Published:
SCOR : First nine months of 2005
First nine months of 2005:
Net income EUR 83 million, an increase of 38%
Moderate impact of natural catastrophes on the results
. Gross written premiums: EUR 1,767 million (-10% compared
to the first nine months of 2004)
. Operating income: EUR 186 million (+25% compared to the
first nine months of 2004)
. Net income after tax: EUR 83 million (+38% compared to the
first nine months of 2004)
. Net income per share: EUR 0.10 (+25% compared to the first
nine months of 2004)
. Group equity at 30 September 2005: EUR 1,680 million (+27%
compared to 31 December 2004)
. Combined ratio for Non-Life business: 103.8% excluding CRP
(106.0% including CRP). Impact of major natural catastrophes
on the combined ratio for Non-Life business in the first
nine months of 2005: 11.3 points.
. Margin on net earned premiums for Life business: 8.2%
. Investment income net of expenses and excluding borrowing
costs:
EUR 323 million (+35% compared to the first nine months of
2004)
. Significant events:
- Impact on the net income after tax of Katrina and Rita :
respectively EUR 37 millions and EUR 12.5 millions.
- Impact on the net income after tax of all major natural
catastrophes in the first nine months of 2005 : EUR 74
million
- Net technical cost before tax of all major natural
catastrophes in the first nine months: EUR 101 million.
- Implementation of a Redundancy Plan following consultation
with the unions and a reserve of EUR 10 million posted for
SCOR Paris.
The Board of Directors' meeting of 2 November 2005, chaired
by Denis Kessler, approved the accounts for the first nine
months of 2005, which were established under IFRS. The
results are compared with the accounts for the first nine
months of 2004, using the 2004 accounts established under
IFRS.
1. Results for the first nine months of 2005: a satisfactory
level of profitability despite the impact of major natural
catastrophes
The first nine months of 2005 bear witness to the SCOR
Group's satisfactory profitability level, which is enhanced
by its recent underwriting years (2002 onwards) in Non-Life
reinsurance and by the maintained profitability of its Life
reinsurance business. Net income was EUR 83 million for the
first nine months of 2005, up 38% compared to the first nine
months of 2004.
The combined ratio for Non-Life business in the first nine
months of 2005 was 106.0%, compared to 103.6% for the first
nine months of 2004. Excluding CRP, a run-off subsidiary,
the combined ratio for Non-Life business was 103.8% for the
first nine months of 2005. Net technical cost[1] for the
major natural catastrophes[2] that occurred over the first
nine months of 2005 stood at EUR 101 million, representing
11.3 combined ratio points for Non-Life business. After tax,
the impact of major natural catastrophes was EUR 74 million
for the first nine months of 2005. SCOR's underwriting
policy has relatively protected the Group from the major
natural catastrophes that occurred in North America during
the third quarter. In fact, SCOR does not underwrite Cat
contracts in North America, has no Non-Life treaty clients
in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida
and is following a selective facultatives policy in this
region. Moreover this controlled exposure to natural
catastrophes in the United States consolidates SCOR's
relationship with its retrocessionnaires.
Life reinsurance yielded an operating income of EUR 58
million in the first nine months of 2005, up 38% compared to
the first nine months of 2004 (EUR 42 million).
1.1. Global business for the first nine months of 2005 is
stabilising
Gross written premiums for the first nine months of 2005
amounted to EUR 1,767 million, compared to EUR 1,960 million
in the first nine months of 2004, representing a decrease of
10%. Net written premiums amounted to EUR 1,672 million in
the first nine months of 2005, compared to EUR 1,857 in the
first nine months of 2004, down 10%.
This change is primarily the result of a reduction in US
business, in both Life and Non­Life reinsurance.
Moreover the first nine months of the year have not
benefited from the effects of the successive SCOR rating
upgrades by Standard & Poor's, Fitch and Moody's since 1
August 2005.
1.2. The Group has maintained its profitability in the face
of exceptional natural catastrophes
Group operating income for the first nine months of 2005 was
EUR 186 million, up 25% compared to first nine months of
2004 (EUR 149 million).
[1] Technical cost net of retrocession, including
reinstatement premium, before tax.
[2] Major natural catastrophes are defined by SCOR as being
natural catastrophes whose net technical cost for the Group
exceed EUR 10 million.
Net income after tax in the first nine months of 2005 was
EUR 83 million, compared to a net income after tax of EUR 60
million in the first nine months of 2004, an increase of
38%. Net income for the third quarter 2005 is EUR 11 million
and includes the cost of the major natural catastrophes that
occurred during the third quarter: floods in Europe and
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in North America. This result
demonstrates the resilience of the Group's technical income
throughout a period of significant and frequent natural
catastrophes and has benefited from increased investment
income due to a more active investment management policy.
Group operating cash flow in the first nine months of 2005
was EUR 486 million. This is exclusively due to the
commutations carried out during the first half on the
American portfolio in Non-Life and Life reinsurance in the
sum of EUR 542 million. Excluding commutations, Group
operating cash flow in the first nine months of 2005 is EUR
56 million in credit.
Net liabilities relating to contracts, which include
technical reserves on insurance contracts as well as
liabilities linked to financial contracts net of
retrocessions, reached 8,809 million at 30 September 2005,
compared to EUR 9,298 million at 31 December 2004. This
variation of EUR 489 million (-5%) on net liabilities
relating to contracts is essentially due to the EUR 542
million in commutations carried out during the course of the
first half 2005. Excluding commutations, net liabilities
relating to contracts are stable, reflecting the prudence of
the Group's reserving policy.
Group equity amounted to EUR 1,680 million at 30 September
2005, compared to EUR 1,326 million at 31 December 2004,
representing an increase of 27%. Long-term capital, which
includes Group equity and long-term debts, amounted to EUR
2,423 million.
Group overheads amounted to EUR 150 million for the first
nine months of 2005, which is stable compared to the first
nine months of 2004. The cost ratio for the first nine
months of 2005 was 8.5%, compared to 7.6% for the first nine
months of 2004. This deterioration is mainly due a lower
business volume and non-recurring costs incurred in 2005.
The New SCOR Plan, which was adopted in June 2005, aims to
sustainably improve the Group's competitiveness by
decreasing its cost ratio between now and 2007. With this in
mind, a Redundancy Plan was announced on 5 September 2005
for SCOR Paris. The information and consultation procedure
conducted by the workers' council ended on 2 November 2005.
This Redundancy Plan can now be implemented. It is entirely
voluntary and should be completed on 31 January 2006. In
anticipation of the overall cost of this Redundancy Plan,
SCOR has decided to post a reserve of EUR 10 million as of
the third quarter 2005.
2. Results by line of business
1.1 Non-Life reinsurance business generated gross written
premiums of EUR 1,003 million in the first nine months of
2005, compared to EUR 1,061 million in the first nine months
of 2004, representing a decrease of 5% at current exchange
rates. This change in the first nine months of 2005 reflects
a decrease in property & casualty premiums, mainly in the
US, and is the result of applying a strict underwriting
policy in a more competitive environment.
The combined ratio for Non-Life reinsurance business
amounted to 106.0% in the first nine months of 2005,
compared to 103.6% in the first nine months of 2004. CRP, a
run-off subsidiary, generated a technical loss of EUR 20
million. Net technical cost for the major natural
catastrophes that have occurred since the beginning of the
year (storms Erwin and Gudrun in Northern Europe in January
2005, the floods in Europe in August 2005 and Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita in North America in August and September
2005) is estimated at EUR 101 million. Excluding major
natural catastrophes and CRP, the combined ratio for
Non-Life reinsurance business in the first nine months of
2005 was 92.5%.
Operating income for Non-Life reinsurance business amounted
to EUR 128 million in the first nine months of 2005,
compared to EUR 107 million in the first nine months of
2004. This includes EUR 101 million relating to the net
technical cost of the major natural catastrophes that have
occurred during the first nine months of 2005, EUR 50
million of which relates to hurricane Katrina and EUR 16
million of which relates to Rita. After tax, the impact on
the net income of Katrina and Rita is respectively EUR 37
million and EUR 12.5 millions.
2.2 Gross written premiums for Life reinsurance reached EUR
764 million for the first nine months of 2005, compared to
EUR 899 million in the first nine months of 2004. This 15%
decrease relates to the "savings" business in the US, which
was affected by the Group's rating in a slow growth
environment.
Operating income for the Life reinsurance business reached
EUR 58 million in the first nine months of 2005, compared to
EUR 42 million in the first nine months of 2004.
3. The contribution made by investment income to the Group's
net income is increasing
Investment income net of expenses and excluding borrowing
costs in the first nine months of 2005 amounted to EUR 323
million, compared to EUR 239 million in the first nine
months of 2004, representing an increase of 35%. This change
is mainly due to capital gains realised in the third quarter
of 2005 and to positive developments in the financial
markets.
Investment income in the first nine months of 2005 was
generated as follows: EUR 217 million in investment income
(compared to EUR 233 million in the first nine months of
2004), EUR 53 million in capital gains or losses on asset
sales net of writedowns (compared to EUR 16 million in the
first nine months of 2004), EUR 19 million in currency gains
(compared to EUR 4 million in the first nine months of
2004), and EUR 34 million in fair value variations (compared
to EUR -14 million in the first nine months of 2004).
Insurance business and treasury investments reached EUR
9,679 million at 30 September 2005, compared to EUR 9,919
million at 31 December 2004. At 30 September 2005 these were
distributed as follows: 56% in bonds, 13% in loans and
accounts receivable, 3% in real estate, 8% in shares and 20%
in cash and equivalents.
4. As part of the New SCOR project, SCOR has decided to
launch a study of its transformation into a Societas Europea
As part of the New SCOR project, the Group is reorganising
its Non-Life business within a new entity - SCOR Global P&C
- with a view to simplifying its legal structures. The Board
of Directors, after examining the opportunities presented by
the status of a European company, decided to launch a global
study of the legal, regulatory and prudential aspects of
constituting SCOR, SCOR Vie and SCOR Global P&C as European
corporations (Societas Europea). These two subsidiaries
would be 100% owned by SCOR.
The necessary consultations prior to the constitution of
these European corporations will take place over the next
few weeks. The finalised project will be submitted at the
next Board meeting.
Denis Kessler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said:
"The results for the first nine months of 2005 show the
pertinence and effectiveness of the strategic reorientation
policy that the Group has been following for the past three
years. They also bear witness to the pertinence of having a
business model based on a balance between life reinsurance
business and property and casualty reinsurance business, on
underwriting diversification between the various lines of
business and geographic areas, as well as on long-term
business relationships with the Group's traditional clients.
Net technical cost for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita remain
limited for the Group, due to controlled underwriting on US
treaties and to the high degree of control exercised over
its risks and accumulated exposures in facultative
underwriting.
During the third quarter, the Group has followed a more
active financial policy, which has led to the increased
profitability of its asset management. Moreover SCOR is
actively working to improve its operating performance by
implementing the New SCOR project.
SCOR has ensured that it has brought together the optimal
conditions in which to conduct the 2006 renewals in a market
environment that remains favourable."
Consolidated key figures under IFRS
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|In EUR millions | 30 September| 30 September| Variation|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|(at current exchange | 2004| 2005| |
|rates) | | | |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|Gross written premiums | 1,960| 1,767| - 10 %|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|Net earned premiums | 1,939| 1,604| - 17 %|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|Operating income | 149| 186| + 25 %|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|Net income | 60| 83| + 38 %|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
+-------------------------+-----------+------------+---------+
|In EUR millions |31 December|30 September|Variation|
+-------------------------+-----------+------------+---------+
|(at current exchange | 2004| 2005| |
|rates) | | | |
+-------------------------+-----------+------------+---------+
|Net liabilities relating | 9,298| 8,809| -5%|
|to contracts | | | |
+-------------------------+-----------+------------+---------+
|Insurance business and | 9,919| 9,679| -2%|
|treasury investments | | | |
+-------------------------+-----------+------------+---------+
|Group equity | 1,326| 1,68| + 27%|
+-------------------------+-----------+------------+---------+
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|In EUR | 30 September| 30 September| Variation|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
| | 2004| 2005| |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
|Earnings per share | 0.08| 0.10| + 25 %|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
| Net book value per share| 1.68| 1.74| + 4 %|
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+
2006 timetable
2005 Annual Turnover 15 February 2006
2006 Renewals (excluding Asia) 28 February 2006
2005 Annual Results 22 March 2006
2006 Asia Renewals 13 April 2006
1st Quarter 2006 Results and General Meeting 16 May 2006
1st Half 2006 Results 30 August 2006
3rd Quarter 2006 Results 8 November 2006
Certain statements contained in this press release relating
to SCOR's plans, strategies and beliefs are forward-looking
in nature and are based on management's assumptions and
beliefs in light of the information currently available. The
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results, performance or events to
differ materially from those in such statements. Additional
information regarding risks and uncertainties is set forth
in the current annual report of the company.
For further information, please contact:
SCOR
Godefroy de Colombe + 33 (0)1 46 98 73 50 - Director for
Public Affairs
Stephane Le May + 33 (0)1 46 98 70 61 - Investor Relations
Officer
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