Exhibit 99.1
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| | CONTACT: Todd Pozefsky (203) 458-5807 |
WHITE MOUNTAINS REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS
HAMILTON, Bermuda (February 7, 2018) - White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM) reported book value per share of $931 and adjusted book value per share of $915 as of December 31, 2017. Book value per share increased 1% and 19% for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, including dividends, and adjusted book value per share increased 1% and 16% for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, including dividends.
Manning Rountree, CEO, commented, “ABVPS grew 1% for the quarter and 16% for the year. Satisfying results. BAM finished the year with strong volume and good pricing in the 4th quarter. Uncertainty over tax reform pulled forward issuance volume into the quarter, and we expect a slower start to 2018 for BAM as a result. In December, BAM made its first cash payment of principal and interest on its surplus notes. MediaAlpha took a big step forward in the quarter, with robust organic growth and a nice tuck-in acquisition. The investment portfolio returned 1.4% in the quarter, a good result and the primary driver of ABVPS growth. Tax reform had no impact on our ABVPS. For the year, we returned $724 million in capital to shareholders through share repurchases, retiring 18% of the shares outstanding in the process. We ended 2017 with $2.1 billion in undeployed capital. We continue to pursue new opportunities with energy, rigor and discipline.”
Comprehensive income attributable to common shareholders was $23 million and $631 million in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, compared to comprehensive income (loss) attributable to common shareholders of $(39) million and $547 million in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2016. Net income attributable to common shareholders was $23 million and $627 million in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, compared to net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders of $(39) million and $402 million in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2016.
HG Global/BAM
BAM insured municipal bonds with par value of $3.3 billion and $10.4 billion in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $2.8 billion and $11.3 billion in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2016. Gross written premiums and member surplus contributions totaled $33 million and $101 million in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $24 million and $77 million in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2016. Total pricing, which is premiums plus member surplus contributions weighted by the par value of bonds insured, was 99 basis points in both the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 84 and 68 basis points in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2016. BAM’s total claims paying resources increased $65 million to $708 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to an increase of $43 million to $644 million in the year ended December 31, 2016.
Seán McCarthy, CEO of BAM, said, “BAM had a strong quarter to close out a solid year. Claims-paying resources grew in every quarter of 2017, driven by increases in total premiums, improvements in risk-adjusted pricing, and larger average transaction size. Volatile market conditions in the fourth quarter highlighted the value of our guaranty to a wide range of retail and institutional investors. During the quarter, BAM paid $5 million of principal and interest in cash on the surplus notes held by HG Global.”
The following information was filed by White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd (WTM) on Wednesday, February 7, 2018 as an 8K 2.02 statement, which is an earnings press release pertaining to results of operations and financial condition. It may be helpful to assess the quality of management by comparing the information in the press release to the information in the accompanying 10-K Annual Report statement of earnings and operation as management may choose to highlight particular information in the press release.