Interest expense increased $0.1 million, or 15.6%, during the first quarter of 2004. As of March 31, 2004, total debt increased $6.2 million to $56.2 million, from $50.0 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2003. On May 15, 2003, the Company participated in a second pooled private placement offering of trust preferred securities. In that offering, the Company issued to a separate newly formed Connecticut statutory trust (the “Trust”) approximately $23.2 million in thirty year junior subordinated debentures, and the Trust sold $22.5 million of trust preferred securities to third party investors. Of the $21.8 million in net proceeds, $17.0 million was used to reduce the principal balance on the Company’s outstanding bank debt with Wachovia Bank, N.A. (“Wachovia”) to $15.0 million from $32.0 million. The trust preferred securities issuance has an interest rate equivalent to the London Interbank Offer Rate (“LIBOR”) plus an applicable margin varying from 4.00% to 4.10%, and the portion of the bank debt that was repaid with the proceeds from the trust preferred securities issuance had an interest rate equivalent to LIBOR plus 2.75%. The increase in debt level, along with the increase in pricing, resulted in the increase in interest expense for the quarter.
Other expenses (commissions, underwriting expenses, and other expenses) increased $3.4 million, or 25.2%, during the first quarter of 2004. The increase in other expenses for the quarter was attributable to several factors. First, the quota share cession rate was decreased from 30% to 15% and, consequently, reduced the ceding commission Georgia Casualty received from the quota share by $0.6 million. In addition, agents’ commissions at American Southern increased $0.9 million during the first quarter of 2004 as compared to the same period in 2003 due primarily to lower loss ratios. The majority of American Southern’s business is structured in a way that agents are rewarded or penalized based upon the loss ratio of the business they submit to the company. In periods where the loss ratio decreases, commissions and underwriting expenses will increase and conversely in periods where the loss ratio increases, commissions and underwriting expenses should decrease. Also, fixed commissions at American Southern increased $1.2 million during the first quarter of 2004 primarily as a result of the new programs and accounts the company has underwritten. The remaining portion of the increase was attributable to the elimination of the policyholder dividend liability of $0.4 million at Georgia Casualty in the first quarter of 2003 resulting from substandard results for workers’ compensation business in the states of Florida and Georgia, which decreased underwriting expenses in 2003 as compared to the same period in 2004. On a consolidated basis, as a percentage of earned premiums, other expenses increased to 40.3% in the first quarter of 2004 from 33.6% in the first quarter of 2003.
The major cash needs of the Company are for the payment of claims and expenses as they come due and the maintenance of adequate statutory capital and surplus to satisfy state regulatory requirements and meet debt service requirements. The Company’s primary sources of cash are written premiums and investment income. Cash payments consist of current claim payments to insureds and operating expenses such as salaries, employee benefits, commissions and taxes.
The Company’s insurance subsidiaries reported a combined statutory net income of $1.9 million for the first three months of 2004 compared to statutory net income of $2.0 million for the first three months of 2003. The reasons for the decrease in statutory earnings in the first quarter of 2004 are discussed above in “Results of Operations.” Statutory results are further impacted by the recognition of all costs of acquiring business. In a growth scenario, statutory results are generally less than results determined under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company’s insurance subsidiaries reported a combined GAAP net income of $3.0 million for the first three months of 2004 compared to $2.2 million for the first three months of 2003. Statutory results for the Casualty Division differ from the results of operations under GAAP due to the deferral of acquisition costs. The Life and Health Division’s statutory results differ from GAAP primarily due to the deferral of acquisition costs, as well as different reserving methods.
The Company has one series of preferred stock outstanding, substantially all of which is held by affiliates of the Company’s chairman and principal shareholders. The outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock (“Series B Stock”) have a stated value of $100 per share; accrue annual dividends at a rate of $9.00 per share and are cumulative; in certain circumstances may be convertible into an aggregate of approximately 3,358,000 shares of common stock; and are redeemable at the Company’s option. The Series B Stock is not currently convertible. At March 31, 2004, the Company had accrued, but unpaid, dividends on the Series B Stock totaling $10.0 million. During the first quarter of 2004, in accordance with the terms of the Company’s then-outstanding Series C Preferred Stock, the Company exercised its right to redeem the remaining 5,000 shares of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock. These shares were redeemed at the redemption price specified in the terms of the Series C Preferred Stock, $100 per share, for $0.5 million.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
At March 31, 2004, the Company’s $56.2 million of borrowings consisted of $15.0 million of bank debt (the “Term Loan”) with Wachovia and an aggregate of $41.2 million of outstanding junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures of the Parent (“Junior Subordinated Debentures”). The Term Loan requires the Company to repay $2.0 million in principal on July 1, 2004 and $1.0 million on December 31, 2004. Beginning in 2005 and each year thereafter, the Company must repay $0.5 million on June 30 and $1.3 million on December 31, with one final payment of $6.8 million at maturity on June 30, 2008. The interest rate on the Term Loan is equivalent to three-month LIBOR plus an applicable margin, which was 2.50% at March 31, 2004. The margin varies based upon the Company’s leverage ratio (debt to total capitalization, as defined) and ranges from 1.75% to 2.50%. The Term Loan requires the Company to comply with certain covenants including, among others, ratios that relate funded debt, as defined, to total capitalization and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. The Company must also comply with limitations on capital expenditures and additional debt obligations.
The Company also has formed two statutory business trusts, which exist for the exclusive purpose of issuing trust preferred securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the trusts and investing the gross proceeds of the trust preferred securities in Junior Subordinated Debentures. The outstanding $41.2 million of Junior Subordinated Debentures have a maturity of thirty years from their original date of issuance, are callable, in whole or in part, only at the option of the Company after five years and quarterly thereafter, and have an interest rate of three-month LIBOR plus an applicable margin. The margin ranges from 4.00% to 4.10%. The obligations of the Company with respect to the issuance of the trust preferred securities represent a full and unconditional guarantee by the Parent of each trust’s obligations with respect to the trust preferred securities. Subject to certain exceptions and limitations, the Company may elect from time to time to defer Junior Subordinated Debenture interest payments, which would result in a deferral of distribution payments on the related trust preferred securities.
The Company intends to repay its obligations under the Term Loan and the trust preferred securities using dividend and tax sharing payments from its subsidiaries. In addition, the Company believes that, if necessary, at maturity, the bank debt with Wachovia could be refinanced with the current lender, although there can be no assurance of the terms or conditions of such a refinancing.
The Parent provides certain administrative and other services to each of its insurance subsidiaries. The amounts charged to and paid by the subsidiaries in the first quarter of 2004 increased over the first quarter of 2003. In addition, there is in place a formal tax-sharing agreement between the Parent and its insurance subsidiaries. It is anticipated that this agreement will provide the Company with additional funds from profitable subsidiaries due to the subsidiaries’ use of the Company’s tax loss carryforwards, which totaled approximately $16.8 million at March 31, 2004.
Over 90% of the investment assets of the Parent’s insurance subsidiaries are in marketable securities that can be converted into cash, if required; however, use of such assets by the Company is limited by state insurance regulations. Dividend payments to the Parent by its wholly owned insurance subsidiaries are subject to annual limitations and are restricted to the greater of 10% of statutory surplus or statutory earnings before recognizing realized investment gains of the individual insurance subsidiaries. At March 31, 2004, Georgia Casualty had $22.1 million of statutory surplus, American Southern had $34.1 million of statutory surplus, Association Casualty had $18.6 million of statutory surplus, and Bankers Fidelity had $31.0 million of statutory surplus.
Net cash used by operating activities was $8.2 million in the first three months of 2004 compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $2.9 million in the first three months of 2003; and cash and short-term investments decreased from $34.2 million at December 31, 2003 to $23.7 million at March 31, 2004. The decrease in operating cash flows and cash balances during the first quarter of 2004 was primarily attributable to the collection of $7.6 million from a reinsurance contract termination that occurred in the first quarter of 2003. In addition, the Company also redeemed $0.5 million of Series C Preferred Stock, as discussed previously.
The Company believes that the dividends, fees, and tax-sharing payments it receives from its subsidiaries and, if needed, borrowings from banks will enable the Company to meet its liquidity requirements for the foreseeable future. Management is not aware of any current recommendations by regulatory authorities, which, if implemented, would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity, capital resources or operations.
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
The following table discloses the amounts of payments due under specified contractual obligations, aggregated by category of contractual obligation, for specified time periods:
-19-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| | | | | |
| Payments due by period (in thousands)
|
Contractual Obligations
| Total
| Less than 1 year
| 1 - 3 years
| 3 - 5 years
| More than 5 years
|
Bank debt payable | $ 15,000 | $ 3,000 | $ 3,500 | $ 8,500 | $ - |
Trust preferred securities obligation | 41,238 | - | - | - | 41,238 |
Operating leases
| 6,521
| 1,551
| 2,016
| 1,737
| 1,217
|
Total
| $ 62,759
| $ 4,551
| $ 5,516
| $ 10,237
| $ 42,455
|
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks
Due to the nature of the Company’s business it is exposed to both interest rate and market risk. Changes in interest rates, which represent the largest factor affecting the Company, may result in changes in the fair market value of the Company’s investments, cash flows and interest income and expense. The Company is also subject to risk from changes in equity prices. There have been no material changes to the Company’s market risks since December 31, 2003.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
As of the end of the period covered by this report, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Based on that evaluation, our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains and references certain information that constitutes forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Those statements, to the extent they are not historical facts, should be considered forward-looking and subject to various risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s assessments of various risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions made in accordance with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties, including those identified in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 and the other filings made by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
31.1 – Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2 – Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1 – Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
-20-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
ATLANTIC AMERICAN CORPORATION
(Registrant)
Date: May 14, 2004 | By: /s/ John G. Sample, Jr. John G. Sample, Jr. Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
-21-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number | Title |
31.1 | Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002. |
31.2 | Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002. |
32.1 | Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002. |