541        622        602        537   

Total

    2,651,758        2,610,105        2,671,900        2,732,762        2,686,229   

Net investment income

    676,364        632,540        627,206        601,975        577,460   

Realized investment gains (losses)

    37,340        (129,492     (107,541     2,281        (12,496

Total revenue

    3,367,632        3,115,073        3,196,236        3,344,517        3,269,679   

Income from continuing operations

    522,293        386,052        429,700        489,237        480,511   

Income from discontinued operations

    29,784        18,901        22,559        38,298        38,120   

Loss on disposal, net of tax

    (35,013     -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-   

Net income

    517,064        404,953        452,259        527,535        518,631   

Per common share:

         

Basic earnings:

         

Income from continuing operations

    6.42        4.65        4.88        5.19        4.82   

Income from discontinued operations

    (0.06     0.23        0.26        0.40        0.38   

Net income

    6.36        4.88        5.14        5.59        5.20   

Diluted earnings:

         

Income from continuing operations

    6.36        4.65        4.85        5.10        4.75   

Income from discontinued operations

    (0.06     0.23        0.26        0.40        0.38   

Net income

    6.30        4.88        5.11        5.50        5.13   

Cash dividends declared

    0.62        0.57        0.56        0.52        0.50   

Cash dividends paid

    0.61        0.56        0.55        0.52        0.48   

Basic average shares outstanding

    81,339        83,034        88,053        94,317        99,733   

Diluted average shares outstanding

    82,082        83,034        88,516        95,846        101,112   
As of December 31,         2010           2009     2008     2007     2006  

Cash and invested assets

  $ 11,563,656      $ 10,054,764      $ 7,812,992      $ 9,084,312      $ 8,948,162   

Total assets

    16,159,762        16,023,759        13,529,050        15,241,428        14,980,355   

Short-term debt

    198,875        233,307        403,707        202,058        169,736   

Long-term debt(1)

    913,354        919,761        622,760        721,723        721,248   

Shareholders’ equity

    4,016,241        3,398,891        2,222,907        3,324,627        3,459,193   

Per diluted share

    49.86        40.87        26.24        35.60        34.68   

Effect of fixed maturity revaluation on diluted equity per share(2)

    0.83        (3.35     (12.93     (0.66     1.43   

Annualized premium in force:

         

Life

    1,753,046        1,694,402        1,625,549        1,585,005        1,525,077   

Health

    973,625        1,026,560        1,098,349        1,233,884        1,293,081   

Total

    2,726,671        2,720,962        2,723,898        2,818,889        2,818,158   

Basic shares outstanding

    79,243        82,841        84,708        92,175        98,115   

Diluted shares outstanding

    80,543        83,159        84,708        93,383        99,755   
(1)

Includes Torchmark’s 7.1% Junior Subordinated Debentures reported as “Due to affiliates” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at year ends 2006 through 2010 in the amount of $123.7 million.

(2) There is an accounting rule requiring available-for-sale fixed maturities to be revalued at fair value each period. The effect of this rule on diluted equity per share reflects the amount added or (deducted) under this rule to produce GAAP Shareholders’ equity per share. Please see the explanation and discussion under the caption Capital Resources in Management’s Discussion and Analysis in this report concerning the effect this rule has on Torchmark’s equity.

 

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Item 7.    Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Selected Financial Data and Torchmark’s Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this report.

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Discontinued Operations:    As described in Note 3—Discontinued Operations in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we sold our subsidiary United Investors Life Insurance Company (United Investors) as of December 31, 2010. Because of the sale, United Investors’ financial results are excluded from this discussion since those operations are discontinued.

 

How Torchmark Views Its Operations:    Torchmark is the holding company for a group of insurance companies which market primarily individual life and supplemental health insurance, and to a limited extent annuities, to middle income households throughout the United States. We view our operations by segments, which are the major insurance product lines of life, health, and annuities, and the investment segment that supports the product lines. Segments are aligned based on their common characteristics, comparability of the profit margins, and management techniques used to operate each segment.

 

Insurance Product Line Segments.    As fully described in Note 14Business Segments in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, the product line segments involve the marketing, underwriting, and benefit administration of policies. Each product line is further segmented by the various distribution units that market the insurance policies. Each distribution unit operates in a niche market offering insurance products designed for that particular market. Whether analyzing profitability of a segment as a whole, or the individual distribution units within the segment, the measure of profitability used by management is the underwriting margin, which is:

 

Premium revenue

Less:

    Policy obligations

    Policy acquisition costs and commissions

 

Investment Segment.    The investment segment involves the management of our capital resources, including investments and the management of corporate debt and liquidity. Our measure of profitability for the investment segment is excess investment income, which is:

 

Net investment income

Less:

    Interest credited to net policy liabilities

    Financing costs

 

The tables in Note 14Business Segments reconcile Torchmark’s revenues and expenses by segment to its major income statement line items for each of the years in the three-year period ending December 31, 2010. Additionally, this Note provides a summary of the profitability measures that demonstrates year-to-year comparability and which reconciles to net income. That summary is reproduced below from the Consolidated Financial Statements to present our overall operations in the manner that we use to manage the business.

 

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Analysis of Profitability by Segment

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

        2010             2009             2008         2010
Change
    %     2009
Change
      %    

Life insurance underwriting margin

  $ 455,266      $ 427,412      $ 414,025      $ 27,854        7      $ 13,387        3   

Health insurance underwriting margin

    170,059        170,410        194,711        (351     -0-        (24,301     (12

Annuity underwriting margin

    1,348        312        -0-        1,036        332        312     

Other insurance:

             

Other income

    2,834        2,914        4,154        (80     (3     (1,240     (30

Administrative expense

    (155,615     (150,325     (156,164     (5,290     4        5,839        (4

Excess investment income

    297,145        275,650        303,529        21,495        8        (27,879     (9

Corporate and adjustments

    (29,810     (19,450     (21,278     (10,360     53        1,828        (9
                                           

Pre-tax total

    741,227        706,923        738,977        34,304        5        (32,054     (4

Applicable taxes

    (243,204     (238,153     (248,225     (5,051     2        10,072        (4
                                           

After-tax total, before discontinued operations

    498,023        468,770        490,752        29,253        6        (21,982     (4

Discontinued operations (after tax)

    27,932        26,810        22,535        1,122        4        4,275        19   
                                           

Total

    525,955        495,580        513,287        30,375        6        (17,707     (3

Realized gains (losses) (after tax)*

    24,270        (85,345     (69,902     109,615          (15,443  

Realized gains (losses)—discontinued operations (after tax)

    1,852        (7,909     24        9,761          (7,933  

Loss on disposal of discontinued operations (after tax)

    (35,013     -0-        -0-        (35,013       -0-     

Gain on sale of agency buildings, net of tax

    -0-        -0-        181        -0-          (181  

Tax settlements (after tax)

    -0-        2,858        10,823        (2,858       (7,965  

Net proceeds (cost) from legal settlements (after tax)

    -0-        -0-        (770     -0-          770     

Loss on writedown of Company-occupied property (after tax)

    -0-        (231     (1,384     231          1,153     
                                           

Net income

  $ 517,064      $ 404,953      $ 452,259      $ 112,111        28      $ (47,306     (10
                                                       

 

* See the discussion of Realized Gains and Losses in this report.

 

Torchmark’s operations on a segment-by-segment basis are discussed in depth under the appropriate captions following in this report.

 

Summary of Operations:    Net income rose 28% or $112 million in 2010 to $517 million. In 2009, net income declined $47 million or 10% to $405 million from $452 million. On a diluted per share basis, 2010 net income increased 29% to $6.30. In 2009, per share net income declined 5% to $4.88. Included in 2010 results is the $35 million after tax loss on the disposal of United Investors, representing $.43 per diluted share.

 

The major contributor to the growth in 2010 earnings compared with the previous two years was in realized investment gains and losses, as 2010 had net gains of $24 million compared with net losses of $85 million in 2009 and $70 million in 2008. The losses in 2009 and 2008 included a number of writedowns of fixed-maturity securities that were determined to be other-than-temporarily impaired. In 2009, after-tax realized investment losses reduced per share earnings $1.03, of which $1.13 per share related to other-than-temporary impairments of fixed maturities. In 2008, after-tax losses accounted for $.79 per share, of which $.78 related to fixed maturity other-than-temporary impairments. In 2010, we had realized investment gains which added $.30 to per diluted share earnings, even though there was an other-than-temporary impairment writedown of $.04 per share that offset the net gains for the period. Another important factor in 2010 earnings growth was a $21 million or 8% growth in our excess investment income, the measure of profitability of our investment segment. In 2009, excess investment income declined $28 million or 9%. Poor economic conditions in 2009, especially early in the year, caused us to hold a significant portion in low-yielding cash and short-term investments for increased liquidity. Excess investment income was also negatively affected in 2009 because of our issuance of a $300 million 9 1/4% debt security in June, 2009 (net proceeds of $296 million) and repayment of a $99 million 8 1/4% security which matured in August, 2009. These transactions resulted in a net increase in our financing costs in 2009 and reduced excess investment income. Results in our core life insurance segment rose 7% in 2010 to $455 million and also increased 3% in 2009, largely as a result of premium growth in both years. The life segment is our largest contributor to operating results. Earnings from our health operations stabilized in 2010 after two years of declines. This segment has experienced intense competition in recent periods resulting in significant declines in agent counts, which in turn has resulted in

 

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lower sales of new health products. Health underwriting margins were flat at $170 million in 2010 after having declined $24 million or 12% in 2009.

 

Total revenues increased 8% in 2010 to $3.37 billion. In 2009, total revenues declined 3% to $3.12 billion from $3.20 billion in 2008. Life premium rose 5% or $72 million in 2010 and $48 million in 2009. Net investment income rose $44 million in 2010, compared with $5 million in 2009. However, growth in revenues in 2009 and 2008 were negatively affected by the aforementioned pretax realized investment losses and declines in health premium, described further under this caption.

 

While life insurance premium has grown steadily in each of the three years ending December 31, 2010, margins as a percentage of premium have also held steady each year at 27% of premium. Life net sales rose 1% in 2010 to $330 million and 10% in 2009 to $326 million. Life insurance segment results are discussed further under the caption Life Insurance.

 

We market three primary health insurance products: Medicare Supplement insurance, the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, and under-age-65 limited-benefit health insurance. Health premium declined 3% in 2010 to $987 million from $1.02 billion in 2009. Health premium declined 10% in 2009. The decreases in both years were caused by the decline in agent count and poor persistency. Agent turnover has increased as lower premium, lower margin products offered by competitors have provided agents with products that are easier to sell. Turnover has also increased due to the Company’s decision to deemphasize the marketing of certain limited-benefit products. Sales of these de-emphasized products were discontinued altogether after September, 2010. Declines in these agent counts have resulted in lower net sales, which in turn have pressured premium growth. Medicare Supplement remains our largest contributor to total health premium, but increased competition has also dampened sales of this product in recent years, resulting in premium declines in each successive year. Our Medicare Part D premium rose 14% in 2010, after having increased 5% in 2009. However, as most of the country’s Part D enrollees selected a plan provider in 2006, we do not expect significant growth in our Part D business going forward. See the discussion under Health Insurance for a more detailed discussion of health insurance results.

 

We offer fixed annuities, but we do not emphasize sales of annuity products, favoring life insurance instead. With the sale of United Investors, we disposed of 37% of our annuity deposit balance. See the caption Annuities for further discussion of the Annuity segment.

 

As previously mentioned, the investment segment’s pretax profitability, or excess investment income, increased $21 million in 2010 but declined $28 million in 2009. Profitability in this segment is based on three major components: net investment income, required interest on net policy liabilities (interest applicable to insurance products), and financing costs. In recent years, growth in net investment income has been restricted in relation to the growth in the size of our portfolio. However, in 2010, the growth in net investment income exceeded the growth in the average portfolio (amortized cost) for the first time in many years, primarily as a result of the special constraints on the growth in net investment income in 2009 noted below. One reason that investment income has grown at a lower rate than mean invested assets has grown in recent years is that new investments have been made at yield rates lower than the yield rates earned on securities that matured or were otherwise disposed of. Also, there is sometimes a lag between the time when proceeds from maturities and dispositions are received and when the proceeds are reinvested, in which the funds are held in cash. Growth in total investment income has also been somewhat negatively affected by Torchmark’s share repurchase program (described later under this caption), which has diverted cash that could have otherwise been used to acquire investments. During 2009, due primarily to uncertainty about liquidity in the financial markets, we held significantly more cash and short term investments than we normally would. Additionally, in 2009, we sold a significant portion of higher-yielding but lower-rated fixed maturities and reinvested the proceeds in lower-yielding but higher-rated bonds in 2009 and early 2010 to improve our risk-adjusted return. These factors contributed to reduced 2009 net investment income.

 

The interest required on net policy liabilities is deducted from net investment income, and generally grows in conjunction with the insurance policy reserves that are supported by the invested assets. Financing costs, which consist of the interest required for debt service on our long and short-term debt, are also deducted from net investment income. In 2010, interest expense on our long-term debt rose $9 million after increasing $11 million in 2009. As noted earlier during 2009, we issued our $300 million 9 1/4% Senior Notes but repaid our $99 million 8 1/4% Senior Debentures, resulting in a higher balance of debt outstanding at a

 

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higher interest rate. However, this segment has benefited from lower short-term financing costs in each successive year, as these costs have declined primarily due to lower rates on our short-term debt.

 

Torchmark’s current investment policy limits new investment acquisitions to investment-grade fixed maturities generally with longer maturities (often exceeding twenty years) that meet our quality and yield objectives. Approximately 94% of our invested assets at fair value consists of fixed maturities of which 93% was investment grade at December 31, 2010. The average quality rating of the portfolio was BBB+. The portfolio contains no securities backed by sub prime or Alt-A mortgages, no direct investment in residential mortgages, no counterparty risks, no credit default swaps, or derivative contracts. See the analysis of excess investment income and investment activities under the caption Investments in this report and Note 4—Investments in the Notes to Consolidated Statements of Operations for a more detailed discussion of this segment.

 

As described earlier in this summary, we wrote down certain fixed maturity and equity securities in each of the years 2008 through 2010, as these securities met our criteria for other-than-temporary impairment. The pretax impairment losses were $5 million, $143 million, and $106 million in 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively. Please refer to Note 4—Investments in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements under the caption Other-than-temporary impairments and under the caption Realized Gains and Losses in this report for more information on these writedowns and our criteria for consideration of other-than-temporary impairment. Including the writedowns, we had total after-tax realized investment gains of $24 million in 2010 ($.30 per share), realized investment losses of $85 million in 2009 ($1.03 per share), and $70 million in 2008 ($.79 per share). Realized investment gains and losses can vary significantly from period to period and may have a material positive or negative impact on net income. Under the caption Realized Gains and Losses in this report, we present a complete analysis and discussion of our realized gains and losses including the writedowns. Also, as explained in Note 14—Business Segments in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we do not consider realized gains and losses to be a component of our core insurance operations or operating segments.

 

As mentioned earlier, we used a portion of the $296 million proceeds from the offering of our 9 1/4% Senior Notes ($300 million par amount) in 2009 to repay our $99 million 8 1/4% Senior Debentures which also matured in 2009. In addition, we also used $175 million to strengthen the capital position of certain of our insurance subsidiaries in 2009 in the form of capital contributions and surplus notes. The regulatory capital positions of these subsidiaries had been negatively affected by rating-agency downgrades of bonds in their investment portfolios. The subsidiaries in turn invested these funds in investment-grade fixed maturities. More information on these transactions can be found in Note 11—Debt in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and in our discussion of Capital Resources in this report.

 

In each of the years 2008 and 2009, income from continuing operations was affected by certain significant, unusual, and nonrecurring nonoperating items. We do not view these items as components of core operating results because they are not indicative of past performance or future prospects of the insurance operations. A discussion of these items follows.

 

As reported in Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements under the caption Litigation and Tax Settlements, we have been involved in certain litigation issues in 2008 and 2009 in which we either received settlements net of expenses or incurred settlement losses and expenses. These issues resulted in a net after-tax charge of $770 thousand in 2008. Additionally, as described under the same caption of Note 1, we received tax settlements in each year in the amounts of $2.9 million in 2009 and $10.8 million in 2008. All of these litigation and tax issues pertained to issues arising many years ago and are not considered by management to relate to our current operations. Legal and litigation expenses pertaining to current operations are included in either insurance administrative expenses or parent expenses, as appropriate, in our segment analysis. Income from litigation settlements is included in other income. As explained in Note 4—Investments under the caption Other-than-temporary impairments, we wrote down certain company-occupied property to fair value during both 2009 and 2008. The write downs resulted in after-tax charges of $231 thousand in 2009 and $1.4 million in 2008.

 

Torchmark has in place an ongoing share repurchase program which began in 1986. With no specified authorization amount, we determine the amount of repurchases based on the amount of the Company’s excess cash flow, general market conditions, and other alternative uses. The majority of these

 

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purchases are made from excess operating cash flow when market prices are favorable. Additionally, when stock options are exercised, proceeds from these exercises and the tax benefit are used to repurchase additional shares on the open market to minimize dilution as a result of the option exercises. Due to economic conditions in late 2008 and early 2009, we temporarily suspended our share repurchase program in the first quarter of 2009. However, in the first quarter of 2010, the Board of Directors reactivated the Company’s previously suspended share repurchase program in amounts and with timing that management, in consultation with the Board, determines to be in the best interest of the Company. The following chart summarizes share purchase activity for each of the three years ended December 31, 2010.

 

Analysis of Share Purchases

(Amounts in thousands)

 

      2010      2009      2008  

Purchases

   Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  

Excess cash flow and borrowings

     3,805         $203,566         2,050       $ 46,695         7,638       $ 426,640   

Option proceeds

     716         42,440         20         869         487         29,096   
                                                     

Total

     4,521         $246,006         2,070       $ 47,564         8,125       $ 455,736   
                                                     

 

Throughout the remainder of this discussion, share purchases refer only to those made from excess cash flow and borrowings.

 

A discussion of each of Torchmark’s segments follows.

 

Life Insurance.    Life insurance is our largest insurance segment, with 2010 life premium representing 63% of total premium. Life underwriting income before other income and administrative expense represented 73% of the total in 2010. Additionally, investments supporting the reserves for life products result in the majority of excess investment income attributable to the investment segment.

 

We have been in the process of combining selected United American (UA) Exclusive Agency Branch Offices with the Liberty National Exclusive Agency. For this reason, all data will be reported on a combined basis in this report.

 

Life insurance premium rose 5% to $1.66 billion in 2010 after having increased 3% in 2009 to $1.59 billion. Life insurance products are marketed through several distribution channels. Premium income by channel for each of the last three years is as follows:

 

LIFE INSURANCE

Premium by Distribution Method

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
 

Direct Response

   $ 566,604         34   $ 536,878         34   $ 511,165         33

American Income Exclusive Agency

     560,649         34        507,899         32        473,784         31   

Liberty National Exclusive Agency

     294,587         18        298,485         19        304,262         20   

Other Agencies

     241,859         14        248,591         15        255,008         16   
                                                   
   $ 1,663,699         100   $ 1,591,853         100   $ 1,544,219         100
                                                   

 

We use three statistical measures as indicators of premium growth and sales over the near term: “annualized premium in force,” “net sales,” and “first-year collected premium.” Annualized premium in force is defined as the premium income that would be received over the following twelve months at any given date on all active policies if those policies remain in force throughout the twelve-month period. Annualized premium in force is an indicator of potential growth in premium revenue. Net sales is

 

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annualized premium issued, net of cancellations in the first thirty days after issue, except in the case of Direct Response where net sales is annualized premium issued at the time the first full premium is paid after any introductory offer period has expired. We believe that net sales is a superior indicator of the rate of premium growth relative to annualized premium issued. First-year collected premium is defined as the premium collected during the reporting period for all policies in their first policy year. First-year collected premium takes lapses into account in the first year when lapses are more likely to occur, and thus is a useful indicator of how much new premium is expected to be added to premium income in the future.

 

Annualized life premium in force was $1.75 billion at December 31, 2010, an increase of 3% over $1.69 billion a year earlier. Annualized life premium in force was $1.63 billion at December 31, 2008.

 

The following table shows net sales information for each of the last three years by distribution method.

 

LIFE INSURANCE

Net Sales by Distribution Method

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
 

Direct Response

   $ 136,653         41   $ 131,566         40   $ 123,076         41

American Income Exclusive Agency

     137,554         42        127,688         39        108,353         37   

Liberty National Exclusive Agency

     44,763         14        55,146         17        54,784         18   

Other Agencies

     10,561         3        11,518         4        11,083         4   
                                                   
   $ 329,531         100   $ 325,918         100   $ 297,296         100
                                                   

 

The table below discloses first-year collected life premium by distribution channel.

 

LIFE INSURANCE

First-Year Collected Premium by Distribution Method

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
 

Direct Response

   $ 89,542         37   $ 84,775         37   $ 80,075         39

American Income Exclusive Agency

     110,751         45        95,693         42        82,063         40   

Liberty National Exclusive Agency

     34,845         14        35,137         16        33,299         16   

Other Agencies

     10,364         4        10,313         5        11,016         5   
                                                   
   $ 245,502         100   $ 225,918         100   $ 206,453         100
                                                   

 

Direct Response consists of two primary components: direct mail and insert media. Direct mail targets primarily young middle-income households with children. The juvenile life insurance policy is a key product. Not only is the juvenile market an important source of sales, but it also is a vehicle to reach the parents and grandparents of the juvenile policyholders. Parents and grandparents of these juvenile policyholders are more likely to respond favorably to a Direct Response solicitation for life coverage on themselves than is the general adult population. Also, both the juvenile policyholders and their parents are low acquisition-cost targets for sales of additional coverage over time. At this time, we believe that the Direct Response unit is the largest U.S. writer of juvenile direct mail life insurance. We expect that sales to this demographic group will continue as one of Direct Response’s premier markets.

 

The insert media area targets primarily the adult market. It involves placing insurance solicitations as advertising inserts into a variety of media, such as coupon packets, newspapers, bank statements, and billings.

 

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The Direct Response operation accounted for 34% of our life insurance premium during 2010, the largest of any distribution group. Life premium for this channel rose 6% in 2010 and 5% in 2009. Net sales rose 4% in 2010 to $137 million after a 7% gain in 2009 to $132 million. First-year collected premium increased 6% in 2010 to $90 million after a 6% gain in 2009.

 

The American Income Exclusive Agency focuses primarily on members of labor unions, but also on credit unions and other associations for its life insurance sales. It is Torchmark’s highest profit margin business. Life premium for this agency rose 10% to $560 million in 2010, after having increased 7% in 2009. Net sales increased 8% in 2010 to $138 million from $128 million in 2009, as this agency was Torchmark’s largest contributor to life net sales in 2010. Net sales rose 18% in 2009. First-year collected premium rose 16% in 2010 to $111 million, after having increased 17% in 2009. As in the case of all of Torchmark’s agency distribution systems, continued increases in product sales are largely dependent on increases in agent count. The American Income agent count was 3,912 at December 31, 2010 compared with 4,154 a year earlier, a decline of 6%. However, the agent count rose 35% in 2009 from 3,085 at year end 2008, after having risen 21% in 2008. This agency continues to recruit new agents focusing on an incentive program to reward growth in both the recruiting of new agents and in the production of new business. Additionally, the systematic, centralized internet recruiting program has enhanced the recruiting of new agents.

 

As previously mentioned, we have combined selected UA Exclusive Agency Branch Offices into the Liberty National Exclusive Agency. This Agency markets primarily low-face amount life insurance and supplemental health insurance to middle-income customers. Life premium income for this agency was $295 million in 2010, a 1% decrease compared with $298 million in 2009. Life premium for this agency declined 2% in 2009 from 2008. First-year collected premium on a combined basis declined 1% to $35 million in 2010, after having increased 6% in 2009.

 

The Liberty Agency’s net sales declined 19% to $45 million in 2010, after having increased 1% a year earlier. This agency had 2,001 producing agents at December 31, 2010, compared with 2,471 a year earlier, a decline of 19%. The agent count at Liberty had also declined 51% in 2009 from 5,020. The decrease in agent count has been due in part to the closing of several offices which have had low production. In addition, agent compensation issues that arose in 2009 have negatively impacted agent counts. A two-tier bonus threshold proved more difficult for producing agents to meet than anticipated. Management reverted to a level bonus threshold later in 2009. Also, due to deteriorating first-year persistency on business written during 2008 and early 2009, management modified compensation incentives in 2009 to place more emphasis on the persistency of newly issued policies. This resulted in the departure of a number of the less productive agents but improved first year persistency.

 

The Liberty Exclusive Agency agent counts have also decreased due to issues related to its health insurance business. Until recently, the agency’s health insurance marketing efforts had been focused on limited-benefit hospital-surgical plans. These plans were subject to intense competition which ultimately resulted in decreases in agent counts. In addition, these limited-benefit hospital-surgical plans became less marketable due to healthcare reform developments. Sales of these limited-benefit hospital/surgical plans were discontinued after September, 2010. In response, the agency has shifted its marketing focus to a product mix more weighted towards life insurance and supplemental health insurance products (not affected by healthcare reform) that have higher margins and persistency. We believe this will increase the Agency’s profitability and stability in the long run.

 

We also offer life insurance through Other Agencies consisting of the Military Agency, the United American Independent Agency, and other small miscellaneous sales agencies. The Military Agency consists of a nationwide independent agency whose sales force is comprised primarily of former military officers who have historically sold primarily to commissioned and noncommissioned military officers and their families. This business consists of whole-life products with term insurance riders. Military premium represented 12% of life premium. The United American Independent Agency represented less than 2% of Torchmark’s total life premium. This agency is focused on health insurance, with life sales being incidental.

 

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LIFE INSURANCE

Summary of Results

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount     % of
Premium
    Amount     % of
Premium
    Amount     % of
Premium
 

Premium and policy charges

   $ 1,663,699        100   $ 1,591,853        100   $ 1,544,219        100

Policy obligations

     1,082,423        65        1,040,249        65        1,015,494        66   

Required interest on reserves

     (434,319     (26     (410,917     (26     (389,526     (25
                                                

Net policy obligations

     648,104        39        629,332        39        625,968        41   

Commissions and premium taxes

     72,559        5        72,272        5        69,295        4   

Amortization of acquisition costs

     487,770        29        462,837        29        434,931        28   
                                                

Total expense

     1,208,433        73        1,164,441        73        1,130,194        73   
                                                

Insurance underwriting margin before other income and administrative expenses

   $ 455,266        27   $ 427,412        27   $ 414,025        27
                                                

 

Gross margins, as indicated by insurance underwriting margin before other income and administrative expense, rose 7% in 2010 to $455 million after rising 3% in 2009. As a percentage of life insurance premium, gross margins have been stable each year at 27%. Margin growth in all periods was primarily the result of premium growth.

 

Health Insurance.    Health insurance sold by Torchmark includes primarily Medicare Supplement and Part D prescription drug coverage to enrollees in the federal Medicare program, cancer coverage, and accident coverage. All health coverage plans other than Medicare Supplement and Part D are classified here as limited-benefit plans. For several years, our primary health insurance product had been hospital/surgical plans. However, as previously mentioned, these plans became subject to intense competition which resulted in decreasing agent counts. In addition, these plans became less marketable due to healthcare reform developments. These factors contributed to the Company’s decisions to de-emphasize and discontinue the marketing of these products. In 2010, Medicare Supplement sales exceeded those of the limited-benefit products for the first time since 2001, and represented 56% of health net sales exclusive of Medicare Part D. Medicare Supplement sales have been stronger than limited-benefit sales due in part to changes in agent counts in our health distribution groups discussed below.

 

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Total health premium represented 37% of Torchmark’s total premium income in 2010. Excluding Part D premium, health premium represented 32% in 2010, compared with 34% in 2009 and 38% in 2008. Health underwriting margin, excluding Part D, accounted for 24% of the total in 2010, compared with 26% in 2009 and 29% in 2008. These declines in the health percentages are indicative of the growth in the premium and profitability of our life segment in relation to our health segment. As mentioned previously, health results have also been negatively affected by increased competition in recent periods. The following table indicates health insurance premium income by distribution channel for each of the last three years.

 

HEALTH INSURANCE

Premium by Distribution Method

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
 

United American Independent Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

   $ 47,244         $ 60,292         $ 78,973      

Medicare Supplement

     267,280           266,150           277,880      
                                 
     314,524         40     326,442         39     356,853         37

Liberty National Exclusive Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

     201,037           243,568           311,686      

Medicare Supplement

     130,019           144,954           164,219      
                                 
     331,056         43        388,522         46        475,905         50   

American Income Exclusive Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

     78,141           74,015           72,149      

Medicare Supplement

     918           1,082           1,274      
                                 
     79,059         10        75,097         9        73,423         8   

Direct Response

               

Limited-benefit plans

     398           438           478      

Medicare Supplement

     53,930           46,117           44,645      
                                 
     54,328         7        46,555         6        45,123         5   

Total Premium (Before Part D)

               

Limited-benefit plans

     326,820         42        378,313         45        463,286         49   

Medicare Supplement

     452,147         58        458,303         55        488,018         51   
                                                   

Total Premium (Before Part D)

     778,967         100     836,616         100     951,304         100
                                 

Medicare Part D*

     208,970           183,586           175,633      
                                 

Total Health Premium*

   $ 987,937         $ 1,020,202         $ 1,126,937      
                                 

 

*   Total Medicare Part D premium and health premium exclude $.5 million in 2010 and $2.5 million in 2009 of risk-sharing premium paid to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services consistent with the Medicare Part D contract. In 2008, $122 thousand of risk-sharing premium was received, increasing premium. This risk-sharing amount is a portion of the excess or deficiency of actual over expected claims, and therefore we view this payment as a component of policyholder benefits in our segment analysis.

 

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We market supplemental health insurance products through a number of distribution channels with the United American Independent Agency being our market leader. The following table presents net sales by distribution method for the last three years.

 

HEALTH INSURANCE

Net Sales by Distribution Method

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
 

United American Independent Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

   $ 4,596         $ 12,256         $ 23,084      

Medicare Supplement

     27,444           30,431           14,517      
                                 
     32,040         50     42,687         44     37,601         27

Liberty National Exclusive Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

     10,385           25,306           76,213      

Medicare Supplement

     3,804           4,461           7,518      
                                 
     14,189         22        29,767         31        83,731         60   

American Income Exclusive Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

     13,081           13,393           11,848      

Medicare Supplement

     -0-           -0-           -0-      
                                 
     13,081         20        13,393         14        11,848         9   

Direct Response

               

Limited-benefit plans

     549           665           325      

Medicare Supplement

     4,548           10,233           5,498      
                                 
     5,097         8        10,898         11        5,823         4   

Total Net Sales (Before Part D)

               

Limited-benefit plans

     28,611         44        51,620         53        111,470         80   

Medicare Supplement

     35,796         56        45,125         47        27,533         20   
                                                   

Total Net Sales (Before Part D)

     64,407         100     96,745         100     139,003         100
                                 

Medicare Part D*

     38,799           43,004           28,292      
                                 

Total Health Net Sales

   $ 103,206         $ 139,749         $ 167,295      
                                 

 

*   Net sales for Medicare Part D represents only new first-time enrollees.

 

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The following table discloses first-year collected health premium by distribution method.

 

HEALTH INSURANCE

First-Year Collected Premium by Distribution Method

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
    Amount      % of
Total
 

United American Independent Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

   $ 5,638         $ 11,459         $ 20,360      

Medicare Supplement

     29,999           16,066           15,495      
                                 
     35,637         47     27,525         35     35,855         26

Liberty National Exclusive Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

     12,435           28,003           77,917      

Medicare Supplement

     3,324           4,973           8,010      
                                 
     15,759         21        32,976         42        85,927         62   

American Income Exclusive Agency

               

Limited-benefit plans

     13,965           12,996           12,316      

Medicare Supplement

     -0-           -0-           -0-      
                                 
     13,965         19        12,996         17        12,316         9   

Direct Response

               

Limited-benefit plans

     488           384           437      

Medicare Supplement

     9,162           4,251           4,102      
                                 
     9,650         13        4,635         6        4,539         3   

Total First-Year Collected Premium (Before Part D)

               

Limited-benefit plans

     32,526         43        52,842         68        111,030         80   

Medicare Supplement

     42,485         57        25,290         32        27,607         20   
                                                   

Total (Before Part D)

     75,011         100     78,132         100     138,637         100
                                 

Medicare Part D*

     48,945           26,708           16,655      
                                 

Total First-Year Collected Premium

   $ 123,956         $ 104,840         $ 155,292      
                                 

 

*   First-year collected premium for Medicare Part D represents only premium collected from new first-time enrollees in their first policy year.

 

The Medicare Part D Health product will be presented and discussed separately in this report.

 

Health insurance, excluding Medicare Part D. As noted under the caption Life Insurance, we have emphasized life insurance sales relative to health, due to life’s superior margins and other benefits. Our health distribution groups have also encountered increased competition in recent periods. The increased competition has led to losses in agents in our Liberty Exclusive Agency and Independent Agencies. Agent turnover has increased as lower premium, lower margin products offered by competitors have provided agents with products that are easier to sell. Turnover has also increased due to the Company’s decision to deemphasize the marketing of certain limited-benefit products as previously discussed. The marketing of these products was discontinued altogether after September, 2010. Declines in these agent counts have resulted in lower net sales, which in turn have pressured premium growth. Health premium, excluding Part D premium, fell 7% to $779 million in 2010, after declining 12% in 2009. Medicare Supplement premium declined 1% to $452 million in 2010, compared with a 6% decline in 2009. Other limited-benefit health premium dropped 14% in 2010 to $327 million, after a decline of 18% in 2009 and 9% in 2008. Net sales, excluding Medicare Part D, declined 33% to $64 million in 2010. Net sales fell 30% in 2009 to $97 million. Medicare Supplement net sales fell 21% in 2010, but rose 64% in 2009. Other health net sales continued to decline, falling 45% in 2010 and 54% in 2009. First year collected premium also declined in both 2010 and 2009.

 

 

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Medicare Supplement provides the greatest amount of health premium, partially because Medicare Supplement products are generally more persistent than the limited-benefit products, but also because of more stable sales in recent periods. Medicare Supplement premium represented 58% of non-Part D health premium in 2010, compared with 55% in 2009 and 51% in 2008.

 

The Liberty National Exclusive Agency is Torchmark’s largest in terms of health premium income. In 2010, this Agency represented 43% of all Torchmark non-Part D income health premium at $331 million. The Liberty Agency markets Medicare Supplements and limited-benefit health products including cancer insurance. In 2010, health premium income in this Agency declined 15% from prior year premium of $389 million. Premium also fell 18% in 2009 from $476 million. First-year collected premium declined 52% to $16 million in 2010, after declining 62% a year earlier. As noted earlier, increased competition in the health insurance market and our de-emphasis of certain health products has caused declines in agent counts. Marketing of the de-emphasized products was discontinued altogether after September, 2010. The decline in agent counts has resulted in decreased new sales, translating into declines in premium. Net sales for 2010 declined 52% from $30 million in 2009 to $14 million. In 2009, this Agency’s net sales fell 64%. Also discussed under the Life Insurance caption are efforts designed to strengthen this Agency.

 

The UA Independent Agency is composed of independent agencies appointed with Torchmark whose size range from very large, multi-state organizations down to one-person offices. All of these agents generally sell for a number of insurance companies. Torchmark had 1,406 active producing agents at December 31, 2010. This agency is our largest distributor of non-Part D health insurance in terms of health net sales, representing 50% in 2010. This agency is also our largest carrier of Medicare Supplement insurance, with $267 million or 59% of our Medicare Supplement premium income in 2010. Net sales for this Agency dropped 25% to $32 million in 2010, after having gained 14% to $43 million in 2009. Medicare Supplement net sales of $27 million declined 10% from $30 million a year earlier. Medicare Supplement net sales had more than doubled in 2009 over net sales of $15 million in 2008. The increases in 2009 were due to increases in group Medicare Supplement sales. Group Medicare Supplement sales fluctuate greatly from period to period and do not indicate a trend. Total health premium income for the UA Independent Agency was $315 million in 2010, a 4% decline from 2009 premium of $326 million. Premium income also declined 9% in 2009 from 2008. These declines in premium have resulted as new sales have not compensated for lapses.

 

The American Income Exclusive Agency, predominantly a life insurance distribution channel, is our third largest health insurance distributor based on 2010 premium collected. Its health plans are comprised of various limited-benefit plans. Approximately 70% of the agency’s 2010 health premium was from accident policies. Sales of the plans by this agency are generally made in conjunction with a life policy being sold to the same customer.

 

Health premium at this agency rose 5% in 2010 to $79 million, after having increased 2% to $75 million in 2009. Net health sales were $13 million in both 2010 and 2009, compared with $12 million in 2008. Net health sales comprised 9% of the American Income Agency’s total net sales in 2010.

 

Direct Response, primarily a life operation, also offers health insurance, which is predominantly Medicare Supplements sold directly to employer or union sponsored groups. In 2010, net health sales were $5 million, comprising approximately 4% of Direct Response’s total life and health net sales. Direct Response health premium income has risen each year over the prior year. Health premium rose 17% in 2010 to $54 million and 3% in 2009.

 

Medicare Part D.      Torchmark, through its subsidiary United American, offers coverage under the government’s Medicare Part D plan. The Medicare Part D plan is a stand-alone prescription drug plan for Medicare beneficiaries. Part D is regulated and partially funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for participating private insurers like United American, unlike the traditional Medicare program for hospital and doctor services, where CMS is the primary insurer and private Medicare Supplement insurers are secondary insurers. The program generally calls for CMS to pay approximately two thirds of the premium with the insured Medicare beneficiary paying one third of the premium. Total Medicare Part D premium was $209 million in 2010, compared with $184 million in 2009, an increase of 14%. Part D premium rose 5% in 2009. Changes in Part D premium generally result from changes in the

 

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number of enrollees. Enrollment for all Part D coverages ends on December 31 of the previous year, except for enrollees who reach age 65 in the current year. At December 31, 2010, United American had approximately 144 thousand enrollees for the 2011 Part D plan, compared with 158 thousand for the 2010 plan year and 147 thousand for the 2009 plan year. Our Medicare Part D product is sold primarily through the Direct Response operation, but is also sold to groups through the UA Independent agency. Part D net sales were $39 million in 2010, compared with $43 million in 2009 and $28 million in 2008. We count only sales to new first-time enrollees in net sales, and the majority of premium income was from previous enrollees.

 

We believe that the Medicare Part D program is a meaningful component of our health product offerings because of our experience with the senior-age market and with Medicare Supplements, the government assurances with regard to the risk-sharing agreements for participating insurers, the incremental income added to our health insurance margins, and the renewal of the business every year. Due to our experience with service to the senior-age market and the use of our existing Direct Response marketing system, entry to this business required little new investment. However, we do not expect significant growth in the Part D product in the near future, as most Medicare beneficiaries have already chosen a plan. Additionally, as with any government-sponsored program, the possibility of regulatory changes could change the outlook for this market.

 

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The following tables present underwriting margin data for health insurance for each of the last three years.

 

HEALTH INSURANCE

Summary of Results

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

    2010  
    Health*     % of
Premium
    Medicare
Part D
    % of
Premium
    Total
Health
    % of
Premium
 

Premium**

  $ 778,967        100   $ 208,970        100   $ 987,937        100

Policy obligations**

    497,576        64        172,131        82        669,707        68   

Required interest on reserves

    (35,368     (5     -0-        -0-        (35,368     (4
                                               

Net policy obligations

    462,208        59        172,131        82        634,339        64   

Commissions and premium taxes

    44,960        6        8,341        4        53,301        6   

Amortization of acquisition costs

    126,052        16        4,186        2        130,238        13   
                                               

Total expense

    633,220        81        184,658        88        817,878        83   
                                               

Insurance underwriting income before other income and administrative expenses

  $ 145,747        19   $ 24,312        12   $ 170,059        17
                                               
    2009  
    Health*     % of
Premium
    Medicare
Part D
    % of
Premium
    Total
Health
    % of
Premium
 

Premium

  $ 836,616        100   $ 183,586        100   $ 1,020,202        100

Policy obligations

    528,189        63        151,621        82        679,810        67   

Required interest on reserves

    (34,243     (4     -0-        -0-        (34,243     (3
                                               

Net policy obligations

    493,946        59        151,621        82        645,567        64   

Commissions and premium taxes

    50,114        6        6,960        4        57,074        5   

Amortization of acquisition costs

    143,299        17        3,852        2        147,151        14   
                                               

Total expense

    687,359        82        162,433        88        849,792        83   
                                               

Insurance underwriting income before other income and administrative expenses

  $ 149,257        18   $ 21,153        12   $ 170,410        17
                                               
    2008  
    Health*     % of
Premium
    Medicare
Part D
    % of
Premium
    Total
Health
    % of
Premium
 

Premium**

  $ 951,304        100   $ 175,633        100   $ 1,126,937        100

Policy obligations

    621,227        65        138,239        79        759,466        67   

Required interest on reserves

    (32,029     (3     -0-        -0-        (32,029     (3
                                               

Net policy obligations

    589,198        62        138,239        79        727,437        64   

Commissions and premium taxes

    61,996        7        11,252        6        73,248        7   

Amortization of acquisition costs

    127,160        13        4,381        3        131,541        12   
                                               

Total expense

    778,354        82        153,872        88        932,226        83   
                                               

Insurance underwriting income before other income and administrative expenses

  $ 172,950        18   $ 21,761        12   $ 194,711        17
                                               

 

*   Health other than Medicare Part D.
**   Total Medicare Part D premium and health premium excludes $516 thousand in 2010 and $2.5 million in 2009 of risk-sharing premium paid to the CMS consistent with the Medicare Part D contract. In 2008, $122 thousand of risk-sharing premium was received, increasing premium. This risk-sharing amount is a portion of the excess or deficiency of actual over expected claims, and therefore we view this payment as a component of policyholder benefits in our segment analysis.

 

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Torchmark’s health insurance underwriting margin before other income and administrative expense declined 12% in 2009 to $170 million but stabilized in 2010, remaining flat at $170 million. As a percentage of premium income, margins were stable in all periods at approximately 17%.

 

Annuities.    As described in Note 3—Discontinued Operations, we sold our subsidiary United Investors. United Investors was our carrier of variable annuities and a primary carrier of fixed annuities. As a result of the sale, we disposed of approximately 37% of our annuity deposit balance as of December 31, 2010, including all variable annuities. These balances have been reported as “Held for Sale” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets of prior periods. Accordingly, we do not expect that annuities will be a significant portion of our business or marketing strategy going forward.

 

Our fixed annuity balances at the end of 2010, 2009, and 2008 were $1.24 billion, $959 million, and $817 million, respectively.

 

An analysis of underwriting income is as follows.

 

ANNUITIES

Summary of Results

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     At December 31,  
         2010         2009     2008  

Policy charges

   $ 638      $ 541      $ 622   

Policy obligations

     41,430        35,762        27,458   

Required interest on reserves

     (51,996     (41,840     (29,853
                        

Net policy obligations*

     (10,566     (6,078     (2,395

Commissions and premium taxes

     134        267        141   

Amortization of acquisition costs

     9,722        6,040        2,876   
                        

Total expense

     (710     229        622   
                        

Insurance underwriting margin before other income and administrative expense

   $ 1,348      $ 312      $ 0   
                        

 

*   A significant portion of fixed annuity profitability is derived from the spread of investment income exceeding contractual interest requirements. This spread sometimes results in negative net policy obligations.

 

While the fixed annuity account balance has increased each year over the prior year, policy charges and underwriting income have fluctuated only modestly. The stability in fixed annuity policy charges has resulted as the charges consist of surrender charges and are not based on account size. These charges have remained somewhat level in recent periods. A considerable portion of fixed annuity profitability is derived from the spread of investment income exceeding contractual interest requirements, which can result in negative net policy obligations. In both 2010 and 2009, the spreads for fixed annuities increased over the prior year as a result of credited rate reductions on the inforce annuities. Furthermore, spreads were increased by the introduction of a new annuity form on Liberty National paper in mid-2009. The amortization of deferred acquisition costs also rose as these costs are amortized in relation to gross profits.

 

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Administrative expenses.    Operating expenses are included in the Other and Corporate Segments and are classified into two categories: insurance administrative expenses and expenses of the parent company. The following table is an analysis of operating expenses for the three years ended December 31, 2010.

 

Operating Expenses Selected Information

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  
     Amount     % of
Prem.
    Amount     % of
Prem.
    Amount     % of
Prem.
 

Insurance administrative expenses:

            

Salaries

   $ 71,827        2.7   $ 73,133        2.8   $ 68,850        2.5

Other employee costs

     33,839        1.3        27,105        1.1        31,510        1.2   

Other administrative expense

     40,904        1.5        39,476        1.5        45,212        1.7   

Legal expense—insurance

     6,727        .3        8,342        .3        8,561        .3   

Medicare Part D direct administrative expense

     2,318        .1        2,269        .1        2,031        .1   
                                                

Total insurance administrative expenses

     155,615        5.9     150,325        5.8     156,164        5.8
                              

Parent company expense

     8,809          9,590          10,455     

Stock compensation expense

     11,848          9,860          10,823     

Expenses related to settlement of prior period litigation

     -0-          -0-          2,522     

Loss on writedown of Company-occupied property

     -0-          355          2,129     
                              

Total operating expenses, per Consolidated Statements of Operations

   $ 176,272        $ 170,130        $ 182,093     
                              

Insurance administrative expenses:

            

Increase (decrease) over prior year

     3.5       (3.7 )%        4.1  

Total operating expenses:

            

Increase (decrease) over prior year

     3.6       (6.6 )%        7.8  

 

Insurance administrative expenses rose 4% in 2010, after having declined 4% in 2009. As a percentage of premium, they increased to 5.9% in 2010 from 5.8% in both 2009 and 2008. The 2010 increase was caused primarily by higher employee costs, mostly related to higher employee health benefit costs. Partially offsetting the increase in employee costs was a decline in legal costs, as we favorably settled certain previously reserved litigation during 2010. In 2009, increases in salaries were more than offset by declines in other administrative costs and other employee costs. As a result of the effort to achieve greater consistency in expense classification among our subsidiaries, we deferred $12 million more of deferrable administrative expense to acquisition expense in 2009 compared with 2008. These reductions in administrative expense were partially offset by increases in pension and other employee benefit costs during the period.

 

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As mentioned in Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, we settled litigation for $2.5 million in 2008 relating to issues occurring many years ago. As previously noted, we do not consider the costs of settling litigation applicable to prior periods to be related to current insurance operations. Stock compensation expense declined in 2009, primarily as a result of the lower stock price caused by the severe market decline in 2009 and the effect it had on values at the time of our annual stock and stock option grants for 2009. Expense related to the new 2009 grants replaced the expense for costlier older grants that became fully vested. Stock compensation expense rose in 2010 as market conditions improved, resulting in higher values for stock and option grants in 2010. Management believes that stock compensation expense will increase slightly in 2011. As stated in Note 14—Business Segments in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, management views stock compensation expense as a corporate expense, and therefore treats it as a Parent Company expense. As described in Note 4—Investments under the caption Other-than-temporary impairments, we wrote down certain Company-occupied real estate because it met our criteria as described in that note for other-than-temporary impairment. As a result, we incurred a pretax charge of $2.1 million in 2008 and $355 thousand in 2009 which are included in Operating expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the respective year.

 

Investments.    We manage our capital resources including investments, debt, and cash flow through the investment segment. Excess investment income represents the profit margin attributable to investment operations. It is the measure that we use to evaluate the performance of the investment segment as described in Note 14—Business Segments in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. It is defined as net investment income less both the interest credited to net policy liabilities and the interest cost associated with capital funding or “financing costs.” We also view excess investment income per diluted share as an important and useful measure to evaluate the performance of the investment segment. It is defined as excess investment income divided by the total diluted weighted average shares outstanding, representing the contribution by the investment segment to the consolidated earnings per share of the Company. Since implementing our share repurchase program in 1986, we have used over $4.2 billion of cash flow to repurchase Torchmark shares after determining that the repurchases provided a greater return than other investment alternatives. Share repurchases reduce excess investment income because of the foregone earnings on the cash that would otherwise have been invested in interest-bearing assets, but they also reduce the number of shares outstanding. In order to put all capital resource uses on a comparable basis, we believe that excess investment income per diluted share is an appropriate measure of the investment segment.

 

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Excess Investment Income.    The following table summarizes Torchmark’s investment income and excess investment income.

 

Analysis of Excess Investment Income

(Dollar amounts in thousands except for per share data)

 

     2010     2009     2008  

Net investment income

   $ 676,364      $ 632,540      $ 627,206   

Reclassification of low income housing expense

     9,153        -0-        -0-   

Reclassification of interest amount due to deconsolidation*

     (264     (264     (264
                        

Adjusted investment income (per segment analysis)

     685,253        632,276        626,942   

Interest credited to net insurance policy liabilities:

      

Interest on reserves

     (521,683     (487,000     (451,408

Interest on deferred acquisition costs

     208,840        200,042        190,960   
                        

Net required

     (312,843     (286,958     (260,448

Financing costs

     (75,265     (69,668     (62,965
                        

Excess investment income

   $ 297,145      $ 275,650      $ 303,529   
                        

Excess investment income per diluted share

   $ 3.62      $ 3.32      $ 3.43   
                        

Mean invested assets (at amortized cost)

   $ 10,836,788      $ 10,012,673      $ 9,497,004   

Average net insurance policy liabilities**

     5,736,662        5,279,621        4,810,093   

Average debt and preferred securities (at amortized cost)

     1,112,147        1,111,940        945,508   

 

* Deconsolidation of trusts liable for Trust Preferred Securities required by accounting guidance. See Note 11—Debt in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
** Net of deferred acquisition costs, excluding the associated unrealized gains and losses thereon.

 

Excess investment income increased $21 million or 8% in 2010 over the prior year. Excess investment income declined $28 million or 9% in 2009. On a per diluted share basis, excess investment income rose 9% to $3.62 per share in 2010, after having declined 3% in the prior year. Share purchases caused the 2010 increase in per share excess investment income to be greater than the dollar amount of increase. Likewise, those purchases also caused the decline in per share excess investment income in 2009 to be less than the decline in the dollar amount.

 

The largest component of excess investment income is net investment income, which rose 8% to $685 million in 2010. It increased 1% to $632 million in 2009 from $627 million in 2008. Presented in the following chart is the growth in net investment income compared with the growth in mean invested assets.

 

     2010     2009     2008  

Growth in net investment income

     8.4     .9     4.1

Growth in mean invested assets (at amortized cost)

     8.2        5.4        5.0   

 

In 2010, the growth in net investment income exceeded the growth in mean invested assets (at amortized cost) for the first time in many years. One of the primary reasons that investment income has grown at a lower rate than mean invested assets has grown in recent years is that new investments have been made at yield rates lower than the yield rates earned on securities that matured or were otherwise disposed of. Another factor that has contributed to the relatively slower growth rate of investment income is the time lag between the date proceeds from maturities and dispositions are received and the date such proceeds are reinvested. During these lags, we have held cash at lower yields. One of the most important factors contributing to the low growth rate in investment income during 2009 is the fact that, due primarily to uncertainty about liquidity in the financial markets, we held significantly more cash and short term investments during 2009 than we did during 2010 and 2008. Had we not done so, and if short term investment rates had not been much lower during 2009 than in 2008, the growth rate in investment income during 2009 would have been approximately the same as the growth rate in mean assets.

 

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Excess investment income is reduced by interest credited to net insurance policy liabilities and the interest paid on corporate debt. Information about interest credited to policy liabilities is shown in the following table.

 

Interest Credited to Net Insurance Policy Liabilities

(Dollar amounts in millions)

 

     Interest
Credited
    Average Net
Insurance
Policy  Liabilities
    Average
Crediting
Rate
 

2010

      

Life and Health

   $ 257.0      $ 4,668.8        5.50

Annuity

     55.8        1,067.9        5.23   
                  

Total

     312.8        5,736.7        5.45   

Increase in 2010

     9.02     8.66  

2009

      

Life and Health

   $ 240.8      $ 4,388.6        5.49

Annuity

     46.2        891.0        5.19   
                  

Total

     287.0        5,279.6        5.44   

Increase in 2009

     10.18     9.76  

2008

      

Life and Health

   $ 225.0      $ 4,134.7        5.44

Annuity

     35.4        675.4        5.24   
                  

Total

     260.4        4,810.1        5.42   

Increase in 2008

     9.50     7.92  

 

The average interest crediting rate has risen in each of the last three years. In 2001, as part of our normal review of policy reserve assumptions, we increased the interest rate assumption 100 basis points (1%) on policies issued after January 1, 2001. As this group of policies becomes a larger proportion of our business, the average crediting rate will continue to increase. For more specific information on life and health crediting rates, please refer to Note 6—Future Policy Benefit Reserves in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Excess investment income is also impacted by financing costs. Financing costs for the investment segment primarily consist of interest on our various debt instruments and are deducted from excess investment income. The table below reconciles interest expense per the Consolidated Statements of Operations to financing costs.

 

Reconciliation of Interest Expense to Financing Costs

(Amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  

Interest expense per Consolidated Statements of Operations

   $ 75,529      $ 69,932      $ 63,229   

Reclassification of interest due to deconsolidation(1)

     (264     (264     (264
                        

Financing costs

   $ 75,265      $ 69,668      $ 62,965   
                        

 

(1) See Principles of Consolidation in Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for an explanation of deconsolidation.

 

 

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The table below presents the components of financing costs.

 

Analysis of Financing Costs

(Amounts in thousands)

 

     2010     2009     2008  

Interest on funded debt

   $ 72,889      $ 64,369      $ 53,412   

Interest on short-term debt

     2,589        5,513        9,770   

Other

     51        50        47   

Reclassification of interest due to deconsolidation

     (264     (264     (264
                        

Financing costs

   $ 75,265      $ 69,668      $ 62,965   
                        

 

Financing costs increased $6 million or 8% in 2010. They rose $7 million or 11% in 2009. The increases in financing costs in both years reflect the issuance in June 2009 of $300 million principal amount 9 ¼% Senior Notes due in 2019. In 2010, we incurred a full year of interest on this issue. The increase in 2009 was partially offset by the maturity in August 2009 of $99 million principal amount 8 ¼% Senior Debentures. Short-term interest expense has trended downward over the past three years, decreasing $3 million in 2010 after having declined $4 million in 2009. These declines have resulted from significantly lower interest rates when compared with the respective prior year. The 2010 decrease was also impacted by a 22% decline in the average balance of commercial paper outstanding compared with 2009.

 

Excess investment income benefits from increases in long-term rates available on new investments and decreases in short-term borrowing rates. Of these two factors, higher investment rates have the greater impact because the amount of cash that we invest is significantly greater than the amount that we borrow at short-term rates.

 

Investment Acquisitions.    Torchmark’s current investment policy calls for investing almost exclusively in investment-grade fixed maturities generally with long maturities (maturity date more than 20 years after acquisition date) that meet our quality and yield objectives. We generally prefer to invest in securities with longer maturities because they more closely match the long-term nature of our policy liabilities. We believe this strategy is appropriate because our strong positive cash flows are generally stable and predictable. If such longer-term securities do not meet our quality and yield objectives, we consider investing in short-term securities, taking into consideration the slope of the yield curve and other factors at the time. During calendar years 2008 through 2010, Torchmark invested almost exclusively in fixed-maturity securities.

 

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The following table summarizes selected information for fixed-maturity purchases. The effective annual yield shown in the table is the yield calculated to the potential termination date that produces the lowest yield. This date is commonly known as the “worst call date.” Two different average life calculations are shown, average life to the next call date and average life to the maturity date.

 

Fixed Maturity Acquisitions Selected Information

(Dollar amounts in millions)

 

     For the Year  
     2010     2009     2008  

Cost of acquisitions:

      

Investment-grade corporate securities

   $ 1,478.5      $ 1,431.6      $ 986.4   

Taxable municipal securities

     201.2        754.4        3.6   

Other investment-grade securities

     33.7        15.4        44.2   
                        

Total fixed-maturity acquisitions

   $ 1,713.4      $ 2,201.4      $ 1,034.2   
                        

Effective annual yield (one year compounded*)

     5.89     6.43     7.21

Average life (in years, to next call)

     24.2        16.3        23.3   

Average life (in years to maturity)

     26.1        21.2        31.0   

Average rating

     A-        A        A   

 

* Tax-equivalent basis, where the yield on tax-exempt securities is adjusted to produce a yield equivalent to the pretax yield on taxable securities.

   

 

We prefer to invest primarily in bonds that are not callable (on other than a make-whole basis) prior to maturity, but we periodically invest some funds in callable bonds when the incremental yield available on such bonds warrants doing so. For investments in callable bonds, the actual life of the investment will depend on whether or not (and if so, when) the issuer calls the investment prior to the maturity date. Given our investments in callable bonds, the actual average life of our investments can not be known at the time of the investment. However, the average life will not be less than the average life to next call and will not exceed the average life to maturity. Data for both of these average life measures is provided in the above chart. The average life of funds invested in 2009 (to both next call and maturity) was lower than that of funds invested during 2008 and 2010 due to actions taken for statutory capital management purposes and the limited availability of longer term investments.

 

During the three years 2008 through 2010, we have invested primarily in investment-grade corporate bonds. During 2008, we invested a considerable amount of the funds in trust preferred securities and redeemable preferred stocks with longer scheduled maturity dates, often exceeding 30 years. In virtually all cases, such securities are callable many years prior to the scheduled maturity date. During 2009 and 2010, we acquired a significant amount of taxable municipal bonds, primarily Build America Bonds authorized by the American Recovery and Retirement Act of 2009. In assessing the creditworthiness of these bonds, we took into account the geographic location of the municipalities. The investments in these municipal bonds consisted almost exclusively of general obligation bonds and revenue bonds for essential services.

 

New cash flow available to us for investment has been affected by issuer calls as a result of the low-interest environment experienced during the past three years, although this effect has diminished each successive year. Issuers are more likely to call bonds when rates are low because they often can refinance them at a lower cost. Calls increase funds available for investment, but they can have a negative impact on investment income if the proceeds from the calls are reinvested in bonds that have lower yields than that of the bonds that were called. Issuer calls were $109 million in 2010, $181 million in 2009, and $238 million in 2008. The higher level of acquisitions in 2009 was primarily due to the additional cash flow available from the special sales transactions noted below.

 

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Sales transactions.    As disclosed in Note 4—Investments, the Company sold $703 million of fixed maturities at amortized cost in the third quarter of 2009, including $293 million of below- investment-grade securities. The market value for some of these securities increased significantly during the period to a level where, even though the sales price was less than amortized cost, management determined that better risk-adjusted returns could be achieved by selling rather than continuing to hold the securities. Other securities were sold at prices that produced gains to offset these losses for tax purposes. Due in large part to selling below-investment-grade securities and reinvesting the proceeds in investment-grade securities, below-investment-grade securities as a percentage of total fixed maturities at amortized cost declined from 15% at June 30, 2009 to 9% at December 31, 2009. The reduction in below-investment-grade securities had a positive impact on the risk-based capital position of our insurance subsidiaries.

 

Portfolio Analysis.    Because Torchmark has recently invested almost exclusively in fixed-maturity securities, the relative percentage of our assets invested in various types of investments varies from industry norms. The following table presents a comparison of Torchmark’s components of invested assets at amortized cost as of December 31, 2010 with the latest industry data.

 

     Torchmark        
     Amount
(in millions)
     %     Industry %(1)  

Bonds

   $ 9,124         80     75

Preferred stock (redeemable and perpetual)(2)

     1,326         12        0   

Common stocks

     1         0        2   

Mortgage loans

     14         0        10   

Real estate

     2         0        1   

Policy loans

     378         3        4   

Other invested assets

     26         0        4   

Cash and short terms

     583         5        4   
                         
   $ 11,454         100        100   
                         

 

(1)    Latest data available from the American Council of Life Insurance as of December 31, 2009.

(2)    Includes redeemable preferred of $1.3 billion or 12% and perpetual preferred of $14 million or 0%.

       

       

 

At December 31, 2010, approximately 94% of our investments at book value were in a diversified fixed-maturity portfolio. Policy loans, which are secured by policy cash values, made up an additional 3%. The remaining balance was comprised of other investments including equity securities, mortgage loans, and other long-term and short-term investments.

 

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Because fixed maturities represent such a significant portion of our investment portfolio, the remainder of the discussion of portfolio composition will focus on fixed maturities. An analysis of our fixed-maturity portfolio by component at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 is as follows:

 

Fixed Maturities by Component

At December 31, 2010

(Dollar amounts in millions)

 

     Cost or
Amortized
Cost
    Gross
Unrealized
Gains
    Gross
Unrealized
Losses
    Fair
Value
    % of Total
Fixed Maturities
 
          Amortized
Cost
    Fair
Value
 

Corporates

  $ 7,708      $ 423      $ (210   $ 7,921        74     75

Redeemable preferred stock

    1,312        36        (80     1,268        13        12   

Municipals

    1,212        11        (42     1,181        12        12   

Government-sponsored enterprises

    58        -0-        (1     57        1        1   

Governments & agencies

    35        2        -0-        37        -0-        -0-   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

    16        2        -0-        18        -0-        -0-   

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

    -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-   

Collateralized debt obligations

    57        -0-        (34     23        -0-        -0-   

Other asset-backed securities

    37        2        (1     38        -0-        -0-   
                                               

Total fixed maturities

  $ 10,435      $ 476      $ (368   $ 10,543        100     100
                                               

 

Fixed Maturities by Component

At December 31, 2009

(Dollar amounts in millions)

 

     Cost or
Amortized
Cost
    Gross
Unrealized
Gains
    Gross
Unrealized
Losses
    Fair
Value
    % of Total
Fixed Maturities
 
          Amortized
Cost
    Fair
Value
 

Corporates

  $ 6,964      $ 212      $ (419   $ 6,757        73     74

Redeemable preferred stock

    1,353        23        (206     1,170        14        13   

Municipals

    1,012        5        (30     987        11        11   

Government-sponsored enterprises

    83        -0-        (6     77        1        1   

Governments & agencies

    33        1        -0-        34        -0-        -0-   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

    18        2        -0-        20        -0-        -0-   

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

    2        -0-        -0-        2        -0-        -0-   

Collateralized debt obligations

    55        -0-        (37     18        1        -0-   

Other asset-backed securities

    39        1        (1     39        -0-        1   
                                               

Total fixed maturities

  $ 9,559      $ 244      $ (699   $ 9,104        100     100
                                               

 

 

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At December 31, 2010, fixed maturities had a fair value of $10.5 billion, compared with $9.1 billion at December 31, 2009. At December 31, 2010, fixed maturities were in a $108 million net unrealized gain position compared with an unrealized loss position of $455 million at December 31, 2009. Approximately 74% of our fixed maturity assets at December 31, 2010 at amortized cost were corporate bonds and 13% were redeemable preferred stocks. This compares with 73% corporate bonds and 14% redeemable preferred stocks at year end 2009. At December 31, 2010, less than 2% of the assets at amortized cost were residential mortgage-backed securities, other asset-backed securities, and collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). The $57 million of CDOs at amortized cost made up less than 1% of the assets and are backed primarily by trust preferred securities issued by banks and insurance companies. The $16 million of mortgage-backed securities are rated AAA. For more information about our fixed-maturity portfolio by component at December 31, 2010 and 2009, including an analysis of unrealized investment losses and a schedule of maturities, see Note 4—Investments in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Additional information concerning the fixed-maturity portfolio is as follows.

 

Fixed Maturity Portfolio Selected Information

 

     At December 31,
2010
    At December 31,
2009
 

Average annual effective yield (1)

     6.63     6.80

Average life, in years, to:

    

Next call (2)

     16.6        15.4   

Maturity (2)

     22.3        21.9   

Effective duration to:

    

Next call (2), (3)

     9.0        8.2   

Maturity (2), (3)

     10.9        10.2   

 

(1)    Tax-equivalent basis, whereby the yield on tax-exempt securities is adjusted to produce a yield equivalent to the pretax yield on taxable securities.

        

(2)    Torchmark calculates the average life and duration of the fixed-maturity portfolio two ways:

       

(a)    based on the next call date which is the next call date for callable bonds and the maturity date for noncallable bonds, and

        

(b)    based on the maturity date of all bonds, whether callable or not.

       

(3)    Effective duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a fixed-income security to a particular change in interest rates.

        

 

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Credit Risk Sensitivity.    Credit risk is the level of certainty that a security’s issuer will maintain its ability to honor the terms of that security until maturity. Approximately 87% of our fixed-maturity holdings at book value are in corporate securities (including redeemable preferred and asset-backed securities). As we continue to invest in corporate bonds with relatively long maturities, credit risk is a concern. We mitigate this ongoing risk, in part, by acquiring investment-grade bonds and by analyzing the financial fundamentals of each prospective issuer. We continue to monitor the status of issuers on an ongoing basis. We also seek to reduce credit risk by maintaining investments in a large number of issuers over a wide range of industry sectors.

 

The following table presents the relative percentage of our fixed maturities by industry sector at December 31, 2010.

 

Fixed Maturities by Sector

At December 31, 2010

(Dollar amounts in millions)

 
    Cost or
Amortized
Cost
    Gross
Unrealized
Gains
    Gross
Unrealized
Losses
    Fair
Value
    % of Total
Fixed Maturities
 
          At
Amortized
Cost
    At
Fair
Value
 

Financial - Life/Health/PC Insurance

  $ 1,677      $ 43      $ (101   $ 1,619        16  

 

15

Financial - Bank

    1,487        43        (70     1,460        14        14   

Financial - Financial Guarantor

    79        -0-        (28     51        1        1   

Financial - Insurance Broker

    47        -0-        (2     45        -0-        -0-   

Financial - Other

    376        24        (24     376        4        4   

Utilities

    1,588        94        (17     1,665        15        16   

Energy

    1,039        65        (7     1,097        10        11   

Consumer Non-cyclical

    510        40        (4     546        5        5   

Consumer Cyclical

    302        12        (10     304        3        3   

Communications

    450        28        (12     466        4        4   

Basic Materials

    686        46        (5     727        6        7   

Transportation

    297        21        (2     316        3        3   

Other Industrials

    441        23        (9     455        4        4   

Collateralized debt obligations

    57        -0-        (34     23        1        -0-   

Mortgage-backed securities

    16        2        -0-        18        -0-        -0-   

Government

    1,306        12        (43     1,275        13        12   

Technology

    77        23        -0-        100        1        1   
                                               

Total fixed maturities

  $ 10,435      $ 476      $ (368   $ 10,543        100     100
                                               

 

At December 31, 2010, approximately 35% of the fixed maturity assets at amortized cost (34% at fair value) were in the financial sector, including 16% in life and health or property casualty insurance companies and 14% in banks at amortized cost. Financial guarantors, mortgage insurers, and insurance brokers comprised approximately 5% of the portfolio. After financials, the next largest sector was utilities, which comprised 15% of the portfolio at amortized cost. The balance of the portfolio is spread among 268 issuers in a wide variety of sectors. As previously noted, gross unrealized losses were $368 million at December 31, 2010, declining from $699 million a year earlier. As shown in the chart above, the portfolio was in a net unrealized gain position at December 31, 2010, compared with a net unrealized loss position at the prior year end. Approximately 60% of the change in the fair value relative to amortized cost in 2010 was attributable to improvements in the financial sectors, while the remaining 40% was in the non-financial sectors. As discussed in Note 4—Investments, we believe much of the unrealized losses experienced in 2008 and 2009 were attributable to illiquidity in the financial markets. We expect to recover the full book value of our investments in impaired securities.

 

As shown in the table above, the ratio of gross unrealized losses to book value was greater than 45% for our investments in CDOs and the financial guarantor sector. We evaluated each of the impaired securities in these and all other sectors to determine whether or not any of the impairments were other-than-temporary. Certain information about our evaluation of the impaired securities in the CDO and monoline insurer sectors is provided in the following paragraphs.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

At December 31, 2010, we held investments in five different CDOs. In our opinion, our investments in four of these CDOs were other-than-temporarily impaired. Three of these CDOs have been written down to a carrying value of zero. The fourth is carried at a value of $34 million, less than the present value of discounted future cash flows at original purchase yield but greater than its fair value of $17 million. The fifth CDO ($22 million amortized cost and $6 million fair value) we believe was not other-than-temporarily impaired. At December 31, 2009, the four CDOs that were other-than-temporarily impaired had an amortized cost of $34 million ($13 million fair value). The CDO that was not other-than-temporarily impaired had an amortized cost of $21 million ($5 million fair value). In reaching these conclusions concerning other-than-temporary impairment, we reviewed and discussed with the collateral managers of each of these CDOs the current status of the collateral underlying our investments, the credit events (defaults and deferrals in underlying collateral) experienced to date, and the possibility of future credit events. We calculated expected future cash flows using assumptions for expected future credit events that reflect actual historical experience and expected future experience. We reviewed the actual versus expected cash flows received to date and the impact that potential future credit events would have on our expected future cash flows. We calculated the magnitude of future credit events that could be experienced without negatively impacting the recovery of our investment and our expected yield rate. While there is a possibility that future credit events will exceed our current expectations, we believe there is ample evidence to support our conclusions.

 

Also at December 31, 2009, we held investments issued by five different monoline insurers. In our opinion, our investments in three of these monoline insurers ($9 million amortized cost and $10 million fair value) were other-than-temporarily impaired. These securities were sold in 2010 for $12 million for a realized gain of $3 million. Our investments in the other two monoline insurers ($83 million amortized cost and $37 million fair value at December 31, 2009) were not believed to be other-than-temporarily impaired. At December 31, 2010, these two investments were carried at an amortized cost of $84 million (fair value $56 million). We collected and analyzed a significant amount of information to form opinions about the reasons for the severity of our impairments, including the illiquidity of some of our holdings (and its impact on fair values), the expected future experience in the mortgage market, and the reasonable expectation of the receipt of all future contractual interest and principal payments for these investments. We reviewed news and information about the economy and the mortgage market in general and about the issuers of our investments. We reviewed and analyzed financial statements and had discussions with sell-side and independent credit analysts who follow this sector, certain regulators, and members of the management teams of some of the issuers of our investments. While there is a possibility that future experience in the mortgage markets will differ from our current expectations, we believe there is ample evidence to support our conclusions.

 

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An analysis of the fixed-maturity portfolio by a composite rating at December 31, 2010 is shown in the table below.

 

Fixed Maturities by Rating

At December 31, 2010

(Dollar amounts in millions)

 

     Amortized
Cost
     %     Fair
Value
     %  

Investment grade:

          

AAA

   $ 469         4      $ 458         4   

AA

     1,147         11        1,163         11   

A

     2,901         28        3,033         29   

BBB+

     2,053         20        2,121         20   

BBB

     1,943         19        1,988         19   

BBB-

     1,060         10        1,049         10   
                                  

Investment grade

     9,573         92        9,812         93   

Below investment grade:

          

BB

     419         4        400         4   

B

     292         3        226         2   

Below B

     151         1        105         1   
                                  

Below investment grade

     862         8        731         7   
                                  
   $ 10,435         100   $ 10,543         100
                                  

 

The portfolio has a weighted average quality rating of BBB+ based on amortized cost. Approximately 92% of the portfolio at amortized cost was considered investment grade. Our investment portfolio contains no securities backed by sub-prime or Alt-A mortgages (loans for which some of the typical documentation was not provided by the borrower). We have no direct investments in residential mortgages, nor do we have any counterparty risks as we are not a party to any credit default swaps or other derivative contracts. We do not participate in securities lending. There are no off-balance sheet investments, as all investments are reported on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. At December 31, 2010, we had $22 million at fair value ($57 million book value) invested in CDOs, for which the composite rating at that date was C+. The collateral underlying these CDOs is primarily trust preferred securities issued by banks and insurance companies, and no sub-prime or Alt-A mortgages are included in the collateral.

 

Our current investment policy is to acquire only investment-grade obligations. Thus, any increases in below investment-grade issues are a result of ratings downgrades of existing holdings.

 

 

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Market Risk Sensitivity.    Torchmark’s financial securities are exposed to interest rate risk, meaning the effect of changes in financial market interest rates on the current fair value of the company’s investment portfolio. Since 94% of the book value of our investments is attributable to fixed-maturity investments (and virtually all of these investments are fixed-rate investments), the portfolio is highly subject to market risk. Declines in market interest rates generally result in the fair value of the investment portfolio exceeding the book value of the portfolio and increases in interest rates cause the fair value to decline below the book value. Under normal market conditions, we do not expect to realize these unrealized gains and losses because it is generally our investment strategy to hold these investments to maturity. The long-term nature of our insurance policy liabilities and strong cash-flow operating position substantially mitigate any future need to liquidate portions of the portfolio. The increase or decrease in the fair value of insurance liabilities and debt due to increases or decreases in market interest rates largely offset the impact of rates on the investment portfolio. However, in accordance with GAAP, these liabilities are not marked to market.

 

The following table illustrates the market risk sensitivity of our interest-rate sensitive fixed-maturity portfolio at December 31, 2010 and 2009. This table measures the effect of a change in interest rates (as represented by the U.S. Treasury curve) on the fair value of the fixed-maturity portfolio. The data measures the change in fair value arising from an immediate and sustained change in interest rates in increments of 100 basis points.

 

    

Market Value of
Fixed Maturity Portfolio
($ millions)

Change in
Interest Rates
(in basis points)

  

At
December 31,
2010

  

At
December 31,
2009

-200

  

$12,919

  

$11,203

-100

  

  11,656

  

  10,070

   -0-

  

  10,543

  

    9,104

 100

  

    9,559

  

    8,276

 200

  

    8,686

  

    7,561

 

Realized Gains and Losses.    Our life and health insurance companies collect premium income from policyholders for the eventual payment of policyholder benefits, sometimes paid many years or even decades in the future. In addition to the payment of these benefits, we also incur acquisition costs, administrative expenses, and taxes as a part of insurance operations. Because benefits are expected to be paid in future periods, premium receipts in excess of current expenses are invested to provide for these obligations. For this reason, we hold a significant investment portfolio as a part of our core insurance operations. This portfolio consists primarily of high-quality fixed maturities containing an adequate yield to provide for the cost of carrying these long-term insurance product obligations. As a result, fixed maturities are generally held for long periods to support the liabilities. Expected yields on these investments are taken into account when setting insurance premium rates and product profitability expectations.

 

Because our investment portfolio is large and diverse, investments are occasionally sold or called, resulting in a realized gain or loss. These gains and losses occur only incidentally, usually as the result of sales because of deterioration in investment quality of issuers or calls by the issuers. Investment losses are also caused by writedowns due to impairments. We do not engage in trading investments for profit. Therefore, gains or losses which occur in protecting the portfolio or its yield, or which result from events that are beyond our control, are only secondary to our core insurance operations of providing insurance coverage to policyholders.

 

Realized gains and losses can be significant in relation to the earnings from core insurance operations, and as a result, can have a material positive or negative impact on net income. The significant fluctuations caused by gains and losses can cause the period-to-period trends of net income not to be indicative of historical core operating results nor predictive of the future trends of core operations. Accordingly, they have no bearing on core insurance operations or segment results as we view operations. For these reasons, and in line with industry practice, we remove the effects of realized gains and losses when evaluating overall insurance operating results.

 

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The following table summarizes our tax-effected realized gains (losses) by component for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2010.

 

Analysis of Realized Gains (Losses), Net of Tax

(Dollar amounts in thousands, except for per share data)

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
         2010         2009     2008  
     Amount     Per Share     Amount     Per Share     Amount     Per Share  

Fixed maturities and equities:

            

Sales

   $ 10,699      $ 0.13      $ 7,727      $ 0.09      $ (453   $ -0-   

Called or tendered

     17,265        0.21        1,878        0.02        (807     (.01

Writedowns*

     (3,152     (0.04     (94,234     (1.13     (68,907     (.78

Real estate:

            

Sales

     62        -0-        (83     -0-        1,160        .01   

Writedowns*

     -0-        -0-        (133     -0-        (718     (.01

Loss on redemption of debt

     (1,070     (0.01     (1     -0-        -0-        -0-   

Other

     466        0.01        (499     (0.01     (177     -0-   
                                                

Total

   $ 24,270      $ 0.30        (85,345     (1.03     (69,902     (.79
                                                

 

  *   Written down due to other-than-temporary impairment.

 

As described in Note 4—Investments under the caption Other-than temporary impairments in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, we wrote certain securities down to fair value during each year 2008 through 2010 as a result of other-than-temporary impairment. The impaired securities met our criteria for other-than-temporary impairment as discussed in Note 4 and in our Critical Accounting Policies in this report. The writedowns resulted in pretax charges of $5 million in 2010 ($3 million after tax), $143 million in 2009 ($94 million after tax), and $106 million in 2008 ($69 million after tax). The 2009 charge included $83 million on CDOs ($55 million after tax) and $24 million on monoline financial guarantors and mortgage insurers ($16 million after tax). The remaining writedowns in 2009 were from losses on a variety of corporate bonds. In 2008, the significant bonds written down were Lehman Brothers bonds of $74 million pretax ($48 million after tax) and Washington Mutual bonds of $19 million pretax ($12 million after tax). Other writedowns in 2008 included perpetual preferred stocks of Federal National Mortgage Association and certain non-financial securities.

 

Additionally, as described in Note 4, we wrote down a real estate investment to fair value in 2008, resulting in a loss of $1.1 million ($718 thousand after tax). We wrote down an additional $205 thousand ($133 thousand after tax) in 2009 on this investment. In 2010, we acquired $7.3 million book value of our 9 1/4% Senior Notes at a cost of $8.9 million, resulting in an after-tax loss on debt redemption of $1.1 million.

 

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FINANCIAL CONDITION

 

Liquidity.    Liquidity provides Torchmark with the ability to meet on demand the cash commitments required by its business operations and financial obligations. Our liquidity is primarily derived from three sources: positive cash flow from operations, a portfolio of marketable securities, and a line of credit facility.

 

The operations of our insurance subsidiaries have historically generated positive cash flows in excess of our immediate needs. Sources of cash flows for the insurance subsidiaries include primarily premium and investment income. Cash outflows from operations include policy benefit payments, commissions, administrative expenses, and taxes.

 

Insurance Subsidiary Liquidity.    The operations of our insurance subsidiaries have historically generated substantial cash inflows in excess of immediate cash needs. Sources of cash flows for the insurance subsidiaries include primarily premium and investment income. Cash outflows from operations include policy benefit payments, commissions, administrative expenses, and taxes. The funds to provide for policy benefits, the majority of which are paid in future periods, are invested primarily in long-term fixed maturities to meet these long-term obligations. In addition to investment income, maturities and scheduled repayments in the investment portfolio are sources of cash. Excess cash available from the insurance subsidiaries’ operations is generally distributed as a dividend to the Parent Company, subject to regulatory restriction. The dividends are generally paid in amounts equal to the subsidiaries’ prior year earnings calculated on a statutory basis.

 

Parent Company Liquidity.    Cash flows from the insurance subsidiaries are used to pay Parent Company dividends on common and preferred stock, interest and principal repayments on Parent Company debt, and operating expenses of the Parent. In 2010, the Parent received $401 million of dividends and transfers from its insurance subsidiaries, as compared with $392 million in 2009 and $437 million in 2008. After paying debt obligations, shareholder dividends, and other expenses (but before share repurchases), Torchmark Parent had excess operating cash flow in 2010 of approximately $269 million. Parent Company cash flow in excess of its operating requirements is available for other corporate purposes, such as strategic acquisitions or share repurchases. In 2011, it is expected that the Parent Company will receive $742 million in dividends from subsidiaries, including approximately $305 million of the proceeds from the sale of United Investors, and that approximately $655 million will be available as excess cash flow. Certain restrictions exist on the payment of these dividends. For more information on the restrictions on the payment of dividends by subsidiaries, see the restrictions section of Note 12Shareholders’ Equity in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Although these restrictions exist, dividend availability from subsidiaries historically has been sufficient for the cash flow needs of the Parent Company. As additional liquidity, the Parent held $63 million of cash and short-term investments at December 31, 2010, compared with $155 million a year earlier. The Parent also had available a $138 million receivable from subsidiaries at December 31, 2010.

 

Short-Term Borrowings. An additional source of parent company liquidity is a line of credit facility with a group of lenders which allows unsecured borrowings and stand-by letters of credit up to $600 million. As described in the Commercial Paper section of Note 11—Debt in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, this facility was entered into on December 10, 2010 and replaced an earlier $600 million facility which would have expired in August, 2011. As of December 31, 2010, we had available $203 million under this facility. For detailed information about this new line of credit facility, see the Commercial Paper section of Note 11—Debt.

 

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The following table presents certain information about our short-term borrowings, all of which was commercial paper during the two years ending December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009.

 

Short-term Borrowings—Commercial Paper

(Dollar amounts in millions)

 

     For the year      At December 31,  
     2010      2009      2010     2009  

At end of period:

          

Balance

         $ 199.0      $ 233.4   

Daily-weighted average interest rate*

           0.45    
0.45

Letters of credit outstanding

     N/A         N/A       $ 198.0      $ 199.7   

Remaining amount available under credit line

         $ 203.0      $ 166.9   

Average balance outstanding during period:

          

Balance

   $ 196.3       $ 251.5        

Daily-weighted average interest rate*

     .43      1.10      N/A        N/A   

Maximum daily amount outstanding during period

   $ 250.0       $ 325.0        

 

*   Annualized

 

There have been no difficulties in accessing the commercial paper market under this facility during the years ending December 31, 2010 and 2009.

 

In summary, Torchmark expects to have readily available funds for 2011 and the foreseeable future to conduct its operations and to maintain target capital ratios in the insurance subsidiaries through internally generated cash flow and the credit facility. In the unlikely event that more liquidity is needed, the Company could generate additional funds through multiple sources including, but not limited to, the issuance of additional debt, a short-term credit facility, and intercompany borrowing.

 

Consolidated Liquidity. Consolidated net cash inflows provided from operations were $1.03 billion in 2010, compared with $976 million in 2009, and $731 million in 2008. In addition to cash inflows from operations, our companies have received $321 million in investment calls and tenders and $318 million of scheduled maturities or repayments during 2010. Maturities, tenders, and calls totaled $761 million in 2009 and $581 million in 2008.

 

Our cash and short-term investments were $582 million at year-end 2010 and $529 million at year-end 2009. Included in cash at December 31, 2010 was the $343 million of proceeds received from the sale of United Investors on that date. Additionally, we have a portfolio of marketable fixed and equity securities that are available for sale in the event of an unexpected need. These securities had a fair value of $10.5 billion at December 31, 2010. However, our strong cash flows from operations, investment maturities, and the availability of our credit line make any need to sell securities for liquidity unlikely.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements.    As fully described and discussed in Note 11Debt in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements and under the subcaption Funded Debt, Torchmark had outstanding $120 million (par amount) 7.1% Trust Preferred Securities at both December 31, 2010 and 2009. The capital trust liable for these securities is the legal entity which is responsible for the securities and facilitates the payment of dividends to shareholders. The trust is an off-balance sheet arrangement which we are required to deconsolidate in accordance with GAAP rules. Deconsolidation is required because the capital trust is considered to be a variable interest entity in which we have no variable interest. Therefore Torchmark is not the primary beneficiary of the entity, even though we own all of the entity’s voting equity and have guaranteed the entity’s performance. While these liabilities are not on our Consolidated Balance Sheets, they are represented by Torchmark’s 7.1% Junior Subordinated Debentures due to the trust. These Junior Subordinated Debentures were a Torchmark liability of $124 million par and book value at both December 31, 2010 and 2009. These securities are indicated as a capital resource to us under the caption Capital Resources in this report. The 7.1% preferred dividends due to the preferred shareholders are funded by our 7.1% interest payment on our debt to the trusts. As described in Note 15Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, we have guaranteed the performance of the capital trust to meet its financial obligations to the Trust Preferred shareholders.

 

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As a part of its above-mentioned credit facility, Torchmark has outstanding $198 million in stand-by letters of credit. However, these letters are issued among our subsidiaries and have no impact on company obligations as a whole.

 

As of December 31, 2010, we had no other significant unconsolidated affiliates and no guarantees of the obligations of third-party entities other than as described above. All of our guarantees, other than the Trust Preferred guarantee, were guarantees of the performance of consolidated subsidiaries, as disclosed in Note 15Commitments and Contingencies.

 

The following table presents information about future payments under our contractual obligations for the selected periods as of December 31, 2010.

 

(Amounts in millions)

 

    Actual
Liability
    Total
Payments
    Less than
One Year
    One to
Three Years
    Four to
Five Years
    More than
Five Years
 

Fixed and determinable:

           

Debt—principal(1)

  $ 1,112      $ 1,125      $ 199      $ 94      $ 250      $ 582   

Debt—interest(2)

    7        812        72        143        131        466   

Capital leases

    -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-   

Operating leases

    -0-        17        4        5        4        4   

Purchase obligations

    122        122        66        56        -0-        -0-   

Pension obligations(3)

    49        169        13        28        31        97   

Uncertain tax positions(4)

    1        1        -0-        1        -0-        -0-   

Future insurance obligations(5)

    9,150        39,653        1,205        2,336        2,248        33,864   
                                               

Total

  $ 10,440      $ 41,899      $ 1,559      $ 2,663      $ 2,664      $ 35,013   
                                               

 

(1) Funded debt is itemized in Note 11—Debt in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and includes short-term commercial paper.
(2) Interest on debt is based on our fixed contractual obligations.
(3) Pension obligations are primarily liabilities in trust funds that are calculated in accordance with the terms of the pension plans. They are offset by invested assets in the trusts, which are funded through periodic contributions by Torchmark in a manner which will provide for the settlement of the obligations as they become due. Therefore, our obligations are offset by those assets when reported on Torchmark’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. At December 31, 2010, these pension obligations were $286 million, but there were also assets of $237 million in the pension entities. The schedule of pension benefit payments covers ten years and is based on the same assumptions used to measure the pension obligations, except there is no interest assumption because the payments are undiscounted. Please refer to Note 10Postretirement Benefits in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more information on pension obligations.
(4) Uncertain tax positions do not include $40 thousand of accrued interest. See Note 9—Income Taxes in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
(5) Future insurance obligations consist primarily of estimated future contingent benefit payments on policies in force at December 31, 2010. These estimated payments were computed using assumptions for future mortality, morbidity and persistency. The actual amount and timing of such payments may differ significantly from the estimated amounts shown. Management believes that the assets supporting the liability of $9.2 billion at December 31, 2010, along with future premiums and investment income, will be sufficient to fund all future insurance obligations.

 

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Capital Resources.    Torchmark’s capital structure consists of short-term debt (the commercial paper facility described in Note 11Debt in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements), long-term funded debt, Junior Subordinated Debentures supporting its Trust Preferred Securities, and shareholders’ equity. The Junior Subordinated Debentures are payable to Torchmark’s Capital Trust III which is liable for its Trust Preferred Securities. In accordance with GAAP, these instruments are included in “Due to affiliates” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. A complete analysis and description of long-term debt issues outstanding is presented in Note 11—Debt in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

The carrying value of the funded debt was $913 million at December 31, 2010, compared with $920 million a year earlier. As fully explained in Note 11—Debt, we issued $300 million principal amount of 9¼% Senior Notes due in 2019 in June of 2009 for proceeds of $296 million. A portion of these proceeds were used to repay the $99 million due upon the August, 2009 maturity of our 8¼% Senior Debentures. Of the $197 million balance of the proceeds, $175 million was contributed as capital to our insurance subsidiaries in 2009. The subsidiaries then in turn invested these funds in investment-grade corporate bonds and municipal bonds. The capital contributions were made as a result of our desire to maintain subsidiary regulatory capital at levels adequate to meet the requirements of rating agencies.

 

Poor economic conditions experienced during 2009 caused the ratings of many bonds in our insurance subsidiaries’ portfolios to be downgraded and also resulted in increased other-than-temporary impairments taken. This large volume of ratings downgrades and impairments in 2009 had a significant negative effect on the subsidiaries’ regulatory capital. Our insurance subsidiaries generally target a capital ratio of at least 325% of required regulatory capital under Risk-Based Capital (RBC), a formula designed by insurance regulatory authorities to monitor the adequacy of capital. The 325% target is considered sufficient for the subsidiaries because of their strong reliable cash flows, the relatively low risk of their product mix, and because that ratio is in line with rating agency expectations for Torchmark. RBC was favorably impacted in 2009 by these capital contributions and the sales of below-investment-grade securities discussed under the caption Investments—Sales Transactions in this report. Improvements in financial markets in 2010 which resulted in rating upgrades in the bond portfolios further strengthened the capital position of our insurance subsidiaries in 2010. At both December 31, 2010 and 2009, our insurance subsidiaries in the aggregate had RBC ratios in excess of 350%. Should we experience additional impairments and ratings downgrades in the future and the ratio falls below 325%, management has available cash on hand and a credit line at the Parent Company to make additional contributions as necessary to maintain the ratios at or above 325%.

 

As noted under the caption Highlights in this report, we reactivated our share repurchase program during the first quarter of 2010. We previously had suspended the program indefinitely in March, 2009 due to general economic conditions at that time. Under this program, we acquired 4 million shares at a cost of $204 million in 2010 (average of $53.51 million per share), 2 million shares for $47 million in 2009, and 8 million shares for $427 million in 2008. The majority of purchased shares are retired each year. Please refer to the description of our share repurchase program under the caption Highlights in this report.

 

Torchmark has recently increased the dividend on its common shares. In the first quarter of 2010, the dividend was increased from $.14 per share to $.15 per share and in the fourth quarter of 2010, it was further increased to $.16 per share.

 

Shareholders’ equity was $4.0 billion at December 31, 2010, compared with $3.4 billion at December 31, 2009. During the twelve months since December 31, 2009, shareholders’ equity was reduced by the $204 million in share purchases but has been increased by after tax unrealized gains of $345 million in the fixed maturity portfolio as conditions in financial markets have improved. As explained in Note 4—Investments—unrealized loss analysis, unrealized losses in 2008 and early 2009 resulted primarily from illiquidity in the financial markets as a result of general economic conditions.

 

We plan to use excess cash as efficiently as possible in the future but we will be cautious in doing so. Excess cash flow could be used for share repurchases, acquisitions, increases in shareholder dividends, investment in fixed maturities, or repayment of short-term debt. We will determine the best use of excess cash after ensuring that desired capital levels are maintained in our companies.

 

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We maintain a significant available-for-sale fixed-maturity portfolio to support our insurance policyholders’ liabilities. Current accounting guidance requires that we revalue our portfolio to fair market value at the end of each accounting period. The period-to-period changes in fair value, net of their associated impact on deferred acquisition costs and income tax, are reflected directly in shareholders’ equity. Changes in the fair value of the portfolio can result from changes in interest rates and liquidity in financial markets. While invested assets are revalued, accounting rules do not permit interest-bearing insurance policy liabilities to be valued at fair value in a consistent manner as assets, with changes in value applied directly to shareholders’ equity. Due to the size of our policy liabilities in relation to our shareholders’ equity, this inconsistency in measurement usually has a material impact on the reported value of shareholders’ equity. If these liabilities were revalued in the same manner as the assets, the effect on equity would be largely offset. Fluctuations in interest rates cause undue volatility in the period-to-period presentation of our shareholders’ equity, capital structure, and financial ratios which would be essentially removed if interest-bearing liabilities were valued in the same manner as assets. Recently, the market value of our fixed maturity portfolio had been depressed as a result of bond market illiquidity resulting in a significant decrease in shareholders’ equity. Because of the long-term nature of our fixed maturities and liabilities and the strong cash flows generated by our insurance subsidiaries, we have the intent and ability to hold our securities to maturity. As such, we do not expect to incur losses due to fluctuations in market value of fixed maturities caused by interest rate changes and temporarily illiquid markets. Accordingly, our management, credit rating agencies, lenders, many industry analysts, and certain other financial statement users prefer to remove the effect of this accounting rule when analyzing our balance sheet, capital structure, and financial ratios.

 

The following tables present selected data related to our capital resources. Additionally, the tables present the effect of this accounting guidance on relevant line items, so that investors and other financial statement users may determine its impact on Torchmark’s capital structure.

 

Selected Financial Data

 

     At December 31, 2010     At December 31, 2009  
     GAAP     Effect of
Accounting
Rule
Requiring
Revaluation*
    GAAP     Effect of
Accounting
Rule
Requiring
Revaluation*
 

Fixed maturities (millions)

   $ 10,543      $ 107      $ 9,104      $ (456

Deferred acquisition costs (millions)

     3,406        (4     3,320        28   

Total assets (millions)

     16,160        103        16,024        (428

Short-term debt (millions)

     199        -0-        233        -0-   

Long-term debt (millions) **

     913        -0-        920        -0-   

Shareholders’ equity (millions)

     4,016        67        3,399        (278

Book value per diluted share

     49.86        .83        40.87        (3.35

Debt to capitalization ***

     21.7     (0.3 )%      25.3     1.5

Diluted shares outstanding (thousands)

     80,543          83,159     

Actual shares outstanding (thousands)

     79,243          82,841     

 

* Amount added to (deducted from) comprehensive income to produce the stated GAAP item
** Includes Torchmark’s 7.1% Junior Subordinated Debentures in 2010 and 2009 in the amount of $124 million.
*** Torchmark’s debt covenants require that the effect of the accounting rule requiring revaluation be removed to determine this ratio. This ratio is computed by dividing total debt by the sum of debt and shareholders’ equity.

 

Effective in 2008, the FASB issued new guidance, offering an option which, if elected, would permit us to value our interest-bearing policy liabilities and debt at fair value in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. However, unlike current accounting rules which permit us to account for changes in our available-for-sale bond portfolio through other comprehensive income, the new rule requires such changes to be recorded in earnings. Because both the size and duration of the investment portfolio do not match those attributes of our policyholder liabilities and debt, the impact on earnings could be very significant and volatile, causing reported earnings not to be reflective of core results. Therefore, we have not elected this option.

 

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The fixed maturity portfolio contained $1.8 billion in net unrealized investment losses at year end 2008 ($1.1 billion after tax and the associated adjustment to deferred acquisition costs) including fixed maturities in the subsidiary sold in 2010. These unrealized losses are believed by management to have been brought on by widening credit spreads in financial markets, and were the primary factor in the decline in our shareholders’ equity in 2008. In 2009, as conditions in financial markets began to improve, unrealized losses declined $1.3 billion ($.9 billion after tax). As financial markets continued to improve in 2010, the $456 million of unrealized losses at year end 2009 in the fixed maturity portfolio turned into $107 million of unrealized gains, a positive change of $531 million after taking into account the adjustment of $32 million to deferred acquisition costs ($345 million after tax). Torchmark’s ratio of earnings before interest and taxes to interest requirements (times interest earned) was 11.3 times in 2010, compared with 9.3 times in 2009 and 10.9 times in 2008. This times-interest-earned ratio is computed by dividing interest expense into the sum of pre-tax income from continuing operations and interest expense. A discussion of our interest expense is included in the discussion of financing costs under the caption Investments in this report.

 

Credit Ratings. The chart below presents Torchmark’s credit ratings as of December 31, 2010.

 

     Standard
& Poor’s
     Moody’s      A.M.
Best
     Fitch  

Commercial Paper

     A-1         P-2         AMB-1         F-2   

Funded Debt

     A         Baa1         a-         BBB+   

Preferred Stock

     BBB+         Baa2         bbb         BBB-   

 

During the three year period ended December 31, 2010, each of the rating agencies revised the outlook for Torchmark from stable to negative and then back to stable. Reasons cited for the negative outlook included increased risk in our investment portfolio, tighter liquidity, and reduced financial flexibility. Reasons cited for the revision back to a stable outlook included improved financial flexibility, increased capital levels at the insurance subsidiaries, the decrease in unrealized losses, and strong operating performance.

 

The credit quality of Torchmark’s debt instruments and capital securities are rated by various rating agencies. During 2009, A. M. Best downgraded our preferred stock from bbb+ to bbb. Also in 2009, Fitch downgraded our Senior Debt from A to BBB+ (two notches), our preferred stock from A- to BBB (two notches), and our commercial paper from F1 to F2 (one notch). Fitch stated that the downgrades were a result of the weakness in the statutory capital position of Torchmark’s insurance subsidiaries brought on by the ratings downgrades of fixed maturity securities held in the subsidiaries’ investment portfolios. They also expressed concern with the level of intercompany financing by the Parent Company from the subsidiaries, the ongoing exposure to financial market turmoil, and the expectation of continued investment deterioration going forward. In January, 2010, Fitch further downgraded our preferred stock one notch to BBB-. At that time, Fitch downgraded over 200 hybrid securities issued by insurance industry entities, as their assessments of these securities in our industry changed.

 

The financial strength of our major insurance subsidiaries is also rated by Standard & Poor’s and A. M. Best. The following chart presents these ratings for our four largest insurance subsidiaries at December 31, 2010.

 

     Standard
& Poor’s
     A.M.
Best
 

Liberty

     AA-         A+ (Superior)   

Globe

     AA-         A+ (Superior)   

United American

     AA-         A+ (Superior)   

American Income

     AA-         A+ (Superior)   

 

A.M. Best states that it assigns an A+ (Superior) rating to those companies which, in its opinion, have demonstrated superior overall performance when compared to the norms of the life/health insurance industry. A+ (Superior) companies have a superior ability to meet their obligations to policyholders over a long period of time. The A.M. Best A (Excellent) rating is assigned to those companies which, in its opinion, have demonstrated excellent overall performance when compared to the norms of the life/health insurance industry. A (Excellent) companies have an excellent ability to meet their obligations to policyholders over a long period of time.

 

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The AA financial strength rating category is assigned by Standard & Poor’s Corporation to those insurers which have very strong financial security characteristics, differing only slightly from those rated higher. The minus sign (-) shows the relative standing within the major rating category. The A rating is assigned to an insurer with strong financial security characteristics, somewhat more likely to be affected by adverse business conditions than insurers with higher ratings.

 

TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES

 

Information regarding related party transactions is found in Note 16—Related Party Transactions in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

OTHER ITEMS

 

Litigation.    Torchmark and its subsidiaries are subject to being named as parties to pending or threatened litigation, much of which involves punitive damage claims based upon allegations of agent misconduct at the insurance subsidiaries. Such punitive damage claims that are tried in Alabama state courts may have the potential for significant adverse results since punitive damages in Alabama are based upon the compensatory damages (including mental anguish) awarded and the discretion of the jury in awarding compensatory damages is not precisely defined. Additionally, it should be noted that our subsidiaries actively market insurance in the State of Mississippi, a jurisdiction which is nationally recognized for large punitive damage verdicts. This bespeaks caution since it is impossible to predict the likelihood or extent of punitive damages that may be awarded if liability is found in any given case. Based upon information presently available, and in light of legal and other factual defenses available to Torchmark and its subsidiaries, contingent liabilities arising from threatened and pending litigation are not presently considered by us to be material. For more information concerning litigation, please refer to Note 15Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

NEW UNADOPTED ACCOUNTING RULES

 

The FASB has issued new accounting guidance potentially applicable to Torchmark, effective in future periods:

 

Policy Acquisition Costs:    This new accounting guidance amends the accounting for costs associated with acquiring or renewing insurance contracts in order to address the diversity in practice surrounding the capitalization and deferral of these costs. This guidance will be effective for Torchmark beginning January 1, 2012, with early adoption permitted. Prospective or retrospective application is permitted. We are currently evaluating the new guidance. At this time we expect its adoption to reduce our shareholders’ equity approximately 8% at the time of adoption. We intend to adopt this guidance retrospectively. Because both the deferral and amortization of acquisition costs will be lower in future periods, and those effects are largely offsetting, we do not expect that there will be a material impact on operating results going forward.

 

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CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Future Policy Benefits.    Because of the long-term nature of insurance contracts, our insurance companies are liable for policy benefit payments that will be made in the future. The liability for future policy benefits is determined by standard actuarial procedures common to the life insurance industry. The accounting policies for determining this liability are disclosed in Note 1Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. A list of the significant assumptions used to calculate the liability for future policy benefits is reported in Note 6Future Policy Benefit Reserves.

 

Approximately 78% of our liabilities for future policy benefits at December 31, 2010 were traditional insurance liabilities whereby the liability is determined as the present value of future benefits less the present value of the portion of the gross premium required to pay for such benefits. The assumptions used in estimating the future benefits for this portion of business are set at the time of contract issue. These assumptions are “locked in” and are not revised for the lifetime of the contracts, except where there is a premium deficiency, as defined in Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements under the caption Future Policy Benefits. Otherwise, variability in the accrual of policy reserve liabilities after policy issuance is caused only by variability of the inventory of in force policies. A premium deficiency event for Torchmark’s traditional business is very rare, and did not occur during the three years ended December 31, 2010.

 

The remaining portion of liabilities for future policy benefits pertains to business accounted for as deposit business, whereby the recorded liability is the fund balance attributable to the benefit of policyholders as determined by the policy contract at the financial statement date. Accordingly, there are no assumptions used to determine the future policy benefit liability for deposit business.

 

Deferred Acquisition Costs and Value of Insurance Purchased.    The costs of acquiring new business are generally deferred and recorded as an asset. Deferred acquisition costs consist primarily of sales commissions and other underwriting costs of new insurance sales. Additionally, the costs of acquiring blocks of insurance from other companies or through the acquisition of other companies are also deferred and recorded as assets under the caption “Value of Insurance Purchased” as indicated in Note 5Deferred Acquisition Costs and Value of Insurance Purchased in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Our policies for accounting for deferred acquisition costs and the associated amortization are reported in Note 1Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Approximately 97% of our recorded amounts for deferred acquisition costs at December 31, 2010 were related to traditional products and are being amortized over the premium-paying period in proportion to the present value of actual historic and estimated future gross premiums. The projection assumptions for this business are set at the time of contract issue. These assumptions are “locked-in” at that time and, except where there is a loss recognition issue, are not revised for the lifetime of the contracts. Absent a premium deficiency, variability in amortization after policy issuance is caused only by variability in premium volume. We have not recorded a deferred acquisition cost loss recognition event for assets related to this business for any period in the three years ended December 31, 2010.

 

The remaining portion of deferred acquisition costs pertain to deposit business for which deferred acquisition costs are amortized over the estimated lives of the contracts in proportion to actual and estimated future gross profits. These contracts are not subject to lock-in. The assumptions must be updated when actual experience or other evidence suggests that earlier estimates should be revised. As noted earlier in this report, our variable annuity block was disposed of as of December 31, 2010. Revisions related to our deposit business assets have not had a material impact on the amortization of deferred acquisition costs during the three years ended December 31, 2010.

 

Policy Claims and Other Benefits Payable.    This liability consists of known benefits currently payable and an estimate of claims that have been incurred but not yet reported to us. The estimate of unreported claims is based on prior experience and is made after careful evaluation of all information available to us. However, the factors upon which these estimates are based can be subject to change from historical patterns. Factors involved include the litigation environment, regulatory mandates, and the introduction of

 

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policy types for which claim patterns are not well established, and medical trend rates and medical cost inflation as they affect our health claims. Changes in these estimates, if any, are reflected in the earnings of the period in which the adjustment is made. We believe that the estimates used to produce the liability for claims and other benefits, including the estimate of unsubmitted claims, are the most appropriate under the circumstances. However, there is no certainty that the resulting stated liability will be our ultimate obligation. At this time, we do not expect any change in estimate to have a material impact on earnings or financial position consistent with our historical experience.

 

Valuation of Fixed Maturities.    We hold a substantial investment in high-quality fixed maturities to provide for the funding of our future policy contractual obligations over long periods of time. While these securities are generally expected to be held to maturity, they are classified as available for sale and are sold from time to time, primarily to maintain our investment quality and diversification standards. We report this portfolio at fair value. Fair value is the price that we would expect to receive upon sale of the asset in an orderly transaction. The fair value of the fixed-maturity portfolio is primarily affected by changes in interest rates in financial markets, having a greater impact on longer-term maturities. Because of the size of our fixed-maturity portfolio, small changes in rates can have a significant effect on the portfolio and the reported financial position of the Company. This impact is disclosed in 100 basis point increments under the caption Market Risk Sensitivity in this report. However, as discussed under the caption Financial Condition in this report, we believe these unrealized fluctuations in value have no meaningful impact on our actual financial condition and, as such, we remove them from consideration when viewing our financial position and financial ratios.

 

During recent periods, the values of our fixed maturities were also affected by illiquidity in the financial markets, which contributed to a spread widening, and accordingly unrealized losses, on many securities that we expect to be fully recoverable. Even though our fixed maturity portfolio is available for sale, we have the ability and intent to hold the securities until maturity as a result of our strong and stable cash flows generated from our insurance products. Considerable information concerning the policies, procedures, classification levels, and other relevant data concerning the valuation of our fixed-maturity investments is presented in Note 4—Investments under the caption Fair Value Measurements.

 

Impairment of Investments.    We continually monitor our investment portfolio for investments that have become impaired in value, where fair value has declined below carrying value. While the values of the investments in our portfolio constantly fluctuate due to market conditions, an other than temporary impairment charge is recorded only when a security has experienced a decline in fair market value which is deemed other than temporary. The policies and procedures that we use to evaluate and account for impairments of investments are disclosed in Note 1Significant Accounting Policies and Note 4Investments in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and the discussions under the captions Investments and Realized Gains and Losses in this report. While every effort is made to make the best estimate of status and value with the information available regarding an other-than-temporary impairment, it is difficult to predict the future prospects of a distressed or impaired security.

 

Defined benefit pension plans.    We maintain funded defined benefit plans covering most full-time employees. We also have unfunded nonqualified defined benefit plans covering certain key and other employees. Our obligations under these plans are determined actuarially based on specified actuarial assumptions. In accordance with GAAP, an expense is recorded each year as these pension obligations grow due to the increase in the service period of employees and the interest cost associated with the passage of time. These obligations are offset, at least in part, by the growth in value of the assets in the funded plans. At December 31, 2010, our net liability under these plans was $286 million.

 

The actuarial assumptions used in determining our obligations for pensions include employee mortality and turnover, retirement age, the expected return on plan assets, projected salary increases, and the discount rate at which future obligations could be settled. These assumptions have an important effect on the pension obligation. A decrease in the discount rate or rate of return on plan assets will cause an increase in the pension obligation. A decrease in projected salary increases will cause a decrease in this obligation. Small changes in assumptions may cause material differences in reported results for these plans. While we have used our best efforts to determine the most reliable assumptions, given the information available from company experience, economic data, independent consultants and other sources, we cannot be certain that actual results will be the same as expected. Our discount rate, rate of

 

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return on assets, and projected salary increase assumptions are disclosed and the criteria used to determine those assumptions are discussed in Note 10Postretirement Benefits in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The assumptions are reviewed annually and revised, if necessary, based on more current information available to us. Note 10 also contains information about pension plan assets, investment policies, and other related data.

 

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

 

We caution readers regarding certain forward-looking statements contained in the foregoing discussion and elsewhere in this document, and in any other statements made by us or on our behalf whether or not in future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any statement that is not a historical fact, or that might otherwise be considered an opinion or projection concerning us or our business, whether express or implied, is meant as and should be considered a forward-looking statement. Such statements represent our opinions concerning future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments.

 

Forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that are subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. If these estimates or assumptions prove to be incorrect, the actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements made on the basis of such estimates or assumptions. Whether or not actual results differ materially from forward-looking statements may depend on numerous foreseeable and unforeseeable events or developments, which may be national in scope, related to the insurance industry generally, or applicable to Torchmark specifically. Such events or developments could include, but are not necessarily limited to:

 

1) Changes in lapse rates and/or sales of our insurance policies as well as levels of mortality, morbidity and utilization of healthcare services that differ from our assumptions;

 

2) Federal and state legislative and regulatory developments, particularly those impacting taxes and changes to the federal Medicare program that would affect Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D insurance;

 

3) Market trends in the senior-aged health care industry that provide alternatives to traditional Medicare, such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and other managed care or private plans, and that could affect the sales of traditional Medicare Supplement insurance;

 

4) Interest rate changes that affect product sales and/or investment portfolio yield;

 

5) General economic, industry sector or individual debt issuers’ financial conditions that may affect the current market value of securities that we own, or that may impair issuers’ ability to pay interest due us on those securities;

 

6) Changes in pricing competition;

 

7) Litigation results;

 

8) Levels of administrative and operational efficiencies that differ from our assumptions;

 

9) Our inability to obtain timely and appropriate premium rate increases for health insurance policies due to regulatory delay;

 

10) The customer response to new products and marketing initiatives; and

 

11) Reported amounts in the financial statements which are based on our estimates and judgments which may differ from the actual amounts ultimately realized.

 

Readers are also directed to consider other risks and uncertainties described in our other documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Item 7A.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

Information required by this item is found under the heading Market Risk Sensitivity in Item 7 beginning on page 45 of this report.

 

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Item 8.    Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

     Page  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     58   

Consolidated Financial Statements:

  

Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2010 and 2009

     59   

Consolidated Statements of Operations for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010

     60   

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010

     61   

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010

     62   

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010

     63   

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     64   

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of

Torchmark Corporation

McKinney, Texas

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Torchmark Corporation and subsidiaries (“Torchmark”) as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010. Our audits also included the financial statement schedules listed in the Index at Item 15. These financial statements and financial statement schedules are the responsibility of Torchmark’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements and financial statement schedules based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Torchmark Corporation and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, such financial statement schedules, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.

 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Torchmark’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 28, 2011 expressed an unqualified opinion on Torchmark’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

/s/    DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

 

Dallas, Texas

February 28, 2011

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

    December 31,  
        2010               2009        

Assets:

   

Investments:

   

Fixed maturities—available for sale, at fair value (amortized cost: 2010—$10,435,497; 2009—$9,559,499)

  $ 10,543,034     

$

9,104,115

  

Equity securities, at fair value (cost: 2010—$14,875; 2009—$14,875)

    17,154        16,722   

Policy loans

    378,124        352,351   

Other long-term investments

    42,985        52,428   

Short-term investments

    216,680        298,077   
               

Total investments

    11,197,977        9,823,693   

Cash

    365,679        231,071   

Accrued investment income

    183,861        168,246   

Other receivables

    230,319        192,902   

Deferred acquisition costs and value of insurance purchased

    3,406,335        3,319,505   

Goodwill

    396,891        396,891   

Other assets

    378,700        234,808   

Assets of subsidiary held for sale

    -0-        1,656,643   
               

Total assets

  $ 16,159,762      $ 16,023,759   
               

Liabilities:

   

Future policy benefits

  $ 9,150,031      $ 8,629,349   

Unearned and advance premiums

    74,165        81,077   

Policy claims and other benefits payable

    221,598        211,083   

Other policyholders’ funds

    91,293        90,076   
               

Total policy liabilities

    9,537,087        9,011,585   

Current and deferred income taxes payable

    1,209,433        964,680   

Other liabilities

    284,062        174,766   

Short-term debt

    198,875        233,307   

Long-term debt (estimated fair value: 2010—$933,336; 2009—$867,519)

    789,643        796,050   

Due to affiliates

    124,421        124,421   

Liabilities of subsidiary held for sale

    -0-        1,320,059   
               

Total liabilities

    12,143,521        12,624,868   

Shareholders’ equity:

   

Preferred stock, par value $1 per share—Authorized 5,000,000 shares; outstanding: -0- in 2010 and in 2009

    -0-        -0-   

Common stock, par value $1 per share—Authorized 320,000,000 shares; outstanding: (2010—79,874,748 issued, less 631,665 held in treasury and 2009—83,874,748 issued, less 1,034,022 held in treasury)

    79,875        83,875   

Additional paid-in capital

    432,608        441,361   

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

    22,958        (319,183

Retained earnings

    3,513,419        3,228,904   

Treasury stock

    (32,619     (36,066
               

Total shareholders’ equity

    4,016,241        3,398,891   
               

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

  $ 16,159,762      $ 16,023,759   
               

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
           2010                 2009                 2008        

Revenue:

      

Life premium

   $ 1,663,699      $ 1,591,853      $ 1,544,219   

Health premium

     987,421        1,017,711        1,127,059   

Other premium

     638        541        622   
                        

Total premium

     2,651,758        2,610,105        2,671,900   

Net investment income

     676,364        632,540        627,206   

Realized investment gains (losses)

     42,190        13,879        (426

Other-than-temporary impairments

     (4,850     (164,137     (107,115

Portion of impairment loss recognized in other comprehensive income

     -0-        20,766        -0-   

Other income

     2,170        1,920        4,671   
                        

Total revenue

     3,367,632        3,115,073        3,196,236   

Benefits and expenses:

      

Life policyholder benefits

     1,082,423        1,040,248        1,015,494   

Health policyholder benefits

     669,191        677,319        759,588   

Other policyholder benefits

     41,430        35,762        27,458   
                        

Total policyholder benefits

     1,793,044        1,753,329        1,802,540   

Amortization of deferred acquisition costs

     418,890        415,986        378,388   

Commissions and premium taxes

     125,330        128,620        141,586   

Other operating expense

     176,272        170,130        182,093   

Interest expense

     75,529        69,932        63,229   
                        

Total benefits and expenses

     2,589,065        2,537,997        2,567,836   

Income from continuing operations before income taxes

     778,567        577,076        628,400   

Income taxes

     (256,274     (191,024     (198,700
                        

Income from continuing operations

     522,293        386,052        429,700   

Discontinued operations:

      

Income from discontinued operations, net of tax

     29,784        18,901        22,559   

Loss on disposal, net of tax benefit of $2,868

     (35,013     -0-        -0-   
                        

Income (loss) from discontinued operations

     (5,229     18,901        22,559   
                        

Net income

   $ 517,064      $ 404,953      $ 452,259   
                        

Basic net income per share:

      

Continuing operations

   $ 6.42      $ 4.65      $ 4.88   

Discontinued operations

     (0.06     0.23        0.26   
                        

Total basic net income per share

   $ 6.36      $ 4.88      $ 5.14   
                        

Diluted net income per share:

      

Continuing operations

   $ 6.36      $ 4.65      $ 4.85   

Discontinued operations

     (0.06     0.23        0.26   
                        

Total diluted net income per share

   $ 6.30      $ 4.88      $ 5.11   
                        

Dividends declared per common share

   $ .62      $ .57      $ .56   
                        

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Amounts in thousands)

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
          2010                 2009                 2008        

Net income

  $ 517,064      $ 404,953      $ 452,259   

Other comprehensive income (loss):

     

Unrealized investment gains (losses):

     

Unrealized gains (losses) on securities:

     

Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during period

    615,503        1,223,157        (1,808,802

Reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses on securities included in net income

    (38,170     161,323        107,912   

Reclassification adjustment for other-than-temporarily impaired debt securities for which a portion of the loss was recognized in earnings

    -0-        (20,766     -0-   

Reclassification adjustment for amortization of (discount) premium

    (3,820     (6,183     (12,410

Foreign exchange adjustment on securities marked to market

    (7,735     (18,199     20,685   
                       

Unrealized gains (losses) on securities

    565,778        1,339,332        (1,692,615

Unrealized gains (losses), adjustment to deferred acquisition costs

    (32,181     (79,603     98,893   
                       

Total unrealized investment gains (losses)

    533,597        1,259,729        (1,593,722

Less applicable taxes

    (186,760     (440,905     557,803   
                       

Unrealized gains (losses), net of tax

    346,837        818,824        (1,035,919

Foreign exchange adjustments:

     

Foreign exchange translation adjustments, other than securities

    5,006        21,833        (31,447

Less applicable taxes

    (1,752     (7,642     13,735   
                       

Foreign exchange translation adjustments, other than securities, net of tax

    3,254        14,191        (17,712

Pension adjustments:

     

Amortization of pension costs

    10,857        11,219        3,047   

Experience gain (loss)

    (23,086     16,811        (58,200
                       

Pension adjustments

    (12,229     28,030        (55,153

Less applicable taxes

    4,279        (9,811     19,305   
                       

Pension adjustments, net of tax

    (7,950     18,219        (35,848
                       

Other comprehensive income (loss)

    342,141        851,234        (1,089,479
                       

Comprehensive income (loss)

  $ 859,205      $ 1,256,187      $ (637,220
                       

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

TORCHMARK CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

    Preferred
Stock
    Common
Stock
    Additional
Paid-in
Capital
    Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
    Retained
Earnings
    Treasury
Stock
    Total
Shareholders’
Equity
 

Year Ended December 31, 2008

  

           

Balance at January 1, 2008

  $ -0-      $ 94,875      $ 481,228      $ (80,938   $ 3,003,152      $ (173,690   $ 3,324,627   

Comprehensive income (loss)

          (1,089,479     452,259          (637,220

Common dividends declared ($0.56 a share)

            (48,678       (48,678

Acquisition of treasury stock

              (455,736     (455,736

Stock-based compensation

        7,324            3,499        10,823   

Exercise of stock options

        3,618          (11,856     37,329        29,091   

Retirement of treasury stock

      (9,000     (46,105       (465,927     521,032        -0-   
                                                       

Balance at December 31, 2008

    -0-        85,875        446,065        (1,170,417     2,928,950        (67,566     2,222,907   

Year Ended December 31, 2009

  

           

Comprehensive income (loss)

          851,234        404,953          1,256,187   

Common dividends declared ($0.57 a share)

            (47,182       (47,182

Acquisition of treasury stock

              (47,564     (47,564

Stock-based compensation

        5,419            4,441        9,860   

Exercise of stock options

        253          (435     4,865        4,683   

Retirement of treasury stock

      (2,000     (10,376       (57,382     69,758        -0-   
                                                       

Balance at December 31, 2009

    -0-        83,875        441,361        (319,183     3,228,904        (36,066     3,398,891   

Year Ended December 31, 2010

  

           

Comprehensive income (loss)

          342,141        517,064          859,205   

Common dividends declared ($.62 a share)

            (49,015       (49,015

Acquisition of treasury stock

              (246,006     (246,006

Stock-based compensation

        8,393            3,451        11,844   

Exercise of stock options

        4,205          (2,329     39,446        41,322   

Retirement of treasury stock

      (4,000     (21,351       (181,205     206,556        -0-   
                                                       

Balance at December 31, 2010

  $ -0-      $ 79,875      $ 432,608      $ 22,958      $ 3,513,419      $ (32,619   $ 4,016,241   
                                                       

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

TORCHMARK CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Amounts in thousands)

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
          2010                 2009                 2008        

Net income

  $ 517,064      $ 404,953      $ 452,259   

Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided from operations:

     

Increase in future policy benefits

    544,086        533,466        429,256   

Increase (decrease) in other policy benefits

    1,110        (18,172     (21,922

Deferral of policy acquisition costs

    (526,791     (560,120     (549,004

Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs

    433,488        429,253        398,324   

Change in current and deferred income taxes

    78,125        108,052        57,316   

Realized (gains) losses on sale of investments and properties

    (40,190     141,659        107,504   

Change in other receivables

    (24,716     (43,471     (60,205

Contributions to benefit plans

    (34,755     (14,000     (52,238

Loss on disposal of subsidiary

    35,013        -0-        -0-   

Other, net

    46,159        (5,507     (30,679
                       

Cash provided from operations

    1,028,593        976,113        730,611   

Cash used for investment activities:

     

Investments sold or matured:

     

Fixed maturities available for sale—sold

    325,950        900,417        123,659   

Fixed maturities available for sale—matured, called, and repaid

    638,860        760,858        580,580   

Equity securities

    -0-        1,138        -0-   

Other long-term investments

    5,767        7,167        16,933   
                       

Total investments sold or matured

    970,577        1,669,580        721,172   

Acquisition of investments:

     

Fixed maturities—available for sale

    (1,908,109     (2,311,455     (1,091,462

Other long-term investments

    (905     (43     (10,284
                       

Total investments acquired

    (1,909,014     (2,311,498     (1,101,746

Net increase in policy loans

    (27,793     (23,652     (16,082

Net (increase) decrease in short-term investments

    128,727        (226,645     (19,734

Net change in payable or receivable for securities

    (754     (13,829     17,935   

Additions to properties

    (9,181     (6,499     (9,800

Sales of properties

    77        -0-        786   

Investments in low-income housing interests

    (53,170     (24,556     (24,779

Proceeds from sale of subsidiary

    342,890        -0-        -0-   
                       

Cash used for investment activities

    (557,641     (937,099     (432,248

Cash provided from (used for) financing activities:

     

Issuance of common stock

    37,863        4,430        25,473   

Cash dividends paid to shareholders

    (50,061     (46,615     (48,802

Issuance of 9 1/4% Senior Notes

    -0-        296,308        -0-   

Repayment of 9 1/4% Senior Notes

    (8,913     -0-        -0-   

Repayment of 8 1/4% Senior Debentures

    -0-        (99,451     -0-   

Net borrowing (repayment) of commercial paper

    (34,432     (70,928     102,178   

Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises

    3,455        253        3,618   

Acquisition of treasury stock

    (246,006     (47,564     (455,736

Net receipts (payments) from deposit product operations

    (31,527     112,005        112,011   
                       

Cash provided from (used for) financing activities

    (329,621     148,438        (261,258

Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash

    (7,570     (1,934     (10,803
                       

Increase (decrease) in cash

    133,761        185,518        26,302   

Cash at beginning of year (includes cash of $847 thousand, $12.3 million, and $-0- at January 1, 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively, in subsidiary held for sale)

    231,918        46,400        20,098   
                       

Cash at end of year (includes cash of $0, $847 thousand and $12.3 million at December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively, in subsidiary held for sale)

  $ 365,679      $ 231,918      $ 46,400   
                       

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

TORCHMARK CORPORATION

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies

 

Business:    Torchmark Corporation (Torchmark or alternatively, the Company) through its subsidiaries provides a variety of life and health insurance products and annuities to a broad base of customers.

 

Basis of Presentation:    The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), under guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Principles of Consolidation:    The consolidated financial statements include the results of Torchmark and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Torchmark accounts for its variable interest entities under accounting guidance which clarifies the definition of a variable interest and the instructions for consolidating variable interest entities (VIE’s). Primary beneficiaries only are required to consolidate VIE’s. Therefore, a company may have voting control of a VIE, but if it is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE, it is not permitted to consolidate the VIE. The trust that is liable for Torchmark’s Trust Preferred Securities meets the definition of a VIE. However, Torchmark is not the primary beneficiary of this entity because its interest is not variable. Therefore, Torchmark is not permitted to consolidate its interest, even though it owns 100% of the voting equity of the trust and guarantees its performance. For this reason, Torchmark reports its 7.1% Junior Subordinated Debentures due to the trust as “Due to affiliates” each period at its carrying value. However, Torchmark views the Trust Preferred Securities as it does any other debt offering and consolidates the trust in its segment analysis because GAAP requires that the segment analysis be reported as management views its operations and financial condition.

 

Additionally, as further described under the caption Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Interests below in this note, Torchmark holds passive interests in limited partnerships which provide investment returns through the provision of tax benefits (principally from the transfer of federal or state tax credits related to federal low-income housing). These interests are also considered to be VIEs. They are not consolidated because the Company has no power to control the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of these entities and therefore the Company is not the primary beneficiary of any of these interests. Torchmark’s involvement is limited to its limited partnership interest in the entity. Torchmark has not provided any other financial support to the entities beyond its commitments to fund its limited partnership interests during 2008, 2009, or 2010, and there are no arrangements or agreements with any of the interests to provide other financial support. The maximum loss exposure relative to these interests is limited to their carrying value.

 

When a component of Torchmark’s business is sold or expected to be sold during the ensuing year, Torchmark reports the assets and liabilities of the component as assets and liabilities of subsidiaries held for sale. Assets or liabilities of subsidiaries held for sale are segregated and are recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at the lower of the carrying amount or estimated fair value less cost to sell. If the carrying amount of the business exceeds its estimated fair value, a loss is recognized. Major classes of assets and liabilities of subsidiaries held for sale are separately disclosed in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Torchmark reports the results of operations of a business as discontinued operations when the component is sold or expected to be sold, the operations and cash flows of the business have been or will be eliminated from the ongoing operations as a result of the disposal transaction, and Torchmark will not have any significant continuing involvement in the operations of the business after the disposal transaction. The results of discontinued operations are reported in discontinued operations in the

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations for current and prior periods commencing in the period in which the business is either disposed of or is accounted for as a disposal group, including any gain or loss recognized on the sale or adjustment of the carrying amount to fair value less cost to sell. Major components of the income from discontinued operations are separately disclosed in Note 3 — Discontinued Operations in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Because the business has been sold or classified as held for sale, and its operations are discontinued, the financial results of the business are excluded from the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, other than in Note 3, the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, and Note 2Statutory Accounting.

 

Investments:    Torchmark classifies all of its fixed-maturity investments, which include bonds and redeemable preferred stocks, as available for sale. Investments classified as available for sale are carried at fair value with unrealized gains and losses, net of deferred taxes, reflected directly in accumulated other comprehensive income. Investments in equity securities, which include common and nonredeemable preferred stocks, are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses, net of deferred taxes, reflected directly in accumulated other comprehensive income. Policy loans are carried at unpaid principal balances. Mortgage loans, included in “Other long-term investments,” are carried at amortized cost. Investments in real estate, included in “Other long-term investments,” are reported at cost less allowances for depreciation. Depreciation is calculated on the straight-line method. Short-term investments include investments in interest-bearing time deposits with original maturities of twelve months or less.

 

Gains and losses realized on the disposition of investments are determined on a specific identification basis. Income attributable to investments is included in Torchmark’s net investment income. Net investment income for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008 included $522 million, $487 million, and $451 million, respectively, which was allocable to policyholder reserves or accounts. Realized investment gains and losses are not allocated to insurance policyholders’ liabilities.

 

Fair Value Measurements:    Fair values for cash, short-term investments, short-term debt, receivables and payables approximate carrying value. Fair values for long-term debt investments and equity securities are determined in accordance with specific accounting guidance. Fair values are based on quoted market prices, where available. Otherwise, fair values are based on quoted market prices of comparable instruments in active markets, quotes in inactive markets, or other observable criteria. For specific information regarding Torchmark’s measurements and procedures in valuing financial instruments, please see Note 4—Investments under the caption Fair value measurements. The fair values of Torchmark’s long-term debt issues, along with the trust preferred securities, are based on quoted market prices. Mortgage loans are valued at discounted cash flows.

 

Impairment of Investments:    Torchmark evaluates securities for other-than-temporary impairment as described in Note 4Investments under the caption Other-than-temporary-impairments. If a security is determined to be other-than-temporarily impaired, the cost basis of the security is written down to fair value and is treated as a realized loss. The written-down security will be amortized and revenue recognized in accordance with estimated future cash flows.

 

In April, 2009, the FASB amended previous guidance concerning other-than-temporary impairments of debt securities and changed the presentation of other-than-temporary impairments in the financial statements. If an entity intends to sell or if it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell an impaired security prior to recovery of its cost basis, the security is to be considered other-than-temporarily impaired and the full amount of impairment must be charged to earnings. Otherwise, losses on securities which are other-than-temporarily impaired are separated into two categories, the portion of loss which is considered credit loss and the portion of loss which is due to other factors. The credit loss portion is charged to earnings while the loss due to other factors is charged to other comprehensive income, both charges net of tax. The revised guidance called for an opening cumulative effect adjustment to reclassify any unrecognized after-tax credit loss on each previously other-than-temporarily impaired security held at the beginning of the period of adoption as an adjustment to retained earnings and a corresponding

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive income. The revisions were effective for interim and annual periods ending after June 15, 2009, but early adoption was permitted for periods ending after March 15, 2009. Disclosures for earlier periods for comparative purposes were not required until the comparative period’s end after initial adoption.

 

Torchmark elected to early adopt the amended guidance for the periods beginning January 1, 2009. Adoption resulted in no cumulative effect adjustment to opening retained earnings or to accumulated other comprehensive income as of January 1, 2009. Invested assets, total assets, and total shareholders’ equity were not affected by adoption. Application of the new guidance resulted in an after-tax increase in net income of $13.5 million in 2009, because the portion of other-than-temporary impairment loss related to factors other than credit was recorded in other comprehensive income instead of being reflected in net income. See Note 4—Investments under the caption Other-than-temporary impairments for a full discussion and disclosures related to other-than-temporary impairments.

 

Cash:    Cash consists of balances on hand and on deposit in banks and financial institutions. Overdrafts arising from the overnight investment of funds offset cash balances on hand and on deposit.

 

Recognition of Premium Revenue and Related Expenses:    Premium income for traditional long-duration life and health insurance products is recognized when due from the policyholder. Premiums for short-duration health contracts are recognized as revenue over the contract period in proportion to the insurance protection provided. Profits for limited-payment life insurance contracts are recognized over the contract period. Premiums for universal life-type and annuity contracts are added to the policy account value, and revenues for such products are recognized as charges to the policy account value for mortality, administration, and surrenders (retrospective deposit method). Life premium includes policy charges of $26 million, $28 million, and $31 million for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively. Other premium consists of annuity policy charges in each year. Profits are also earned to the extent that investment income exceeds policy liability interest requirements. The related benefits and expenses are matched with revenues by means of the provision of future policy benefits and the amortization of deferred acquisition costs in a manner which recognizes profits as they are earned over the same period.

 

Future Policy Benefits:    The liability for future policy benefits for universal life-type products is represented by policy account value. The liability for future policy benefits for all other life and health products, approximately 78% of total future policy benefits, is provided on the net level premium method based on estimated investment yields, mortality, morbidity, persistency and other assumptions which were considered appropriate at the time the policies were issued. Assumptions used are based on Torchmark’s previous experience with similar products. Once established, assumptions for these products are generally not changed. An additional provision is made on most products to allow for possible adverse deviation from the assumptions. These estimates are periodically reviewed and compared with actual experience. If it is determined that existing contract liabilities, together with the present value of future gross premiums, will not be sufficient to cover the present value of future benefits and to recover unamortized acquisition costs, then a premium deficiency exists. Such a deficiency would be recognized immediately by a charge to earnings and either a reduction of unamortized acquisition costs or an increase in the liability for future policy benefits. From that point forward, the liability for future policy benefits would be based on the revised assumptions.

 

Deferred Acquisition Costs and Value of Insurance Purchased:    The costs of acquiring new business are generally deferred and recorded as an asset. Deferred acquisition costs consist primarily of sales commissions and other underwriting costs of new insurance sales. Additionally, deferred acquisition costs include the value of insurance purchased, which are the costs of acquiring blocks of insurance from other companies or through the acquisition of other companies. Deferred acquisition costs and the value of insurance purchased are amortized in a systematic manner which matches these costs with the associated revenues. Policies other than universal life-type policies are amortized with interest over the estimated premium-paying period of the policies in a manner which charges each year’s operations in

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

proportion to the receipt of premium income. Limited-payment contracts are amortized over the contract period. Universal life-type policies are amortized with interest in proportion to estimated gross profits. The assumptions used to amortize acquisition costs with regard to interest, mortality, morbidity, and persistency are consistent with those used to estimate the liability for future policy benefits. For interest- sensitive and deposit-balance type products, these assumptions are reviewed on a regular basis and are revised if actual experience differs significantly from original expectations. For all other products, amortization assumptions are generally not revised once established. Deferred acquisition costs are subject to periodic recoverability and loss recognition testing to determine if there is a premium deficiency. These tests ensure that the present value of future contract-related cash flows will support the capitalized deferred acquisition cost asset. These cash flows consist primarily of premium income, less benefits and expenses taking inflation into account. The present value of these cash flows, less the benefit reserve, is then compared with the unamortized deferred acquisition cost balance. In the event the estimated present value of net cash flows is less, the deficiency would be recognized by a charge to earnings and either a reduction of unamortized acquisition costs or an increase in the liability for future benefits, as described under the caption Future Policy Benefits.

 

Policy Claims and Other Benefits Payable:    Torchmark establishes a liability for known policy benefits payable and an estimate of claims that have been incurred but not yet reported to the Company. The estimate of unreported claims is based on prior experience. Torchmark makes an estimate after careful evaluation of all information available to the Company. However, there is no certainty the stated liability for claims and other benefits, including the estimate of unsubmitted claims, will be Torchmark’s ultimate obligation.

 

Separate Accounts:    Separate accounts were previously established in connection with Torchmark’s variable life and annuity businesses. Torchmark disposed of this business as of December 31, 2010. Accordingly, separate account assets and liabilities were included in “Assets or Liabilities of subsidiary held for sale,” respectively, as of December 31, 2009.

 

Income Taxes:    Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement book values and tax bases of assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. More information concerning income taxes is provided in Note 9—Income Taxes.

 

Property and Equipment:    Property and equipment, included in “Other assets,” is reported at cost less allowances for depreciation. Depreciation is recorded primarily on the straight line method over the estimated useful lives of these assets which range from two to ten years for equipment and five to forty years for buildings and improvements. Ordinary maintenance and repairs are charged to income as incurred. Impairments, if any, are recorded when, based on events and circumstances, it becomes evident that the fair value of the asset is less than its carrying amount. Original cost of property and equipment was $119 million and $111 million at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Accumulated depreciation was $65 million at year end 2010 and $60 million at the end of 2009. Depreciation expense was $6.0 million in 2010, $4.6 million in 2009, and $5.0 million in 2008. During 2008, Torchmark completed the construction of an office building adjacent to the home office building of its subsidiary United American Insurance Company (United American) in McKinney, Texas. The Company spent approximately $23 million on the building and land, and approximately $3 million on equipment. Liberty National Life Insurance Company (Liberty), a wholly-owned Torchmark subsidiary, has sold the majority of its agency office buildings. In 2008, five offices were sold for proceeds of $787 thousand, recording a realized gain of $278 thousand before tax. In 2008, Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company (Globe), a wholly-owned Torchmark subsidiary, sold two office buildings in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for proceeds of $7.5 million, recording a gain on the sale of $2.6 million. No buildings were sold in 2009 or 2010.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Asset Retirements:    Certain of Torchmark’s subsidiaries own and occupy buildings containing asbestos. These facilities are subject to regulations which could cause the Company to be required to remove and dispose of all or part of the asbestos upon the occurrence of certain events. Otherwise, the subsidiaries are under no obligation under the regulations. At this time, no such events under these regulations have occurred. For this reason, the Company has not recorded a liability for this potential obligation, as the time at which any obligation could be settled is not known. Therefore, there is insufficient information to estimate a fair value.

 

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Interests:    As of December 31, 2010, Torchmark had $283 million invested in limited partnerships that provide low-income housing tax credits and other related Federal income tax and state premium tax benefits to Torchmark. The carrying value of Torchmark’s investment in these entities was $169 million at December 31, 2009. As of December 31, 2010, Torchmark was obligated under future commitments of $122 million, which amount is included in the above carrying value. Interests for which the return has been guaranteed by unrelated third-parties are accounted for using the effective-yield method. The remaining interests are accounted for using the amortized-cost method.

 

For 2010, the Federal income benefits accrued during the year, net of the amortization associated with guaranteed interests, were recorded in “Income Tax Expense.” Amortization associated with non-guaranteed interests was reflected as a component of “Net Investment Income.” For years prior to 2010, the Federal income tax benefits accrued during the year, net of amortization associated with all interests,

were recorded in “Income tax expense.” All state premium tax benefits, net of the related amortization, are recorded in “Net investment income.” At December 31, 2010, $269 million was included in “Other assets” with the remaining $14 million included in “Other invested assets.” At December 31, 2009, the comparable amounts were $149 million and $20 million, respectively. Any unpaid commitments to invest are recorded in “Other liabilities.”

 

Goodwill:    The excess cost of businesses acquired over the fair value of their net assets is reported as goodwill. Goodwill is subject to annual impairment testing based on certain procedures outlined by GAAP. Amortization of goodwill is not permitted. Torchmark tested its goodwill annually in each of the years 2008 through 2010. The tests involve assigning the Company’s carrying value to each of the reporting units of Torchmark’s segments, including the portion of goodwill assigned to each reporting unit. The fair value of each reporting unit is measured against that reporting unit’s corresponding carrying value. Because the estimated fair value exceeded the carrying value, including goodwill, of each reporting unit in each period, Torchmark’s goodwill was not impaired in any of the periods. Approximately $27 million of goodwill was associated with a subsidiary sold in 2010, described more fully in Note 3—Discontinued Operations.

 

Treasury Stock:    Torchmark accounts for purchases of treasury stock on the cost method. Issuance of treasury stock is accounted for using the weighted-average cost method.

 

Litigation and Tax Settlements:    The Company recorded a $2.9 million tax settlement benefit in 2009 primarily resulting from the favorable settlements of U.S. Federal income tax issues that related to prior tax years. The Company also recorded a $10.8 million settlement benefit in 2008 related to litigation that occurred in prior years as a result of the favorable resolution of litigation concerning tax liabilities asserted by Canadian tax authorities covering several years. More information on these tax settlements is provided in Note 9—Income Taxes.

 

Torchmark received an additional pre-tax litigation settlement, net of expenses, of $1.3 million in 2008 ($.9 million after tax) from investment litigation. Legal settlement costs in the amount of $2.5 million in 2008 ($1.6 million after tax) were expensed relating to litigation issues arising in prior periods and concerning events occurring many years ago.

 

The investment litigation receipts were included in “Other income” in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. The legal settlement costs were included in “Other operating expense.” The income tax settlements were included as reductions to “Income taxes.”

 

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Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

 

Postretirement Benefits:    Torchmark accounts for its defined benefit pension plans by recognizing the funded status of its postretirement benefit plans on its Consolidated Balance Sheets in accordance with accounting guidance. Periodic gains and losses attributable to changes in plan assets and liabilities that are not recognized as components of net periodic benefit costs are recognized as components of other comprehensive income, net of tax. As of December 31, 2009, Torchmark adopted new accounting guidance requiring new disclosures about assets in its pension plans. The new disclosures include information about how investment decisions are made, categories of assets, information about how assets are valued, and concentrations of risk. More information concerning the accounting and disclosures for postretirement benefits is found in Note 10Postretirement Benefits.

 

Stock Compensation:    Torchmark accounts for stock-based compensation by recognizing an expense in the financial statements based on the “fair value method.” The fair value method requires that a fair value be assigned to a stock option or other stock grant on its grant date and that this value be amortized over the grantees’ service period.

 

The fair value method requires the use of an option valuation model to value employee stock options. Torchmark has elected to use the Black-Scholes valuation model for option expensing. A summary of assumptions for options granted in each of the three years 2008 through 2010 is as follows:

 

     2010     2009     2008  

Volatility factor

     40.3     29.6     11.7

Dividend yield

     1.3     2.4     0.8

Expected term (in years)

     4.74        4.72        4.69   

Risk-free rate

     2.5     2.6     2.8

 

All of the above assumptions, with the exception of the expected term, are obtained from independent data services. The expected term is generally derived from Company experience. However, expected terms of grants made under the Torchmark Corporation 2005 Incentive Plan (2005 Plan) and the 2007 Long-Term Compensation Plan (2007 Plan), involving grants made in the years 2005 through 2010, were determined based on the simplified method as permitted by Staff Accounting Bulletins 107 and 110. This method was used because the 2005 and 2007 Plans limited grants to a maximum contract term of seven years, and Torchmark had no previous experience with seven-year contract terms. Prior to 2005, substantially all grants contained ten-year terms. Because a large portion of these grants vest over a three-year period, the Company did not have sufficient exercise history during 2010 or previous years to determine an appropriate expected term on these grants. Volatility and risk-free interest rates are assumed over a period of time consistent with the expected term of the option. Volatility is measured on a historical basis. Monthly data points are utilized to derive volatility for periods greater than three years. Expected dividend yield is based on current dividend yield held constant over the expected term. Once the fair value of an option has been determined, it is amortized on a straight-line basis over the employee’s service period for that grant (from the grant date to the date the grant is fully vested).

 

Torchmark management views all stock-based compensation expense as a corporate or Parent Company expense and, therefore, presents it as such in its segment analysis (See Note 14—Business Segments). It is included in “Other operating expense” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

 

Earnings Per Share:    Torchmark presents basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) on the face of the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Basic EPS is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS is calculated by adding to shares outstanding the additional net effect of potentially dilutive securities or contracts, such as stock options, which could be exercised or converted into common shares. For more information on earnings per share, see Note 12Shareholders’ Equity.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 2—Statutory Accounting

 

Life insurance subsidiaries of Torchmark are required to file statutory financial statements with state insurance regulatory authorities. Accounting principles used to prepare these statutory financial statements differ from GAAP. Consolidated net income and shareholders’ equity (capital and surplus) on a statutory basis for the insurance subsidiaries were as follows:

 

     Net Income
Year Ended December 31,
     Shareholders’ Equity
At December 31,
 
         2010              2009              2008              2010              2009      

Life insurance subsidiaries

   $ 499,440       $ 274,734       $ 350,263       $ 1,607,811       $ 1,428,178   

 

The excess, if any, of shareholder’s equity of the insurance subsidiaries on a GAAP basis over that determined on a statutory basis is not available for distribution to Torchmark without regulatory approval. More information on the restrictions on the payment of dividends can be found in Note 12—Shareholders’ Equity.

 

Torchmark’s statutory financial statements are presented on the basis of accounting practices prescribed by the insurance department of the state of domicile of each insurance subsidiary. All states have adopted the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) statutory accounting practices (NAIC SAP) as the basis for statutory accounting. However, certain states have retained the prescribed practices of their respective insurance code or administrative code which can differ from NAIC SAP. There are no significant differences between NAIC SAP and the accounting practices prescribed by the states of domicile for Torchmark’s life insurance companies that affect statutory surplus.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 3—Discontinued Operations

 

During the third quarter of 2010, Torchmark’s subsidiary, Liberty, entered into an agreement to sell its wholly-owned subsidiary, United Investors Life Insurance Company (United Investors), to an unaffiliated insurance carrier. As a result of the agreement, as of September 30, 2010, Torchmark classified the assets of United Investors as held for sale. The sale was completed as of December 31, 2010. United Investors markets primarily term and interest-sensitive life insurance, fixed annuities, and, prior to 2009, variable annuities. Consideration for the sale consisted of $343 million in cash at the closing, as well as post-closing proceeds receivable from the buyer of approximately $21 million. The transaction resulted in a pre tax loss of approximately $38 million ($35 million after tax), which has been reported as a realized loss on the disposal of a discontinued operation. Additionally, Liberty has signed an agreement with the acquirer to service the United Investors insurance and annuity products for an estimated period of eighteen months subsequent to the closing under a service agreement.

 

Due to the sale, Torchmark’s consolidated financial statements are presented to reflect the transactions as discontinued operations. The primary operations of United Investors involve lines of business that Torchmark no longer emphasizes. Therefore, Torchmark management believes this transaction will allow the Company to focus on its core protection life and health insurance businesses, as well as provide additional capital.

 

Significant assets and liabilities held for sale at December 31, 2009 were as follows:

 

     December 31,  
     2009  

Assets:

  

Investments

   $ 683,494   

Cash

     847   

Deferred acquisition costs and value of insurance purchased

     137,633   

Goodwill

     26,628   

Other assets

     15,218   

Separate account assets

     792,823   
        

Total assets

     1,656,643   

Liabilities:

  

Policy liabilities

     521,928   

Current and deferred income taxes payable

     1,746   

Other liabilities

     3,562   

Separate account liabilities:

     792,823   
        

Total liabilities

     1,320,059   
        

Net equity

   $ 336,584   
        

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

 

Note 3—Discontinued Operations (continued)

 

An analysis of income from discontinued operations is as follows:

 

     Twelve months ended December 31,  
         2010             2009             2008      

Premium income

   $ 73,675      $ 77,094      $ 86,356   

Investment income

     43,787        42,375        44,289   

Realized investment gains (losses)

     2,850        (12,167     37   

Other income

     103        22        -0-   
                        

Total revenue

     120,415        107,324        130,682   

Policyholder benefits

     56,374        59,470        70,375   

Amortization of deferred acquisition costs

     14,599        13,267        19,936   

Other expense

     4,960        6,470        7,514   
                        

Total benefits and expense

     75,933        79,207        97,825   
                        

Pre tax income from discontinued operations

     44,482        28,117        32,857   

Income tax

     (14,698     (9,216     (10,298
                        

Income from discontinued operations

   $ 29,784      $ 18,901      $ 22,559   
                        

 

Revenues and profitability in the indicated segment were as follows:

 

     Twelve Months Ended December 31,  
         2010             2009             2008      

Revenues:

      

Life

   $ 65,726      $ 67,917      $ 72,585   

Annuity

     7,949        9,177        13,771   

Investment

     43,787        42,375        44,289   

Other

     103        22        -0-   
                        

Total

   $ 117,565      $ 119,491      $ 130,645   
                        

Segment profitability (loss):

      

Life

   $ 22,692      $ 19,477      $ 17,750   

Annuity

     (931     3,084        (6,423

Investment

     22,490        21,660        24,612   

Other

     (2,619     (3,937     (3,119
                        

Total

   $ 41,632      $ 40,284      $ 32,820   
                        

 

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments

 

Portfolio Composition:

 

A summary of fixed maturities available for sale and equity securities by cost or amortized cost and estimated fair value at December 31, 2010 and 2009 is as follows:

 

    Cost or
Amortized
Cost
    Gross
Unrealized
Gains
    Gross
Unrealized
Losses
    Fair Value     Amount
per the
Balance
Sheet
    % of Total
Fixed
Maturities*
 

2010:

           

Fixed maturities available for sale:

           

Bonds:

           

U.S. Government direct obligations and agencies

  $ 14,117      $ 371      $ -0-      $ 14,488      $ 14,488        0

Government-sponsored enterprises

    57,678        -0-        (1,059     56,619        56,619        1   

GNMAs

    6,592        976        (1     7,567        7,567        0   

States, municipalities, and political subdivisions

    1,212,185        10,752        (41,811     1,181,126        1,181,126        11   

Foreign governments

    22,352        679        -0-        23,031        23,031        0   

Corporates

    7,707,938        423,076        (210,149     7,920,865        7,920,865        75   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

    9,717        550        -0-        10,267        10,267        0   

Collateralized debt obligations

    56,525        -0-        (34,069     22,456        22,456        0   

Asset-backed securities

    36,689        2,460        (678     38,471        38,471        0   

Redeemable preferred stocks

    1,311,704        36,405        (79,965     1,268,144        1,268,144        13   
                                               

Total fixed maturities

    10,435,497        475,269        (367,732     10,543,034        10,543,034        100

Equity securities:

           

Common stocks:

           

Banks and insurance companies

    776        290        -0-        1,066        1,066     

Non-redeemable preferred stocks

    14,099        2,058        (69     16,088        16,088     
                                         

Total equity securities

    14,875        2,348        (69     17,154        17,154     
                                         

Total fixed maturities and equity securities

  $ 10,450,372      $ 477,617      $ (367,801   $ 10,560,188      $ 10,560,188     
                                         

 

*   At fair value

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

    Cost or
Amortized
Cost
    Gross
Unrealized
Gains
    Gross
Unrealized
Losses
    Fair Value     Amount
per the
Balance
Sheet
    % of Total
Fixed
Maturities
 

2009:

           

Fixed maturities available for sale:

           

Bonds:

           

U.S. Government direct obligations and agencies

  $ 12,000      $ 495      $ -0-      $ 12,495      $ 12,495        0

Government-sponsored enterprises

    83,378        -0-        (5,859     77,519        77,519        1   

GNMAs

    7,874        1,023        -0-        8,897        8,897        0   

States, municipalities, and political subdivisions

    1,011,583        4,792        (29,913     986,462        986,462        11   

Foreign governments

    20,974        850        (10     21,814        21,814        0   

Corporates

    6,964,725        211,504        (419,509     6,756,720        6,756,720        74   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

    10,367        744        -0-        11,111        11,111        0   

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

    1,622        4        -0-        1,626        1,626        0   

Collateralized debt obligations

    54,551        253        (36,767     18,037        18,037        0   

Asset-backed securities

    38,969        1,480        (1,016     39,433        39,433        1   

Redeemable preferred stocks

    1,353,456        22,741        (206,196     1,170,001        1,170,001        13   
                                               

Total fixed maturities

    9,559,499        243,886        (699,270     9,104,115        9,104,115        100

Equity securities:

           

Common stocks:

           

Banks and insurance companies

    776        213        (42     947        947     

Industrial and all others

    -0-        2        -0-        2        2     

Non-redeemable preferred stocks

    14,099        1,719        (45     15,773        15,773     
                                         

Total equity securities

    14,875        1,934        (87     16,722        16,722     
                                         

Total fixed maturities and equity securities

  $ 9,574,374      $ 245,820      $ (699,357   $ 9,120,837      $ 9,120,837     
                                         

 

A schedule of fixed maturities by contractual maturity at December 31, 2010 is shown below on an amortized cost basis and on a fair value basis. Actual maturities could differ from contractual maturities due to call or prepayment provisions.

 

     Amortized
Cost
     Fair
Value
 

Fixed maturities available for sale:

     

Due in one year or less

   $ 173,468       $ 175,980   

Due from one to five years

     537,064         576,475   

Due from five to ten years

     652,335         698,910   

Due from ten to twenty years

     2,454,416         2,490,818   

Due after twenty years

     6,508,691         6,522,090   
                 
     10,325,974         10,464,273   

Mortgage-backed and asset-
backed securities

     109,523         78,761   
                 
   $ 10,435,497       $ 10,543,034   
                 

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

Analysis of investment operations:

      Year Ended December 31,  
         2010             2009             2008      
      

Net investment income is summarized as follows:

      

Fixed maturities

   $ 662,202      $ 609,566      $ 605,523   

Equity securities

     1,183        1,287        1,431   

Policy loans

     27,248        25,394        23,787   

Other long-term investments

     3,064        6,482        6,935   

Short-term investments

     762        1,296        2,901   
                        
      

Less investment expense

     (18,095     (11,485     (13,371
                        

Net investment income

   $ 676,364      $ 632,540      $ 627,206   
                        

An analysis of realized gains (losses) from investments is as follows:

      

Realized investment gains (losses):

      

Fixed maturities:

      

Sales and other

   $ 43,022      $ 15,638      $ (18,749

Writedowns

     (4,850     (143,166     (87,299

Equity securities:

      

Sales and other

     1        (862     -0-   

Writedowns

     -0-        -0-        (1,901

Loss on redemption of debt

     (1,646     (1     0   

Other

     813        (1,101     408   
                        
     37,340        (129,492     (107,541

Applicable tax

     (13,070     44,147        37,639   
                        

Realized gains (losses) from investments, net of tax

   $ 24,270      $ (85,345   $ (69,902
                        

An analysis of the net change in unrealized investment gains (losses) is as follows:

      

Equity securities

   $ 432      $ 2,377      $ (3,049

Fixed maturities available for sale

     562,921        1,240,781        (1,591,281
                        

Net change in unrealized gains (losses) on securities

   $ 563,353      $ 1,243,158      $ (1,594,330
                        

 

Proceeds from sales of fixed maturities available for sale were $315 million in 2010, $831 million in 2009, and $100 million in 2008. Gross gains realized on those sales were $30 million in 2010, $69 million in 2009, and $3 million in 2008. Gross losses were $13 million in 2010, $56 million in 2009, and $3 million in 2008. Proceeds from sales of equity securities were $1.1 million in 2009. There were no equities sold in 2008, and 2010 sales were immaterial. Gross gains realized on those sales were zero in all three years. Gross losses realized on the 2009 sales were $862 thousand.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

Fair value measurements:    Torchmark measures the fair value of its financial assets based on a hierarchy consisting of three levels which indicate the quality of the fair value measurements as described below:

 

   

Level 1 – fair values are based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access as of the measurement date.

 

   

Level 2 – fair values are based on inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, or inputs that can otherwise be corroborated by observable market data.

 

   

Level 3 – fair values are based on inputs that are considered unobservable where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability as of the measurement date. In this circumstance, the Company has to rely on values derived by independent brokers or internally-developed assumptions. Unobservable inputs are developed based on the best information available to the Company which may include the Company’s own data or bid and ask prices in the dealer market.

 

The great majority of the Company’s fixed maturities are not actively traded and direct quotes are not generally available. Management therefore determines the fair values of these securities after consideration of data provided by third-party pricing services and independent broker/dealers. Over 99% of the fair value reported at December 31, 2010 was determined using data provided by third-party pricing services. Prices provided by third-party pricing services are not binding offers but are estimated exit values. They are based on observable market data inputs which can vary by security type. Such inputs include benchmark yields, available trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, benchmark securities, bids, offers, and other market data. Where possible, these prices were corroborated against other independent sources. When corroborated prices produce small variations, the close correlation indicates observable inputs, and the median value is used. When corroborated prices present greater variations, additional analysis is required to determine which value is the most appropriate. When only one price is available, management evaluates observable inputs and performs additional analysis to confirm that the price is appropriate. All fair value measurements based on prices determined with observable market data are reported as Level 1 or Level 2 measurements.

 

When third-party vendor prices are not available, the Company attempts to obtain at least three quotes from broker/dealers for each security. When at least three quotes are obtained, and the standard deviation of such quotes is less than 3%, (suggesting that the independent quotes were likely derived using similar observable inputs), the Company uses the median quote and classifies the measurement as Level 2. At December 31, 2010 and 2009, there were no assets valued as Level 2 in this manner with broker quotes.

 

When the standard deviation is 3% or greater, or the Company cannot obtain three quotes, then additional information and management judgment are required to establish the fair value. The measurement is then classified as Level 3. The Company uses information and valuation techniques deemed appropriate for determining the point within the range of reasonable fair value estimates that is most representative of fair value under current market conditions. As of December 31, 2010 and 2009, fair value measurements classified as Level 3 represented 1% of total fixed maturities and equity securities.

 

76


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

The following tables represent the fair value of assets measured on a recurring basis at December 31, 2010 and 2009:

 

     Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2010 Using:  

Description

   Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
    Significant Other
observable
Inputs (Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
    Total Fair
Value
 

Fixed maturities available for sale:

        

Bonds:

        

U.S. Government direct obligations and agencies

   $ -0-      $ 14,488      $ -0-      $ 14,488   

Government-sponsored enterprises

     -0-        56,619        -0-        56,619   

GNMAs

     -0-        7,567        -0-        7,567   

States, municipalities, and political subdivisions

     -0-        1,181,126        -0-        1,181,126   

Foreign governments

     -0-        23,031        -0-        23,031   

Corporates

     15,347        7,831,845        73,673        7,920,865   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

     -0-        10,267        -0-        10,267   

Collateralized debt obligations

     -0-        -0-        22,456        22,456   

Asset-backed securities

     -0-        30,429        8,042        38,471   

Redeemable preferred stocks

     270,189        997,955        -0-        1,268,144   
                                

Total fixed maturities

     285,536        10,153,327        104,171        10,543,034   

Equity securities:

        

Common stocks:

        

Banks and insurance companies

     396        -0-        670        1,066   

Non-redeemable preferred stocks

     16,088        -0-        -0-        16,088   
                                

Total equity securities

     16,484        -0-        670        17,154   
                                

Total fixed maturities and equity securities

   $ 302,020      $ 10,153,327      $ 104,841      $ 10,560,188   
                                

Percentage of total

     2.9     96.1     1.0     100.0
                                

 

Description

  Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2009 Using:  
  Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
    Significant Other
Observable
Inputs (Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
    Total Fair
Value
 

Fixed maturities available for sale:

       

Bonds:

       

U.S. Government and agencies

  $ -0-      $ 12,495      $ -0-      $ 12,495   

Government-sponsored enterprises

    -0-        77,519        -0-        77,519   

GNMAs

    -0-        8,897        -0-        8,897   

States, municipalities and political subdivisions

    -0-        986,462        -0-        986,462   

Foreign governments

    -0-        16,618        5,196        21,814   

Corporates

    -0-        6,684,956        71,764        6,756,720   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

    -0-        11,111        -0-        11,111   

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

    -0-        1,626        -0-        1,626   

Collateralized debt obligations

    -0-        -0-        18,037        18,037   

Asset-backed securities

    -0-        31,452        7,981        39,433   

Redeemable preferred stocks

    233,490        936,511        -0-        1,170,001   
                               

Total fixed maturities

    233,490        8,767,647        102,978        9,104,115   

Equity securities:

       

Common stocks:

       

Banks and insurance companies

    307        -0-        640        947   

Industrial and all others

    2        -0-        -0-        2   

Non-redeemable preferred stocks

    15,719        54        -0-        15,773   
                               

Total equity securities

    16,028        54        640        16,722   
                               

Total fixed maturities and equity securities

  $ 249,518      $ 8,767,701      $ 103,618      $ 9,120,837   
                               

Percent of total

    2.7     96.1     1.2     100.0
                               

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

The following table represents changes in assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

 

    Analysis of Changes in Fair Value Measurements Using Significant
Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
 
    Asset-
backed
securities
    Collateralized
debt
Obligations
    Corporates*     Other     Equities     Total  

Balance at January 1, 2008

  $ 12,403      $ 115,204      $ 139,769      $ 819      $ 594      $ 268,789   

Total gains or losses:

           

Included in realized gains/losses

    -0-        -0-        21        -0-        -0-        21   

Included in other comprehensive income

    (2,006     (100,424     (25,084     (103     30        (127,587

Sales

    (550     (622     (22,123     -0-        -0-        (23,295

Amortization

    (167     -0-        3,981        (5     -0-        3,809   

Other **

    -0-        -0-        -0-        (89     -0-        (89

Transfers in and/or out of Level 3

    13,397        -0-        68,317        -0-        -0-        81,714   
                                               

Balance at December 31, 2008

    23,077        14,158        164,881        622        624        203,362   

Total gains or losses:

           

Included in realized gains/losses

    -0-        (83,458     (2,502     -0-        -0-        (85,960

Included in other comprehensive income

    1,717        80,674        (2,728     (4     16        79,675   

Sales

    -0-        125        (6,833     -0-        -0-        (6,708

Amortization

    (183     1,014        2,366        (5     -0-        3,192   

Other **

    -0-        5,524        213        148        -0-        5,885   

Transfers in and/or out of Level 3

    (16,630     -0-        (83,633     4,435        -0-        (95,828
                                               

Balance at December 31, 2009

    7,981        18,037        71,764        5,196        640        103,618   

Total gains or losses:

           

Included in realized gains/losses

    -0-        (1,712     1,504        708        -0-        500   

Included in other comprehensive income

    255        2,445        14,711        (564     30        16,877   

Sales

    -0-        -0-        (5,862     (2,331     -0-        (8,193

Amortization

    (194     2,333        2,536        (1     -0-        4,674   

Other **

    -0-        1,353        -0-        -0-        -0-        1,353   

Transfers in and/or out of Level 3

    -0-        -0-        (10,980     (3,008     -0-        (13,988
                                               

Balance at December 31, 2010

  $ 8,042      $ 22,456      $ 73,673      $ -0-      $ 670      $ 104,841   
                                               

 

*   Includes redeemable preferred stocks
**   Includes capitalized interest and foreign exchange adjustments.

 

The collateral underlying collateralized debt obligations for which fair values are reported as Level 3 consists primarily of trust preferred securities issued by banks and insurance companies. None of the collateral is subprime or Alt-A mortgages (loans for which the typical documentation was not provided by the borrower). Of the change in the fair value of Level 3 assets still held at December 31, 2010, $500 thousand of net realized investment gains was included in net income. At December 31, 2009, the charge to earnings was $86 million.

 

In 2008 and 2009, respectively, $111 million and $53 million of fixed maturities transferred in to Level 3 from Level 2 due to the lack of observable market data. There were no transfers into Level 3 in 2010. In 2008, $29 million of fixed maturities transferred out of Level 3 into Level 2 due to the availability of valuations based on observable data. In 2009, $149 million of fixed maturities transferred out of Level 3 into Level 2 due to the use of an additional pricing vendor whose valuations gave us an additional source of observable data. In 2010, $14 million of fixed maturities transferred out of Level 3 into Level 2 due to the availability of observable market data.

 

Torchmark adopted additional new guidance concerning the disclosures of fair value as of January 1, 2010. This new guidance expanded fair value disclosures by requiring the disclosure of transfers between the Level 1 and Level 2 classifications and the reasons for the transfers; more detail about the activity

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

within the Level 3 classification by reporting purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements on a gross rather than net basis; proper classification of assets and liabilities; and complete information about valuation inputs and techniques. The disclosure of the additional detail regarding the Level 3 activity was not required for Torchmark until 2011. However, Torchmark early adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2010 as permitted.

 

In 2010, there was one investment in the amount of $5 million that transferred from Level 1 to Level 2. This was because a direct quote was available at December 31, 2009, but no direct quote was available at December 31, 2010, only observable inputs.

 

Other-than-temporary impairments:    Torchmark’s portfolio of fixed maturities fluctuates in value due to changes in interest rates in the financial markets as well as other factors. Fluctuations caused by market interest rate changes have little bearing on whether or not the investment will be ultimately recoverable. Therefore, Torchmark considers these declines in value resulting from changes in market interest rates to be temporary. In certain circumstances, however, Torchmark determines that the decline in the value of a security is other-than-temporary and writes the book value of the security down to its fair value, realizing an investment loss. The evaluation of Torchmark’s securities for other-than-temporary impairments is a process that is undertaken not less frequently than quarterly and is overseen by a team of investment and accounting professionals. Each security which is impaired because the fair value is less than the cost or amortized cost is identified and evaluated. The determination that an impairment is other-than-temporary is highly subjective and involves the careful consideration of many factors. Among the factors considered are:

   

The length of time and extent to which the security has been impaired

   

The reason(s) for the impairment

   

The financial condition of the issuer and the near-term prospects for recovery in fair value of the security

   

The Company’s ability and intent to hold the security until anticipated recovery

   

Expected future cash flows

 

The relative weight given to each of these factors can change over time as facts and circumstances change. In many cases, management believes it is appropriate to give relatively more weight to prospective factors than to retrospective factors. Prospective factors that are given more weight include prospects for recovery, the Company’s ability and intent to hold the security until anticipated recovery, and expected future cash flows.

 

Among the facts and information considered in the process are:

   

Default on a required payment

   

Issuer bankruptcy filings

   

Financial statements of the issuer

   

Changes in credit ratings of the issuer

   

The value of underlying collateral

   

News and information included in press releases issued by the issuer

   

News and information reported in the media concerning the issuer

   

News and information published by or otherwise provided by credit analysts

   

Recent cash flows

 

While all available information is taken into account, it is difficult to predict the ultimately recoverable amount of a distressed or impaired security.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

During 2010, the Company determined that certain of its holdings in fixed maturities were other-than-temporarily impaired, resulting in writedowns of $4.9 million ($3.2 million after tax) on a CDO and on three corporate bonds. The pretax writedowns included the writedown of the CDO with a carrying amount of $1.7 million to a fair value of zero ($1.1 million after tax). The corporate bonds were written down $3.2 million ($2.1 million after tax).

 

During 2009, the Company determined that certain of its holdings in fixed maturities were other-than-temporarily impaired, resulting in writedowns of $143 million ($94 million after tax) on CDOs and corporate bonds. The pretax writedown included the writedowns of CDOs with a carrying amount of $117 million to a fair value of $13 million, resulting in a total pretax writedown of $104 million. However, in accordance with accounting guidance regarding other-than-temporary impairments, $83 million of the writedown was determined to be the result of a credit loss and was charged to earnings while the remaining $21 million was charged to other comprehensive income. The credit loss portion on the CDOs was determined as the difference between the securities’ amortized cost and the present value of expected future cash flows. These expected cash flows were determined using judgment and the best information available to the Company, and were discounted at the securities’ original effective yield rate. Inputs used to derive expected cash flows included expected default rates, current levels of subordination, and loan-to-collateral value ratios. Management has determined that the present value of future cash flows is a better measure of fair value due to limited observable market data and because the market for these securities is not active and does not reflect orderly transactions. The pre-tax writedown for other-than-temporary impairment on corporate bonds of $77 million was all credit related and was included in the charge to earnings.

 

During 2008, the Company also determined that certain holdings in securities were other-than-temporarily impaired, resulting in writedowns in the amount of $106 million ($69 million after tax). The pretax writedown includes writedowns of $74 million for bonds issued by Lehman Brothers, $19 million for bonds issued by Washington Mutual, and $1.9 million for perpetual preferred stock issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association. All of these losses for other-than-temporary impairment were included in realized investment losses.

 

As of year end 2010, previously written down securities remaining in the portfolio were carried at a fair value of $68 million. Otherwise, as of December 31, 2010, Torchmark has no information available to cause it to believe that any of its investments are other-than-temporarily impaired. Torchmark has the ability and intent to hold these investments to recovery, and does not intend to sell nor expects to be required to sell its other impaired securities.

 

During both 2009 and 2008, certain real estate holdings, measured on a nonrecurring basis, were written down because the carrying values of these properties were not expected to be recoverable. In 2008, the writedowns consisted of Company-occupied property in the amount of $2.1 million ($1.4 million after tax) and investment real estate in the amount of $1.1 million ($.7 million after tax). In 2009, additional writedowns in the amounts of $355 thousand ($231 thousand after tax) of Company-occupied real estate and $205 thousand ($133 thousand after tax) of investment real estate were taken on these same properties. The fair values in 2008 were determined based on recent sales of similar properties (Level 2 observable inputs). The 2009 fair value was determined based on a bid (Level 1). The losses on Company-occupied property were included in “Other operating expenses” and the losses on invested real estate were included as “Other-than-temporary impairments.”

 

Unrealized loss analysis.    Net unrealized losses on fixed maturities declined from $1.7 billion at December 31, 2008 to $455 million at December 31, 2009, and then became a net unrealized gain of $108 million at December 31, 2010. At December 31, 2010, investments in securities in the financial sector were in a $115 million unrealized loss position, while investments in securities in the other sectors had net gains of $223 million. The financial sector accounted for over 99% of the net unrealized losses in 2009. At December 31, 2008, the financial sector accounted for 56% of the net unrealized losses. Based upon conditions experienced by companies in the bond market and the commercial paper market,

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

management believes that much of the unrealized loss at December 31, 2008 and during the early part of 2009 was attributable to illiquidity in the financial market which contributed to a spread widening, resulting in increased unrealized losses on many securities that management expects to be fully recoverable. Accordingly, as conditions in financial markets have improved since early 2009, unrealized gains in the portfolio have occurred. Due to the strong and stable cash flows generated by its insurance products, Torchmark has the ability to hold securities with temporary unrealized losses until recovery. Even though these fixed maturity investments are available for sale, Torchmark generally expects and intends to hold any securities which are temporarily impaired until they mature.

 

The following tables disclose unrealized investment losses by class of investment at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009. Torchmark considers these investments to be only temporarily impaired.

 

ANALYSIS OF GROSS UNREALIZED INVESTMENT LOSSES

At December 31, 2010

 

     Less than
Twelve Months
    Twelve Months
or Longer
    Total  

Description of Securities

   Fair Value      Unrealized
Loss
    Fair Value      Unrealized
Loss
    Fair Value      Unrealized
Loss
 

Fixed maturities available for sale:

               

Bonds:

               

Government-sponsored enterprises

   $ 56,619       $ (1,059   $ -0-       $ -0-      $ 56,619       $ (1,059

GNMAs

     47         (1     -0-         -0-        47         (1

States, municipalities and political subdivisions

     685,754         (26,734     66,591         (15,077     752,345         (41,811

Corporates

     1,284,966         (39,331     862,820         (170,818     2,147,786         (210,149

Collateralized debt obligations

     -0-         -0-        22,331         (34,069     22,331         (34,069

Asset-backed securities

     -0-         -0-        8,042         (678     8,042         (678

Redeemable preferred stocks

     199,362         (3,339     646,454         (76,626     845,816         (79,965
                                                   

Total fixed maturities

     2,226,987         (70,464     1,606,238         (297,268     3,833,225         (367,732

Equity securities:

               

Non-redeemable preferred stocks

     -0-         -0-        30         (69     30         (69
                                                   

Total equity securities

     -0-         -0-        30         (69     30         (69
                                                   

Total fixed maturities and equity securities

   $ 2,226,987       $ (70,464   $ 1,606,268       $ (297,337   $ 3,833,255       $ (367,801
                                                   

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

ANALYSIS OF GROSS UNREALIZED INVESTMENT LOSSES

At December 31, 2009

 

     Less than
Twelve Months
    Twelve Months
or Longer
    Total  

Description of Securities

   Fair Value      Unrealized
Loss
    Fair Value      Unrealized
Loss
    Fair Value      Unrealized
Loss
 

Fixed maturities available for sale:

               

Bonds:

               

Government-sponsored enterprises

   $ 50,751       $ (3,069   $ 26,767       $ (2,790   $ 77,518       $ (5,859

States, municipalities and political subdivisions

     608,059         (18,845     85,813         (11,068     693,872         (29,913

Foreign governments

     6,889         (10     -0-         -0-        6,889         (10

Corporates

     1,210,810         (56,336     1,866,399         (363,173     3,077,209         (419,509

Collateralized debt obligations

     -0-         -0-        15,975         (36,767     15,975         (36,767

Asset-backed securities

     1,034         (51     8,253         (965     9,287         (1,016

Redeemable preferred stocks

     58,313         (5,272     922,593         (200,924     980,906         (206,196
                                                   

Total fixed maturities

     1,935,856         (83,583     2,925,800         (615,687     4,861,656         (699,270

Equity securities:

               

Common stocks:

               

Banks and insurance companies

     308         (42     -0-         -0-        308         (42

Non-redeemable preferred stocks

     54         (45     -0-         -0-        54         (45
                                                   

Total equity securities

     362         (87     -0-         -0-        362         (87
                                                   

Total fixed maturities and equity securities

   $ 1,936,218       $ (83,670   $ 2,925,800       $ (615,687   $ 4,862,018       $ (699,357
                                                   

 

Torchmark subsidiaries held 234 issues (CUSIP numbers) at December 31, 2010 that had been in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve months, compared with 184 issues a year earlier. Additionally, 133 and 279 issues had been in an unrealized loss position twelve months or longer at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Torchmark’s entire fixed-maturity and equity portfolio consisted of 1,430 issues at December 31, 2010 and 1,455 issues at December 31, 2009. The weighted average quality rating of all unrealized loss positions as of December 31, 2010 was BBB+.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 4—Investments (continued)

 

The following table presents an analysis of the changes in Torchmark’s amounts related to credit loss positions for the year 2010.

 

Analysis of Amounts Related to Bifurcated Credit Losses*

 

     For the Year Ended
December 31,
 
     2010      2009  

Balance at beginning of period

   $ 21,566       $ -0-   

Additions for which a credit loss related to other-than-temporary impairment was not previously recognized

        (52,293

Reductions due to loss fully recognized in income and no longer bifurcated

        30,727   
                 

Balance at end of period

   $ 21,566       $ 21,566   
                 

 

  *   Losses due to other-than-temporary impairment for which a portion was recognized in other comprehensive income.

 

Other investment information:

 

Other long-term investments consist of the following:

 

      December 31,  
        2010          2009    

Mortgage loans, at cost

   $ 14,481       $ 15,896   

Investment real estate, at depreciated cost

     2,154         1,508   

Low-income housing interests

     14,482         19,831   

Collateral loans

     8,913         11,571   

Other

     2,955         3,622   
                 

Total

   $ 42,985       $ 52,428   
                 

 

The estimated fair value of mortgage loans, based on discounted cash flows, was approximately $14.3 million at December 31, 2010 and $15.2 million at December 31, 2009. Accumulated depreciation on investment real estate was $1.8 million at both December 31, 2010 and 2009.

 

Torchmark had $9.6 million in fixed maturities at book value ($17.1 million at fair value) that were non-income producing during the twelve months ended December 31, 2010. Torchmark had $349 thousand in investment real estate at December 31, 2010 which was non-income producing during the previous twelve months. Torchmark did not have any other invested assets that were non-income producing during the twelve months ended December 31, 2010.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 5—Deferred Acquisition Costs and Value of Insurance Purchased

 

An analysis of deferred acquisition costs and the value of insurance purchased is as follows:

 

    2010     2009     2008  
    Deferred
Acquisition
Costs
    Value of
Insurance
Purchased
    Deferred
Acquisition
Costs
    Value of
Insurance
Purchased
    Deferred
Acquisition
Costs
    Value of
Insurance
Purchased
 

Balance at beginning of year

  $ 3,270,895      $ 48,610      $ 3,174,822      $ 54,065      $ 2,940,299      $ 60,178   

Additions:

           

Deferred during period:

           

Commissions

    296,043        -0-        309,722        -0-        292,836        -0-   

Other expenses

    229,367        -0-        248,984        -0-        251,700        -0-   
                                               

Total deferred

    525,410        -0-        558,706        -0-        544,536        -0-   

Foreign exchange adjustment

    5,038        17        10,617        46        -0-        -0-   

Adjustment attributable to unrealized investment losses(1)

    -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-        75,674        -0-   
                                               

Total additions

    530,448        17        569,323        46        620,210        -0-   

Deductions:

           

Amortized during period

    (413,114     (5,776     (410,485     (5,501     (372,349     (6,039

Foreign exchange adjustment

    -0-        -0-        -0-        -0-        (13,338     (74

Adjustment attributable to unrealized investment gains(1)

    (24,745     -0-        (62,765     -0-        -0-        -0-   
                                               

Total deductions

    (437,859     (5,776     (473,250     (5,501     (385,687     (6,113
                                               

Balance at end of year

  $ 3,363,484      $ 42,851      $ 3,270,895      $ 48,610      $ 3,174,822      $ 54,065   
                                               

 

(1) Represents amounts pertaining to investments relating to universal life-type products.

 

The amount of interest accrued on the unamortized balance of value of insurance purchased was $2.6 million, $2.9 million, and $3.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively. The average interest rates used for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008 were 5.6%, 5.6%, and 5.5%, respectively. The estimated amortization, net of interest accrued, on the unamortized balance at December 31, 2010 during each of the next five years is: 2011, $4.8 million; 2012, $4.8 million; 2013, $4.7 million; 2014, $2.2 million; and 2015, $2.7 million.

 

In the event of lapses or early withdrawals in excess of those assumed, deferred acquisition costs and the value of insurance purchased may not be recoverable.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 6—Future Policy Benefit Reserves

 

A summary of the assumptions used in determining the liability for future policy benefits at December 31, 2010 is as follows:

 

Individual Life Insurance

 

Interest assumptions:

 

Years of Issue

   Interest Rates        Percent of
Liability
 

1917-2010

     2.5% to 5.5%           12

1985-2010

     6.0%           28   

1986-1992

     7.0% graded to 6.0%           8   

1954-2000

     8.0% graded to 6.0%           11   

1951-1985

     8.5% graded to 6.0%           4   

1984-2010

     6.75%           4   

2000-2010

     7.0%           19   

1984-2010

     Interest Sensitive           14   
             
          100%   
             

 

Mortality assumptions:

 

For individual life, the mortality tables used are various statutory mortality tables and modifications of:

 

1950-54

  Select and Ultimate Table

1954-58

  Industrial Experience Table

1955-60

  Ordinary Experience Table

1965-70

  Select and Ultimate Table

1955-60

  Inter-Company Table

1970

  United States Life Table

1975-80

  Select and Ultimate Table

X-18

  Ultimate Table

2001

  Valuation Basic Table

 

Withdrawal assumptions:

 

Withdrawal assumptions are based on Torchmark’s experience.

 

Individual Health Insurance

 

Interest assumptions:

 

Years of Issue

   Interest Rates        Percent of
Liability
 

1955-2010

     2.5% to 4.5%           2

1993-2010

     6.0%           61   

1986-1992

     7.0% graded to 6.0%           24   

1955-2000

     8.0% graded to 6.0%           7   

1951-1986

     8.5% graded to 6.0%           1   

2008-2010

     6.75%           1   

2001-2007

     7.0%           4   
             
          100
             

 

Morbidity assumptions:

 

For individual health, the morbidity assumptions are based on either Torchmark’s experience or the assumptions used in calculating statutory reserves.

 

Termination assumptions:

 

Termination assumptions are based on Torchmark’s experience.

 

Overall Interest Assumptions:

 

The overall average interest assumption for determining the liability for future life and health insurance benefits in 2010 was 6.1%.

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 7—Liability for Unpaid Health Claims

 

Activity in the liability for unpaid health claims is summarized as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
         2010         2009         2008      

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 104,346      $ 119,855      $ 149,200   

Incurred related to:

      

Current year

     661,740        674,710        716,821   

Prior years

     (19,424     (19,487     (23,894
                        

Total incurred

     642,316        655,223        692,927   

Paid related to:

      

Current year

     577,875        583,127        604,721   

Prior years

     68,189        87,605        117,551   
                        

Total paid

     646,064        670,732        722,272   
                        

Balance at end of year

   $ 100,598      $ 104,346      $ 119,855   
                        

 

At the end of each period, the liability for unpaid health claims includes an estimate of claims incurred but not yet reported to the Company. Such estimates are updated regularly based upon the Company’s most recent claims data with recognition of emerging experience trends. Because of the nature of the Company’s health business, the payment lags are relatively short and most claims are fully paid within a year from the time incurred. Fluctuations in claims experience can lead to either over- or under-estimation of the liability for any given year. The difference between the estimate made at the end of the prior period and the actual experience during the period is reflected above under the caption Incurred related to: Prior years.

 

Claims paid in each of the years 2008 through 2010 were settled for amounts less than anticipated when estimated at the previous year end. The most significant components of these favorable variances were in Torchmark’s UA Independent, UA Branch, and Medicare Part D distribution channels. In each of the years 2008 through 2010, paid health claims have trended downwards and were settled more favorably than the original estimates, resulting in reduced estimates of the claim liability in each year compared with the prior year. The Company’s estimates at each point have reflected the emerging data and trends. In the Medicare Part D channel, the Company is required to estimate claim discounts that will be received from drug manufacturers. In each of the years 2008 through 2010, the discounts from the drug manufacturers received in the current year but related to prior year claims were higher than anticipated when the claim liability was determined.

 

The liability for unpaid health claims is included with “Policy claims and other benefits payable” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 8—Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information

 

The following table summarizes Torchmark’s noncash transactions, which are not reflected on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2010      2009      2008  

Stock-based compensation not involving cash

   $ 11,848       $ 9,860       $ 10,823   

Commitments for low-income housing interests

     137,817         50,789         25,751   

Capitalized investment income

     6,517         7,345         7,772   

 

The following table summarizes certain amounts paid during the period:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2010      2009          2008      

Interest paid

   $ 76,911       $ 71,288       $ 62,671   

Income taxes paid

     195,172         87,376         161,348   

 

Note 9—Income Taxes

 

Torchmark and its subsidiaries file a life-nonlife consolidated Federal income tax return.

 

The components of income taxes were as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2010     2009     2008  

Income tax expense from continuing operations

   $ 256,274      $ 191,024      $ 198,700   

Income tax expense from discontinued operations

     11,830        9,216        10,298   

Shareholders’ equity:

      

Other comprehensive income (loss)

     184,233        458,358        (590,843

Tax basis compensation expense (from the exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock awards) in excess of amounts recognized for financial reporting purposes

     (3,455     (253     (3,618
                        
   $ 448,882      $ 658,345      $ (385,463
                        

 

Income tax expense from continuing operations consists of:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2010      2009      2008  

Current income tax expense

   $ 147,346       $ 147,917       $ 139,194   

Deferred income tax expense

     108,928         43,107         59,506   
                          
   $ 256,274       $ 191,024       $ 198,700   
                          

 

In each of the years 2008 through 2010, deferred income tax expense was incurred because of certain differences between net income before income taxes as reported on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and taxable income as reported on Torchmark’s income tax returns. As explained in Note 1Significant Accounting Policies, these differences caused the financial statement book values of some assets and liabilities to be different from their respective tax bases.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 9—Income Taxes (continued)

 

The effective income tax rate differed from the expected 35% rate as shown below:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2010     %     2009     %     2008     %  

Expected income taxes

   $ 272,498        35.0   $ 201,977        35.0   $ 219,940        35.0

Increase (reduction) in income taxes resulting from:

            

Tax-exempt investment income

     (3,371     (.4     (3,483     (.6     (3,803     (.6

Tax settlements

     -0-        -0-        (3,101     (.5     (12,687     (1.9

Low income housing investments

     (12,900     (1.7     (6,038     (1.0     (5,129     (.8

Other

     47        -0-        1,669        .3        379        -0-   
                                                

Income tax expense

   $ 256,274        32.9   $ 191,024        33.2   $ 198,700        31.7
                                                

 

The tax effects of temporary differences that gave rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are presented below:

 

     December 31,  
     2010      2009  

Deferred tax assets:

     

Fixed maturity investments

   $ 50,126       $ 75,448   

Carryover of tax losses

     12,293         24,541   

Unrealized losses

     2,023         180,028   

Other assets and other liabilities

     1,352         33,621   
                 

Total gross deferred tax assets

     65,794         313,638   

Deferred tax liabilities:

     

Employee and agent compensation

     55,781         50,773   

Deferred acquisition costs

     877,561         877,410   

Future policy benefits, unearned and advance premiums, and policy claims

     338,771         358,001   
                 

Total gross deferred tax liabilities

     1,272,113         1,286,184   
                 

Net deferred tax liability

   $ 1,206,319       $ 972,546   
                 

 

Torchmark’s Federal income tax returns are routinely audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS completed its examination of the Company’s 2005, 2006, and 2007 tax years during 2009. The Company recorded a $2.5 million tax benefit to reflect the results of the examination, including a reduction in its liability for uncertain tax positions relating to these years. The statutes of limitation for the assessments of additional tax are closed for all tax years prior to 2007. Management believes that adequate provision has been made in the financial statements for any potential assessments that may result from future tax examinations and other tax-related matters for all open tax years.

 

Torchmark transacts business in Canada through a branch of one of its subsidiaries. For tax years prior to 2003, Canadian income tax authorities asserted that the branch carried on business in Canada through a permanent establishment and proposed additional taxes and interest. Torchmark challenged their assertion and litigated the issue before the Tax Court of Canada. In the second quarter of 2008, the Tax Court in Canada ruled in the Company’s favor and the Canadian tax authorities declined to appeal the Court’s decision. As a result, the Company recorded an $11.9 million tax benefit in 2008, including $5.4 million relating to the removal of amounts previously recorded by the Company for interest expense anticipated to be owed, net of Federal income tax, and $6.5 million relating to estimated interest income, net of Federal income tax, required to be paid by the Canadian tax authorities on amounts previously

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 9—Income Taxes (continued)

 

deposited with the tax authorities. In 2009, the Company recorded $441 thousand of additional interest income, net of Federal income tax, on amounts remaining to be refunded. No tax years are currently under examination by Canadian tax authorities.

 

Torchmark has net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $35 million at December 31, 2010 which will begin to expire in 2021 if not otherwise used to offset future taxable income. In addition, Torchmark had a net capital loss carryover of $36.8 million at December 31, 2009 which was utilized in 2010 to offset capital gains. A valuation allowance is to be provided when it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets will not be realized by the Company. No valuation allowance has been recorded relating to Torchmark’s deferred tax assets since, in management’s judgment, Torchmark will more likely than not have sufficient taxable income in future periods to fully realize its existing deferred tax assets.

 

Torchmark’s tax liability is adjusted to include the provision for uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits (excluding effects of accrued interest, net of Federal tax benefits) for the years 2008 through 2010 is as follows:

 

     2010     2009     2008  

Balance at January 1,

   $ 3,960      $ 8,481      $ 8,672   

Increase based on tax positions taken in current period

     245        73        361   

Increase related to tax positions taken in prior periods

     280        -0-        -0-   

Decrease related to tax positions taken in prior periods

     (3,610     (4,594     (436

Decrease due to settlements

     -0-        -0-        (116
                        

Balance at December 31,

   $ 875      $ 3,960      $ 8,481   
                        

 

If recognized in future periods, $-0-, $145 thousand, and $518 thousand of the balances at December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively, would reduce the effective tax rate. The remaining balances relate to timing differences which, if recognized, would have no effect on the Company’s effective tax rate.

 

Torchmark’s continuing practice is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. The Company recognized interest income of $124 thousand, $1.7 million, and $11.9 million, net of federal income tax benefits, in its Consolidated Statements of Operations for 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively. The Company had an accrued interest receivable of $4.1 million and $3.9 million, net of Federal income tax benefits, as of 2010 and 2009, respectively. The Company had no accrued penalties at December 31, 2010 or 2009.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 10—Postretirement Benefits

 

Pension Plans:    Torchmark has noncontributory retirement benefit plans and contributory savings plans which cover substantially all employees. There are also two nonqualified, noncontributory supplemental benefit pension plans which cover a limited number of employees. The total cost of these retirement plans charged to operations was as follows:

 

  Year Ended
December 31,

   Defined Contribution
Plans
     Defined Benefit
Pension Plans
 

2010

   $ 3,617       $ 18,948   

2009

     3,511         17,912   

2008

     2,988         8,918   

 

Torchmark accrues expense for the defined contribution plans based on a percentage of the employees’ contributions. The plans are funded by the employee contributions and a Torchmark contribution equal to the amount of accrued expense. Plan contributions are both mandatory and discretionary, depending on the terms of the plan.

 

Cost for the defined benefit pension plans has been calculated on the projected unit credit actuarial cost method. All plan measurements for the defined benefit plans are as of December 31 of the respective year. The defined benefit pension plans covering the majority of employees are funded. Contributions are made to funded pension plans subject to minimums required by regulation and maximums allowed for tax purposes. Defined benefit plan contributions were $13 million in 2010, $15 million in 2009, and $63 million in 2008. Torchmark estimates as of December 31, 2010 that it will contribute an amount not to exceed $20 million to these plans in 2011. The actual amount of contribution may be different from this estimate.

 

Torchmark has a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP), which provides to a limited number of executives an additional supplemental defined pension benefit. The supplemental benefit is based on the participant’s qualified plan benefit without consideration to the regulatory limits on compensation and benefit payments applicable to qualified plans, except that eligible compensation is capped at $1 million. The SERP is unfunded. However, life insurance policies on the lives of plan participants have been established for this plan with an unaffiliated insurance carrier. The premiums for this coverage paid in 2010 and 2009 were $2 million and $11 million, respectively, and the cash value at December 31, 2010 was $12 million. Additionally, a Rabbi Trust was established for this plan in 2010 in the amount of $21 million to support the liability for this plan. Because this plan is unqualified, the Rabbi Trust and the policyholder value of these policies is not included as defined benefit plan assets but as assets of the Company. The liability for this SERP at December 31, 2010 was $38 million and was $32 million a year earlier.

 

The other supplemental benefit pension plan is limited to a very select group of employees and was closed as of December 31, 1994. It provides the full benefits that an employee would have otherwise received from a defined benefit plan in the absence of the limitation on benefits payable under a qualified plan. This plan is unfunded. Liability for this closed plan was $4 million at both December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009. Pension cost for both supplemental defined benefit plans is determined in the same manner as for the qualified defined benefit plans.

 

Plan assets in the funded plans consist primarily of investments in marketable fixed maturities and equity securities and are valued at fair value. Torchmark measures the fair value of its financial assets, including the assets in its benefit plans, in accordance with accounting guidance which establishes a hierarchy for asset values and provides a methodology for the measurement of value. Please refer to Note 4—Investments under the caption Fair Value Measurements for a complete discussion of valuation procedures. The following table presents the assets of Torchmark’s defined benefit pension plans for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.

 

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(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

 

Note 10—Postretirement Benefits (continued)

 

Pension Assets by Component at December 31, 2010

 

 
     Fair Value Determined by:                
     Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets (Level 1)
     Significant
Observable
Inputs (Level 2)
     Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
     Total
Amount
     % to
Total
 

Equity securities:

              

Consumer, Non-Cyclical

   $ 14,932             $ 14,932         6

Financial

     29,692               29,692         13   

Industrial

     11,303               11,303         5   

Technology

     10,643               10,643         4   

Other

     1,339               1,339         1   
                                            

Total equity securities

     67,909               67,909         29   

Corporate bonds

     9,637       $ 122,946       $ 3,184         135,767         57   

Other bonds

        772            772         -0-   

Guaranteed annuity contract

        10,959            10,959         5   

Short-term investments

     19,484               19,484         8   

Other

     2,002               2,002         1   
                                            

Grand Total

   $ 99,032       $ 134,677       $ 3,184       $ 236,893         100
                                            

Pension Assets by Component at December 31, 2009

 

     Fair Value Determined by:                
     Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
     Significant
Observable
Inputs (Level 2)
     Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
     Total
Amount
     % to
Total
 

Equity securities:

              

Consumer, Non-Cyclical

   $ 12,606             $ 12,606         6

Financial

     23,440               23,440         11   

Utilities

     3,554               3,554         2   

Industrial

     7,973               7,973         4   

Technology

     7,801               7,801         4   

Other

     2,774               2,774         1   
                                            

Total equity securities

     58,148               58,148         28   

Corporate bonds

     10,174       $ 118,786       $ 3,078         132,038         62   

Other bonds

        813            813         -0-   

Guaranteed annuity contract

        10,492            10,492         5   

Short-term investments

     8,176               8,176         4   

Other

     2,210               2,210         1   
                                            

Grand Total

   $ 78,708       $ 130,091       $ 3,078       $ 211,877         100
                                            

 

Torchmark’s investment objectives for its plan assets include preservation of capital, preservation of purchasing power, and long-term growth. Torchmark seeks to preserve capital through investments made in high quality securities with adequate diversification to minimize risk. The portfolio is monitored continuously for changes in quality and diversification mix. The preservation of purchasing power is intended to be accomplished through asset growth, exclusive of contributions and withdrawals, in excess of the rate of inflation. Torchmark intends to maintain investments that when combined with future plan

 

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(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 10—Postretirement Benefits (continued)

 

contributions will produce adequate long-term growth to provide for all plan obligations. It is also Torchmark’s objective that the portfolio’s investment return will meet or exceed the return of a balanced market index.

 

All of the securities in the portfolio are highly marketable so that there will be adequate liquidity to meet projected payments. There are no specific policies calling for asset durations to match those of benefit obligations.

 

Allowed investments are limited to equities, fixed maturities, and short-term investments (invested cash). Equities include common and preferred stocks, securities convertible into equities, and mutual funds that invest in equities. Fixed maturities consist of marketable debt securities rated investment grade at purchase by a major rating agency. Short-term investments include fixed maturities with maturities less than one year and invested cash. Target asset allocations are as follows with a twenty percent allowable variance as noted.

 

Asset Type

   Target     Minimum     Maximum  

Equities

     65     45     85

Fixed maturities

     35        15        55   

Short-terms

     0        0        20   

 

Short-term divergences due to rapid market movements are allowed. In recent periods, our holdings in equities declined while our holdings in fixed maturities increased. Contributions in each of the years 2010, 2009, and 2008 were $13 million, $15 million, and $63 million, respectively. These contributions were invested primarily in fixed maturities. The decline in equity values in both 2008 and early 2009 was also a contributing factor. While equity values have recovered somewhat in 2009 and 2010, fixed maturity values have also increased. Our asset allocation targets are currently under review.

 

Portfolio risk is managed through quality standards, diversification, and continuous monitoring. Equities must be listed on major exchanges and adequate market liquidity is required. Fixed maturities must be rated investment grade at purchase by a major rating agency. Short-term investments in commercial paper must be rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poor’s with the issuer rated investment grade. Invested cash is limited to banks rated A or higher. Investments outside of the aforementioned list are not permitted, except by prior approval of the Plan’s Trustees. At December 31, 2010, there were no restricted investments contained in the portfolio.

 

The investment portfolio is to be well diversified to avoid undue exposure to a single sector, industry, business, or security. The equity and fixed-maturity portfolios are not permitted to invest in any single issuer that would exceed 10% of total plan assets at the time of purchase. Torchmark does not employ any other special risk management techniques, such as derivatives, in managing the pension investment portfolio.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 10—Postretirement Benefits (continued)

 

The following table discloses the assumptions used to determine Torchmark’s pension liabilities and costs for the appropriate periods. The discount and compensation increase rates are used to determine current year projected benefit obligations and subsequent year pension expense. The long-term rate of return is used to determine current year expense. Differences between assumptions and actual experience are included in actuarial gain or loss.

 

Weighted Average Pension Plan Assumptions

 

For Benefit Obligations at December 31:       
     2010     2009        

Discount Rate

     5.77     6.31  

Rate of Compensation Increase

     4.00        3.79     
For Periodic Benefit Cost for the Year:       
     2010     2009     2008  

Discount Rate

     6.31     6.31     6.62

Expected Long-Term Returns

     7.24        7.95        7.94   

Rate of Compensation Increase

     3.79        3.84        3.91   

 

The discount rate is determined based on the expected duration of plan liabilities. A yield is then derived based on the current market yield of a hypothetical portfolio of higher-quality corporate bonds which match the liability duration. The rate of compensation increase is projected based on Company experience, modified as appropriate for future expectations. The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is management’s best estimate of the average rate of earnings expected to be received on the assets invested in the plan over the benefit period. In determining this assumption, consideration is given to the historical rate of return earned on the assets, the projected returns over future periods, and the spread between the long-term rate of return on plan assets and the discount rate used to compute benefit obligations.

 

Net periodic pension cost for the defined benefit plans by expense component was as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2010     2009     2008  

Service cost—benefits earned during the period

   $ 8,174      $ 7,571      $ 7,621   

Interest cost on projected benefit obligation

     15,393        14,490        14,279   

Expected return on assets

     (15,026     (15,577     (15,939

Net amortization

     10,407        11,428        2,957   
                        

Net periodic pension cost

   $ 18,948      $ 17,912      $ 8,918   
                        

 

An analysis of the impact on other comprehensive income (loss) is as follows:

 

         2010             2009             2008      

Balance at January 1

   $ (93,674   $ (121,704   $ (66,551

Amortization of:

      

Prior service cost

     2,098        2,060        2,078   

Net actuarial (gain) loss

     8,766        9,166        976   

Transition obligation

     (7     (7     (7
                        

Total amortization

     10,857        11,219        3,047   

Experience gain(loss)

     (23,086     16,811        (58,200
                        

Balance at December 31

   $ (105,903   $ (93,674   $ (121,704
                        

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 10—Postretirement Benefits (continued)

 

The following table presents a reconciliation from the beginning to the end of the year of the projected benefit obligation and plan assets. This table also presents the amounts previously recognized as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income.

 

     Pension Benefits
For the year ended
December 31,
 
         2010             2009      

Changes in benefit obligation:

    

Obligation at beginning of year

   $ 242,159      $ 230,390   

Service cost

     8,174        7,571   

Interest cost

     15,392        14,490   

Amendments

     -0-        411   

Actuarial loss (gain)

     34,029        6,485   

Benefits paid

     (14,194     (17,188
                

Obligation at end of year

     285,560        242,159   

Changes in plan assets:

    

Fair value at beginning of year

     211,877        174,701   

Return on assets

     26,576        39,078   

Contributions

     12,634        15,286   

Benefits paid

     (14,194     (17,188
                

Fair value at end of year

   $ 236,893      $ 211,877   
                

Funded status at year end

   $ (48,667   $ (30,282
                

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income consist of:

    

Net loss (gain)

   $ 97,382      $ 83,062   

Prior service cost

     8,526        10,624   

Transition obligation

     (5     (12
                

Net amounts recognized at year end

   $ 105,903      $ 93,674   
                

 

The portion of other comprehensive income that is expected to be reflected in pension expense in 2011 is as follows:

 

Amortization of prior service cost

   $ 2,080   

Amortization of net loss (gain)

     10,091   

Amortization of transition obligation

     (5
        

Total

   $ 12,166   
        

 

The accumulated benefit obligation (ABO) for Torchmark’s funded defined benefit pension plans was $228 million and $191 million at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. In the unfunded plans, the ABO was $27 million at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009.

 

Torchmark has estimated its expected pension benefits to be paid over the next ten years as of December 31, 2010. These estimates use the same assumptions that measure the benefit obligation at December 31, 2010, taking estimated future employee service into account. Those estimated benefits are as follows:

 

For the year(s)

      

2011

   $ 13,159   

2012

     13,604   

2013

     14,465   

2014

     15,255   

2015

     16,144   

2016-2020

     96,586   

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 10—Postretirement Benefits (continued)

 

Postretirement Benefit Plans Other Than Pensions:    Torchmark provides a small postretirement life insurance benefit for most retired employees, and also provides additional postretirement life insurance benefits for certain key employees. The majority of the life insurance benefits are accrued over the working lives of active employees. Otherwise, Torchmark does not provide postretirement benefits other than pensions and the life insurance benefits described above.

 

Torchmark’s post-retirement defined benefit plans other than pensions are not funded. Liabilities for these plans are measured as of December 31 for the appropriate year.

 

The components of net periodic postretirement benefit cost for plans other than pensions are as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
       2010         2009          2008    

Service cost

   $ 728      $ 641       $ 654   

Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation

     970        947         978   

Expected return on plan assets

     -0-        -0-         -0-   

Amortization of prior service cost

     -0-        -0-         -0-   

Recognition of net actuarial (gain) loss

     (583     283         (330
                         

Net periodic postretirement benefit cost

   $ 1,115      $ 1,871       $ 1,302   
                         

 

The following table presents a reconciliation of the benefit obligation and plan assets from the beginning to the end of the year. As these plans are unfunded and all amounts are recognized, funded status is equivalent to the accrued benefit liability.

 

     Benefits Other Than Pensions
For  the year ended December 31,
 
         2010              2009      

Changes in benefit obligation:

     

Obligation at beginning of year

   $ 16,340       $ 14,919   

Service cost

     728         641   

Interest cost

     970         947   

Actuarial loss (gain)

     (583      283   

Benefits paid

     (566      (450
                 

Obligation at end of year

     16,889         16,340   

Changes in plan assets:

     

Fair value at beginning of year

     -0-         -0-   

Return on assets

     -0-         -0-   

Contributions

     566         450   

Benefits paid

     (566      (450
                 

Fair value at end of year

     -0-         -0-   
                 

Funded status at year end

   $ (16,889    $ (16,340
                 

 

No amounts were unrecognized at the respective year ends.

 

95


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 10—Postretirement Benefits (continued)

 

The table below presents the assumptions used to determine the liabilities and costs of Torchmark’s post-retirement benefit plans other than pensions.

 

Weighted Average Assumptions for Post-Retirement

Benefit Plans Other Than Pensions

 

For Benefit Obligations at December 31:       
     2010     2009        

Discount Rate

     5.77     6.60  

Rate of Compensation Increase

     4.50        4.50     
For Periodic Benefit Cost for the Year:       
     2010     2009     2008  

Discount Rate

     6.60     6.60     6.61

Rate of Compensation Increase

     4.50        4.50        4.50   

 

96


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 11—Debt

 

The following table presents information about the terms and outstanding balances of Torchmark’s debt.

 

Selected Information about Debt Issues

 

                   As of December 31,  
                   2010     2009  

Instrument

  Annual
Percentage
Rate
    Issue
Date
  Periodic
Interest
Payments
Due
  Outstanding
Principle
(Par Value)
    Outstanding
Principle
(Book Value)
    Outstanding
Principle
(Fair Value)
    Outstanding
Principle
(Book Value)
 

Notes, due 5/15/23(1)(2)

    7.875   5/93   5/15 & 11/15   $ 165,612      $ 163,227      $ 186,540      $ 163,119   

Notes, due 8/1/13(1)(2)

    7.375   7/93   2/1 & 8/1     94,050        93,700        104,500        93,585   

Senior Notes, due 6/15/16(1)(8)

    6.375   6/06   6/15 & 12/15     250,000        247,477        274,775        247,104   

Senior Notes, due 6/15/19(1)(8)

    9.250   6/09   6/15 & 12/15     292,647     

 

289,397

  

 

 

367,521

  

    296,423   

Issue Expenses(3)

          -0-        (4,158     -0-        (4,181
                                     

Subtotal long-term debt

          802,309        789,643        933,336        796,050   

Junior Subordinated

             

Debentures due 6/1/46(4)(5)

    7.100   6/06   quarterly(6)     123,711        123,711        122,880 (7)      123,711   
                                     

Total funded debt

          926,020        913,354        1,056,216        919,761   

Commercial Paper(9)

          198,950        198,875        198,875        233,307   
                                     
        $ 1,124,970      $ 1,112,229      $ 1,255,091      $ 1,153,068   
                                     

 

(1) All securities other than the Junior Subordinated Debentures have equal priority with one another.
(2) Not callable.
(3) Unamortized issue expenses related to Trust Preferred Securities.
(4) Junior Subordinated Debentures are classified as “Due to affiliates” and are junior to other securities in priority of payment.
(5) Earliest call date is June 1, 2011.
(6) Quarterly payments on the first day of March, June, Sept., and Dec.
(7) Fair value of Trust Preferred Securities.
(8) Callable subject to “make-whole” premium.
(9) Classified as short-term debt.

 

The amount of debt that becomes due during each of the next five years is: 2011—$199 million; 2012—$0; 2013—$94 million; 2014—$0; 2015—$0 and thereafter—$832 million.

 

Funded debt:    During 2006, Torchmark established Torchmark Capital Trust III (Trust III) to facilitate the public offering of 4.8 million shares of $25 par value Trust Preferred Securities. Trust III completed the offering on June 8, 2006 for total proceeds of $120 million. It then exchanged $3.7 million of its common stock and the $120 million of proceeds from the offering for $123.7 million of Torchmark Junior Subordinated Debentures, due June 1, 2046. Trust III pays quarterly dividends on the Trust Preferred Securities at an annual rate of 7.1%, and receives quarterly payments at the same annual rate from Torchmark on the Junior Subordinated Debentures. All payments due to be paid by Trust III on the Trust Preferred Securities are guaranteed by Torchmark (see Note 15). The securities are redeemable on June 1, 2046, and first callable by Trust III on June 1, 2011.

 

Trust III is a variable interest entity in which Torchmark is not the primary beneficiary. Therefore, Torchmark is prohibited by accounting rules from consolidating Trust III even though it has 100% ownership, complete voting control, and has guaranteed the performance of Trust III. Accordingly,

 

97


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 11—Debt (continued)

 

Torchmark carries its 7.1% Junior Subordinated Debentures due to Trust III as a liability under the caption “Due to Affiliates” on its Consolidated Balance Sheets. Expenses of $4.3 million related to the offering reduce long-term debt and are amortized over the forty-year redemption period.

 

On June 30, 2009, Torchmark issued $300 million principal amount of 9.25% Senior Notes due June 15, 2019. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually commencing on December 15, 2009. Proceeds from the issuance of this debt, net of expenses, were $296 million. The Notes are redeemable by Torchmark in whole or in part at any time subject to a “make-whole” premium, whereby the Company would be required to pay the greater of the full principal amount of the Notes or otherwise the present value of the remaining repayment schedule of the Notes discounted at a rate of interest equivalent to the rate of a United States Treasury security of comparable term plus a spread of 75 basis points. Torchmark used a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to repay its $99 million 8 1/4% Senior Debentures which matured on August 15, 2009 (plus accrued interest). Remaining funds were invested.

 

During 2010, Torchmark acquired $7.4 million par value of its 9 1/4% Senior Notes ($7.3 million book value) at a cost of $8.9 million. This repurchase resulted in a pre-tax loss of $1.6 million ($1.1 million after tax).

 

Commercial Paper:    In December, 2010, Torchmark entered into a new credit facility with a group of lenders allowing unsecured borrowings and stand-by letters of credit up to $600 million. The facility includes a provision which allows Torchmark to increase the facility limit by $200 million if certain conditions are met. The Company also has the ability to request up to $250 million in letters of credit to be issued against the facility. This agreement replaces an earlier agreement which would have expired in August, 2011. The new agreement is set to terminate on January 7, 2015. The credit facility is further designated as a back-up credit line for a commercial paper program, whereby Torchmark may borrow from either the credit line or issue commercial paper at any time, with total commercial paper outstanding not to exceed the facility limit less any letters of credit issued. Interest is charged at variable rates. At December 31, 2010, Torchmark had $199 million face amount ($199 million carrying amount) of commercial paper outstanding, $198 million of letters of credit issued, and no borrowings under the line of credit. During 2010, the short term borrowings under the facility averaged approximately $196 million, and were made at an average yield of .4%, compared with an average balance of $251 million at an average yield of 1.1% a year earlier. The facility does not have a ratings-based acceleration trigger which would require early payment. A facility fee is charged for the entire facility at a rate of 17.5 basis points. For letters of credit issued, there is an issuance fee of 132.5 basis points. Torchmark is subject to certain covenants for the agreements regarding capitalization and earnings, with which it was in compliance at December 31, 2010 and throughout the three-year period ended December 31, 2010. Borrowings on the credit facilities are reported as short-term debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

98


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 12—Shareholders’ Equity

 

Share Data: A summary of preferred and common share activity is as follows:

 

     Preferred Stock      Common Stock  
     Issued      Treasury
Stock
     Issued     Treasury
Stock
 

2008:

          

Balance at January 1, 2008

     -0-         -0-         94,874,748        (2,699,333

Grants of restricted stock

     -0-         -0-           54,382   

Issuance of common stock due to exercise of stock options

             602,550   

Treasury stock acquired

             (8,124,700

Retirement of treasury stock

           (9,000,000     9,000,000   
                                  

Balance at December 31, 2008

     -0-         -0-         85,874,748        (1,167,101

2009:

          

Grants of restricted stock

             76,707   

Issuance of common stock due to exercise of stock options

             126,172   

Treasury stock acquired

             (2,069,800

Retirement of treasury stock

           (2,000,000     2,000,000   
                                  

Balance at December 31, 2009

     -0-         -0-         83,874,748        (1,034,022

2010:

          

Grants of restricted stock

             81,283   

Forfeitures of restricted stock

             (7,082

Issuance of common stock due to exercise of stock options

             849,065   

Treasury stock acquired

             (4,520,909

Retirement of treasury stock

           (4,000,000     4,000,000   
                                  

Balance at December 31, 2010

     -0-         -0-         79,874,748        (631,665
                                  

 

Acquisition of Common Shares:    Torchmark shares are acquired from time to time through open market purchases under the Torchmark stock repurchase program when it is believed to be the best use of Torchmark’s excess cash flows. Torchmark suspended its share repurchase program temporarily from the first quarter of 2009 until the first quarter of 2010 because of uncertain economic conditions. Share repurchases under this program were 3.8 million shares at a cost of $204 million in 2010, 2.1 million shares at a cost of $47 million in 2009, and 7.6 million shares at a cost of $427 million in 2008. When stock options are exercised, proceeds from the exercises are generally used to repurchase approximately the number of shares available with those funds in order to reduce dilution. Shares repurchased for dilution purposes were 716 thousand shares at a cost of $42 million in 2010, 20 thousand shares at a cost of $869 thousand in 2009, and 487 thousand shares at a cost of $29 million in 2008.

 

Retirement of Treasury Stock:    Torchmark retired 4 million shares of treasury stock in December, 2010, 2 million in 2009, and 9 million in 2008.

 

Restrictions:    Restrictions exist on the flow of funds to Torchmark from its insurance subsidiaries. Statutory regulations require life insurance subsidiaries to maintain certain minimum amounts of capital and surplus. Dividends from insurance subsidiaries of Torchmark are limited to the greater of prior year statutory net income excluding realized capital gains on an annual noncumulative basis, or 10% of prior year surplus, in the absence of special regulatory approval. Additionally, insurance company distributions are generally not permitted in excess of statutory surplus. Subsidiaries are also subject to certain minimum capital requirements. In 2010, subsidiaries of Torchmark paid $371 million in dividends to the parent company. During 2011, a maximum amount of $742 million is expected to be available to Torchmark from subsidiaries without regulatory approval.

 

99


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 12—Shareholders’ Equity (continued)

 

Earnings Per Share:    A reconciliation of basic and diluted weighted-average shares outstanding used in the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share is as follows:

 

     2010      2009      2008  

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

     81,339,485         83,033,589         88,052,650   

Weighted average dilutive options outstanding

     742,740         -0-         463,445   
                          

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

   $ 82,082,225         83,033,589         88,516,095   
                          

 

Stock options to purchase 6.8 million shares, 9.4 million shares, and 3.5 million shares, during the years 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively, are considered to be anti-dilutive and are excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share. Income available to common shareholders for basic earnings per share is equivalent to income available to common shareholders for diluted earnings per share.

 

Note 13—Stock-Based Compensation

 

Certain employees, directors, and consultants have been granted fixed equity options to buy shares of Torchmark stock at the market value of the stock on the date of grant, under the provisions of the Torchmark stock option plans. The options are exercisable during the period commencing from the date they vest until expiring according to the terms of the grant. Options generally expire the earlier of employee termination or option contract term, which ranges from seven to eleven years. Employee and consultant stock options generally vest one-half in two years and one-half in three years. Formula-based director grants generally vest in six months. Stock options awarded in connection with compensation deferrals by certain directors and executives generally vest over a range of six to ten years. All options vest immediately upon the attainment of age 65, subject to a minimum vesting period of one year for employees or six months for directors. Torchmark generally issues shares for the exercise of stock options from treasury stock. The Company generally uses the proceeds from option exercises to buy shares of Torchmark common stock in the open market to reduce the dilution from option exercises.

 

An analysis of shares available for grant is as follows:

 

     Available for Grant  
     2010     2009     2008  

Balance at January 1

     1,149,693        2,136,806        3,136,000   

Expired and forfeited during year

     17,513        25,000        8,000   

Options granted during year

     (905,450     (928,850     (949,750

Restricted stock and restricted stock units granted during year

     (91,580     (83,263     (57,444
                        

Balance at December 31

     170,176        1,149,693        2,136,806   
                        

 

100


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 13—Stock-Based Compensation (continued)

 

A summary of stock compensation activity for each of the years in the three years ended December 31, 2010 is presented below:

 

       2010          2009        2008  

Stock-based compensation expense recognized*

   $ 11,848       $ 9,860       $ 10,823   

Tax benefit recognized

     4,147         3,451         3,788   

Weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted

     15.53         5.50         8.87   

Intrinsic value of options exercised

     9,731         1,088         10,700   

Cash received from options exercised

     37,863         4,430         25,473   

Actual tax benefit received from exercises

     4,236         381         3,745   

 

        

*   No stock-based compensation expense was capitalized in any period.

     

 

An analysis of option activity for each of the three years ended December 31, 2010 is as follows:

 

    2010     2009     2008  
    Options     Weighted Average
Exercise Price
    Options     Weighted Average
Exercise Price
    Options     Weighted Average
Exercise Price
 

Outstanding-beginning of year

    10,339,985      $ 51.06        9,720,974      $ 53.40        9,393,920      $ 51.80   

Granted

    905,450        46.29        928,850        24.05        949,750        62.50   

Exercised

    (849,065     44.60        (126,172     35.12        (602,550     42.27   

Expired and forfeited

    (272,551     52.58        (183,667     49.32        (20,146     61.12   
                             

Outstanding-end of year

    10,123,819      $ 51.14        10,339,985      $ 51.06        9,720,974      $ 53.40   
                                               

Exercisable at end of year

    7,886,717      $ 54.15        8,256,242      $ 52.47        8,081,855      $ 51.57   
                                               

 

A summary of restricted stock and restricted stock units granted during each of the years in the three year period ended December 31, 2010 is presented in the table below. Restricted stock holders are entitled to dividends on the stock and holders of restricted stock units are entitled to dividend equivalents. Executive grants vest over five years and director grants vest over six months.

 

     2010     2009     2008  

Executives restricted stock:

      

Shares

     75,000        75,500        53,500   

Price per share

   $ 46.31      $ 23.50      $ 62.68   

Aggregate value

   $ 3,473      $ 1,774      $ 3,353   

Percent vested as of 12/31/10

     0     20     40

Directors restricted stock:

      

Shares

     6,283        1,207        882   

Price per share

   $ 46.28      $ 44.89      $ 60.14   

Aggregate value

   $ 291      $ 54      $ 53   

Percent vested as of 12/31/10

     100     100     100

Directors restricted stock units (including dividend equivalents):

      

Shares

     10,297     6,399        3,062   

Price per share

   $ 44.76      $ 44.89      $ 60.08   

Aggregate value

   $ 451      $ 287      $ 184   

Percent vested as of 12/31/10

     100     100     100

 

      

*   2,013 shares at $44.76 per share were later forfeited in 2010.

     

 

101


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

 

Note 13—Stock-Based Compensation (continued)

 

An analysis of unvested restricted stock is as follows

 

     Executives
Restricted Stock
    Directors
Restricted Stock
    Total  

2008:

      

Balance at January 1, 2008

     32,400        -0-        32,400   

Grants

     53,500        882        54,382   

Restriction lapses

     (7,600     (882     (8,482
                        

Balance at December 31, 2008

     78,300        -0-        78,300   

2009:

      

Grants

     75,500        1,207        76,707   

Restriction lapses

     (18,300     (1,207     (19,507
                        

Balance at December 31, 2009

     135,500        -0-        135,500   

2010:

      

Grants

     75,000        6,283        81,283   

Restriction lapses

     (47,400     (6,283     (53,683

Forfeitures

     (5,000     -0-        (5,000
                        

Balance at December 31, 2010

     158,100        -0-        158,100   
                        

 

Restricted stock units outstanding at each of the year ends 2010, 2009, and 2008 were 19,915; 9,618; and 3,062, respectively. Restricted stock units are only available to directors, and are not converted to shares until the director’s retirement, death, or disability. There were no unvested director restricted shares outstanding at the end of any of the years 2008 through 2010. Director restricted stock and restricted stock units are generally granted on the first working day of the year and vest in six months. Dividend equivalents are earned on restricted stock units only. They are granted in the form of additional restricted stock units and vest immediately upon grant.

 

Additional information about Torchmark’s stock-based compensation as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 is as follows:

 

     2010      2009  

Outstanding options:

     

Weighted-average remaining contractual term (in years)

     2.85         3.33   

Aggregate intrinsic value

   $ 94,086       $ 24,407   

Exercisable options:

     

Weighted-average remaining contractual term (in years)

     2.16         2.80   

Aggregate intrinsic value

   $ 49,810       $ 5,987   

Unrecognized compensation*

   $ 17,077       $ 10,822   

Weighted average period of expected recognition (in years)*

     1.33         1.72   

 

  *   Includes restricted stock

 

Additional information concerning Torchmark’s unvested options is as follows at December 31:

 

     2010      2009  

Number of shares outstanding

     2,237,102         2,083,743   

Weighted-average exercise price (per share)

     $40.52         $45.50   

Weighted-average remaining contractual term (in years)

     5.28         5.42   

Aggregate intrinsic value

     $44,276         $18,419   

 

102


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 13—Stock-Based Compensation (continued)

 

Torchmark expects that substantially all unvested options will vest.

 

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at December 31, 2010.

 

    Options Outstanding     Options Exercisable  
Range of
Exercise Prices
  Number
Outstanding
    Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
    Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price
    Number
Exercisable
    Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price
 
$19.81 – $33.04     898,734        5.06        $23.51        20,085        $23.52   
  34.00 –   38.79     345,821        2.02        37.52        332,538        37.52   
  41.26 –   42.56     453,826        0.65        41.27        452,960        41.27   
  44.76 –   54.50     1,632,383        4.69        45.92        733,968        45.46   
  54.77 –   54.77     3,355,695        1.34        54.77        3,355,695        54.77   
  55.05 –   55.80     867,856        2.01        55.49        856,637        55.49   
  56.24 –   59.75     788,392        3.91        56.53        785,346        56.53   
  62.68 –   62.68     875,250        4.12        62.68        442,626        62.68   
  63.70 –   68.18     905,862        3.00        64.63        905,862        64.63   
                     
$19.81 – $68.18     10,123,819        2.85        $51.14        7,886,717        $54.15   
                                       

 

No equity awards were cash settled during the three years ended December 31, 2010.

 

Note 14—Business Segments

 

Torchmark’s reportable segments are based on the insurance product lines it markets and administers: life insurance, health insurance, and annuities. These major product lines are set out as reportable segments because of the common characteristics of products within these categories, comparability of margins, and the similarity in regulatory environment and management techniques. There is also an investment segment which manages the investment portfolio, debt, and cash flow for the insurance segments and the corporate function. Torchmark’s chief operating decision maker evaluates the overall performance of the operations of the Company in accordance with these segments.

 

Life insurance products include traditional and interest-sensitive whole life insurance as well as term life insurance. Health products are generally guaranteed-renewable and include Medicare Supplement, Medicare Part D, cancer, accident, long-term care, and limited-benefit hospital and surgical coverages. Annuities include fixed-benefit contracts.

 

103


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 14—Business Segments (continued)

 

Torchmark markets its insurance products through a number of distribution channels, each of which sells the products of one or more of Torchmark’s insurance segments. The tables below present segment premium revenue by each of Torchmark’s marketing groups.

 

Torchmark Corporation

Premium Income By Distribution Channel

 

     For the Year 2010  
     Life      Health      Annuity      Total  

Distribution Channel

   Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
 

United American Independent

   $ 25,534         1       $ 314,524         32       $ 638         100       $ 340,696         13   

Liberty National Exclusive

     294,587         18         331,056         34               625,643         24   

American Income Exclusive

     560,649         34         79,059         8               639,708         24   

Direct Response

     566,604         34         54,328         5               620,932         23   

Medicare Part D

           208,970         21               208,970         8   

Other

     216,325         13                     216,325         8   
                                                                       
   $ 1,663,699         100       $ 987,937         100       $ 638         100       $ 2,652,274         100   
                                                                       
     For the Year 2009  
     Life      Health      Annuity      Total  

Distribution Channel

   Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
 

United American Independent

   $ 28,498         2       $ 326,442         32       $ 541         100       $ 355,481         14   

Liberty National Exclusive

     298,485         19         388,522         38               687,007         26   

American Income Exclusive

     507,899         32         75,097         7               582,996         22   

Direct Response

     536,878         33         46,555         5               583,433         22   

Medicare Part D

           183,586         18               183,586         7   

Other

     220,093         14                     220,093         9   
                                                                       
   $ 1,591,853         100       $ 1,020,202         100       $ 541         100       $ 2,612,596         100   
                                                                       
     For the Year 2008  
     Life      Health      Annuity      Total  

Distribution Channel

   Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
     Amount      % of
Total
 

United American Independent

   $ 31,855         2       $ 356,853         32       $ 622         100       $ 389,330         15   

Liberty National Exclusive

     304,262         20         475,905         42               780,167         29   

American Income Exclusive

     473,784         31         73,423         6               547,207         20   

Direct Response

     511,165         33         45,123         4               556,288         21   

Medicare Part D

           175,633         16               175,633         7   

Other

     223,153         14                     223,153         8   
                                                                       
   $ 1,544,219         100       $ 1,126,937         100       $ 622         100       $ 2,671,778         100   
                                                                       

 

Because of the nature of the life insurance industry, Torchmark has no individual or group which would be considered a major customer. Substantially all of Torchmark’s business is conducted in the United States, primarily in the Southeastern and Southwestern regions.

 

The measure of profitability established by the chief operating decision maker for insurance segments is underwriting margin before other income and administrative expenses, in accordance with the manner the segments are managed. It essentially represents gross profit margin on insurance products before insurance administrative expenses and consists of premium, less net policy obligations, acquisition expenses, and commissions. Interest credited to net policy liabilities (reserves less deferred acquisition costs and value of insurance purchased) is reflected as a component of the Investment segment in order to match this cost to the investment earnings from the assets supporting the net policy liabilities.

 

104


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 14—Business Segments (continued)

 

The measure of profitability for the Investment segment is excess investment income, which represents the income earned on the investment portfolio in excess of net policy requirements and financing costs associated with Torchmark’s debt. Other than the above-mentioned interest allocations and an intersegment commission, there are no other intersegment revenues or expenses. Expenses directly attributable to corporate operations are included in the “Corporate” category. Stock-based compensation expense is considered a corporate expense by Torchmark management and is included in this category. All other unallocated revenues and expenses on a pretax basis, including insurance administrative expense, are included in the “Other” segment category. The following tables set forth a reconciliation of Torchmark’s revenues and operations by segment to its major income statement line items.

 

    For the Year 2010  
    Life     Health     Annuity     Investment     Other     Corporate     Adjustments     Consolidated  

Revenue:

                 

Premium

  $ 1,663,699      $ 987,937      $ 638            $ (516 )(1)      $ 2,651,758   

Net investment income

        $ 685,253            (8,889 )(2,5)        676,364   

Other income

          $ 2,834          (664 )(4)        2,170   
                                                                 

Total revenue

    1,663,699        987,937        638        685,253        2,834          (10,069       3,330,292   

Expenses:

                 

Policy benefits

    1,082,423        669,707        41,430              (516 )(1)        1,793,044   

Required interest on net
reserves

    (434,319     (35,368     (51,996     521,683                -0-   

Amortization of acquisition costs

    487,770        130,238        9,722        (208,840             418,890   

Commissions and premium tax

    72,559        53,301        134              (664 )(4)        125,330   

Insurance administrative expense(3)

            155,615              155,615   

Parent expense

            $ 8,809            8,809   

Stock-based compensation expense

              11,848            11,848   

Interest expense

          75,265            264 (2)        75,529   
                                                                 

Total expenses

    1,208,433        817,878        (710     388,108        155,615        20,657        (916       2,589,065   
                                                                 

Measure of segment profitability (pretax)

  $ 455,266      $ 170,059      $ 1,348      $ 297,145      $ (152,781   $ (20,657     (9,153       741,227   
                                                     

Deduct applicable income taxes

  

    9,153 (5)        (243,204
                             

Segment profits after tax

  

  $ -0-          498,023   
                       

Add back income taxes applicable to segment profitability

  

      243,204   

Add (deduct) realized investment gains (losses) and impairments

  

      37,340   
                       

Pretax income per Consolidated Statement of Operations

  

    $ 778,567   
                       

 

(1)   Medicare Part D items adjusted to GAAP from the segment analysis, which matches expected benefits with policy premium.
(2)   Reclassification of interest amount due to accounting rule requiring deconsolidation of Trust Preferred Securities.
(3)   Administrative expense is not allocated to insurance segments.
(4)   Elimination of intersegment commission.
(5)   Amortization of low-income housing expense.

 

105


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 14—Business Segments (continued)

 

    For the Year 2009  
    Life     Health     Annuity     Investment     Other     Corporate     Adjustments     Consolidated  

Revenue:

                 

Premium

  $ 1,591,853      $ 1,020,202      $ 541            $ (2,491 )(1)      $ 2,610,105   

Net investment income

        $ 632,276            264  (2)        632,540   

Other income

          $ 2,914          (994 )(4)        1,920   
                                                                 

Total revenue

    1,591,853        1,020,202        541        632,276        2,914          (3,221       3,244,565   

Expenses:

                 

Policy benefits

    1,040,248        679,810        35,762              (2,491 )(1)        1,753,329   

Required interest on net reserves

    (410,917     (34,243     (41,840     487,000                -0-   

Amortization of acquisition costs

    462,837        147,151        6,040        (200,042             415,986   

Commissions and premium tax

    72,273        57,074        267              (994 )(4)        128,620   

Insurance administrative expense(3)

            150,325          355  (5)        150,680   

Parent expense

            $ 9,590            9,590   

Stock-based compensation expense

              9,860            9,860   

Interest expense

          69,668            264  (2)        69,932   
                                                                 

Total expenses

    1,164,441        849,792        229        356,626        150,325        19,450        (2,866       2,537,997   
                                                                 

Subtotal

    427,412        170,410        312        275,650        (147,411     (19,450     (355       706,568   

Nonoperating items

                355  (5)        355   
                                                                 

Measure of segment profitability (pretax)

  $ 427,412      $ 170,410      $ 312      $ 275,650      $ (147,411   $ (19,450   $ -0-        $ 706,923   
                                                           

Deduct applicable income taxes

  

      (238,153
                       

Segment profits after tax

  

      468,770   

Add back income taxes applicable to segment profitability

  

      238,153   

Add (deduct) realized investment gains (losses) and impairments

  

      (129,492

Deduct loss on Company-occupied property(5)

  

      (355
                       

Pretax income per Consolidated Statement of Operations

  

    $ 577,076   
                       

 

(1)   Medicare Part D items adjusted to GAAP from the segment analysis, which matches expected benefits with policy premium.
(2)   Reclassification of interest amount due to accounting rule requiring deconsolidation of Trust Preferred Securities.
(3)   Administrative expense is not allocated to insurance segments.
(4)   Elimination of intersegment commission.
(5)   Loss on Company-occupied property.

 

106


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 14—Business Segments (continued)

 

    For the Year 2008  
    Life     Health     Annuity     Investment     Other     Corporate     Adjustments     Consolidated  

Revenue:

                 

Premium

  $ 1,544,219      $ 1,126,937      $ 622            $ 122        (1)      $ 2,671,900   

Net investment income

        $ 626,942            264        (2)        627,206   

Other income

          $ 4,154          517        (4,5,6)        4,671   
                                                                 

Total revenue

    1,544,219        1,126,937        622        626,942        4,154          903          3,303,777   

Expenses:

                 

Policy benefits

    1,015,494        759,466        27,458              122        (1)        1,802,540   

Required interest on net reserves

    (389,526     (32,029     (29,853     451,408                -0-   

Amortization of acquisition costs

    434,931        131,541        2,876        (190,960             378,388   

Commissions and premium tax

    69,295        73,248        141              (1,098     (4)        141,586   

Insurance administrative expense(3)

            156,164          2,129        (7)        158,293   

Parent expense

              10,455        2,522        (5)        12,977   

Stock-based compensation expense

              10,823            10,823   

Interest expense

          62,965            264        (2)        63,229   
                                                                 

Total expenses

    1,130,194        932,226        622        323,413        156,164        21,278        3,939          2,567,836   
                                                                 

Subtotal

    414,025        194,711        -0-        303,529        (152,010     (21,278     (3,036       735,941   

Nonoperating items

                3,036        (5,6,7)        3,036   
                                                                 

Measure of segment profitability (pretax)

  $ 414,025      $ 194,711      $ -0-      $ 303,529      $ 152,010      $ 21,278      $ -0-        $ 738,977   
                                                           

Deduct applicable income taxes

  

      (248,225
                       

Segment profits after tax

  

      490,752   

Add back income taxes applicable to segment profitability

  

      248,225   

Add (deduct) realized investment gains (losses) and impairments

  

      (107,541

Deduct cost of legal settlements(5)

  

      (1,185

Add gain on sale of agency buildings(6)

  

      278   

Deduct loss on Company-occupied property(7)

  

      (2,129
                       

Pretax income per Consolidated Statement of Operations

  

    $ 628,400   
                       

 

(1)   Medicare Part D items adjusted to GAAP from the segment analysis, which matches expected benefits with policy premium.
(2)   Reclassification of interest amount due to accounting rule requiring deconsolidation of Trust Preferred Securities.
(3)   Administrative expense is not allocated to insurance segments.
(4)   Elimination of intersegment commission.
(5)   Legal settlements from litigation related to prior years.
(6)   Gain from sale of agency buildings.
(7)   Loss on Company-occupied property.

 

Torchmark holds a sizeable investment portfolio to support its insurance liabilities, the yield from which is used to offset policy benefit, acquisition, administrative and tax expenses. This yield or investment income is taken into account when establishing premium rates and profitability expectations of its insurance products. In holding such a portfolio, investments are sold, called, or written down from time to time, resulting in a realized gain or loss. These gains or losses generally occur as a result of disposition due to issuer calls, a downgrade in credit quality, compliance with Company investment policies, or other reasons often beyond management’s control. Unlike investment income, realized gains and losses are incidental to insurance operations, and only overall yields are considered when setting premium rates or insurance product profitability expectations. While these gains and losses are not relevant to segment profitability or core operating results, they can have a material positive or negative result on net income. For these reasons, management removes realized investment gains and losses when it views its segment operations.

 

107


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 14—Business Segments (continued)

 

The following table summarizes the measures of segment profitability as determined in the three preceding tables for comparison with prior periods. The table also reconciles segment profits to net income.

 

Analysis of Profitability by Segment

 

    2010     2009     2008     2010
Change
    %     2009
Change
    %  

Life insurance underwriting margin

  $ 455,266      $ 427,412      $ 414,025      $ 27,854        7      $ 13,387        3   

Health insurance underwriting margin

    170,059        170,410        194,711        (351     -0-        (24,301     (12

Annuity underwriting margin

    1,348        312        -0-        1,036        332        312     

Other insurance:

             

Other income

    2,834        2,914        4,154        (80     (3     (1,240     (30

Administrative expense

    (155,615     (150,325     (156,164     (5,290     4        5,839        (4

Excess investment income

    297,145        275,650        303,529        21,495        8        (27,879     (9

Corporate and adjustments

    (29,810     (19,450     (21,278     (10,360     53        1,828        (9
                                           

Pre-tax total

    741,227        706,923        738,977        34,304        5        (32,054     (4

Applicable taxes

    (243,204     (238,153     (248,225     (5,051     2        10,072        (4
                                           

After-tax total, before discontinued operations

    498,023        468,770        490,752        29,253        6        (21,982     (4

Discontinued operations (after tax)

    27,932        26,810        22,535        1,122        4        4,275        19   
                                           

Total

    525,955        495,580        513,287        30,375        6        (17,707     (3

Realized gains (losses) (after tax)

    24,270        (85,345     (69,902     109,615          (15,443  

Realized gains (losses)—discontinued operations (after tax)

    1,852        (7,909     24        9,761          (7,933  

Loss on disposal of discontinued operations (after tax)

    (35,013     -0-        -0-        (35,013       -0-     

Gain on sale of agency buildings, net of tax

    -0-        -0-        181        -0-          (181  

Tax settlements (after tax)

    -0-        2,858        10,823        (2,858       (7,965  

Net proceeds (cost) from legal settlements (after tax)

    -0-        -0-        (770     -0-          770     

Loss on writedown of Company-occupied property (after tax)

    -0-         (231     (1,384     231          1,153     
                                           

Net income

  $ 517,064      $ 404,953      $ 452,259      $ 112,111        28      $ (47,306     (10
                                                       

 

 

108


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 14—Business Segments (continued)

 

Assets for each segment are reported based on a specific identification basis. The insurance segments’ assets contain deferred acquisition costs (including the value of insurance purchased). The investment segment includes the investment portfolio, cash, and accrued investment income. Goodwill is assigned to the insurance segments at the time of purchase based on the excess of cost over the fair value of assets acquired for the benefit of that segment. All other assets, representing less than 4% of total assets, are included in the other category. The table below reconciles segment assets to total assets as reported in the consolidated financial statements.

 

Assets By Segment

 

     At December 31, 2010  
     Life      Health      Annuity      Investment      Other      Consolidated  

Cash and invested assets

            $ 11,563,656          $ 11,563,656   

Accrued investment income

              183,861            183,861   

Deferred acquisition costs

   $ 2,803,095       $ 548,436       $ 54,804               3,406,335   

Goodwill

     309,609         87,282                  396,891   

Other assets

               $ 609,019         609,019   
                                                     

Total assets

   $ 3,112,704       $ 635,718       $ 54,804       $ 11,747,517       $ 609,019       $ 16,159,762   
                                                     
      At December 31, 2009  
     Life      Health      Annuity      Investment      Other      Consolidated  

Cash and invested assets

            $ 10,054,764          $ 10,054,764   

Accrued investment income

              168,246            168,246   

Deferred acquisition costs

   $ 2,686,357       $ 577,210       $ 55,938               3,319,505   

Goodwill

     309,609         87,282                  396,891   

Other assets

               $ 427,710         427,710   

Assets of subsidiary held for sale

                 1,656,643         1,656,643   
                                                     

Total assets

   $ 2,995,966       $ 664,492       $ 55,938       $ 10,223,010       $ 2,084,353       $ 16,023,759   
                                                     

 

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 15—Commitments and Contingencies

 

Reinsurance:    Insurance affiliates of Torchmark reinsure that portion of insurance risk which is in excess of their retention limits. Retention limits for ordinary life insurance range up to $2.0 million per life. Life insurance ceded represented .5% of total life insurance in force at December 31, 2010. Insurance ceded on life and accident and health products represented .3% of premium income for 2010. Torchmark would be liable for the reinsured risks ceded to other companies to the extent that such reinsuring companies are unable to meet their obligations.

 

Insurance affiliates also assume insurance risks of other companies. Life reinsurance assumed represented 3.3% of life insurance in force at December 31, 2010 and reinsurance assumed on life and accident and health products represented .9% of premium income for 2010.

 

Leases:    Torchmark leases office space and office equipment under a variety of operating lease arrangements. Rental expense for operating leases was $4.9 million in 2010, $4.9 million in 2009, and $5.1 million in 2008. Future minimum rental commitments required under operating leases having remaining noncancelable lease terms in excess of one year at December 31, 2010 were as follows: 2011, $3.7 million; 2012, $2.6 million; 2013, $2.4 million; 2014, $2.0 million; 2015, $2.0 million and in the aggregate, $16.8 million.

 

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Interests:    As described in Note 1, Torchmark has invested $283 million in entities which provide certain tax benefits. As of December 31, 2010, Torchmark remained obligated under these commitments for $122 million, of which $66 million is due in 2011, $52 million in 2012, and $4 million in 2013.

 

Concentrations of Credit Risk:    Torchmark maintains a diversified investment portfolio with limited concentration in any given issuer. At December 31, 2010, the investment portfolio, at fair value, consisted of the following:

 

Investment-grade corporate securities

     76

Securities of state and municipal governments

     11   

Below-investment-grade securities

     7   

Policy loans, which are secured by the underlying insurance policy values

     3   

Short-term investments, which generally mature within one month

     2   

Other fixed maturities, equity securities, mortgages, real estate, and other long-term investments

     1   
        
     100
        

 

As of December 31, 2010, securities of state and municipal governments represented 11% of invested assets at fair value. Such investments are made throughout the U.S. At year-end 2010, 5% or more of the state and municipal bond portfolio at fair value was invested in securities issued within the following states: Texas (34%), Washington (7%), Ohio (7%), Illinois (6%), and Alabama (5%). Otherwise, there was no significant concentration within any given state.

 

110


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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 15—Commitments and Contingencies (continued)

 

Corporate debt and equity investments are made in a wide range of industries. Below are the ten largest industry concentrations held in the corporate portfolio at December 31, 2010, based on fair value:

 

Insurance

     19

Electric

     16

Banks

     16

Oil and gas extraction

     6

Pipelines

     5

Mining

     4

Transportation

     3

Telecommunications

     3

Chemicals

     3

Diversified financial services

     2

 

At year-end 2010, 7% of invested assets was represented by fixed maturities rated below investment grade (BB or lower as determined by the weighted average of available ratings from rating services). Par value of these investments was $1.2 billion, amortized cost was $863 million, and fair value was $731 million. While these investments could be subject to additional credit risk, such risk should generally be reflected in market value of the securities.

 

Collateral Requirements:    Torchmark requires collateral for investments in instruments where collateral is available and is typically required because of the nature of the investment. Torchmark’s mortgages are secured by the underlying real estate.

 

Guarantees:    At December 31, 2010, Torchmark had in place four guarantee agreements, all of which were either parent company guarantees of subsidiary obligations to a third party, or parent company guarantees of obligations between wholly-owned subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2010, Torchmark had no liability with respect to these guarantees.

 

Trust Preferred Securities:    Torchmark entered into a performance guarantee for the obligations of the Torchmark Capital Trust III when the trust preferred securities were issued by that trust. It guarantees payment of distributions and the redemption price of the securities until the securities are redeemed in full, or all obligations have been satisfied should Trust III default on an obligation. The total redemption price of the trust preferred securities is $120 million.

 

Letters of Credit:    Torchmark has guaranteed letters of credit in connection with its credit facility with a group of banks. The letters of credit were issued by TMK Re, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary, to secure TMK Re, Ltd.’s obligation for claims on certain policies reinsured by TMK Re, Ltd. that were sold by other Torchmark insurance companies. These letters of credit facilitate TMK Re, Ltd.’s ability to reinsure the business of Torchmark’s insurance carriers. The agreement expires in 2015. The maximum amount of letters of credit available is $250 million. Torchmark (parent company) would be liable to the extent that TMK Re, Ltd. does not pay the reinsured party. At December 31, 2010, $198 million of letters of credit were outstanding.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 15—Commitments and Contingencies (continued)

 

Equipment leases:    Torchmark has guaranteed performance of a subsidiary as lessee under two leasing arrangements for aviation equipment. One of the leases commenced in 2003 for a lease term of approximately 10 years and the other was entered into in 2009 also for 10 years. Torchmark has certain renewal and early termination options under the first lease. At December 31, 2010, total remaining undiscounted payments under the leases were approximately $9.3 million. Torchmark (parent company) would be responsible for any subsidiary obligation in the event the subsidiary did not make payments or otherwise perform under the terms of the lease.

 

Litigation:    Torchmark and its subsidiaries, in common with the insurance industry in general, are subject to litigation, including claims involving tax matters, alleged breaches of contract, torts, including bad faith and fraud claims based on alleged wrongful or fraudulent acts of agents of Torchmark’s subsidiaries, employment discrimination, and miscellaneous other causes of action. Based upon information presently available, and in light of legal and other factual defenses available to Torchmark and its subsidiaries, management does not believe that such litigation will have a material adverse effect on Torchmark’s financial condition, future operating results or liquidity; however, assessing the eventual outcome of litigation necessarily involves forward-looking speculation as to judgments to be made by judges, juries and appellate courts in the future. This bespeaks caution, particularly in states with reputations for high punitive damage verdicts such as Alabama and Mississippi. Torchmark’s management recognizes that large punitive damage awards bearing little or no relation to actual damages continue to be awarded by juries in jurisdictions in which Torchmark and its subsidiaries have substantial business, particularly Alabama and Mississippi, creating the potential for unpredictable material adverse judgments in any given punitive damage suit.

 

As previously disclosed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), United American was named as a defendant in purported class action litigation originally filed on September 16, 2004, in the Circuit Court of Saline County, Arkansas on behalf of the Arkansas purchasers of association group health insurance policies or certificates issued by United American through Heartland Alliance of America Association and Farm & Ranch Healthcare, Inc. (Smith and Ivie v. Collingsworth, et al., CV2004-742-2). The plaintiffs asserted claims for fraudulent concealment, breach of contract, common law liability for non-disclosure, breach of fiduciary duties, civil conspiracy, unjust enrichment, violation of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and violation of Arkansas law and the rules and regulations of the Arkansas Insurance Department. Declaratory, injunctive, and equitable relief, as well as actual and punitive damages, were sought by the plaintiffs. On September 7, 2005, the plaintiffs amended their complaint to assert a nation-wide class, defined as all United American insureds who simultaneously purchased both an individual Hospital and Surgical Expense health insurance policy (Form HSXC) and an individual supplemental term life insurance policy (Form RT85) from Farm & Ranch through Heartland. Defendants removed this litigation to the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas (No. 4:05-cv-1382) but that Court remanded the litigation back to the state court on plaintiffs’ motion. On July 22, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a second amended complaint, asserting a class defined as “all persons who, between January 1998 and the present, were residents of Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana or Texas, and purchased through Farm & Ranch: (1) a health insurance policy issued by United American known as Flexguard Plan, CS-1 Common Sense Plan, GSP Good Sense Plan, SHXC Surgical & Hospital Expense Policy, HSXC 7500 Hospital/Surgical Plan, MMXC Hospital/Surgical Plan, SMXC Surgical/Medical Expense Plan and/or SSXC Surgical Safeguard Expense Plan, and (ii) a membership in Heartland.” Plaintiffs assert claims for breach of contract, violation of Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and/or applicable consumer protection laws in other states, unjust enrichment, and common law fraud. Plaintiffs seek actual, compensatory, statutory and punitive damages, equitable and declaratory relief. On September 8, 2009, the Saline County Circuit Court granted the plaintiff’s motion certifying the class. On October 7, 2009, United American filed its notice of appeal of the class certification and subsequently filed its appellate brief on April 8, 2010. On December 2, 2010, the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s decision to certify the class. Discovery is ongoing.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 15—Commitments and Contingencies (continued)

 

As reported in previous SEC filings, on June 3, 2009, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (Florida Office) issued an order to Liberty National to show cause why the Florida Office should not issue a final order suspending or revoking Liberty National’s certificate of authority to do insurance business in the State of Florida. The order asserted that Liberty National has engaged in alleged unfair trade practices in violation of Florida law through past underwriting practices used by Liberty National with regard to insurance applications submitted by persons who live in the United States but who were not U.S. citizens and persons traveling to certain foreign countries. Liberty National denies the allegations made by the Florida Office. Liberty National responded to the Florida Office’s order in a timely manner and the matter was transmitted to the Division of Administrative Hearings on July 10, 2009. The matter was assigned to an administrative law judge and was set for hearing commencing on February 1, 2010. On January 21, 2010, the Florida Office filed a motion for continuance which was granted and the hearing in the Florida Department of Administrative Hearings was held June 7-11, 2010. Each of the parties submitted proposed orders to the Administrative Law Judge on August 18, 2010 for her review. On November 9, 2010, the Administrative Law Judge issued a recommended order and transmitted it to all parties. The Florida Office filed exceptions to the order and Liberty National filed its response to those exceptions as well as its own exceptions on December 3, 2010. On February 9, 2011, the Florida Office issued a Final Order that essentially adopted the Administrative Law Judge’s previously recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law. However, in its Final Order, the Florida Office increased the recommended fines for the four non-willful violations and trebled the fine for each non-willful violation resulting in a total fine of $60,000. A decision whether or not the Final Order will be appealed has not been made.

 

As previously reported in filings with the SEC, on September 23, 2009, purported class action litigation was filed against American Income Life Insurance Company in the Superior Court of San Bernardino County, California (Hoover v. American Income Life Insurance Company, Case No. CIVRS 910758). The plaintiffs, former insurance sales agents of American Income who are suing on behalf of all current and former American Income sales agents in California for the four year period prior to the filing of this litigation, assert that American Income’s agents are employees, not independent contractors as they are classified by American Income. They allege failure to indemnify and reimburse for business expenses as well as failure to pay all wages due upon termination in violation of the California Labor Code; failure to pay minimum wages in violation of the California Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order No. 4-2001, originally and as amended; and unfair business practices in violation of the California Business and Professions Code §§17200, et seq. They seek, in a jury trial, reimbursement for business expenses and indemnification for losses, payment of minimum wages for their training periods, payment of moneys due immediately upon termination under the California Labor Code, disgorgement of profits resulting from unfair and unlawful business practices, and injunctive relief granting employee status to all of American Income’s California agents. On October 29, 2009, American Income filed a motion seeking to remove this litigation from the Superior Court in San Bernadino County to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Eastern Division. The U.S. District Court remanded the case without prejudice to the Superior Court and denied American Income’s motion to dismiss on December 15, 2009. On January 19, 2010, American Income filed a motion to dismiss which was denied by the Superior Court after a hearing held on March 16, 2010. On September 20, 2010, American Income again filed a motion to remove the case to federal court based upon jurisdictional grounds that had not been available previously. The Company’s motion was not successful, however, and the case was remanded back to Superior Court. On January 12, 2011, the Superior Court denied the Company’s motion to exercise the arbitration clauses of those agent contracts that contain them; the Company has appealed that denial. Discovery is proceeding.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 16—Related Party Transactions

 

William J. Baxley is a partner in the law firm of Baxley, Dillard, Dauphin, McKnight & James which performs legal services for Torchmark and certain of its subsidiaries. In 1997, Mr. Baxley was loaned $668 thousand on an unsecured basis at a rate of 6.02%. Repayments are made in the form of legal services at customary rates and are applied against the outstanding balance, amortizing the loan with interest over its remaining term. In October, 2001, the terms of the loan were revised and an additional amount of $395 thousand was loaned to Baxley. The interest rate was revised to 5.6% and the term of the loan was extended until July, 2013. The loan is being repaid in accordance with its amortization schedule and all payments are current. At December 31, 2010 and 2009, the outstanding balance of this loan was $217 thousand and $296 thousand, respectively.

 

Additionally, Torchmark has loaned Mr. Baxley’s wife $883 thousand secured by a mortgage on a building sold to her in 1997. Prior to 2006, interest was charged at a rate of 7.7%. This loan was originally due to be repaid in 2007 with a balloon payment, but in January, 2006, the outstanding balance of $734 thousand was refinanced and extended until January of 2023. The interest rate was revised to 5.5%. Scheduled cash payments are made to amortize the loan. At December 31, 2010 and 2009, the outstanding balance of this loan was $587 thousand and $620 thousand, respectively.

 

Torchmark also holds funds on behalf of Mr. Baxley as a part of an agreement established in 2006. Interest is paid to Baxley based on a variable rate computed as the average yield for Aa corporate bonds less fifty basis points, which was 5.0% at December 31, 2010. This account balance was $74 thousand at year end 2010 and $58 thousand at year end 2009.

 

Torchmark grants options to certain consultants for their services in addition to their fees. Mr. Baxley received Torchmark options in each of the years 2008 through 2010.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

(Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data)

 

Note 17—Selected Quarterly Data (Unaudited)

 

The following is a summary of quarterly results for the two years ended December 31, 2010. The information is unaudited but includes all adjustments (consisting of normal accruals) which management considers necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations for these periods.

 

     Three Months Ended  
         March 31,             June 30,         September 30,     December 31,  

2010:

                        

Premium and policy charges

   $ 670,944      $ 669,569      $
657,827
  
  $
653,418
  

Net investment income

     167,111        170,612        172,337        166,304   

Realized investment gains(losses)

     7,261        (5,002     8,045        27,036   

Total revenues

     845,678        835,895        838,888        847,171   

Policy benefits

     468,934        454,177        433,514        436,419   

Amortization of acquisition expenses

     109,602        104,851        104,045        100,392   

Pretax income from continuing operations

     174,054        180,720        208,313        215,480   

Income from continuing operations

     115,393        119,848        138,097        148,955   

Income from discontinued operations

     6,283        6,201        (23,566     5,853   

Net income

     121,676        126,049        114,531        154,808   

Basic net income per common share*

        

Continuing operations

     1.39        1.46        1.71        1.87   

Discontinued operations

     0.08        0.08        (0.29     0.07   

Total basic net income per share

     1.47        1.54        1.42        1.94   

Diluted net income per common share*

        

Continuing operations

     1.39        1.45        1.70        1.84   

Discontinued operations

     0.07        0.08        (0.29     0.07   

Total diluted net income per share

     1.46        1.53        1.41        1.91   

2009:

                        

Premium and policy charges

   $ 667,391      $ 661,870      $ 638,539      $ 642,305   

Net investment income

     158,167        156,483        158,972        158,918   

Realized investment gains(losses)

     (40,755     (30,582     (35,641     (22,514

Total revenues

     785,208        788,217        762,321        779,327   

Policy benefits

     460,490        450,330        420,786        421,723   

Amortization of acquisition expenses

     108,346        104,038        101,986        101,616   

Pretax Income from continuing operations

     126,918        144,743        143,760        161,655   

Income from continuing operations

     76,961        103,788        98,558        106,745   

Income from discontinued operations

     (255     10,330        2,242        6,584   

Net income

     76,706        114,118        100,800        113,329   

Basic net income per common share*

        

Continuing operations

     0.91        1.25        1.19        1.29   

Discontinued operations

     0.00        0.13        0.03        0.08   

Total basic net income per share

     0.91        1.38        1.22        1.37   

Diluted net income per common share*

        

Continuing operations

     0.91        1.25        1.19        1.28   

Discontinued operations

     0.00        0.13        0.03        0.08   

Total diluted net income per share

     0.91        1.38        1.22        1.36   

 

*   Basic and diluted net income per share by quarter may not add to per share income on a year-to-date basis due to share weighting and rounding.

 

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Item 9.    Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

 

No disagreements with accountants on any matter of accounting principles or practices or financial statement disclosure have been reported on a Form 8-K within the twenty-four months prior to the date of the most recent financial statements.

 

Item 9A.    Controls and Procedures

 

Torchmark, under the direction of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has established disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by Torchmark in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. The disclosure controls and procedures are also intended to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to Torchmark’s management, including the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.

 

As of the end of the fiscal year completed December 31, 2010, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of Torchmark management, including the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, of Torchmark’s disclosure controls and procedures (as those terms are defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Based upon their evaluation, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that Torchmark’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective as of the date of this Form 10-K. In compliance with Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. § 1350), each of these officers executed a Certification included as an exhibit to this Form 10-K.

 

As of the date of this Form 10-K for the quarter ended December 31, 2010, there have not been any changes in Torchmark’s internal control over financial reporting or in other factors that could significantly affect this control over financial reporting subsequent to the date of their evaluation which have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, Torchmark’s internal control over financial reporting. No material weaknesses in such internal controls were identified in the evaluation and as a consequence, no corrective action was required to be taken.

 

Item 9B.    Other Information

 

There were no items required.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

Management at Torchmark Corporation is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company and for assessing the effectiveness of internal control on an annual basis. As a framework for assessing internal control over financial reporting, the Company utilizes the criteria for effective internal control over financial reporting described in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

 

There are inherent limitations in the effectiveness of any internal control, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of controls. Accordingly, even effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation. Further, because of changes in conditions, the effectiveness of internal control may vary over time.

 

Management evaluated the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, and based on its assessment, determined that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2010. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm has issued an attestation report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as stated in their report which is included herein.

 

/s/ Mark S. McAndrew

Mark S. McAndrew

Chief Executive Officer

/s/ Gary L. Coleman

Gary L. Coleman

Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer

 

February 28, 2011

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of

Torchmark Corporation

McKinney, Texas

 

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Torchmark Corporation and subsidiaries (“Torchmark”) as of December 31, 2010, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Torchmark’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on Torchmark’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company’s board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

In our opinion, Torchmark maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules as of and for the year ended December 31, 2010 of Torchmark and our report dated February 28, 2011 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedules.

 

/s/    DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

 

Dallas, Texas

February 28, 2011

 

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PART III

 

Item 10.    Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

 

Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the sections entitled “Election of Directors,” “Profiles of Directors and Nominees,” “Executive Officers,” “Audit Committee Report,” “Governance Guidelines and Codes of Ethics,” “Director Qualification Standards,” “Procedures for Director Nominations by Stockholders,” and “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held April 28, 2011 (the Proxy Statement), which is to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

 

Item 11.    Executive Compensation

 

Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the sections entitled Executive Compensation, “Compensation Committee Report” and “Compensation Committee interlocks and insider participation” in the Proxy Statement, which is to be filed with the SEC.

 

Item 12.    Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

(a)

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

As of December 31, 2010

 

Plan Category

 

Number of securities to be
issued upon exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants, and rights

    Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants, and rights
    Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation plans
 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

    10,123,819      $ 51.14        170,176   

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

    -0-        -0-        -0-   
                       

Total

    10,123,819      $ 51.14        170,176   
                       

 

(b)

  Security ownership of certain beneficial owners:
  Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the section entitled “Principal Stockholders” in the Proxy Statement, which is to be filed with the SEC.

(c)

  Security ownership of management:
  Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the section entitled “Stock Ownership” in the Proxy Statement, which is to be filed with the SEC.

(d)

  Changes in control:
  Torchmark knows of no arrangements, including any pledges by any person of its securities, the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change of control.

 

Item 13.    Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence

 

Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the sections entitled Related Party Transaction Policy and Transactions and “Director Independence Determinations” in the Proxy Statement, which is to be filed with the SEC.

 

Item 14.    Principal Accountant Fees and Services

 

Information required by this Item is incorporated by reference from the section entitled Principal Accounting Firm Fees and “Pre-approval Policy” in the Proxy Statement, which is to be filed with the SEC.

 

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PART IV

 

Item 15.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

Index of documents filed as a part of this report:

 

     Page of
this report
 

Financial Statements:

  

Torchmark Corporation and Subsidiaries:

  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     58   

Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2010 and 2009

     59   

Consolidated Statements of Operations for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010

     60   

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for each of the three years in the period ended December  31, 2010

     61   

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for each of the three years in the period ended December  31, 2010

     62   

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010

     63   

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     64   

Schedules Supporting Financial Statements for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010:

  

 II. Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Parent Company)

     127   

IV. Reinsurance (Consolidated)

     131   

Schedules not referred to have been omitted as inapplicable or not required by Regulation S-X.

  

 

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EXHIBITS

 

        Page of
this
Report
 
3.1   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Torchmark Corporation, filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on April 30, 2010 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1.2 to Form 8-K dated May 5, 2010)  
3.2   Amended and Restated By-Laws of Torchmark Corporation, as amended August 5, 2010 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Form 8-K dated August 11, 2010)  
4.1   Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4(a) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1989)  
4.2   Trust Indenture dated as of February 1, 1987 between Torchmark Corporation and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Trustee (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4(b) to Form S-3 for $300,000,000 of Torchmark Corporation Debt Securities and Warrants (Registration No. 33-11816))  
4.3   Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated November 2, 2001, between Torchmark Corporation and The Bank of New York defining the rights of the 7 3/4% Junior Subordinated Debentures (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K dated November 2, 2001)  
4.4   Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December 14, 2001, between Torchmark, BankOne Trust Company, National Association and The Bank of New York, supplementing the Indenture Agreement dated February 1, 1987 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(b) to Torchmark’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-11716), and defining the rights of the 6 1/4% Senior Notes (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K dated December 14, 2001)  
4.5   Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 23, 2006 between Torchmark Corporation, J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K filed June 23, 2006)  
4.6   Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 30, 2009 between Torchmark Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4 to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2009)  
10.1   Torchmark Corporation and Affiliates Retired Lives Reserve Agreement, as amended, and Trust (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(b) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1991)*  
10.2   Capital Accumulation and Bonus Plan of Torchmark Corporation, as amended, (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(c) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1988)*  
10.3   Torchmark Corporation Supplementary Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(c) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992)*  
10.4   Credit Agreement dated as of December 10, 2010 among Torchmark Corporation, as the Borrower, TMK Re, Ltd., as a Loan Party, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender, L/C Issuer and L/C Administrator and the other lenders listed therein (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.01 to Form 8-K dated December 16, 2010)  

 

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        Page of
this
Report
 
10.5   Certified Copy of Resolution Regarding Director Retirement Benefit Program (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(e) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999)*  
10.6   Torchmark Corporation Restated Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors, Advisory Directors, Directors Emeritus and Officers, as amended (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(e) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992)*  
10.7   The Torchmark Corporation 1987 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(f) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998)*  
10.8   General Agency Contract between Liberty National Life Insurance Company and First Command Financial Services, Inc., (formerly known as Independent Research Agency For Life Insurance, Inc.) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(i) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1990)  
10.9   Amendment to General Agency Contract between First Command Financial Services and Liberty National Life Insurance Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for the First Quarter 2005)**  
10.10   Form of Deferred Compensation Agreement Between Torchmark Corporation or Subsidiary and Officer at the Level of Vice President or Above Eligible to Participate in the Torchmark Corporation and Affiliates Retired Lives Reserve Agreement and to Retire Prior to December 31, 1986 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(k) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1991)*  
10.11   Form of Deferred Compensation Agreement between Torchmark Corporation or Subsidiary and Officer at the Level of Vice President or Above Eligible to Participate in the Torchmark Corporation and Affiliates Retired Lives Reserve Agreement and Not Eligible to Retire Prior to December 31, 1986 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(l) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1991)*  
10.12   Form of Deferred Compensation Agreement Between Torchmark Corporation or Subsidiary and Officer at the Level of Vice President or Above Not Eligible to Participate in Torchmark Corporation and Affiliates Retired Lives Reserve Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(j) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1991)*  
10.13   Torchmark Corporation Supplemental Savings and Investment Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(m) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992)*  
10.14   Service Agreement, dated as of January 1, 1991, between Torchmark Corporation and Liberty National Life Insurance Company (prototype for agreements between Torchmark Corporation and other principal operating subsidiaries) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(n) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992)  
10.15   The Torchmark Corporation Amended and Restated Pension Plan*  
10.16   The Torchmark Corporation 1998 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(n) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998)*  

 

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10.17   The Torchmark Corporation Savings and Investment Plan (amended and restated as of January 1, 2009)*  
10.18   Torchmark Corporation 2008 Management Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K dated April 30, 2008)*  
10.19   Coinsurance and Servicing Agreement between Security Benefit Life Insurance Company and Liberty National Life Insurance Company, effective as of December 31, 1995 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(u) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995)  
10.20   Torchmark Corporation 1996 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(w) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996)*  
10.21   Torchmark Corporation 1996 Executive Deferred Compensation Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(x) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996)*  
10.22   Form of Retirement Life Insurance Benefit Agreement ($1,995,000 face amount limit) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(z) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001)*  
10.23   Form of Retirement Life Insurance Benefit Agreement ($495,000 face amount limit) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10(aa) to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001)*  
10.24   Payments to Directors*  
10.25   Form of Non-Formula Based Director Stock Option Agreement pursuant to Torchmark Corporation 2005 Non-Employee Director Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to Form 10-Q for the First Quarter 2005)*  
10.26   Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to Torchmark Corporation 2005 Incentive Plan (Section 16(a) (restoration)) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.3 to Form 10-Q for the First Quarter 2005)*  
10.27   Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to Torchmark Corporation 2005 Incentive Plan (restoration general) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.4 to Form 10-Q for the First Quarter 2005)*  
10.28   Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to Torchmark Corporation 2005 Incentive Plan (bonus) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.36 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005)*  
10.29   Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to Torchmark Corporation 2005 Incentive Plan (regular vesting) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.37 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005)*  
10.30   Torchmark Corporation 2005 Non-Employee Director Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K dated May 4, 2005)*  
10.31   Torchmark Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to Form 8-K dated May 4, 2005)*  
10.32   Form of Deferred Compensation Stock Option Grant Agreement pursuant to the Torchmark Corporation 2005 Non-Employee Director Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.3 to Form 8-K dated May 4, 2005)*  
10.33   Torchmark Corporation Amended and Restated 2005 Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for quarter ended March 31, 2006)*  
10.34   Torchmark Corporation Amended and Restated 2005 Non-Employee Director Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to Form 10-Q for quarter ended March 31, 2006)*  

 

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10.35   Form of Director Stock Option Issued under Torchmark Corporation Amended and Restated 2005 Non-Employee Director Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.3 to Form 10-Q for quarter ended March 31, 2006)*  
10.36   Amendment One to Torchmark Corporation Supplementary Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.4 to Form 10-Q for quarter ended March 31, 2006)*  
10.37   Torchmark Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K dated January 25, 2007)*  
10.38   Torchmark Corporation 2007 Long-Term Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K dated May 2, 2007)*  
10.39   Form of Stock Option Award Agreement under Torchmark Corporation 2007 Long-Term Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 99.2 to Form 8-K dated May 2, 2007)*  
10.40   Form of Restricted Stock Award (Board grant) under Torchmark Corporation 2007 Long-Term Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 99.3 to Form 8-K dated May 2, 2007)*  
10.41   Torchmark Corporation Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan, as amended and restated (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K dated April 29, 2008)*  
10.42   Amendment No. 1 to the Torchmark Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.53 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007)*  
10.43   Amendment No. 2 to the Torchmark Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.54 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007)*  
10.44   Amendment No. 2 to the Torchmark Corporation Supplementary Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.55 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007)*  
10.45   Amendment No. 3 to the Torchmark Corporation Supplementary Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.56 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007)*  
10.46   Form of Restricted Stock Award Notice under Torchmark Corporation Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.57 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007)*  
10.47   Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice under Torchmark Corporation Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.58 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007)*  
10.48   Form of Restricted Stock Award (Compensation Committee grant) under Torchmark Corporation 2007 Long-Term Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.59 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007)*  
10.49   Amendment Four to the Torchmark Corporation Supplementary Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.52 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008)*  
10.50   Amendment Three to the Torchmark Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.53 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008)*  
10.51   Amendment One to the Torchmark Corporation Restated Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors, Advisory Directors, Directors Emeritus and Officers (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.54 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008)*  

 

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10.52   Amendment Two to the Torchmark Corporation Restated Deferred Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.55 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008)*  
10.53   Amendment to the Torchmark Corporation 2007 Long-Term Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.56 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008)*  
10.54   Amendment One to the Torchmark Corporation Savings and Investment Plan (as restated January 1, 2007) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.57 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008)*  
10.55   Receivables Purchase Agreement dated as of December 31, 2008 among AILIC Receivables Corporation, American Income Life Insurance Company and TMK Re, Ltd. (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K dated January 6, 2009)  
10.56   Torchmark Corporation 2011 Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan*  
10.57   Form of Stock Option under Torchmark Corporation 2011 Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan*  
10.58   Form of Restricted Stock Award Notice under Torchmark Corporation 2011 Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan*  
10.59   Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice under Torchmark Corporation 2011 Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan*  
(11)   Statement re computation of per share earnings     126   
(12)   Statement re computation of ratios  
(20)   Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held April 28, 2011***  
(21)   Subsidiaries of the registrant     126   
(23)   Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP  
(24)   Powers of attorney  
(31.1)   Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification by Mark S. McAndrew  
(31.2)   Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification by Gary L. Coleman  
(32.1)   Section 1350 Certification by Mark S. McAndrew and Gary L. Coleman  
(101)   Interactive Data File  

 

*   Compensatory plan or arrangement.
**   Certain portions of the exhibit have been omitted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment which was granted June 23, 2010 effective until May 9, 2015. The non-public information was filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 24b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
***   To be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.

 

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Exhibit 11. Statement re computation of per share earnings

 

TORCHMARK CORPORATION

COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE

 

     Twelve Months Ended December 31,  
         2010             2009              2008      
Income from continuing operations    $522,293,000     $386,052,000      $429,700,000  

Income (loss) from discontinued operations

     (5,229,000     18,901,000         22,559,000   
                         

Net Income

   $ 517,064,000      $ 404,953,000       $ 452,259,000   
                         

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

     81,339,485        83,033,589         88,052,650   

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

     82,082,225        83,033,589         88,516,095   

Basic net income per share:

       

Continuing operations

   $ 6.42      $ 4.65       $ 4.88   

Discontinued operations

     (0.06     0.23         0.26   
                         

Total basic net income per share

   $ 6.36      $ 4.88       $ 5.14   
                         

Diluted net income per share:

       

Continuing operations

   $ 6.36      $ 4.65       $ 4.85   

Discontinued operations

     (0.06     0.23         0.26   
                         

Total diluted net income per share

   $ 6.30      $ 4.88       $ 5.11   
                         

Exhibit 21. Subsidiaries of the Registrant

 

The following table lists subsidiaries of the registrant which meet the definition of “significant subsidiary” according to Regulation S-X:

 

                Company                 

  

State of
Incorporation

    

Name Under Which
Company Does
Business

American Income Life

Insurance Company

   Indiana     

American Income Life

Insurance Company

Globe Life And Accident

Insurance Company

   Nebraska     

Globe Life And Accident

Insurance Company

Liberty National Life

Insurance Company

   Nebraska     

Liberty National Life

Insurance Company

United American

Insurance Company

   Nebraska     

United American

Insurance Company

 

All other exhibits required by Regulation S-K are listed as to location in the “Index of documents filed as a part of this report” on pages 121 through 125 of this report. Exhibits not referred to have been omitted as inapplicable or not required.

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

(PARENT COMPANY)

SCHEDULE II. CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(Amounts in thousands)

 

     December 31,  
           2010                 2009        

Assets:

    

Investments:

    

Long-term investments

   $ 15,963      $ 1,390   

Short-term investments

     62,582        155,342   
                

Total investments

     78,545        156,732   

Investment in affiliates

     4,973,495        4,384,023   

Due from affiliates

     138,130        77,170   

Taxes receivable

     65,195        45,001   

Other assets

     5,391        2,885   
                

Total assets

   $ 5,260,756      $ 4,665,811   
                

Liabilities and shareholders’ equity:

    

Liabilities:

    

Short-term debt

   $ 198,875      $ 233,307   

Long-term debt

     789,643        796,050   

Due to affiliates

     136,931        138,081   

Other liabilities

     119,066        99,482   
                

Total liabilities

     1,244,515        1,266,920   

Shareholders’ equity:

    

Preferred stock

     351        351   

Common stock

     79,875        83,875   

Additional paid-in capital

     783,119        791,872   

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     22,958        (319,183

Retained earnings

     3,513,419        3,228,904   

Treasury stock

     (383,481     (386,928
                

Total shareholders’ equity

     4,016,241        3,398,891   
                

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

   $ 5,260,756      $ 4,665,811   
                

 

See Notes to Condensed Financial Statements and accompanying Report of Independent Registered

Public Accounting Firm.

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

(PARENT COMPANY)

SCHEDULE II. CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT (continued)

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Amounts in thousands)

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
           2010                 2009                 2008        

Net investment income

   $ 26,031      $ 17,374      $ 19,752   

Realized investment gains (losses)

     (1,646     (1     -0-   
                        

Total revenue

     24,385        17,373        19,752   

General operating expenses

     21,682        18,119        22,636   

Reimbursements from affiliates

     (13,375     (5,973     (9,374

Interest expense

     74,827        71,687        65,643   
                        

Total expenses

     83,134        83,833        78,905   
                        

Operating income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates

     (58,749     (66,460     (59,153

Income taxes

     18,521        19,773        20,231   
                        

Net operating loss before equity in earnings of affiliates

     (40,228     (46,687     (38,922

Equity in earnings of affiliates

     557,292        451,640        491,181   
                        

Net income

   $ 517,064      $ 404,953      $ 452,259   
                        

 

See Notes to Condensed Financial Statements and accompanying Report of Independent Registered

Public Accounting Firm.

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

(PARENT COMPANY)

SCHEDULE II. CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT—(continued)

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Amounts in thousands)

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
           2010                 2009                 2008        

Cash provided from (used for) operations before dividends from subsidiaries

   $ (33,403   $ (51,241   $ (53,882

Cash dividends from subsidiaries

     370,947        354,695        404,341   
                        

Cash provided from operations

     337,544        303,454        350,459   

Cash provided from (used for) investing activities:

      

Acquisition of investments

     (14,279     (125     -0-   

Disposition of investments

     33        31        2,268   

Net decrease (increase) in short-term investments

     106,881        (129,789     -0-   

Investment in subsidiaries

     (18,722     (100,000     -0-   
                        

Cash provided from (used for) investing activities

     73,913        (229,883     2,268   

Cash provided from (used for) financing activities:

      

Issuance of 9 1/4% Senior Notes

     -0-        296,308        -0-   

Repayment of 9 1/4% Senior Notes

     (8,913     -0-        -0-   

Repayment of 8 1/4% Senior Debentures

     -0-        (99,050     -0-   

Net issuance (repayment) of commercial paper

     (34,432     (71,329     102,178   

Issuance of stock

     37,863        4,430        25,473   

Acquisitions of treasury stock

     (246,006     (47,564     (455,736

Net borrowings to/from subsidiaries

     (86,800     (87,200     45,500   

Excess tax benefit on stock option exercises

     162        (30     2,679   

Payment of dividends

     (73,331     (69,885     (72,072
                        

Cash provided from (used for) financing activities

     (411,457     (74,320     (351,978
                        

Net increase (decrease) in cash

     -0-        (749     749   

Cash balance at beginning of period

     -0-        749        -0-   
                        

Cash balance at end of period

   $ -0-      $ -0-      $ 749   
                        

 

See Notes to Condensed Financial Statements and accompanying Report of Independent Registered

Public Accounting Firm.

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

(PARENT COMPANY)

NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands)

 

Note A—Dividends from Subsidiaries

 

Cash dividends paid to Torchmark from the consolidated subsidiaries were as follows:

 

         2010              2009          2008  

Consolidated subsidiaries

   $ 370,947       $ 354,695       $ 404,341   
                          

 

Note B—Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information

 

The following table summarizes noncash transactions, which are not reflected on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
         2010              2009          2008  

Stock-based compensation not involving cash

   $ 11,848       $ 9,860       $ 10,823   

 

The following table summarizes certain amounts paid (received) during the period:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
         2010              2009          2008  

Interest paid

   $ 75,909       $ 73,031       $ 64,997   

Income taxes received

     2,379         25,202         18,351   

 

Note C—Special Items

 

In 2008, $2.5 million of legal cost ($1.6 million after tax) was attributable to the Parent Company, involving litigation of a subsidiary disposed of many years ago.

 

In 2009, a Federal income tax expense of $1.5 million was incurred relating to Internal Revenue Service examinations of prior years. In 2008 and 2007, a Federal income tax benefit of $.1 million and $1.2 million, respectively, were recorded relating to such examinations.

 

Note D—Preferred Stock

 

As of December 31, 2010, Torchmark had 351 thousand shares of Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A, issued and outstanding, of which 280 thousand shares were 6.50% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A, and 71 thousand shares were 7.15% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A (collectively, the “Series A Preferred Stock”). All issued and outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock were held by wholly-owned insurance subsidiaries. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock at the time outstanding would be entitled to receive a liquidating distribution out of the assets legally available to stockholders in the amount of $1 thousand per share or $351 million in the aggregate, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends, before any distribution is made to holders of Torchmark common stock. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock do not have any voting rights nor have rights to convert such shares into shares of any other class of Torchmark capital stock.

 

 

See accompanying Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

 

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TORCHMARK CORPORATION

SCHEDULE IV. REINSURANCE (CONSOLIDATED)

(Amounts in thousands)

 

     Gross
Amount
     Ceded
to Other
Companies(1)
     Assumed
from Other
Companies
     Net
Amount
     Percentage
of Amount
Assumed
to Net
 

For the Year Ended December 31,
2010:

                                  

Life insurance in force

   $ 140,653,839       $ 722,577       $ 4,743,222       $ 144,674,484         3.3
                                            

Premiums:(2)

              

Life insurance

   $ 1,618,973       $ 4,684       $ 23,419       $ 1,637,708         1.4

Health insurance

     990,024         2,603         -0-         987,421         0
                                      

Total premium

   $ 2,608,997       $ 7,287       $ 23,419       $ 2,625,129         .9
                                            

For the Year Ended December 31,
2009:

                                  

Life insurance in force

   $ 139,408,962       $ 744,213       $ 1,898,360       $ 140,563,109         1.4
                                            

Premiums:(2)

              

Life insurance

   $ 1,550,434       $ 4,647       $ 18,172       $ 1,563,959         1.2

Health insurance

     1,020,467         2,756         -0-         1,017,711         0
                                      

Total premium

   $ 2,570,901       $ 7,403       $ 18,172       $ 2,581,670         .7
                                            

For the Year Ended December 31,
2008:

                                  

Life insurance in force

   $ 133,670,674       $ 736,266       $ 1,966,917       $ 134,901,325         1.5
                                            

Premiums:(2)

              

Life insurance

   $ 1,500,104       $ 4,630       $ 18,693       $ 1,514,167         1.2

Health insurance

     1,130,932         3,872         -0-         1,127,060         0
                                      

Total premium

   $ 2,631,036       $ 8,502       $ 18,693       $ 2,641,227         .7
                                            

 

(1)   No amounts have been netted against ceded premium
(2)   Excludes policy charges of $26,629, $28,435, and $30,673, in each of the years 2010, 2009, and 2008, respectively.

 

See accompanying Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

TORCHMARK CORPORATION
By:   /s/    MARK S. MCANDREW        
  Mark S. McAndrew,
  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Director
By:   /s/    GARY L. COLEMAN        
  Gary L. Coleman, Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer
By:   /s/  DANNY H. ALMOND        
  Danny H. Almond
Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer

 

Date: February 28, 2011

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By:   /s/    CHARLES E. ADAIR  *             By:   /s/    LLOYD W. NEWTON  *        
  Charles E. Adair       Lloyd W. Newton
  Director       Director
By:   /s/    DAVID L. BOREN  *             By:   /s/    SAM R. PERRY  *        
  David L. Boren       Sam R. Perry
  Director       Director
By:   /s/    M. JANE BUCHAN  *             By:   /s/    DARREN M. REBELEZ  *        
  M. Jane Buchan       Darren M. Rebelez
  Director       Director
By:   /s/    ROBERT W. INGRAM  *             By:   /s/    LAMAR C. SMITH  *        
  Robert W. Ingram       Lamar C. Smith
  Director       Director
By:   /s/    JOSEPH L. LANIER, JR.  *               /s/    PAUL J. ZUCCONI  *        
  Joseph L. Lanier, Jr.       Paul J. Zucconi
  Director       Director
Date: February 28, 2011      

*By:  

  /s/    GARY L. COLEMAN              
  Gary L. Coleman      
  Attorney-in-fact      

 

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