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Everest Re (RE) Reports Narrower-Than-Expected Loss in Q4
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Everest Re Group, Ltd. incurred fourth-quarter 2018 operating loss of $5.89 per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of operating loss of $7.54. However, the bottom line came in against the year-ago quarter’s income of $12.98 per share.
Nonetheless, the reported quarter witnessed an increase both in premiums and revenues.
Including after-tax net realized capital losses of $3.58, foreign exchange expense of 6 cents and the impact of TCJA enactment (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017), net loss came in at $9.50 per share versus the year-ago quarterly income of $13.85.
Full-Year Highlights
For 2018, Everest Re delivered operating income of $4.65 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 22.5%. Also, the bottom line plunged 53.5% from the level in 2017.
Moreover, total operating revenues of $7.5 billion lagged the consensus mark by 0.4% but grew 16.4% year over year.
Everest Re Group, Ltd. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Everest Re’s total operating revenues of $1.9 billion increased 7.8% year over year. However, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7%.
Gross written premiums improved 18% year over year to $2.3 billion. The company’s worldwide reinsurance premiums rose 26% to $1.7 billion on the back of growth across each segment.
Net investment income came in at $140.2 million in the quarter under review, down nearly 6% year over year.
Total claims and expenses skyrocketed 113.1% to $2.5 billion, attributable to higher incurred loss and loss adjustment expenses, commission, brokerage, taxes and fees, corporate expenses and interest plus fees and bond issue cost amortization expense.
Combined ratio deteriorated 6410 basis points (bps) to 134.1% from 70% in the year-ago quarter. Excluding catastrophe loss, attritional combined ratio was 90.4% with a deterioration of 670 bps from the prior-year period.
Financial Update
Everest Re Group exited the quarter with total assets of $24.7 billion, up 5.1% from $23.6 billion at the end of 2017. Shareholder equity at the end of the reported quarter declined 5.6% to $7.9 billion from the level of $8.4 billion at 2017 end.
Total cash balance at the end of the quarter under discussion rose 3.3% to $656.1 million from the end of 2017.
Book value per share came in at $194.43 as of Dec 31, 2018, down 5.1% from the 2017-end level.
Everest Re Group’s cash flow from operations for the 12 months ended Dec 31, 2018, was $610.1 million, slumping 47.5% year over year.
Zacks Rank
Everest Re Group carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Among other players from the same space having reported fourth-quarter earnings so far, the bottom-line figures of MGIC Investment Corp. (MTG - Free Report) and RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) beat the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate while The Progressive Corp.’s (PGR - Free Report) metric fell shy of the same.
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Everest Re (RE) Reports Narrower-Than-Expected Loss in Q4
Everest Re Group, Ltd. incurred fourth-quarter 2018 operating loss of $5.89 per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of operating loss of $7.54. However, the bottom line came in against the year-ago quarter’s income of $12.98 per share.
Nonetheless, the reported quarter witnessed an increase both in premiums and revenues.
Including after-tax net realized capital losses of $3.58, foreign exchange expense of 6 cents and the impact of TCJA enactment (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017), net loss came in at $9.50 per share versus the year-ago quarterly income of $13.85.
Full-Year Highlights
For 2018, Everest Re delivered operating income of $4.65 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 22.5%. Also, the bottom line plunged 53.5% from the level in 2017.
Moreover, total operating revenues of $7.5 billion lagged the consensus mark by 0.4% but grew 16.4% year over year.
Everest Re Group, Ltd. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Everest Re Group, Ltd. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Everest Re Group, Ltd. Quote
Operational Update
Everest Re’s total operating revenues of $1.9 billion increased 7.8% year over year. However, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7%.
Gross written premiums improved 18% year over year to $2.3 billion. The company’s worldwide reinsurance premiums rose 26% to $1.7 billion on the back of growth across each segment.
Net investment income came in at $140.2 million in the quarter under review, down nearly 6% year over year.
Total claims and expenses skyrocketed 113.1% to $2.5 billion, attributable to higher incurred loss and loss adjustment expenses, commission, brokerage, taxes and fees, corporate expenses and interest plus fees and bond issue cost amortization expense.
Combined ratio deteriorated 6410 basis points (bps) to 134.1% from 70% in the year-ago quarter. Excluding catastrophe loss, attritional combined ratio was 90.4% with a deterioration of 670 bps from the prior-year period.
Financial Update
Everest Re Group exited the quarter with total assets of $24.7 billion, up 5.1% from $23.6 billion at the end of 2017. Shareholder equity at the end of the reported quarter declined 5.6% to $7.9 billion from the level of $8.4 billion at 2017 end.
Total cash balance at the end of the quarter under discussion rose 3.3% to $656.1 million from the end of 2017.
Book value per share came in at $194.43 as of Dec 31, 2018, down 5.1% from the 2017-end level.
Everest Re Group’s cash flow from operations for the 12 months ended Dec 31, 2018, was $610.1 million, slumping 47.5% year over year.
Zacks Rank
Everest Re Group carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Performance of Other P&C Insurers
Among other players from the same space having reported fourth-quarter earnings so far, the bottom-line figures of MGIC Investment Corp. (MTG - Free Report) and RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) beat the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate while The Progressive Corp.’s (PGR - Free Report) metric fell shy of the same.
Zacks' Best Stock-Picking Strategy
It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But from 2000-2018, while the market gained +4.8% per year, our top stock-picking strategy averaged +54.3% per year.
How has that screen done lately? From 2017-2018, it sextupled the market's +15.8% gain with a soaring +98.3% return.
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