MERCURY GENERAL CORP false 0000064996 0000064996 2024-02-13 2024-02-13

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 13, 2024

Commission File No.  001-12257

 

 

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

California   95-2211612

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

4484 Wilshire Boulevard  
Los Angeles, California   90010
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (323) 937-1060

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14.a-12)

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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

 

Title of Each Class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 

Name of Each Exchange

on Which Registered

Common Stock   MCY   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 


Item 2.02.

Results of Operations and Financial Condition

The following information is furnished pursuant to Item 2.02, “Results of Operations and Financial Condition,” and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. Such information, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing of Mercury General Corporation (the “Company”), whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

On February 13, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits.

 

99.1    Press Release, dated February 13, 2024, issued by Mercury General Corporation, furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 of Form 8-K. The information contained in the attached exhibit should be read in conjunction with the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed on February 13, 2024.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION
Date: February 13, 2024  
    By:  

/s/ Theodore R. Stalick

    Name:   Theodore R. Stalick
    Its:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO   

4484 Wilshire Boulevard

 

Los Angeles, California 90010

 

(323) 937-1060

 

Fax (323) 857-7125

 

Press Release

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Theodore Stalick, SVP/CFO

(323) 937-1060

www.mercuryinsurance.com

For Release: February 13, 2024

Mercury General Corporation Announces Fourth

Quarter and Fiscal 2023 Results and Declares Quarterly Dividend

Los Angeles, California…Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) reported today the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023 results:

Consolidated Highlights

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Change     Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
    Change  
     2023     2022     $     %     2023     2022     $      %  

(000’s except per-share amounts and ratios)

 

              

Net premiums earned

   $ 1,144,895     $ 1,005,482     $ 139,413       13.9   $ 4,274,378     $ 3,952,482     $ 321,896        8.1

Net premiums written (1)

   $ 1,132,150     $ 915,750     $ 216,400       23.6   $ 4,464,199     $ 3,978,017     $ 486,182        12.2

Net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax (2)

   $ 127,810     $ 73,595     $ 54,215       73.7   $ 79,801     $ (385,583   $ 465,384        NM  

Net income (loss)

   $ 191,394     $ (6,770   $ 198,164       NM     $ 96,336     $ (512,672   $ 609,008        NM  

Net income (loss) per diluted share (3)

   $ 3.46     $ (0.12   $ 3.58       NM     $ 1.74     $ (9.26   $ 11.00        NM  

Operating income (loss) (1)

   $ 63,584     $ (80,365   $ 143,949       NM     $ 16,535     $ (127,089   $ 143,624        NM  

Operating income (loss) per diluted share (1)

   $ 1.15     $ (1.45   $ 2.60       NM     $ 0.30     $ (2.30   $ 2.60        NM  

Catastrophe losses net of reinsurance (4)

   $ 16,000     $ 40,000     $ (24,000     (60.0 )%    $ 239,000     $ 102,000     $ 137,000        134.3

Combined ratio (5)

     98.6     115.8     —        (17.2 )pts      105.4     108.7     —         (3.3 )pts 

NM = Not Meaningful

 

(1)

These measures are not based on U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), are defined in “Information Regarding GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures” and are reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in “Supplemental Schedules.”

(2)

Net realized investment gains (losses) before tax were $162 million and $93 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $101 million and $(488) million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The changes in fair value of the Company’s investments are recorded as part of net realized investment gains or losses in its consolidated statements of operations due to the adoption of the fair value option for its investments as permitted under GAAP.

(3)

Any incremental shares are excluded from the net loss per diluted share calculation as their effect would be anti-dilutive, in accordance with GAAP.

 

1


(4)

The majority of 2023 catastrophe losses resulted from rainstorms and hail in Texas and Oklahoma, winter storms and rainstorms in California, and the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary in California. The majority of 2022 catastrophe losses resulted from the deep freeze of Winter Storm Elliott and other extreme weather events in Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia, winter storms in California, and the impact of Hurricane Ian in Florida.

(5)

The Company experienced favorable development of approximately $4 million and $3 million on prior accident years’ loss and loss adjustment expense reserves for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and favorable development of approximately $36 million and unfavorable development of approximately $47 million on prior accident years’ loss and loss adjustment expense reserves for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The year-to-date favorable development in 2023 was primarily attributable to lower than estimated losses and loss adjustment expenses in the private passenger automobile and homeowners lines of insurance business, partially offset by unfavorable reserve development in the commercial property line of insurance business. The year-to-date unfavorable development in 2022 was primarily attributable to higher than estimated losses and loss adjustment expenses in the automobile line of insurance business.

Investment Results

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
 
     2023     2022     2023     2022  

(000’s except average annual yield)

      

Average invested assets at cost (1)

   $ 5,210,044     $ 4,934,646     $ 5,096,428     $ 4,902,755  

Net investment income (2)

        

Before income taxes

   $ 63,343     $ 49,887     $ 234,630     $ 168,356  

After income taxes

   $ 53,638     $ 43,113     $ 200,209     $ 146,204  

Average annual yield on investments—after income taxes (2)

     4.1     3.5     3.9     3.0

 

(1)

Fixed maturities and short-term bonds at amortized cost; equities and other short-term investments at cost. Average invested assets at cost are based on the monthly amortized cost of the invested assets for each period.

(2) 

The higher net investment income before and after income taxes for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding periods in 2022 resulted largely from higher average yield combined with higher average invested assets. Average annual yield on investments after income taxes for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023 increased compared to the corresponding periods in 2022, primarily due to the maturity and replacement of lower yielding investments purchased when market interest rates were lower with higher yielding investments, as a result of increasing overall market interest rates, as well as higher yields on investments based on floating interest rates.

The Company continues to implement rate and non-rate actions to improve underwriting results. However, rate increases take time to earn in. In January 2024, the California Department of Insurance approved rate increases of 22.5% and 3.8% on the private passenger automobile line of insurance business for the Company’s insurance subsidiaries, Mercury Insurance Company (“MIC”) and California Automobile Insurance Company (“CAIC”), respectively. These rate increases are expected to become effective in late February of 2024. The private passenger automobile line of insurance business of MIC and CAIC represented approximately 48% and 5%, respectively, of the Company’s total net premiums earned in 2023.

In late January and early February of 2024, California was inundated with a series of atmospheric river rainstorms. The Company is not currently able to estimate the possible loss or a range of loss resulting from these storms, as many claims associated with them have not yet been reported to the Company. The estimated catastrophe losses resulting from these storms will be recorded as losses for the first quarter of 2024.

The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.3175 per share. The dividend will be paid on March 27, 2024 to shareholders of record on March 13, 2024.

 

2


Mercury General Corporation and its subsidiaries are a multiple line insurance organization offering predominantly personal automobile and homeowners insurance through a network of independent producers and direct-to-consumer sales in many states. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.mercuryinsurance.com.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for certain forward-looking statements. Certain statements contained in this report are forward-looking statements based on the Company’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by the Company. Actual results may differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) and are subject to change based upon various factors, including but not limited to the following risks and uncertainties: changes in the demand for the Company’s insurance products, inflation and general economic conditions, including general market risks associated with the Company’s investment portfolio; the accuracy and adequacy of the Company’s pricing methodologies; catastrophes in the markets served by the Company; uncertainties related to estimates, assumptions and projections generally; the possibility that actual loss experience may vary adversely from the actuarial estimates made to determine the Company’s loss reserves in general; the Company’s ability to obtain and the timing of the approval of premium rate changes for insurance policies issued in states where the Company operates; legislation adverse to the automobile insurance industry or business generally that may be enacted in the states where the Company operates; the Company’s success in managing its business in non-California states; the presence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing and marketing efforts; the Company’s ability to successfully allocate the resources used in the states with reduced or exited operations to its operations in other states; changes in driving patterns and loss trends; acts of war and terrorist activities; pandemics, epidemics, widespread health emergencies, or outbreaks of infectious diseases; court decisions and trends in litigation and health care and auto repair costs; and legal, cyber security, regulatory and litigation risks. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a more detailed discussion of some of the foregoing risks and uncertainties, see the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

3


MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

SUMMARY OF OPERATING RESULTS

(000’s except per-share amounts and ratios)

(unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
 
     2023     2022     2023     2022  

Revenues:

        

Net premiums earned

   $ 1,144,895     $ 1,005,482     $ 4,274,378     $ 3,952,482  

Net investment income

     63,343       49,887       234,630       168,356  

Net realized investment gains (losses)

     161,785       93,158       101,014       (488,080

Other

     4,611       3,166       19,609       10,308  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

   $ 1,374,634     $ 1,151,693     $ 4,629,631     $ 3,643,066  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Expenses:

        

Losses and loss adjustment expenses

     866,772       926,045       3,517,853       3,362,219  

Policy acquisition costs

     189,712       167,168       708,525       654,612  

Other operating expenses

     72,433       71,413       279,656       279,718  

Interest

     7,770       4,409       24,169       17,232  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

   $ 1,136,687     $ 1,169,035     $ 4,530,203     $ 4,313,781  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

     237,947       (17,342     99,428       (670,715

Income tax expense (benefit)

     46,553       (10,572     3,092       (158,043
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 191,394     $ (6,770   $ 96,336     $ (512,672
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic average shares outstanding

     55,371       55,371       55,371       55,371  

Diluted average shares outstanding

     55,371       55,371       55,371       55,371  

Basic Per Share Data

        

Net income (loss)

   $ 3.46     $ (0.12   $ 1.74     $ (9.26

Net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax

   $ 2.31     $ 1.33     $ 1.44     $ (6.96

Diluted Per Share Data

        

Net income (loss)

   $ 3.46     $ (0.12   $ 1.74     $ (9.26

Net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax

   $ 2.31     $ 1.33     $ 1.44     $ (6.96

Operating Ratios-GAAP Basis

        

Loss ratio

     75.7     92.1     82.3     85.1

Expense ratio

     22.9     23.7     23.1     23.6
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Combined ratio

     98.6     115.8     105.4     108.7
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

4


MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS AND OTHER INFORMATION

(000’s except per-share amounts and ratios)

 

     December 31, 2023     December 31, 2022  
     (unaudited)        
ASSETS     

Investments, at fair value:

    

Fixed maturity securities (amortized cost $4,394,983; $4,226,790)

   $ 4,319,336     $ 4,088,311  

Equity securities (cost $654,939; $668,843)

     730,693       699,552  

Short-term investments (cost $179,375; $123,928)

     178,491       122,937  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investments

     5,228,520       4,910,800  

Cash

     550,903       289,776  

Receivables:

    

Premiums

     607,025       571,910  

Allowance for credit losses on premiums receivable

     (5,300     (5,800
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Premiums receivable, net of allowance for credit losses

     601,725       566,110  

Accrued investment income

     59,128       52,474  

Other

     25,603       11,358  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total receivables

     686,456       629,942  

Reinsurance recoverables (net of allowance for credit losses $12; $0)

     31,947       25,895  

Deferred policy acquisition costs

     293,844       266,475  

Fixed assets, net

     151,183       171,442  

Operating lease right-of-use assets

     14,406       20,183  

Current income taxes

     4,081       55,136  

Deferred income taxes

     33,013       42,903  

Goodwill

     42,796       42,796  

Other intangible assets, net

     8,333       9,212  

Other assets

     57,915       49,628  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 7,103,397     $ 6,514,188  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY     

Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves

   $ 2,785,702     $ 2,584,910  

Unearned premiums

     1,735,660       1,545,639  

Notes payable

     573,729       398,330  

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

     175,219       151,686  

Operating lease liabilities

     14,231       21,924  

Other liabilities

     270,711       289,568  

Shareholders’ equity

     1,548,145       1,522,131  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

   $ 7,103,397     $ 6,514,188  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
OTHER INFORMATION     

Common stock shares outstanding

     55,371       55,371  

Book value per share

   $ 27.96     $ 27.49  

Statutory surplus (a)

   $ 1.67 billion     $ 1.50 billion  

Net premiums written to surplus ratio (a)

     2.68       2.65  

Debt to total capital ratio (b)

     27.1     20.8

Portfolio duration (including all short-term instruments) (a)(c)

     3.0 years       3.5 years  

Policies-in-force (company-wide “PIF”) (a)

    

Personal Auto PIF

     1,032       1,101  

Homeowners PIF

     760       736  

Commercial Auto PIF

     42       39  

 

(a)

Unaudited.

(b)

Debt to Debt plus Shareholders’ Equity (Debt at face value).

(c)

Modified duration reflecting anticipated early calls.

 

5


SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES

(000’s except per-share amounts and ratios) (unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
 
     2023     2022     2023     2022  

Reconciliations of Comparable GAAP Measures to Operating Measures (a)

 

 

Net premiums earned

   $ 1,144,895     $ 1,005,482     $ 4,274,378     $ 3,952,482  

Change in net unearned premiums

     (12,745     (89,732     189,821       25,535  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net premiums written

   $ 1,132,150     $ 915,750     $ 4,464,199     $ 3,978,017  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses

   $ 866,772     $ 926,045     $ 3,517,853     $ 3,362,219  

Change in net loss and loss adjustment expense reserves

     (56,348     (151,268     (193,967     (374,536
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses

   $ 810,424     $ 774,777     $ 3,323,886     $ 2,987,683  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 191,394     $ (6,770   $ 96,336     $ (512,672
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Less: Net realized investment gains (losses)

     161,785       93,158       101,014       (488,080

Tax on net realized investment gains (losses) (b)

     33,975       19,563       21,213       (102,497
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax

     127,810       73,595       79,801       (385,583
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

   $ 63,584     $ (80,365   $ 16,535     $ (127,089
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Per diluted share:

        

Net income (loss)

   $ 3.46     $ (0.12   $ 1.74     $ (9.26

Less: Net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax

     2.31       1.33       1.44       (6.96
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

   $ 1.15     $ (1.45   $ 0.30     $ (2.30
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Combined ratio

         105.4     108.7

Effect of estimated prior periods’ loss development

         0.8     (1.2 )% 
      

 

 

   

 

 

 

Combined ratio-accident period basis

         106.2     107.5
      

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a)

See “Information Regarding GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures” on page 7.

(b)

Based on federal statutory rate of 21%.

 

6


Information Regarding GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures

The Company has presented information within this document containing operating measures which in management’s opinion provide investors with useful, industry specific information to help them evaluate, and perform meaningful comparisons of, the Company’s performance, but that may not be presented in accordance with GAAP. These measures are not intended to replace, and should be read in conjunction with, the GAAP financial results.

Net income (loss) is the GAAP measure that is most directly comparable to operating income (loss). Operating income (loss) is net income (loss) excluding realized investment gains and losses, net of tax. Operating income (loss) is used by management along with the other components of net income (loss) to assess the Company’s performance. Management uses operating income (loss) as an important measure to evaluate the results of the Company’s insurance business. Management believes that operating income (loss) provides investors with a valuable measure of the Company’s ongoing performance as it reveals trends in the Company’s insurance business that may be obscured by the effect of net realized investment gains and losses. Realized investment gains and losses may vary significantly between periods and are generally driven by external economic developments such as capital market conditions. Accordingly, operating income (loss) highlights the results from ongoing operations and the underlying profitability of the Company’s core insurance business. Operating income (loss), which is provided as supplemental information and should not be considered as a substitute for net income (loss), does not reflect the overall profitability of the Company’s business. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See “Supplemental Schedules” above for a reconciliation of net income (loss) to operating income (loss).

Net premiums earned, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to net premiums written, represents the portion of premiums written that is recognized as revenue in the financial statements for the periods presented and earned on a pro-rata basis over the term of the policies. Net premiums written is a statutory financial measure which represents the premiums charged on policies issued during a fiscal period less any applicable reinsurance. Net premiums written is designed to determine production levels and is meant as supplemental information and not intended to replace net premiums earned. Such information should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See “Supplemental Schedules” above for a reconciliation of net premiums earned to net premiums written.

Incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses is the most directly comparable GAAP measure to paid losses and loss adjustment expenses. Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses excludes the effects of changes in the loss reserve accounts. Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses is provided as supplemental information and is not intended to replace incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See “Supplemental Schedules” above for a reconciliation of incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses to paid losses and loss adjustment expenses.

Combined ratio is the most directly comparable measure to combined ratio-accident period basis. Combined ratio-accident period basis is computed as the difference between two GAAP operating ratios: the combined ratio and prior accident periods’ loss development ratio. Management believes that combined ratio-accident period basis is useful to investors and it is used to reveal the trends in the Company’s results of operations that may be obscured by development on prior accident periods’ loss reserves. Combined ratio-accident period basis is meant as supplemental information and is not intended to replace the GAAP combined ratio. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. See “Supplemental Schedules” above for a reconciliation of GAAP combined ratio to combined ratio-accident period basis.

 

7

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Document and Entity Information
Feb. 13, 2024
Cover [Abstract]  
Entity Registrant Name MERCURY GENERAL CORP
Amendment Flag false
Entity Central Index Key 0000064996
Document Type 8-K
Document Period End Date Feb. 13, 2024
Entity File Number 001-12257
Entity Incorporation State Country Code CA
Entity Tax Identification Number 95-2211612
Entity Address, Address Line One 4484 Wilshire Boulevard
Entity Address, City or Town Los Angeles
Entity Address, State or Province CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code 90010
City Area Code (323)
Local Phone Number 937-1060
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Soliciting Material false
Pre Commencement Tender Offer false
Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Security 12b Title Common Stock
Trading Symbol MCY
Security Exchange Name NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company false

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