The Company’s design and structure are that each business segment is related to the other business segments and contributes to the profitability of the other segments. The Company’s cemetery and mortuary segment provides a level of public awareness that assists in the sales and marketing of insurance and pre-need cemetery and funeral products. The Company’s insurance segment invests their assets (including, in part, pre-need funeral products and services) in investments authorized by the respective insurance departments of their states of domicile. The Company also pursues growth through acquisitions. The Company’s mortgage segment provides mortgage loans and other real estate investment opportunities.

The Company was organized as a holding company in 1979 when Security National Life Insurance Company (“Security National Life”) became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and the former stockholders of Security National Life became stockholders of the Company. Security National Life was formed in 1965 and has acquired or purchased significant blocks of business which include Capital Investors Life Insurance Company (1994), Civil Service Employees Life Insurance Company (1995), Southern Security Life Insurance Company (1998), Menlo Life Insurance Company (1999), Acadian Life Insurance Company (2002), Paramount Security Life Insurance Company (2004), Memorial Insurance Company of America (2005), Capital Reserve Life Insurance Company (2007), Southern Security Life Insurance Company, Inc. (2008), North America Life Insurance Company (2011, 2015), Trans-Western Life Insurance Company (2012), Mothe Life Insurance Company (2012), DLE Life Insurance Company (2012), American Republic Insurance Company (2015) and, First Guaranty Insurance Company (2016), and Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company (2019).

The cemetery and mortuary operations have also grown through the acquisition of other cemetery and mortuary companies. The cemetery and mortuary companies that the Company has acquired are Holladay Memorial Park, Inc. (1991), Cottonwood Mortuary, Inc. (1991), Deseret Memorial, Inc. (1991), Probst Family Funerals and Cremations L.L.C. (2019), and Heber Valley Funeral Home, Inc. (2019).

In 1993, the Company formed SecurityNational Mortgage Company (“SecurityNational Mortgage”) to originate and refinance residential mortgage loans. In 2012, the Company formed Green Street Mortgage Services, Inc. (now known as EverLEND Mortgage Company) (“EverLEND Mortgage”) also to originate and refinance residential mortgage loans.

See Note 15 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding business segments of the Company.

The Company, through Security National Life, issues and distributes selected lines of life insurance and annuities. The Company’s life insurance business includes funeral plans and interest-sensitive life insurance, as well as other traditional life, accident, and health insurance products. The Company places specific marketing emphasis on funeral plans through pre-need planning. The Company’s other insurance subsidiaries, First Guaranty Insurance Company (“First Guaranty”), Memorial Insurance Company of America (“Memorial Insurance”), Southern Security Life Insurance Company, Inc. (“Southern Security”) and, Trans-Western Life Insurance Company (“Trans-Western”), First Guaranty Insurance Company (“First Guaranty”), and Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company (“Kilpatrick”), service and maintain policies that were purchased prior to their acquisition by Security National Life.

A funeral plan is a small face value life insurance policy that generally has face coverage of up to $25,000. The Company believes that funeral plans represent a marketing niche that has lower competition because most insurance companies do not offer similar coverage. The purpose of the funeral plan policy is to pay the costs and expenses incurred at the time of a person’s death. On a per thousand-dollar cost of insurance basis, these policies can be more expensive to the policyholder than many types of non-burial insurance due to their low face amount, requiring the fixed cost of the policy administration to be distributed over a smaller policy size, and the simplified underwriting practices that result in higher mortality costs.

The Company is licensed to sell insurance in 3840 states. The Company, in marketing its life insurance products, seeks to locate, develop and service specific niche markets. The Company’s funeral plan policies are sold primarily to persons who range in age from 45 to 85 and have low to moderate income. A majority of the Company’s funeral plan premiums come from the states of Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Utah.

The Company sells its life insurance products through direct agents, brokers, and independent licensed agents who may also sell insurance products of other companies. The commissions on life insurance products range from approximately 50% to 120% of first year premiums. In those cases, where the Company utilizes its direct agents in selling such policies, those agents customarily receive advances against future commissions.

In some instances, funeral plan insurance is marketed in conjunction with the Company’s cemetery and mortuary sales force. When it is marketed by that group, the beneficiary is usually the Company’s cemeteries and mortuaries. Thus, death benefits that become payable under the policy are paid to the Company’s cemetery and mortuary subsidiaries to the extent of services performed and products purchased.

In marketing funeral plan insurance, the Company also seeks and obtains third-party endorsements from other cemeteries and mortuaries within its marketing areas. Typically, these cemeteries and mortuaries will provide letters of endorsement and may share in mailing and other lead-generating costs since these businesses are usually made the beneficiary of the policy. The following table summarizes the life insurance business for the five years ended December 31, 2018:2019:

The factors considered in evaluating an application for ordinary life insurance coverage can include the applicant’s age, occupation, general health, and medical history. Upon receipt of a satisfactory (non-funeral plan insurance) application, which contains pertinent medical questions, the Company issues insurance based upon its medical limits and requirements subject to the following general non‑medical limits:

When underwriting life insurance, the Company will sometimes issue policies with higher premium rates for substandard risks.

The Company’s funeral plan insurance is written on a simplified medical application with underwriting requirements being a completed application, a phone inspection on the applicant, and an intelliscript prescription history inquiry. There are several underwriting classes in which an applicant can be placed.

The Company’s annuity business includes single premium deferred annuities, flexible premium deferred annuities, and immediate annuities. A single premium deferred annuity is a contract where the individual remits a sum of money to the Company, which is retained on deposit until such time as the individual may wish to annuitize or surrender the contract for cash. A flexible premium deferred annuity gives the contract holder the right to make premium payments of varying amounts or to make no further premium payments after his initial payment. These single and flexible premium deferred annuities can have initial surrender charges. The surrender charges act as a deterrent to individuals who may wish to prematurely surrender their annuity contracts. An immediate annuity is a contract in which the individual remits a sum of money to the Company in return for the Company’s obligation to pay a series of payments on a periodic basis over a designated period of time, such as an individual’s life, or for such other period as may be designated.

The general market for the Company’s annuities is middle to older age individuals. A major source of annuity sales come from direct agents and are sold in conjunction with other insurance sales. If an individual does not qualify for a funeral plan, the agent will often sell that individual an annuity to fund final expenses.

The following table summarizes the annuity business for the five years ended December 31, 2018:

With the acquisition of Capital Investors in 1994, the Company acquired a small block of accident and health policies. Since 1999, the Company has offered a low-cost comprehensive diver’s accident policy that provides worldwide coverage for medical expense reimbursement in the event of a diving accident. With the acquisition of Kilpatrick in 2019, the Company also acquired a small block of accident and health policies.

The Company currently markets its diver’s accident policies through the internet.

The following table summarizes the accident and health insurance business for the five years ended December 31, 2018:2019:

The primary purpose of reinsurance is to enable an insurance company to issue an insurance policy in an amount larger than the risk the insurance company is willing to assume for itself. The insurance company remains obligated for the amounts reinsured (ceded) in the event the reinsurers do not meet their obligations.

The Company currently cedes and assumes certain risks with various authorized unaffiliated reinsurers pursuant to reinsurance treaties, which are generally renewed annually. The premiums paid by the Company are based on a number of factors, primarily including the age of the insured and the risk ceded to the reinsurer.

It is the Company’s policy to retain no more than $100,000 of ordinary insurance per insured life, with the excess risk being reinsured. The total amount of life insurance reinsured by other companies as of December 31, 2018,2019, was $56,706,000,$465,460,000, which represents approximately 3.1%16.2% of the Company’s life insurance in force on that date.

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional disclosure and discussion regarding reinsurance.

The investments that support the Company’s life insurance and annuity obligations are determined by the investment committees of the Company’s subsidiaries and ratified by the full Board of Directors of the respective subsidiaries. A significant portion of the Company’s investments must meet statutory requirements governing the nature and quality of permitted investments by its insurance subsidiaries. The Company maintains a diversified investment portfolio consisting of common stocks, preferred stocks, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, mortgage loans, real estate, and other securities and investments.

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional disclosure and discussion regarding investments.

Through its cemetery and mortuary segment, the Company markets a variety of products and services both on a pre-need basis (prior to death) and an at-need basis (at the time of death). The products include: plots, interment vaults, mausoleum crypts, markers, caskets, urns and other death care related products. These services include: professional services of funeral directors, opening and closing of graves, use of chapels and viewing rooms, and use of automobiles and clothing. The Company has a mortuary at each of its cemeteries, other than Holladay Memorial Park and Singing Hills Memorial Park, and has foursix separate stand-alone mortuary facilities.

The Company’s pre‑need cemetery and mortuary sales are marketed to persons of all ages but are generally purchased by persons 45 years of age and older. The Company is limited in its geographic distribution of these products to areas lying within an approximate 20-mile radius of its mortuaries and cemeteries. The Company’s at-need sales are similarly limited in geographic area.

The Company actively seeks to sell its cemetery and funeral products to customers on a pre‑need basis. The Company employs cemetery sales representatives on a commission basis to sell these products. Many of these pre-need cemetery and mortuary sales representatives are also licensed insurance salesmen and sell funeral plan insurance. In some instances, the Company’s cemetery and mortuary facilities are the named beneficiaries of the funeral plan policies.

Potential customers are located via telephone sales prospecting, responses to letters mailed by the pre-planning consultants, newspaper inserts, referrals, and door-to-door canvassing. The Company trains its sales representatives and helps generate leads for them. 

The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, SecurityNational Mortgage and EverLEND Mortgage, are active in the residential real estate market. SecurityNational Mortgage is approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and other secondary market investors, to originate a variety of residential mortgage loan products, which are subsequently sold to investors. EverLEND Mortgage is approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other secondary market investors, to originate a variety of residential mortgage loan products, which are subsequently sold to investors. The Company uses internal and external funding sources to fund mortgage loans.

Security National Life originates and funds commercial real estate loans, residential construction loans, and land development loans for internal investment.

The Company’s residential mortgage lending services are marketed primarily to real estate brokers and some independent mortgage loan originators. The Company has a strong retail origination presence in the Utah, Florida, Nevada, and Texas markets in addition to one wholesale branch office located in Utah, with sales representatives in these and other states. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional disclosure and discussion regarding mortgage loans.

On June 1, 2018, the Company completed a stock purchase transaction with Beta Capital Corp. ("Beta Capital") and Ronald D. Maxson, ("Maxson"), the sole owner of all the outstanding shares of common stock of Beta Capital, to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Beta Capital.  Beta Capital is engaged in the operation of a factoring business with the principal purpose of providing funding for funeral homes and mortuaries. For the year ended December 31, 2017, Beta Capital had revenues of $1,208,000 with a net pre-tax income of $204,000.  As of December 31, 2017, the total assets of Beta Capital were $3,270,000 and total equity was $1,832,000.

Under the terms of the transaction, as set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement, dated June 1, 2018, by and among the Company, Beta Capital and Maxson, the Company paid Mr. Maxson the purchase consideration at the closing of the transaction equal to the sum of (i) $890,000 in cash plus (ii)  the accounts receivable value of $2,515,783, representing the total amount of the Company's outstanding receivables as of the closing date of June 1, 2018, for a total closing payment of $3,405,783. From the $3,405,783 closing payment, a holdback amount equal to $175,000 was deposited into an interest bearing escrow account to be held for a period of eighteen months from the closing date to pay off any uncollected accounts receivable and other liabilities of Beta Capital as of the closing date. In November 2019, this escrow account was settled and $169,190 was paid to the prior owner.

In 2015, the Company broke ground and commenced development on the first phase of its new corporate campus.  The anticipated project, comprising nearly 20 acres of land that is currently owned by the Company in the central valley of Salt Lake City, is envisioned to be a multi-year, phased development. At full development, the project will include nearly one million square-feet in six buildings, ranging from four to ten stories, and will be serviced by three parking structures with about 4,000 stalls. The first phase of the project includes a building and a parking garage consisting of nearly 200,000 square feet of office and retail space with 748 parking stalls. This phase of the campus was completed in July 2017 and is currently 65%71% leased. The Company continues to market the propertythis building to potential tenants. The second phase of the project includes a six story building of nearly 200,000 square feet and will be partially occupied by the Company. Construction preparation for the second phase began in March 2020, and the Company anticipates occupying a portion of the building in June 2021 as its corporate headquarters.

On March 29, 2018, the Company through its wholly owned subsidiary, Security National Life, completed the sale of the Dry Creek at East Village (“Dry Creek”) apartments to a subsidiary of Dinapoli Capital Partners, LLC (“Dinapoli Capital”) pursuant to the terms of the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated February 14, 2018, between Security National Life and Dinapoli Capital. The purchase price paid for the Dry Creek apartments was $57,000,000. From the proceeds that Security National Life received from the sale of the apartment complex, $26,802,904 was used to pay off an existing loan at Zions First National Bank, N.A., which was secured by a security interest in the apartment complex. A brokerage commission of $285,000 and legal fees and related costs were also paid from the purchase proceeds. The Company’s book basis in Dry Creek was approximately $34,250,000, and the Company recognized a gain of approximately $22,252,000 from the sale in the first quarter of 2018.

The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are subject to comprehensive regulation in the jurisdictions in which they do business under statutes and regulations administered by state insurance commissioners. Such regulation relates to, among other things, prior approval of the acquisition of a controlling interest in an insurance company; standards of solvency which must be met and maintained; licensing of insurers and their agents; nature of and limitations on investments; deposits of securities for the benefit of policyholders; approval of policy forms and premium rates; periodic examinations of the affairs of insurance companies; annual and other reports required to be filed on the financial condition of insurers or for other purposes; and requirements regarding aggregate reserves for life policies and annuity contracts, policy claims, unearned premiums, and other matters. The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are subject to this type of regulation in any state in which they are licensed to do business. Such regulation could involve additional costs, restrict operations, or delay implementation of the Company’s business plans.

The Company’s life insurance subsidiaries are currently subject to regulation in Utah, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas under insurance holding company legislation, and other states where applicable. Generally, intercompany transfers of assets and dividend payments from insurance subsidiaries are subject to prior notice of approval from the state insurance department, if they are deemed “extraordinary” under these statutes. The insurance subsidiaries are required, under state insurance laws, to file detailed annual reports with the supervisory agencies in each of the states in which they do business. Their business and accounts are also subject to examination by these agencies. The CompanyCompany’s subsidiary, First Guaranty, completed an examination by Louisiana for the three year period ending December 31, 2016 and2016. The Company’s subsidiary, Security National Life, has also completed examinations by Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas and Utah for the four year period ending December 31, 2017. The Company’s newly acquired subsidiary, Kilpatrick Life, is currently under examination for the three year period ending December 31, 2018. The Texas Department of Banking also audits pre-need insurance policies that are issued in the state of Texas.  Pre-need policies are life and annuity products sold as the funding mechanism for funeral plans through funeral homes by Security National agents.  The Company is required to send the Texas Department of Banking an annual report that summarizes the number of policies in force and the face amount or death benefit for each policy.  This annual report also indicates the number of new policies issued for that year, all death claims paid that year, and all premiums received.

The Company’s cemetery and mortuary subsidiaries are subject to the Federal Trade Commission’s comprehensive funeral industry rules and to state regulations in the various states where such operations are domiciled. The morticians must be licensed by the respective state in which they provide their services. Similarly, the mortuaries and cemeteries are governed and licensed by state statutes and city ordinances in Utah and California. Reports are required to be kept on file on a yearly basis which include financial information concerning the number of spaces sold and, where applicable, funds provided to the Endowment Care Trust Fund. Licenses are issued annually on the basis of such reports. The cemeteries maintain city or county licenses where they conduct business.

The Company’s mortgage subsidiaries are subject to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and to various state licensing acts and regulations and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). These regulations, among other things, specify minimum capital requirements, procedures for loan origination and underwriting, licensing of brokers and loan officers, quality review audits and the fees that can be charged to borrowers. Each year, the Company is required to have an audit completed for each mortgage subsidiary by an independent registered public accounting firm to verify compliance under some of these regulations. In addition to the government regulations, the Company must meet loan requirements, and underwriting guidelines of various investors who purchase the loans.

The Company’s insurance subsidiaries, Security National Life, and First Guaranty and Kilpatrick, are taxed under the Life Insurance Company Tax Act of 1984. Under the act, life insurance companies are taxed at standard corporate rates on life insurance company taxable income. Life insurance company taxable income is gross income less general business deductions and reserves for future policyholder benefits (with modifications). The Company may be subject to the corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) for tax years ending prior to January 1, 2018. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) repealed the corporate AMT for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. Also, under the Tax Act, December 31, 2017 policyholder surplus account balances result in taxable income over a period of eight years.

Security National Life, and First Guaranty and Kilpatrick calculate their life insurance taxable income after establishing a provision representing a portion of the costs of acquisition of such life insurance business. The effect of the provision is that a certain percentage of the Company’s premium income is characterized as deferred expenses and recognized over a five or ten-year period. The Tax Act changed this recognition period for amounts deferred after December 31, 2017 to a five or fifteen-year period.

The Company’s non‑life insurance company subsidiaries are taxed in general under the regular corporate tax provisions. The following subsidiaries are regulated as life insurance companies but do not meet the Internal Revenue Code definition of a life insurance company, so they are taxed as insurance companies other than life insurance companies: Memorial Insurance, Southern Security, and Trans-Western.

The life insurance industry is highly competitive. There are approximately 1,000 legal reserve life insurance companies in business in the United States. These insurance companies differentiate themselves through marketing techniques, product features, price, and customer service. The Company’s insurance subsidiaries compete with a large number of insurance companies, many of which have greater financial resources, a longer business history, and more diversified line of insurance products than the Company. In addition, such companies generally have a larger sales force. Further, the Company competes with mutual insurance companies which may have a competitive advantage because all profits accrue to policyholders. Because the Company is smaller by industry standards and lacks broad diversification of risk, it may be more vulnerable to losses than larger, better-established companies. The Company believes that its policies and rates for the markets it serves are generally competitive.

The cemetery and mortuary industry is also highly competitive. In the Utah and California markets where the Company competes, there are a number of cemeteries and mortuaries which have longer business histories, more established positions in the community, and stronger financial positions than the Company. In addition, some of the cemeteries with which the Company must compete for sales are owned by municipalities and, as a result, can offer lower prices than can the Company. The Company bears the cost of a pre‑need sales program that is not incurred by those competitors which do not have a pre‑need sales force. The Company believes that its products and prices are generally competitive with those in the industry.

The mortgage industry is highly competitive with a large number of mortgage companies and banks in the same geographic area in which the Company is operating. The mortgage industry in general is sensitive to changes in interest rates and the refinancing market is particularly vulnerable to changes in interest rates.

As of December 31, 2018,2019, the Company had 1,2371,125 full-time and 196168 part-time employees.

In January 2014, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (“Lehman Holdings”) entered into a settlement with the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) concerning the mortgage loan claims that Fannie Mae had asserted against Lehman Holdings, which were based on alleged breaches of certain representations and warranties by Lehman Holdings in the mortgage loans it had sold to Fannie Mae.  Lehman Holdings had acquired these loans from Aurora Bank, FSB, formerly known as Lehman Brothers Bank, FSB, which in turn purchased the loans from certain residential mortgage loan originators, including SecurityNational Mortgage.Mortgage Company (“SecurityNational Mortgage”). A settlement based on similar circumstances was entered into between Lehman Holdings and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) in February 2014.

Lehman Holdings filed a motion in May 2014 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York to require the mortgage loan originators, including SecurityNational Mortgage, to engage in non-binding mediations of the alleged indemnification claims against the mortgage loan originators relative to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac settlements with Lehman Holdings.  The mediation was not successful in resolving any issues between SecurityNational Mortgage and Lehman Holdings.

On January 26, 2016, SecurityNational Mortgage filed a declaratory judgment action against Lehman Holdings in the Superior Court for the State of Delaware.  In the Delaware action, SecurityNational Mortgage asserted its right to obtain a declaration of rights in that there are allegedly millions of dollars in dispute with Lehman Holdings pertaining to approximately 136 mortgage loans.  SecurityNational Mortgage sought a declaratory judgment as to its rights as it contends that it has no liability to Lehman Holdings as a result of Lehman Holdings’ settlements with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Lehman Holdings filed a motion in the Delaware court seeking to stay or dismiss the declaratory judgment action.  On August 24, 2016, the Court ruled that it would exercise its discretion to decline jurisdiction over the action and granted Lehman Holdings’ motion to dismiss.

On February 3, 2016, Lehman Holdings filed an adversary proceeding against approximately 150 mortgage loan originators, including SecurityNational Mortgage, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York seeking a declaration of rights similar in nature to the declaratory judgmentdeclaration that SecurityNational Mortgage sought in its Delaware lawsuit, and for damages relating to the alleged obligations of the defendants under the  indemnification provisions of the alleged agreements, in amounts to be determined at trial, including interest, attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by Lehman Holdings in enforcing the obligations of the defendants. No response was required to be filed relative to the Complaint or the Amended Complaint dated March 7, 2016. A Case Management Order was entered on November 1, 2016.

On December 27, 2016, pursuant to the Case Management Order, Lehman Holdings filed a Second Amended Complaint against SecurityNational Mortgage, which eliminates the declaratory judgment claim but retains a similar claim for damages as in the Complaint. Many of the defendants, including SecurityNational Mortgage, filed a joint motion in the case asserting that the Bankruptcy Court does not have subject matter jurisdiction concerning the matter and that venue is improper. Lehman Holdings’ response memorandum was filed on May 31, 2017 and a reply memorandum of the defendants filing the motion was filed on July 14, 2017.  A hearing on the motion was held on June 12, 2018.

On August 13, 2018, the Court issued its Memorandum Decision and Order (“Decision”) denying the motion. On August 27, 2018, a number of the defendants, including SecurityNational Mortgage, filed a joint motion with the United States District Court (Case No. 18-mc-00392(VEC)) requesting that the Bankruptcy Court’s Decision be treated as findings of fact and conclusions of law, and for the District Court to review the Decision de novo as to jurisdiction. Included with the motion were proposed objections to the Bankruptcy Court’s Decision. On September 18, 2018, Lehman Holdings filed its response to the joint motion, and defendants’ reply was filed on October 2, 2018.

On September 17, 2018, certain defendants, including SecurityNational Mortgage, also filed a notice of appeal, and thereafter a motion for leave to file an interlocutory appeal as to the Bankruptcy Court’s Decision pertaining to jurisdiction and improper venue as a “protective” appeal should the District Court decide not to treat the Decision as findings of fact and conclusions of law. Separately, certain other defendants also filed a notice of appeal and motion for leave to file an interlocutory appeal with respect to the Bankruptcy Court’s Decision concerning improper venue. Lehman Holdings filed its response on October 22, 2018, and defendants are permitted to filefiled a joint reply to Lehman Holdings’ response no later thanon November 26, 2018. The motions to file appeals were consolidated before Valerie Caproni, U.S. District Court Judge, Case No. 18-cv-8986.18-cv-08986 (VEC). Case No. 18-mc-00392 is(VEC) was also before Judge Caproni.

On October 1, 2018, Lehman Holdings filed a motion for leave to file a Third Amended ComplaintComplaints against numerous defendants including SecurityNational Mortgage. In addition to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac related loans, the amendments/amendments and supplements include additional mortgage loans sold to Lehman Holdings that were packaged for securitization (“RMBS loans”). The RMBS loans had allegedly been sold by defendants to Lehman Bank that, in turn, sold them to Lehman Holdings. The allegations pertaining to the RMBS loans include, e.g., purported breaches of representations and warranties made to the securitization trusts by Lehman Holdings. Lehman Holdings asserts that it made representations and warranties purportedly based in part by representations and warranties made to Lehman Bank by loan originators, including SecurityNational Mortgage.

The alleged RMBS loans in dispute with SecurityNational Mortgage allegedly involve millions of dollars pertaining to approximately 577 mortgage loans in addition to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac related loans. Lehman Holdings also moved the Court to simultaneously allow alternatealternative dispute resolution procedures to take place including potential mediation. Over objections, at a hearing on October 29, 2018, the Court granted Lehman Holdings’ motion to amend/amend or supplement its complaints adding the RMBS loans, and also to mandate alternative dispute resolution procedures affecting many defendants, including SecurityNational Mortgage.

Instead of filing a Third Amended Complaint to include the RMBS loans referenced above, Lehman Holdings filed the matter against SecurityNational Mortgage as a new complaint ("RMBS Complaint") (United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, Adversary Proceeding 18-01819) pertaining to the approximately 577 RMBS loans, within addition to the Second Amended Complaint remaining the same.already on file. The RMBS Complaint seeks alleged damages relating to obligations under alleged contractual indemnification provisions in an amount to be determined at trial, reasonable interest, costs and expenses incurred by LBHI in enforcing alleged obligations, including attorneys' fees and costs and any expert witness fees incurred in litigation; and such other relief as the Court deems just and proper. SecurityNational Mortgage denies any liability to Lehman Holdings and intends to vigorously protect and defend its position.

In response to a Court order, certain defendants referenced in the Second Amended Complaint and the RMBS Complaints negotiated with Lehman Holdings concerning an amended case management order pertaining to certain case procedures and management for both lawsuits including, but not limited to, timing for filing motions and answering the complaints, and provisions concerning discovery such as document production, taking depositions, and use of experts. At a hearing held on March 7, 2019, the Court considered differences of the parties as to the content of an amended case management order, and thereafter signed an amended case management order dated March 13, 2019. SecurityNational Mortgage filed an answer and amended answer in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac case, and in the RMBS case. Discovery is in process.

The Company is not a party to any other material legal proceedings outside the ordinary course of business or to any other legal proceedings, which if adversely determined, would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operation.

Not applicable.

The Company’s Class A common stock trades on The NASDAQ National Market under the symbol “SNFCA.” As of March 27, 2019, the closing stock price of the Class A common stock was $4.73$3.77 per share. The following were the high and low market closing stock prices for the Class A common stock by quarter as reported by NASDAQ since January 1, 2017:2018:

The Class C common stock is not registered or traded on a national exchange. See Note 12 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

The Company has never paid a cash dividend on its Class A or Class C common stock. The Company currently anticipates that all of its earnings will be retained for use in the operation and expansion of its business and does not intend to pay any cash dividends on its Class A or Class C common stock in the foreseeable future. Any future determination as to cash dividends will depend upon the earnings and financial position of the Company and such other factors as the Board of Directors may deem appropriate. A 5% stock dividend on Class A and Class C common stock has been paid each year from 1990 through 2018.2019.

The graph below compares the cumulative total stockholder return of the Company’s Class A common stock with the cumulative total return on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index and the Standard & Poor’s Insurance Index for the period from December 31, 20142015 through December 31, 2018.2019. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in the Company’s Class A common stock and in each of the indexes was $100 at December 31, 20142015 and that all dividends were reinvested.

The stock performance graph set forth above is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this Form 10-K into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates this information by reference, and shall not otherwise be deemed soliciting material or filed under such acts.