Mercury General Corporation Announces Thrid Quarter Results and Increases Quarterly Dividend

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) reported today for the third quarter of 2010:

Net income in the third quarter 2010 was $96.8 million ($1.77 per diluted share) compared with net income of $157.7 million ($2.85 per diluted share) for the same period in 2009. For the nine months of 2010, net income was $175.8 million ($3.21 per diluted share) compared with net income of $368.8 million ($6.70 per diluted share) for the same period in 2009. Included in net income are net realized investment gains, net of tax, of $56.2 million ($1.03 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2010 compared with net realized investment gains, net of tax, of $111.4 million ($2.01 per diluted share) for the same period in 2009, and net realized investment gains, net of tax, of $52.5 million ($0.96 per diluted share) for the nine months of 2010 compared with net realized investment gains, net of tax, of $229.2 million ($4.16 per diluted share) for the same period in 2009. Operating income was $40.7 million ($0.74 per diluted share) for the third quarter of 2010 compared with operating income of $46.3 million ($0.84 per diluted share) for the same period in 2009. For the nine months of 2010, operating income was $123.3 million ($2.25 per diluted share) compared with operating income of $139.7 million ($2.54 per diluted share) for the same period in 2009.  

Net premiums written were $654.7 million in the third quarter of 2010, a 1.2% decrease compared to the third quarter 2009 net premiums written of $662.8 million, and were approximately $1.9 billion for the nine months of 2010, a 1.7% decrease compared to the same period in 2009. Net realized investment gains, net of tax, of $56.2 million and $52.5 million for the third quarter and for the nine months of 2010, respectively, include gains, net of tax, of $57.0 million and $49.4 million, respectively, from the application of the fair value option. Gains, net of tax, from the sale of securities were $0 and $3.2 million during the third quarter and the nine months of 2010, respectively.

The Company's combined ratio (GAAP basis) was 98.0% in the third quarter of 2010 and 97.8% for the nine months of 2010 compared with 96.4% and 96.5% for the same periods in 2009. The loss ratio was affected by favorable development of approximately $18 million and $40 million on prior accident years' losses and loss adjustment expenses reserves for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The favorable development in 2010 is largely the result of re-estimates of accident year 2009 California bodily injury losses which have experienced both lower average severities and fewer late reported claims (claim count development) than were originally estimated at December 31, 2009.

Net investment income of $36.0 million (after tax, $32.3 million) in the third quarter of 2010 increased by 2.2% compared to the same period in 2009. The investment income after-tax yield was 4.1% on average investments (fixed maturities at amortized cost, equities and short-term investments at cost) of $3.1 billion for the third quarter 2010. This compares with an investment income after-tax yield of 4.0% on average investments of $3.2 billion for the same period in 2009. Net investment income for the nine months of 2010 was $108.4 million (after tax $97.0 million), a decrease of 0.9% compared to the same period in 2009. The investment income after-tax yield was 4.2% on average assets of $3.1 billion for the nine months of 2010. This compares with an investment income after-tax yield of 4.1% on average investments of $3.2 billion for the same period in 2009.

The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share, representing a 1.7% increase over the quarterly dividend amount paid in 2009. The dividend is to be paid on December 30, 2010 to shareholders of record on December 16, 2010.

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 in many states. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.mercuryinsurance.com. The Company will be hosting a conference call and webcast today at 10:00 A.M. Pacific time where management will discuss results and address questions. The teleconference and webcast can be accessed by calling (877) 807-1888 (USA), (706) 679-3827 (International) or by visiting www.mercuryinsurance.com. A replay of the call will be available beginning at 1:30 P.M. Pacific time and running through November 8, 2010. The replay telephone numbers are (800) 642-1687 (USA) or (706) 645-9291 (International). The conference ID# is 16668282. The replay will also be available on the Company's website shortly following the call.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this press release 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 the impact of current economic conditions on the Company's market and investment portfolio; the accuracy and adequacy of the Company's pricing methodologies; adverse weather conditions or natural disasters in the markets served by the Company; general market risks associated with the Company's investment portfolio; 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 regulatory approval for requested rate changes; legislation adverse to the automobile insurance industry or business generally that may be enacted in California or other states; the Company's success in managing its business in states outside of California; the Company's ability to successfully complete its initiative to standardize its policies and procedures nationwide in all of its functional areas; the presence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing; changes in driving patterns and loss trends; acts of war and terrorist activities; court decisions and trends in litigation and health care and auto repair costs and marketing efforts; and legal, 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 filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Information Regarding 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.

Operating income is net income excluding realized investment gains and losses, net of tax. Net income is the GAAP measure that is most directly comparable to operating income. Operating income is used by management along with the other components of net income to assess the Company's performance. Management uses operating income as an important measure to evaluate the results of the Company's insurance business. Management believes that operating income 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 net effect of realized capital gains and losses. Realized capital gains and losses may vary significantly between periods and are generally driven by external economic developments such as capital market conditions. Accordingly, operating income highlights the results from ongoing operations and the underlying profitability of the Company's core insurance business. Operating income, which is provided as supplemental information and should not be considered as a substitute for net income, does not reflect the overall profitability of our business.  It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. The Company has reconciled operating income with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the table below.

Net premiums written represents the premiums charged on policies issued during a fiscal period. Net premiums earned, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, represents the portion of premiums written that have been recognized as income in the financial statements for the periods presented as earned on a pro-rata basis over the term of the policies. Net premiums written are meant as supplemental information and are not intended to replace net premiums earned. Such information should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. The Company has reconciled net premiums written with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the supplemental schedule entitled, "Summary of Operating Results."

Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses is the portion of incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, excluding 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. The Company has reconciled paid losses and loss adjustment expenses with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the supplemental schedule entitled, "Summary of Operating Results."

Combined ratio-accident period basis is computed as the difference between two GAAP operating ratios: the combined ratio and the effect of prior accident periods' loss development. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is the combined ratio. The Company believes that this ratio is useful to investors and it is used by management 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 combined ratio. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. The Company has reconciled combined ratio-accident period basis with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the table below.