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Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (SIGI - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2020 operating income of 84 cents per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.5%. Moreover, the bottom line deteriorated 6.7% from the year-ago period.
The reported quarter witnessed lower premiums written, higher catastrophic losses and expenses, offset by improved net investment income.
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Total revenues of $710 million were up 3.5% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. However, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.3%.
Net premiums written decreased 4% year over year to $647.3 million attributable to declines in both Commercial Lines and Personal Lines.Net investment income rose 10% year over year to $45.5 million, driven by alternative investment returns that benefited from strong returns from the fourth quarter of 2019 due to the one-quarter lag in reporting.
Total expenses increased 3.7% year over year to $648.8 million primarily due to higher loss and loss expense incurred, amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses.
Combined ratio deteriorated 200 basis points (bps) on a year-over-year basis to 96.7%.
Segmental Results
Standard Commercial Lines net premiums written were down 5% year over year to $518.4 million due to the $75 million return audit and mid-term endorsement premium accrual.
Combined ratio deteriorated 190 bps to 96.7% from the prior-year quarter’s level due to catastrophe losses of 4.0 percentage points that were partially offset by 1.9 percentage points of favorable prior-year casualty reserve development in the workers compensation line of business. Combined ratio increased 3.9 percentage points due to the COVID-19-related items.
Standard Personal Lines net premiums written were down 2% year over year to $67.6 million due to a reduction in new business, which reflects an increasingly competitive marketplace. Combined ratio deteriorated 360 bps to 99.5% from the year-ago period’s count due to the increase in the allowance for doubtful accounts due to the COVID-19 pandemic and higher catastrophe losses.
Excess & Surplus Lines net premiums written grew 8% year over year to $61.3 million, driven by a 7% increase in new business. Combined ratio deteriorated 140 bps to 93.5% from the prior-year quarter’s level due to higher non-catastrophe property losses and loss expenses, and an increase in the allowance for doubtful accounts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Financial Update
Selective Insurance exited the first quarter with total assets of $8.9 billion, which climbed 2% above the level at the end of December 2019.
As of Mar 31, 2020, book value per share was $35.11, having deteriorated 5% from the level as of 2019 end.
Annualized operating return on equity was 2.8% in the quarter under review, contracting 1040 points year over year.
2020 Guidance
Catastrophe losses of 4.5 points on the combined ratio have been estimated, indicating higher-than-expected cat losses through April combined with lower earned premium.
The company projects an after-tax net investment income of approximately $160 million, down from the previous outlook of $185 million principally due to an expected change in the full-year after-tax net investment income from alternative investments.
The company expects after-tax net investment loss from alternative investments between $10 million and $15 million against the previously mentioned gain of $14 million.
Among other players from the insurance industry that have reported first-quarter earnings so far, the bottom line of Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO - Free Report) beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate, while that of RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) and Travelers Companies (TRV - Free Report) missed the same.
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Selective Insurance (SIGI) Q1 Earnings Miss, Decline Y/Y
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (SIGI - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2020 operating income of 84 cents per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.5%. Moreover, the bottom line deteriorated 6.7% from the year-ago period.
The reported quarter witnessed lower premiums written, higher catastrophic losses and expenses, offset by improved net investment income.
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Selective Insurance Group, Inc. Quote
Behind the Headlines
Total revenues of $710 million were up 3.5% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. However, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.3%.
Net premiums written decreased 4% year over year to $647.3 million attributable to declines in both Commercial Lines and Personal Lines.Net investment income rose 10% year over year to $45.5 million, driven by alternative investment returns that benefited from strong returns from the fourth quarter of 2019 due to the one-quarter lag in reporting.
Total expenses increased 3.7% year over year to $648.8 million primarily due to higher loss and loss expense incurred, amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses.
Combined ratio deteriorated 200 basis points (bps) on a year-over-year basis to 96.7%.
Segmental Results
Standard Commercial Lines net premiums written were down 5% year over year to $518.4 million due to the $75 million return audit and mid-term endorsement premium accrual.
Combined ratio deteriorated 190 bps to 96.7% from the prior-year quarter’s level due to catastrophe losses of 4.0 percentage points that were partially offset by 1.9 percentage points of favorable prior-year casualty reserve development in the workers compensation line of business. Combined ratio increased 3.9 percentage points due to the COVID-19-related items.
Standard Personal Lines net premiums written were down 2% year over year to $67.6 million due to a reduction in new business, which reflects an increasingly competitive marketplace. Combined ratio deteriorated 360 bps to 99.5% from the year-ago period’s count due to the increase in the allowance for doubtful accounts due to the COVID-19 pandemic and higher catastrophe losses.
Excess & Surplus Lines net premiums written grew 8% year over year to $61.3 million, driven by a 7% increase in new business. Combined ratio deteriorated 140 bps to 93.5% from the prior-year quarter’s level due to higher non-catastrophe property losses and loss expenses, and an increase in the allowance for doubtful accounts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Financial Update
Selective Insurance exited the first quarter with total assets of $8.9 billion, which climbed 2% above the level at the end of December 2019.
As of Mar 31, 2020, book value per share was $35.11, having deteriorated 5% from the level as of 2019 end.
Annualized operating return on equity was 2.8% in the quarter under review, contracting 1040 points year over year.
2020 Guidance
Catastrophe losses of 4.5 points on the combined ratio have been estimated, indicating higher-than-expected cat losses through April combined with lower earned premium.
The company projects an after-tax net investment income of approximately $160 million, down from the previous outlook of $185 million principally due to an expected change in the full-year after-tax net investment income from alternative investments.
The company expects after-tax net investment loss from alternative investments between $10 million and $15 million against the previously mentioned gain of $14 million.
Zacks Rank
Selective Insurance currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Performance of Other Insurers
Among other players from the insurance industry that have reported first-quarter earnings so far, the bottom line of Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO - Free Report) beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate, while that of RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) and Travelers Companies (TRV - Free Report) missed the same.
Today's Best Stocks from Zacks
Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2019, while the S&P 500 gained and impressive +53.6%, five of our strategies returned +65.8%, +97.1%, +118.0%, +175.7% and even +186.7%.
This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 – 2019, while the S&P averaged +6.0% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +54.7% per year.
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