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RenaissanceRe Reports Net Income of $1.59 Per Common Share for 2003 Third Quarter Compared to $1.26 Per Common Share for 2002 Third Quarter

October 21, 2003

Click here to view this release in printable (PDF) format

Operating EPS of $1.57 per Common Share for 2003 Third Quarter Compared to $1.11 for 2002 Third Quarter

Continued Growth in Individual Risk Premiums - Ahead of Previous Expectations

Achieves Annualized Operating Return on Equity of 24% for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2003

PEMBROKE, Bermuda, Oct 21, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: RNR): >RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: RNR) today reported $112.0 million in third quarter net operating income available to common shareholders, compared to $78.0 million in the third quarter of 2002. Operating income excludes realized investment gains of $1.2 million and $10.2 million in the third quarters of 2003 and 2002, respectively. Operating income per common share grew to $1.57 in the third quarter of 2003, from $1.11 per common share in the third quarter of the previous year. Net income available to common shareholders rose 28.3% to $113.2 million or $1.59 per common share in the quarter, from $88.2 million or $1.26 per common share for the same quarter of 2002.

James N. Stanard, Chairman and CEO, commented: "We again delivered outstanding financial results in the third quarter. Our Reinsurance segment performed in line with our expectations, and continued to deliver market leading returns on equity. Managed Cat premiums are roughly flat for the nine months, although quarterly premiums have fluctuated as large programs move in and out of our portfolio. Our Individual Risk segment generated premium growth of over 50% comparing the 2003 third quarter with the 2002 third quarter--excluding the benefit of $50 million of premium associated with the assumption of a portfolio of business in 2003. We continue to be very pleased with the strong performance of the Individual Risk segment, which includes primary insurance and quota share reinsurance."

For the nine months ended September 30, 2003, net operating income available to common shareholders was $372.8 million or $5.25 per common share, compared to $258.0 million or $3.68 per common share for the same period in 2002. Operating income excludes realized investment gains of $71.9 million and $13.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively, and, in 2002, the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle of $9.2 million - goodwill. Net income available to common shareholders for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 was $444.7 million or $6.27 per common share, compared to $262.6 million or $3.75 per common share for the same period in 2002.

Gross premiums written for the third quarter of 2003 were $313.3 million, compared to $282.6 million for the same quarter of 2002. Net premiums written for the third quarter of 2003 were $236.6 million, versus $192.7 million for the same quarter of 2002. Net premiums earned for the third quarter of 2003 were $277.4 million, compared to $191.3 million for the same quarter of 2002. Those premiums include $25.1 million of gross written premiums, $29.5 million of net written premiums and $49.9 million of net premiums earned by the Company's consolidated joint venture, DaVinci Re during the third quarter of 2003, compared to $38.5 million of gross written premiums, $36.2 million of net written premiums and $42.3 million of net premiums earned by DaVinci Re during the third quarter of 2002.

Gross premiums written for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 were $1,211.0 million, compared to $1,013.7 million for the same period of 2002. Net premiums written for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 were $987.2 million, compared to $770.3 million for the same period of 2002. Net premiums earned for the first nine months of 2003 were $816.4 million, compared to $526.4 million for the same period of 2002. Those premiums include $168.7 million of gross written premiums, $175.0 million of net written premiums and $145.7 million of net premiums earned by DaVinci Re during the first nine months of 2003, compared to $168.6 million of gross written premiums, $166.3 million of net written premiums and $100.1 million of net premiums earned by DaVinci Re for the first nine months of 2002.

Total Managed Catastrophe Premiums Written, representing gross catastrophe premiums written by Renaissance Reinsurance and by related joint ventures, was $109.3 million for the third quarter, compared to $165.9 million for the same quarter of 2002. Total Managed Cat Premium for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 were $677.8 million, compared to $681.1 million for the same period in 2002. See the attached supplemental financial data for additional details regarding managed premiums.

Total Individual Risk premiums written during the quarter were $173.7 million, compared to $81.2 million for the same quarter of 2002. Individual Risk premiums for the quarter include $50 million of premium from the assumption of an in-force book of business. Excluding the assumption of this portfolio of business, Individual Risk premiums increased by $42.5 million or greater than 50% as compared with the same quarter for 2002. Total Individual Risk premiums written for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 were $335.2 million, an 81% increase from the $185.0 million reported for the comparable period of 2002.

Net investment income, excluding realized and unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities, for the third quarter of 2003 increased to $28.3 million, compared to $23.7 million for the same period in 2002. Net investment income, excluding realized and unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities, for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 was $93.8 million, compared to $73.0 million for the same period in 2002. Net investment income for the third quarter of 2003 includes appreciation of $3.5 million related to investments in hedge funds and private equity funds, compared with a loss of $2.3 million for the same quarter in 2002. For the first nine months of 2003, income from these investments totaled $12.9 million as compared to a loss of $2.2 million for the same nine month period in 2002.

Claims and claim expenses incurred for the quarter ended September 30, 2003 were $96.9 million, or 34.9% of net premiums earned. In comparison, claims and claim expenses incurred for the quarter ended September 30, 2002 were $82.9 million, or 43.3% of net premiums earned. Claims and claim expenses incurred for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 were $279.7 million or 34.3% of net premiums earned, compared to $199.2 million or 37.8% of net premiums earned for the same period in 2002. During the quarter, the Company recorded favorable development on prior period reserves of $25.5 million or a benefit of 9.2 points to the Company's quarterly loss ratio. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2003, the Company has recorded favorable reserve development on prior period reserves of $50.0 million, or a benefit of 6.1 points to the Company's year to date loss ratio.

During the quarter the Company's expense ratio increased to 26.8% compared to 17.5% for the third quarter of 2002. The increase in the expense ratio primarily relates to the Company's increase in premiums related to the Individual Risk segment, which typically generates higher expense ratios as compared with the Company's reinsurance operations.

During the quarter, income from the DaVinci joint venture and other fee income on managed cat business was $32.6 million, compared to $29.8 million during the third quarter of 2002. Of this, $19.3 million was generated from fees and profit commissions, compared to $14.1 million in the third quarter of 2002, and $14.1 million was generated from the Company's equity pick up from joint ventures, versus $13.6 million in the comparable quarter of 2002. A summary of income from joint venture relationships, which includes aggregate earnings from joint venture activities, fees related to catastrophe business, and miscellaneous other items, is presented in the supplemental disclosures. The principal differences between other income as reported and the summary of income in the supplemental disclosure are that the results of DaVinci Re are reflected as if it were reported under the equity accounting method, and the summary presentation also includes fees earned on certain quota share cessions of catastrophe business by the Company which are reflected on the income statement as a reduction of acquisition and operational expenses.

Shareholders' equity attributable to common shareholders was $1.93 billion at September 30, 2003, compared to $1.49 billion at December 31, 2002. Book value per common share at September 30, 2003 was $27.41, compared to $21.39 per common share at December 31, 2002.

Effective in the third quarter, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 150 ("SFAS 150"), "Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equities". As a result, the Company's obligated, mandatorily redeemable capital securities of a subsidiary trust, previously classified as minority interest, have been reclassified to liabilities on the balance sheet and the related dividends have been reclassified to interest expense in the income statement, respectively, for all periods presented.

As previously announced, RenaissanceRe is in the process of negotiating a long-term strategic investment, along with three highly experienced partners, MBIA, Partner Re and Koch Financial, to form a new financial guaranty reinsurer, Channel Re. RenaissanceRe anticipates that Channel Re will be a stable, long-term financial guaranty reinsurer, and will benefit from a strong alignment of interests with MBIA. Channel Re is expected to have a senior management team comprised of seasoned industry professionals. Upon inception, Channel Re would assume a portfolio of in-force business from MBIA, participate in MBIA's reinsurance treaty and provide facultative reinsurance support to MBIA. RenaissanceRe's total financial commitment is expected to be in the range of $115 - $125 million, and Channel Re is expected to produce attractive financial returns for its shareholders. The consummation of the transaction remains subject to final documentation, numerous closing conditions, regulatory approval and the completion of the process to obtain appropriate financial strength ratings.

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. will host a conference call on Wednesday, October 22, 2003 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT) to discuss this release. Live broadcast of the conference call will be available through the Investor Section of RenaissanceRe's website at www.renre.com.

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: RNR), is a global provider of reinsurance and insurance. The Company's business primarily consists of four components: (1) catastrophe reinsurance; (2) catastrophe reinsurance written for the account of joint ventures Top Layer Reinsurance Ltd. and DaVinci Reinsurance Ltd; (3) specialty reinsurance; and (4) individual risk business which includes primary insurance and quota share reinsurance.

Cautionary Statement under "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements made in this news release contain information about the Company's future business prospects. These statements may be considered "forward-looking." These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. For further information regarding cautionary statements and factors affecting future operations results, please refer to RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, and Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31 and June 30, 2003.

             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
              Summary Consolidated Statements of Income
   For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 and 2002
  (in thousands of United States Dollars, except per share amounts)
                             (Unaudited)


                             Quarters Ended       Nine Months Ended
                           ------------------- -----------------------
                           Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30,   Sept. 30,
                              2003      2002       2003        2002
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------

Revenues
  Gross premiums written   $313,317  $282,597  $1,211,044  $1,013,725
                           ========= ========= =========== ===========

  Net premiums written     $236,570  $192,687    $987,163    $770,300
  Decrease (increase) in
   unearned premiums         40,794    (1,377)   (170,790)   (243,940)
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------
  Net premiums earned       277,364   191,310     816,373     526,360
  Net investment income      28,280    23,737      93,823      73,021
  Net foreign exchange
   gains                        252       888      11,843       2,588
  Other income                7,979     7,951      20,722      24,227
  Net realized gains on
   investments                1,172    10,219      71,944      13,736
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------

  Total revenues            315,047   234,105   1,014,705     639,932
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------
Expenses
  Claims and claim expenses
   incurred                  96,856    82,931     279,712     199,198
  Acquisition expenses       56,317    23,802     139,154      62,719
  Operational expenses       17,882     9,616      49,121      30,241
  Corporate expenses          4,456     3,466      12,601      10,844
  Interest expense            6,145     5,258      19,261      15,069
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------

  Total expenses            181,656   125,073     499,849     318,071
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------
Income before minority
 interest and taxes and
 change in accounting
 principle                  133,391   109,032     514,856     321,861
Minority interest - DaVinci  15,211    17,689      56,246      40,636
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------
Income before taxes and
 change in accounting
 principle                  118,180    91,343     458,610     281,225
Income tax benefit
 (expense)                      (37)      (59)         18        (382)
Cumulative effect of a
 change in accounting
 principle - SFAS 142 -
  Goodwill                        -         -           -      (9,187)

  Net income                118,143    91,284     458,628     271,656
Dividends on Preference
 Shares                       4,903     3,038      13,939       9,079
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------
  Net income available to
   Common Shareholders     $113,240   $88,246    $444,689    $262,577
                           ========= ========= =========== ===========

Operating Earnings per
 Common Share - diluted *     $1.57     $1.11       $5.25       $3.68
Earnings per Common Share -
 basic                        $1.63     $1.30       $6.45       $3.90
Earnings per Common Share -
 diluted                      $1.59     $1.26       $6.27       $3.75

Average shares outstanding
 - basic                     69,307    67,865      68,938      67,326
Average shares outstanding
 - diluted                   71,187    70,272      70,936      70,090

Claims and claim expense
 ratio                         34.9%     43.3%       34.3%       37.8%
Expense ratio                  26.8%     17.5%       23.0%       17.7%
                           --------- --------- ----------- -----------
Combined ratio                 61.7%     60.8%       57.3%       55.5%
                           ========= ========= =========== ===========

Operating return on average
 equity (annualized) *         23.9%     24.2%       28.9%       28.7%
                           ========= ========= =========== ===========

* Excludes realized gains on investments and, in 2002, the cumulative
  effect of a change in accounting principle - SFAS 142 - Goodwill.
             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
                 Summary Consolidated Balance Sheets
  (in thousands of United States Dollars, except per share amounts)

                                                 As at
                                  ------------------------------------
                                  September 30, 2003 December 31, 2002
                                  ------------------ -----------------
                                     (Unaudited)         (Audited)
Assets
Fixed maturity investments
 available for sale, at fair value
 (Amortized cost $2,640,852 and
 $2,153,715 at September 30, 2003
 and December 31, 2002,
 respectively)                           $2,698,720        $2,221,109
Short term investments                      964,309           570,497
Other investments                           224,699           129,918
Equity investment in reinsurance
 company at fair value (Cost
 $84,199 at September 30, 2003 and
 December 31, 2002)                         136,432           120,288
Cash and cash equivalents                    84,029            87,067
                                  ------------------ -----------------
       Total investments and cash         4,108,189         3,128,879
Premiums receivable                         312,199           199,449
Ceded reinsurance balances                  108,694            73,360
Losses recoverable                          157,059           199,533
Accrued investment income                    29,605            25,833
Deferred acquisition costs                   95,376            55,853
Other assets                                 58,070            62,829
                                  ------------------ -----------------
     Total assets                        $4,869,192        $3,745,736
                                  ================== =================

Liabilities, Minority Interest and
 Shareholders' Equity

Liabilities
Reserve for claims and claim expenses      $981,687          $804,795
Reserve for unearned premiums               538,262           331,985
Debt                                        434,630           359,630
Reinsurance balances payable                198,413           146,732
Other                                       121,613            97,013
                                  ------------------ -----------------
     Total liabilities                    2,274,605         1,740,155
                                  ------------------ -----------------

Minority Interest - DaVinci                 416,942           363,546

Shareholders' Equity

Preference Shares                           250,000           150,000
Common shares and additional
 paid-in capital                            310,094           320,936
Unearned stock grant compensation                 -           (18,468)
Accumulated other comprehensive income      110,101            95,234
Retained earnings                         1,507,450         1,094,333
                                  ------------------ -----------------

     Total shareholders' equity           2,177,645         1,642,035
                                  ------------------ -----------------
     Total liabilities, minority
      interest, and shareholders'
      equity                             $4,869,192        $3,745,736
                                  ================== =================

Book value per Common Share                  $27.41            $21.39
                                  ================== =================
Common Shares outstanding                    70,324            69,750
                                  ================== =================
             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
                     Supplemental Financial Data
               (in thousands of United States Dollars)
                             (Unaudited)


Gross Written Premiums       Quarters Ended       Nine Months Ended
                          --------------------  ----------------------
                          Sept. 30,  Sept. 30,  Sept. 30,   Sept. 30,
                             2003       2002       2003        2002
                          ---------  ---------- ----------  ----------

Renaissance Cat Premium  $  84,780  $ 114,756  $  457,710  $  439,403
Renaissance Specialty
 Premium                    29,806     48,104     249,445     220,759
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
     Total Renaissance
      Reinsurance Premium  114,586    162,860     707,155     660,162
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
DaVinci Cat Premium         22,735     38,491     145,953     168,554
DaVinci Specialty Premium    2,324          -      22,733           -
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
     Total DaVinci
      Reinsurance
      Premium               25,059     38,491     168,686     168,554
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
          Total
           Reinsurance
           Premium         139,645    201,351     875,841     828,716
Individual Risk
 Premium (1)               173,672     81,246     335,203     185,009
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
          Total Premiums $ 313,317  $ 282,597  $1,211,044  $1,013,725
                          =========  =========  ==========  ==========

Total Managed Cat
 Premiums (2)            $ 109,285  $ 165,906  $  677,794  $  681,056
                          =========  =========  ==========  ==========

(1) Includes combined premium ceded to Renaissance and DaVinci of
    $18.5 million and $nil for the quarters ended September 30, 2003
    and 2002 respectively, and $24.2 million and $1.0 million for the
    nine months ended September 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Such
    amounts of premium are excluded from the Renaissance and DaVinci
    premiums shown above.

(2) Total Managed Cat Premiums include Renaissance and DaVinci Cat
    Premium, as above, and Cat Premium of $1.8 million and $12.7
    million for the quarters ended September 30, 2003 and 2002,
    respectively, and $74.1 million and $73.1 million for the nine
    months ended September 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively, written on
    behalf of our joint venture, Top Layer Re.


Other Income                 Quarters Ended       Nine Months Ended
                          --------------------  ----------------------
                          Sept. 30,  Sept. 30,  Sept. 30,   Sept. 30,
                             2003       2002       2003        2002
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
As Reported
-----------
Fee income               $   3,530  $     941  $    6,008  $    2,941
Equity pick up               5,272      4,923      17,833      16,059
Other items                   (823)     2,087      (3,119)      5,227
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------

Total other income
 - as reported           $   7,979  $   7,951  $   20,722  $   24,227
                          =========  =========  ==========  ==========

Summary of all income
 from joint venture
 relationships (3)
---------------------
Fee income (4)           $  19,312  $  14,106  $   55,132  $   38,295
Equity pick up              14,112     13,622      48,336      37,478
Other items                   (823)     2,087      (3,119)      5,227
                          ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------

Total                    $  32,601  $  29,815  $  100,349  $   81,000
                          =========  =========  ==========  ==========

(3) Reported GAAP presentation adjusted to reflect:
    --  fee income and the Company's interest in DaVinci as if DaVinci
        were accounted for under the equity method
    --  other fee income on managed cat business which is reflected on
        the income statement as a reduction of acquisition and
        operational expenses

(4) Excludes fee income received on capital invested by RenaissanceRe
    Holdings.

SOURCE: RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.

Investor Contact:
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.
Martin J. Merritt
Senior Vice President - Finance
441-299-7230
or
Media Contact:
Kekst and Company
David Lilly or Dawn Dover
212-521-4800