Exhibit 99.1
![]() | PRESS RELEASE |
Fidelity National Title Group, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2006 EPS of $0.67
Jacksonville, Fla. — (July 25, 2006) — Fidelity National Title Group, Inc. (NYSE: FNT), one of the nation’s largest title insurance companies and a majority-owned, publicly traded subsidiary of Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FNF), today reported operating results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2006.
2nd Quarter | 2nd Quarter | |||
2006 | 2005 | |||
Total revenue | $1.566 billion | $1.687 billion | ||
Pre-tax margin | 11.6% | 15.4% | ||
Net earnings | $116.5 million | $160.6 million | ||
Net earnings per share — diluted | $0.67 | $0.93 | ||
Cash flow from operations | $221.7 million | $332.0 million | ||
Return on average equity | 18.4% | 22.3% |
Six Months Ended | Six Months Ended | |||
June 30, 2006 | June 30, 2005 | |||
Total revenue | $2.959 billion | $2.952 billion | ||
Pre-tax margin | 10.3% | 13.2% | ||
Net earnings | $195.6 million | $242.9 million | ||
Net earnings per share — diluted | $1.13 | $1.40 | ||
Cash flow from operations | $301.9 million | $391.2 million | ||
Return on average equity | 15.6% | 17.0% |
“The second quarter results were a significant improvement from the seasonally challenging first quarter,” said Chief Executive Officer Raymond R. Quirk. “Open order volumes have remained consistent since February, staffing levels are stable, cash flow generation remains strong and our monthly financial results improved each month during the quarter. We
expect third quarter pre-tax margins and overall financial results to exceed those of the second quarter.”
The following table depicts monthly direct orders opened and closed in the title and escrow business for the second quarter of both 2006 and 2005:
Direct Orders | Direct Orders | |||||||||||
Month | Opened | Closed | Closing % | |||||||||
April 2006 | 217,700 | 146,400 | 67 | % | ||||||||
May 2006 | 243,000 | 161,800 | 67 | % | ||||||||
June 2006 | 236,500 | 165,600 | 70 | % | ||||||||
Second Quarter 2006 | 697,200 | 473,800 | 68 | % | ||||||||
Direct Orders | Direct Orders | |||||||||||
Month | Opened | Closed | Closing % | |||||||||
April 2005 | 259,600 | 177,100 | 68 | % | ||||||||
May 2005 | 268,700 | 180,200 | 67 | % | ||||||||
June 2005 | 301,200 | 203,100 | 67 | % | ||||||||
Second Quarter 2005 | 829,500 | 560,400 | 68 | % | ||||||||
The following table depicts monthly commercial direct orders opened and closed in the national commercial divisions for the second quarter of both 2006 and 2005:
Open | Closed | Commercial | ||||||||||||||
Commercial | Commercial | Revenue | Commercial | |||||||||||||
Orders | Orders | (In thousands) | Fee Per File | |||||||||||||
2nd Quarter 2006 | 14,240 | 9,064 | $ | 68,936 | $ | 7,605 | ||||||||||
2nd Quarter 2005 | 14,644 | 8,761 | $ | 66,821 | $ | 7,627 |
Fidelity National Title Group, Inc. (NYSE: FNT) is one of the nation’s largest title insurance companies. The Company’s title insurance underwriters — Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Ticor Title, Security Union Title and Alamo Title — issue approximately 29 percent of all title insurance policies in the United States. Through its direct operations and
agencies, the Company provides title insurance in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. More information about Fidelity National Title Group can be found atwww.fntg.com.
FNT is a majority-owned subsidiary of Fidelity National Financial Inc. (NYSE: FNF), number 248 on the Fortune 500 and a provider of products and outsourced services and solutions to a variety of industries. More information about FNF can be found atwww.fnf.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future economic performance and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The risks and uncertainties which forward-looking statements are subject to include, but are not limited to: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; adverse changes in the level of real estate activity, which may be caused by, among other things, high or increasing interest rates, a limited supply of mortgage funding or a weak U. S. economy; compliance with extensive regulations; regulatory investigations of the title insurance industry; our business concentration in the State of California, the source of over 20% of our title insurance premiums; our dependence on distributions from our title insurance underwriters as our main source of cash flow; competition from other title insurance companies; and other risks detailed in the “Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information,” “Risk Factors” and other sections of the Company’s Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: Fidelity National Title Group, Inc.
CONTACT: Daniel Kennedy Murphy, Senior Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations, Fidelity National Financial, Inc., 904-854-8120, dkmurphy@fnf.com
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC.
SUMMARY OF EARNINGS
(In thousands, except per share amounts and order information)
SUMMARY OF EARNINGS
(In thousands, except per share amounts and order information)
Three months ended | Six months ended | |||||||||||||||
June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||||||||
2006 | 2005 | 2006 | 2005 | |||||||||||||
(Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||||||||||
Direct title premiums | $ | 504,532 | $ | 561,191 | $ | 952,301 | $ | 1,017,396 | ||||||||
Agency title premiums | 708,714 | 771,687 | 1,337,134 | 1,304,200 | ||||||||||||
Total title premiums | 1,213,246 | 1,332,878 | 2,289,435 | 2,321,596 | ||||||||||||
Escrow and other title-related fees | 287,598 | 300,328 | 541,657 | 543,465 | ||||||||||||
Total title and escrow | 1,500,844 | 1,633,206 | 2,831,092 | 2,865,061 | ||||||||||||
Interest and investment income | 46,717 | 24,576 | 84,729 | 45,430 | ||||||||||||
Realized gains and losses | 6,107 | 18,486 | 20,613 | 21,922 | ||||||||||||
Other | 11,931 | 10,945 | 22,429 | 20,020 | ||||||||||||
Total revenue | 1,565,599 | 1,687,213 | 2,958,863 | 2,952,433 | ||||||||||||
Personnel costs | 466,221 | 479,943 | 918,656 | 904,603 | ||||||||||||
Other operating expenses | 242,645 | 241,358 | 453,538 | 451,093 | ||||||||||||
Agent commissions | 544,169 | 595,220 | 1,032,537 | 1,005,121 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 27,194 | 24,523 | 53,431 | 49,389 | ||||||||||||
Claim loss expense | 91,017 | 86,451 | 171,738 | 150,677 | ||||||||||||
Interest expense | 12,374 | 421 | 23,700 | 724 | ||||||||||||
Total expenses | 1,383,620 | 1,427,916 | 2,653,600 | 2,561,607 | ||||||||||||
Earnings before income taxes | 181,979 | 259,297 | 305,263 | 390,826 | ||||||||||||
Income tax expense | 64,603 | 97,774 | 108,369 | 146,637 | ||||||||||||
Minority interest | 863 | 945 | 1,279 | 1,292 | ||||||||||||
Net earnings | $ | 116,513 | $ | 160,578 | $ | 195,615 | $ | 242,897 | ||||||||
Net earnings per share — basic | $ | 0.67 | $ | 0.93 | $ | 1.13 | $ | 1.40 | ||||||||
Net earnings per share — diluted | $ | 0.67 | $ | 0.93 | $ | 1.13 | $ | 1.40 | ||||||||
Weighted average shares — basic | 173,475 | 173,520 | 173,475 | 173,520 | ||||||||||||
Weighted average shares — diluted | 173,647 | 173,520 | 173,651 | 173,520 | ||||||||||||
Direct operations orders opened | 697,200 | 829,500 | 1,381,000 | 1,577,200 | ||||||||||||
Direct operations orders closed | 473,800 | 560,400 | 910,100 | 1,048,900 | ||||||||||||
Fee Per File | $ | 1,597 | $ | 1,500 | $ | 1,566 | $ | 1,447 |
(1) | For the 2005 period, net earnings per share is a pro forma presentation based on the distribution of 173,520 shares on October 17, 2005 |
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC.
SUMMARY BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
SUMMARY BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
June 30, | December 31, | |||||||
2006 | 2005 | |||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||
Cash and investment portfolio | $ | 4,098,288 | $ | 3,762,895 | ||||
Goodwill | 1,051,523 | 1,051,526 | ||||||
Title plants | 314,832 | 308,675 | ||||||
Total assets | 6,199,666 | 5,900,533 | ||||||
Notes payable | 573,197 | 603,262 | ||||||
Reserve for claim losses | 1,130,444 | 1,063,857 | ||||||
Secured trust deposits | 1,001,727 | 882,602 | ||||||
Total stockholders’ equity | 2,551,178 | 2,480,037 | ||||||
Book value per share | 14.64 | 14.23 |