Citizens, Inc. Reports Third Quarter three and nine months 2014 Results

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens, Inc. (NYSE: CIA) reported results today for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014.

Rick D. Riley, Vice Chairman and President, said, "We are reporting very solid results with an increase in premium sales revenue of 7.3% and 6.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 compared to the same periods in 2013.  Net investment income increased 8.5% and 11.6% for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2014 compared to the corresponding periods in 2013.  The average yield on the consolidated portfolio as of the nine months ended September 30, 2014 improved to an annualized rate of 4.22% up from 4.10% for the same period in 2013 as we continue to see increased yields from the historical low rates of prior years."

Riley added, "Claims and surrenders expense increased 3.4% and 4.6% for the three and nine months ended in 2014 compared to 2013 as surrender benefits reported in both insurance segments increased in the current year compared to 2013 levels.  The majority of surrender activity comes from our international life segment and relates to policies beyond their fifteenth year duration where surrender charges no longer apply.  Death claims decreased 8.3% for the three months and increased slightly for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 as we experienced favorable claims development in the current quarter for both the life and home service segments."

"Net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 increased 27% and 17%, respectively. Book value per share of Class A common stock was $5.33 at September 30, 2014."

"As previously reported, we anticipate Magnolia Guaranty Life Insurance Company ("MGLIC") will account for approximately $0.3 million of additional net income for the full year of 2014.  We completed integration of MGLIC into our insurance administration system during the third quarter of 2014 and we continue working to conform its operations to our standards.  MGLIC is included in our home service business segment as a wholly owned Security Plan Life Insurance Company subsidiary."

Non-GAAP Financial Measures - The table above reconciles Net Income to Operating Income. Operating Income is a "Non-GAAP" financial measure that is widely used in our industry to evaluate the performance of underwriting operations. Operating Income excludes the after-tax net effects of Net Realized Investment Gains and Losses. We believe it presents a useful view of the performance of our insurance operations. While we believe disclosure of certain Non-GAAP information is appropriate, you should not consider this information without also considering the information we present in accordance with GAAP.

INSURANCE OPERATIONS

• Life Insurance – Our Life Insurance segment primarily issues ordinary whole life insurance and endowments in U.S. Dollar-denominated amounts to foreign residents in approximately 30 countries through independent marketing consultants, and domestically through independent marketing firms and consultants across the United States.
  • Premiums – Life insurance premium revenues increased for the three and nine months of 2014, primarily from higher international renewal premiums, as we continue to experience strong endowment sales and persistency.  First year premiums increased 21.4% for the three months and 9.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 compared to the same periods in 2013. Renewal premiums are also up 5.5% and 5.8% for the three and nine months compared to the prior year. The endowment to age sixty-five and the twenty-year endowment  continue to be the preferred products internationally.  Venezuela, Colombia and Taiwan which have been our top three producing countries, all showed premium growth for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013.
  • Benefits and expenses – Future policy benefit reserves increased as endowment products accumulate higher reserve balances on the front end when compared to whole life products. Commission expense increased comparatively as first year sales expanded and renewal premium remained strong. Death claims decreased for the three months ended September 30, 2014 by 13.2% due to lower reported claims but were up slightly year to date in 2014 compared to 2013. Surrender expense was up 19.8% and 9.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 compared to 2013 levels for the same period. Our overall surrenders have remained at a level totaling approximately 0.6% of in force with a large portion related to policies that have passed the surrender charge period, which is typically fourteen years.
• Home Service – Our Home Service Insurance segment provides pre-need and final expense ordinary life insurance and annuities to middle and lower income individuals, primarily in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. Our policies in this segment are sold and serviced through funeral homes and a home service marketing distribution system utilizing employees and independent agents.
  • Premiums – Home service premiums increased 5.6% and 5.4% for the three and nine months in 2014 compared to 2013 primarily due to the added premium associated with the MGLIC acquisition of $0.6 million and $1.4 million. We expect this acquisition will benefit our Home Service segment through enhanced marketing opportunities in Mississippi.
  • Benefits and expenses – Claims and surrenders decreased by 7.1% for the three months but remained relatively flat for nine months in 2014 compared to 2013, due primarily to reported death claims activity in both current periods. In 2013, we experienced increased weather-related property claims, which was not the case in 2014, therefore current property claims are lower on a comparative basis by 28.4% and 27.1% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 to 2013. This segment reported increased amortization of deferred acquisition costs, as we experienced higher policy lapses in the current year. Additionally, the inclusion of MGLIC results affected comparability.

The non-insurance segment represents the administrative support entities to the insurance operations whose revenues are primarily intercompany and have been eliminated in consolidation under GAAP.

INVESTMENTS

• Invested assets – Total invested assets continued to increase from year-end 2013 as new premium revenues were invested primarily in fixed maturity bonds and policy loans rose.
  • Fixed maturity securities represented 84.0% of invested assets and cash at September 30, 2014, compared to 83.9% at year-end 2013.
  • Equity security holdings increased to $55.6 million at September 30, 2014 from $47.3 million at year-end 2013 with the increase primarily from the MGLIC acquisition and additional purchases in mutual funds in the current quarter.  The majority of our equity holdings are bond mutual funds.
  • Cash and cash equivalents represented 5.2% of total cash, cash equivalents and invested assets at September 30, 2014, down from 5.5% at year-end 2013, reflecting the timing of calls of securities owned and of investment and reinvestment of new premium revenues and other available funds.
• Investment income – Net investment income increased 8.5% and 11.6% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 compared to the same periods in 2013, primarily due to an increase in overall yield on invested assets and from overall asset growth from premium collections received and invested in fixed maturity bonds. In addition, our policy loan asset balance rose by 7.6% during the nine months in 2014, resulting in a policy loan income increase as a component of investment income.
  • Yield – Average annualized yield was 4.22% for the nine months ended in 2014 compared to 4.11% for the full year of 2013 and 4.10% for the nine months ended September 30, 2013.
  • Duration – The average maturity of the fixed income bond portfolio was approximately 12 years with an estimated effective maturity of 7 years as of September 30, 2014.
• Realized investment gains (losses) - During the three months ended September 30, 2014 the Company recognized other -than-temporary impairments on two short-term bond mutual funds that we no longer have the intent to hold. For the nine months ended we sold three bond mutual fund issues totaling $15.0 million for a net loss of $51,000. We reinvested these proceeds into more attractive bond mutual funds for expected improvement in yields.

INVESTOR CONFERENCE CALL

On Thursday, November 6, 2014, Citizens will host a conference call to discuss operating results at 10:00 a.m. Central Standard Time.  The conference call will be hosted by Rick D. Riley, Vice Chairman and President, Kay Osbourn, Chief Financial Officer, and other members of the Company's management team.  To participate, please dial 888-438-5491 and ask to join the Citizens, Inc. call ID 5181201.  We recommend accessing the call three to five minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.  A recording of the conference call will be available on Citizens' website at www.citizensinc.com in the Investor Relations section under SEC Filings & News Releases following the call.

ABOUT CITIZENS, INC.

Citizens, Inc. is a financial services company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CIA.  The Company utilizes a three-pronged strategy for growth based upon worldwide sales of U.S. Dollar-denominated whole life cash value insurance policies, life insurance product sales in the U.S. and the acquisition of other U.S. based life insurance companies.

SAFE HARBOR

Information herein contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which can be identified by words such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate" or "continue" or comparable words. In addition, all statements other than statements of historical facts that address activities that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements.  Readers are encouraged to read the SEC reports of the Company, particularly its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its current reports on Form 8-K, for the meaningful cautionary language disclosing why actual results may vary materially from those anticipated by management.  The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in the Company's expectations.  The Company also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by the investment community.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kay Osbourn
Chief Financial Officer
(512) 837-7100
[email protected]

SOURCE Citizens, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.citizensinc.com