Hallmark Financial Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2020 Results
DALLAS, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. (“Hallmark Financial”) (NASDAQ: HALL) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.(1) See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” belowNet loss of $6.0 million in the fourth quarter was primarily due to adverse prior year reserve development ($25.0 million pre-tax). The adverse prior year reserve development was driven by $21.8 million from our Specialty Commercial Segment which was comprised mostly of $19.0 million from our Commercial Auto business unit.Hallmark Financial continued to achieve substantial rate increases, particularly in the Specialty Commercial Segment, with increases for this business averaging 20% for the quarter and 19% for the fiscal year.Gross premiums written decreased 24% compared to the prior year quarter ended December 31, 2019 and 12% compared to prior year. Excluding premiums from the exited binding primary commercial auto business, gross premiums written would have decreased 15% in the quarter and decreased 2% for the year, relative to the same prior year periods. (See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below).There were $0.8 million of net catastrophe losses in the fourth quarter, or 0.6 points of the net combined ratio, and $23.1 million for the year, or 4.8 points of the net combined ratio. The fiscal year amount includes net loss and LAE reserves of $5.0 million related to novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic claims.
Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Review (1) For fiscal year 2020, includes $1.7 million of other-than-temporary impairment.
(2) See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” belowGross Premiums WrittenHallmark Financial’s gross premiums written were $161.7 million and $743.4 million during the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, representing a decrease of 24% and 12%, respectively, from the $214.1 million and $843.8 million in gross premiums written for the same periods in 2019.Net Premiums WrittenHallmark Financial’s net premiums written were $87.4 million and $439.0 million during the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, representing a decrease of 31% and 12%, respectively, from the $127.5 million and $496.6 million in net premiums written for the same periods of 2019.Net Premiums EarnedHallmark Financial’s net premiums earned were $112.7 million and $481.8 million for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, representing a 5% decrease and a 10% increase, respectively, from the $118.8 million and $436.9 million in net premiums earned for the same periods in 2019.InvestmentsNet investment income was $2.6 million and $12.9 million during the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, as compared to $5.0 million and $20.6 million during the same periods in 2019. The declines in net investment income were primarily due to lower interest rates in 2020 compared to the prior year and an increase in the proportion of short-term investments held relative to longer maturity investments.Net investment gains were $5.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020 as compared to net investment gains of $3.2 million for the same period the prior year. Net investment losses were $22.9 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to net investment gains of $20.6 million for the prior year. Net investment losses for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 included $1.7 million of other-than-temporary impairments reported during the third quarter comprised solely of secured obligations of American Airlines, Inc. maturing in 2022 and 2023 that have since recovered to market prices in excess of 90% of par value. The remaining net investment losses in fiscal 2020 were primarily due to sales of long-held equity securities in the first quarter of 2020 during the market decline associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These sales were a management decision to reallocate capital supporting the investment portfolio to insurance underwriting operations and were not reflective of investment views regarding the future prospects for the securities.Hallmark Financial held fixed-income securities of $507.3 million at December 31, 2020, with a tax equivalent book yield of 2.7% compared to 3.2% as of December 31, 2019. Hallmark Financial currently maintains a cautious interest rate risk position represented by a short portfolio duration. As of December 31, 2020, the fixed-income portfolio had an average modified duration of 0.8 years and 91% of the securities had remaining time to maturity of five years or less.Hallmark Financial held total investments of $536.7 million at December 31, 2020, with 5% of the investment portfolio invested in equity securities. Total investments, cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash were $645.0 million, or $35.55 per share, equivalent to 3.8 times book value per share of $9.42. Of this amount, total cash, cash equivalents and near-cash securities were $287.4 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $108.3 million, U.S. Treasury Bills with maturities of three months or less when purchased of $137.1 million and short-term investments in U.S. Treasury Notes with maturities less than 14 months of $42.0 million.Pre-Tax LossHallmark Financial had a pre-tax loss of $12.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020, as compared to a pre-tax loss of $43.1 million reported during the same period in 2019. The improvement in pre-tax results for the three months ended December 31, 2020 was predominately driven by lower unfavorable prior year net loss reserve development of $25.0 million as compared to $53.1 million for the same period the prior year.Hallmark Financial had a pre-tax loss of $114.2 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, as compared to a pre-tax loss of $1.0 million reported during 2019. The decline in pre-tax results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 was predominately driven by the impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets of $46.0 million, net investment losses of $22.9 million as compared to net investment gains of $20.6 million reported during 2019, a $21.7 million charge for a loss portfolio transfer reinsurance contract that closed during the third quarter of 2020, unfavorable prior year net loss reserve development of $58.3 million as compared to $60.9 million reported for the prior year and net catastrophe losses of $23.1 million as compared to $5.3 million for the prior year.Loss and Loss Adjustment Expenses (“LAE”) and Net Combined RatiosHallmark Financial reported a net combined ratio of 110.7% for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, as compared to 108.0% for 2019. During the first quarter of 2020, the Company announced its decision to exit the binding primary automobile business. The year-to-date combined ratio was negatively impacted by 12.4 points from this discontinued line of business, which included the $21.7 million cost of a loss portfolio transfer reinsurance agreement reported as losses and LAE.Losses and LAE for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 increased $50.7 million as compared to the prior year due primarily to the $21.7 million charge for the loss portfolio transfer reinsurance contract during the third quarter of 2020, increased net premiums earned and increased net catastrophe losses, partially offset by decreased unfavorable prior year reserve development. Hallmark Financial reported $58.3 million of net unfavorable prior year loss reserve development during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to net unfavorable prior year loss reserve development of $60.9 million during the prior year. Hallmark Financial also reported $23.1 million of net catastrophe losses during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to $5.3 million during the prior year.Hallmark Financial had a net loss ratio of 89.0% and 85.7%, respectively, for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to 118.1% and 82.9%, respectively, reported during the same periods in 2019. The charge for the loss portfolio reinsurance contract contributed 4.5 points to the net loss ratio for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. Catastrophe losses contributed 0.7 points and 4.8 points, respectively, to the net loss ratio for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, as compared to 0.6 points and 1.2 points, respectively, for the same periods of the prior year. Included in the 2020 net catastrophe losses for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 are $5.0 million of net reserves for COVID-19 claims that contributed 1.0 points to the total net loss ratio. Net unfavorable prior year loss reserve development contributed 22.2 points and 12.1 points, respectively, to the net loss ratio for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, as compared to 44.7 points and 13.9 points, respectively, for the same periods of the prior year. The following table shows the components impacting the reported 2020 losses and LAE and net loss ratio as compared to 2019 and the underlying current accident year loss ratio results excluding catastrophe losses and the charge for the loss portfolio transfer included in losses and LAE. The expense ratio was 27.8% and 25.0%, respectively, for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to 23.3% and 25.1%, respectively, reported during the same periods in 2019. The Company reported a net combined ratio of 116.8% and 110.7%, respectively, for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to 141.4% and 108.0%, respectively, during the same periods in 2019.Goodwill & IntangiblesIn connection with its normal process for evaluating impairment triggering events during the first quarter of 2020, the Company determined that a significant decline in its market capitalization below its stockholders’ equity indicated the impairment of the goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets included in its balance sheet. As a result, the Company took a $44.7 million charge to goodwill and a $1.3 million charge to indefinite-lived assets as of March 31, 2020.Net IncomeHallmark Financial reported a net loss of $6.0 million and $91.7 million, respectively, for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to a net loss of $34.0 million and $0.6 million for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, respectively.On a diluted basis per share, the Company reported a net loss of $0.33 per share and $5.05 per share, respectively, for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to a net loss of $1.87 per share and $0.03 per share, respectively, for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.Book Value Per ShareHallmark Financial reported book value of $9.42 per share as of December 31, 2020 as compared to $14.53 per share as of December 31, 2019.Non-GAAP Financial MeasuresThe Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). However, the Company also presents and discusses certain non-GAAP financial measures that it believes are useful to investors as measures of operating performance. Management may also use such non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating the effectiveness of business strategies and for planning and budgeting purposes. However, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be viewed as an alternative or substitute for the results reflected in the Company’s GAAP financial statements. In addition, the Company’s definitions of these items may not be comparable to the definitions used by other companies.Operating loss and operating loss per share are calculated by excluding net investment gains and losses, impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets (“Impairments”) and the cost of the loss portfolio transfer transaction (“LPT”) entered into during the third quarter of 2020 from GAAP net income. The Impairments and LPT are unusual and infrequent charges for the Company. Management believes that operating earnings and operating earnings per share provide useful information to investors about the performance of and underlying trends in the Company’s core insurance operations. Net income and net income per share are the GAAP measures that are most directly comparable to operating earnings and operating earnings per share. A reconciliation of operating earnings and operating earnings per share to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is presented below.
About Hallmark FinancialHallmark Financial is a specialty property and casualty insurance holding company with a diversified portfolio of insurance products written on a national platform. With six insurance subsidiaries, Hallmark Financial markets, underwrites and services commercial and personal insurance in select markets. Hallmark Financial is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and its common stock is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “HALL.”Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, continued acceptance of the Company’s products and services in the marketplace, competitive factors, interest rate trends, general economic conditions, the availability of financing, underwriting loss experience and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.For further information, please contact:David Webb
Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy
817.348.1600
www.hallmarkgrp.com
(1) The net loss ratio is calculated as incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses divided by net premiums earned, each determined in accordance with GAAP. The net expense ratio is calculated as total underwriting expenses offset by agency fee income divided by net premiums earned, each determined in accordance with GAAP. The net combined ratio is calculated as the sum of the net loss ratio and the net expense ratio.(1) The net loss ratio is calculated as incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses divided by net premiums earned, each determined in accordance with GAAP. The net expense ratio is calculated as total underwriting expenses offset by agency fee income divided by net premiums earned, each determined in accordance with GAAP. The net combined ratio is calculated as the sum of the net loss ratio and the net expense ratio. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a1f6ffb4-2112-415a-afcf-f8485ef12ce7
