EX-99.1 2 a52578309ex99_1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1
Exhibit 99.1



INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY ANNOUNCES
FOURTH QUARTER AND FISCAL YEAR 2021 RESULTS

     Contact:  Elizabeth B. Lewter
February 14, 2022
Telephone: (919) 968-2200
        Nasdaq Symbol: ITIC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Chapel Hill, NC – Investors Title Company today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2021.  The Company set all-time quarterly and annual records for total revenues and net premiums written, in addition to setting an all-time annual record for net income.

For the quarter, net income increased 13.7% to $18.9 million, or $9.94 per diluted share, versus $16.6 million, or $8.77 per diluted share, in the prior year period.  For the year, net income increased 70.0% to $67.0 million, or $35.28 per diluted share, versus $39.4 million, or $20.80 per diluted share, in the prior year.

Revenues for the quarter increased 18.0% to $91.0 million, compared to $77.1 million in the prior year period.  Net premiums written increased 16.8% to $72.5 million, driven mainly by higher average home prices and continued low mortgage interest rates.  Escrow and other title-related fees increased 53.0%, primarily due to increases in commission income and title ancillary services.  Revenues from non-title services increased 23.4%, mainly due to increases in income from like-kind exchanges, trust management fees and agency income.  Other investment income increased $823,000 due to earnings from partnership investments.  Changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments resulted in a benefit to revenues of $7.7 million, a slight decrease compared with the prior year quarter, as market values continued to increase.

Operating expenses increased 20.5%, mainly due to a 20.6% increase in commissions to agents commensurate with the increase in agent premium volume.  Personnel expenses were 9.0% higher than the prior year due primarily to staffing additions in support of strategic growth initiatives and volume increases.  Higher premium volumes, increases in travel-related expenses and ongoing technology initiatives drove the increases in office and technology expenses and other operating expenses.  Slightly offsetting these increases was a relatively low level of claims activity experienced on policies written in recent years.

Income before income taxes increased 11.6% to $23.9 million for the current quarter versus $21.4 million in the prior year period.  Excluding the impact of changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments, adjusted income before income taxes (non-GAAP) increased 18.9% to $16.2 million versus $13.6 million for the prior year period (see Appendix A for a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure).

For the year, revenues increased 39.4% to $329.5 million compared with $236.4 million for the prior year.  Aside from changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments and other income, overall results for the year were shaped predominantly by the same factors that affected the fourth quarter.  Changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments increased $10.0 million compared with the prior year, as U.S. stock markets recorded a third straight year of growth in 2021.  Other income increased $4.1 million mainly due to a gain on the sale of property.   Income before income taxes increased 71.0% to $84.9 million compared with $49.7 million in the prior year.  Excluding the impact of changes in the estimated fair value of investments in equity securities, adjusted income before income taxes (non-GAAP) increased 56.4% to $70.0 million versus $44.8 million for the prior year (see Appendix A for a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure).

Chairman J. Allen Fine commented, “We are pleased to report another year of exceptionally strong performance.  For both the quarter and the year, the Company set all-time records for revenues and premiums, in addition to an annual record for earnings.  As the country grapples with the ongoing pandemic for the second year, we continued to see strong demand for housing as well as record growth in real estate values in our operating markets during 2021.  Although refinance activity has slowed recently in light of an uptick in mortgage interest rates relative to most of 2021, the level of refinance activity actually surpassed 2020’s record activity levels.  As we turn our focus to 2022, we will remain focused on enhancing our competitive strengths and profitably expanding our market presence.”

Investors Title Company’s subsidiaries issue and underwrite title insurance policies.   The Company also provides investment management services and services in connection with tax-deferred exchanges of like-kind property.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements may be identified by the use of words such as “plan,” expect,” “aim,” “believe,” “project,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “should,” “could,” “would,” and other expressions that indicate future events and trends.  Such statements include, among others, any statements regarding the Company’s expected performance for this year, projections regarding U.S. recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, future home price fluctuations, changes in home purchase or refinance demand activity and the mix thereof, interest rate changes, expansion of the Company’s market presence, enhancing competitive strengths, positive development in housing affordability, wages, unemployment or overall economic conditions or statements regarding our actuarial assumptions and the application of recent historical claims experience to future periods.  These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated and historical results.  Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic (including any of its variants) and its effects (and the effects of measures undertaken to combat it) on the economy and the Company’s business; the cyclical demand for title insurance due to changes in the residential and commercial real estate markets; the occurrence of fraud, defalcation or misconduct; variances between actual claims experience and underwriting and reserving assumptions, including the limited predictive power of historical claims experience; declines in the performance of the Company’s investments;  government regulations; changes in the economy; changes resulting from President Biden’s administration and Congress; loss of agency relationships, or significant reductions in agent-originated business; difficulties managing growth, whether organic or through acquisitions and other considerations set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in subsequent filings.

# # # #

Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the Three and Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
 
 
 
Three Months Ended
December 31,
   
Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
 
 
 
2021
   
2020
   
2021
   
2020
 
Revenues:
                       
Net premiums written
 
$
72,536
   
$
62,107
   
$
273,885
   
$
205,418
 
Escrow and other title-related fees
   
3,530
     
2,307
     
13,678
     
8,321
 
Non-title services
   
2,735
     
2,217
     
9,667
     
8,693
 
Interest and dividends
   
966
     
1,051
     
3,773
     
4,393
 
Other investment income
   
2,310
     
1,487
     
6,920
     
3,723
 
Net realized investment gains
   
1,098
     
6
     
1,869
     
333
 
Changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments
   
7,668
     
7,771
     
14,934
     
4,904
 
Other
   
200
     
180
     
4,772
     
623
 
Total Revenues
   
91,043
     
77,126
     
329,498
     
236,408
 
                                 
Operating Expenses:
                               
Commissions to agents
   
40,357
     
33,463
     
142,815
     
106,807
 
Provision for claims
   
666
     
752
     
5,686
     
5,204
 
Personnel expenses
   
16,669
     
15,297
     
64,193
     
51,929
 
Office and technology expenses
   
3,931
     
2,623
     
13,059
     
9,951
 
Other expenses
   
5,528
     
3,580
     
18,813
     
12,856
 
Total Operating Expenses
   
67,151
     
55,715
     
244,566
     
186,747
 
                                 
Income before Income Taxes
   
23,892
     
21,411
     
84,932
     
49,661
 
                                 
Provision for Income Taxes
   
4,980
     
4,776
     
17,912
     
10,241
 
                                 
Net Income
 
$
18,912
   
$
16,635
   
$
67,020
   
$
39,420
 
                                 
Basic Earnings per Common Share
 
$
9.98
   
$
8.79
   
$
35.38
   
$
20.84
 
                                 
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding – Basic
   
1,895
     
1,892
     
1,894
     
1,892
 
                                 
Diluted Earnings per Common Share
 
$
9.94
   
$
8.77
   
$
35.28
   
$
20.80
 
                                 
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding – Diluted
   
1,903
     
1,897
     
1,900
     
1,896
 


Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
 
 
 
December 31,
2021
   
December 31,
2020
 
Assets
           
             
Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
37,168
   
$
13,723
 
                 
Investments:
               
Fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale, at fair value
   
79,791
     
117,713
 
Equity securities, at fair value
   
76,853
     
64,919
 
Short-term investments
   
45,930
     
15,170
 
Other investments
   
20,298
     
15,493
 
Total investments
   
222,872
     
213,295
 
                 
Premiums and fees receivable
   
22,953
     
19,427
 
Accrued interest and dividends
   
817
     
1,038
 
Prepaid expenses and other receivables
   
11,721
     
9,418
 
Property, net
   
13,033
     
11,160
 
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net
   
15,951
     
9,771
 
Operating lease right-of-use assets
   
5,202
     
3,533
 
Other assets
   
1,771
     
1,560
 
Total Assets
 
$
331,488
   
$
282,925
 
                 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
               
                 
Liabilities:
               
Reserve for claims
 
$
36,754
   
$
33,584
 
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
   
43,868
     
36,020
 
Operating lease liabilities
   
5,329
     
3,669
 
Current income taxes payable
   
3,329
     
638
 
Deferred income taxes, net
   
13,121
     
8,592
 
Total liabilities
   
102,401
     
82,503
 
                 
Stockholders’ Equity:
               
Common stock no par value (10,000 authorized shares; 1,895 and 1,892 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, excluding in each period 292 shares of common stock held by the Company's subsidiary)
   
     
 
Retained earnings
   
225,861
     
196,096
 
Accumulated other comprehensive income
   
3,226
     
4,326
 
Total stockholders’ equity
   
229,087
     
200,422
 
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
 
$
331,488
   
$
282,925
 


Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
Net Premiums Written By Branch and Agency
For the Three and Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
 
   
Three Months Ended December 31,
   
Twelve Months Ended December 31,
 
   
2021
   
%
   
2020
   
%
   
2021
   
%
   
2020
   
%
 
Branch
 
$
15,681
     
21.6
   
$
14,840
     
23.9
   
$
68,585
     
25.0
   
$
53,204
     
25.9
 
                                                                 
Agency
   
56,855
     
78.4
     
47,267
     
76.1
     
205,300
     
75.0
     
152,214
     
74.1
 
                                                                 
Total
 
$
72,536
     
100.0
   
$
62,107
     
100.0
   
$
273,885
     
100.0
   
$
205,418
     
100.0
 


Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
Appendix A
Non-GAAP Measures Reconciliation
For the Three and Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
(in thousands)
(unaudited)

Management uses various financial and operational measurements, including financial information not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), to analyze Company performance.  This includes adjusting revenues to remove the impact of changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments, which are recognized in net income under GAAP.  Management believes that these measures are useful to evaluate the Company's internal operational performance from period to period because they eliminate the effects of external market fluctuations.  The Company also believes users of the financial results would benefit from having access to such information, and that certain of the Company’s peers make available similar information.  This information should not be used as a substitute for, or considered superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

The following tables reconcile non-GAAP financial measurements used by Company management to the comparable measurements using GAAP:
 
   
Three Months Ended
December 31,
   
Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
 
   
2021
   
2020
   
2021
   
2020
 
                         
Revenues
                       
Total revenues (GAAP)
 
$
91,043
   
$
77,126
   
$
329,498
   
$
236,408
 
Subtract:  Changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments
   
(7,668
)
   
(7,771
)
   
(14,934
)
   
(4,904
)
Adjusted revenues (non-GAAP)
 
$
83,375
   
$
69,355
   
$
314,564
   
$
231,504
 
                                 
Income before Income Taxes
                               
Income before income taxes (GAAP)
 
$
23,892
   
$
21,411
   
$
84,932
   
$
49,661
 
Subtract:  Changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments
   
(7,668
)
   
(7,771
)
   
(14,934
)
   
(4,904
)
Adjusted income before income taxes (non-GAAP)
 
$
16,224
   
$
13,640
   
$
69,998
   
$
44,757