EXHIBIT 99.1
W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION NEWS
475 STEAMBOAT ROAD RELEASE
GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT 06830
(203) 629-3000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Karen A. Horvath
Vice President - External
Financial Communications
(203)629-3000
W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS
NET INCOME UP 18% TO $198 MILLION
SEVENTEENTH CONSECUTIVE QUARTER THAT RETURN ON EQUITY EXCEEDS 20%
GREENWICH, CT, FEBRUARY 8, 2007 -- W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION (NYSE:
BER) today reported net income for the fourth quarter of 2006 of $198 million,
or 98 cents per share, an 18% increase from $167 million, or 83 cents per share,
for the fourth quarter of 2005. Net operating income for the fourth quarter of
2006 increased 17% to $194 million, or 96 cents per share, compared with $165
million, or 82 cents per share, for the corresponding quarter of 2005. Net
operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure defined by the Company as net
income excluding realized investment gains and losses. All per share amounts in
this release reflect the 3-for-2 common stock split effected on April 4, 2006.
Summary Financial Data
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Fourth Quarter Full Year
------------------------- -------------------------
2006 2005 2006 2005
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Gross premiums written (1) $1,218,542 $1,255,967 $5,276,914 $5,087,983
Net premiums written (1) 1,113,571 1,150,267 4,818,993 4,604,574
Net income 198,056 167,424 699,518 544,892
Net income per diluted share 0.98 0.83 3.46 2.72
Net operating income 193,666 165,294 692,404 533,889
Net operating income per diluted share 0.96 0.82 3.43 2.66
</Table>
(1) In the fourth quarter of 2005, the Company developed sufficient information
to begin reporting earned but unbilled audit premiums. Premiums written include
earned but unbilled audit premiums of $3 million in the fourth quarter of 2006
compared with $57 million in the fourth quarter of 2005.
W. R. Berkley Corporation Page 2
Full year 2006 highlights included:
- Return on equity was 27.2%.
- GAAP combined ratio was 88.0%.
- Net investment income grew 45% to $586 million.
- Net premiums written increased 5% to $4.8 billion.
- Paid loss ratio was 38%.
- Book value per share increased 28.9%.
Commenting on the Company's activities, William R. Berkley, chairman
and chief executive officer, said: "2006 was another excellent year. We achieved
a full-year return on equity in excess of 27%, marking 17 consecutive quarters
that the Company's ROE has exceeded 20%. Cash flow for 2006 was nearly $1.8
billion and our investment income grew to a record $586 million. Our paid loss
ratio for the year was once again under 40%, while total loss reserves increased
by over $1 billion.
"While our growth has moderated somewhat, we expect the revenue
contribution from our new ventures to be more significant in 2007. Although the
current accident year margins are likely to be impacted somewhat by the
competitive environment, we are confident that the margins available to us will
continue to be excellent. With an increasing contribution from investment
income, we remain optimistic that we will achieve a return on equity in excess
of 20% in 2007.
"Managing an insurance enterprise means more than operational
oversight. It also demands well-considered capital management, something we have
always done. We will continue to use our capital and manage our leverage in ways
that reflect the current and anticipated needs of the enterprise.
"We have an outstanding team at W. R. Berkley and remain confident in
the ability of our people to continue to deliver outstanding risk adjusted
returns," Mr. Berkley concluded.
W. R. Berkley Corporation Page 3
Webcast Conference Call
The Company will hold its quarterly conference call with analysts and
investors to discuss its earnings and other information on Friday, February 9,
2007 at 8:30 a.m. eastern time. The conference call will be webcast live on the
Company's website at www.wrberkley.com. A recording of the call will be
available on the Company's website approximately two hours after the end of the
conference call.
About W. R. Berkley Corporation
Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding
company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States
and operates in five segments of the property casualty insurance business:
specialty insurance, regional property casualty insurance, alternative markets,
reinsurance and international.
Forward Looking Information
This is a "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein,
including statements related to our outlook for the industry and for our
performance for the year 2007 and beyond, are based upon the Company's
historical performance and on current plans, estimates and expectations. The
inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a
representation by us or any other person that the future plans, estimates or
expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. They are subject to various
risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the cyclical nature of
the property casualty industry, the long-tail and potentially volatile nature of
the reinsurance business, product demand and pricing, claims development and the
process of estimating reserves, the uncertain nature of damage theories and loss
amounts, the increased level of our retention, natural and man-made catastrophic
losses, including hurricanes and as a result of terrorist activities, the impact
of competition, the success of our new ventures or acquisitions and the
availability of other opportunities, the availability of reinsurance, exposure
as to coverage for terrorist acts, our retention under The Terrorism Risk
Insurance Act of 2002, as amended ("TRIA"), the ability of our reinsurers to pay
reinsurance recoverables owed to us, investment risks, including those of our
portfolio of fixed income securities and investments in equity securities,
including merger arbitrage investments, exchange rate and political risks
relating to our international operations, legislative and regulatory
developments, including those related to alleged anti-competitive or other
improper business practices in the insurance industry, changes in the ratings
assigned to us by ratings agencies, the availability of dividends from our
insurance company subsidiaries, our ability to attract and retain qualified
employees, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks could cause actual
results of the industry or our actual results for the year 2007 and beyond to
differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by
or on behalf of the Company. Any projections of growth in the Company's net
premiums written and management fees would not necessarily result in
commensurate levels of underwriting and operating profits. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company
undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or
otherwise.
# # #
W. R. Berkley Corporation Page 4
Consolidated Financial Summary
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Fourth Quarter Full Year
---------------------------- ----------------------------
2006 2005 2006 2005
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Revenues:
Net premiums written $ 1,113,571 $ 1,150,267 $ 4,818,993 $ 4,604,574
Change in unearned premiums 52,137 47,648 (126,371) (143,639)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Premiums earned 1,165,708 1,197,915 4,692,622 4,460,935
Net investment income 163,827 113,280 586,175 403,962
Service fees 24,630 26,672 104,812 110,697
Realized investment gains 5,912 3,324 9,648 17,209
Other income 366 2,699 1,574 4,036
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total revenues 1,360,443 1,343,890 5,394,831 4,996,839
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Expenses:
Losses and loss expenses 689,249 723,088 2,864,498 2,781,802
Other operating expenses 366,275 358,207 1,449,166 1,358,574
Interest expense 22,488 24,952 92,522 85,926
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total expenses 1,078,012 1,106,247 4,406,186 4,226,302
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Income before income taxes
and minority interest 282,431 237,643 988,645 770,537
Income tax expense (83,147) (69,157) (286,398) (222,521)
Minority interest (1,228) (1,062) (2,729) (3,124)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net income $ 198,056 $ 167,424 $ 699,518 $ 544,892
=========== =========== =========== ===========
Net income per share: (1)
Basic $ 1.03 $ 0.88 $ 3.65 $ 2.86
=========== =========== =========== ===========
Diluted $ 0.98 $ 0.83 $ 3.46 $ 2.72
=========== =========== =========== ===========
Average shares outstanding: (1)
Basic 191,745 191,183 191,809 190,533
Diluted 201,557 201,453 201,961 200,426
</Table>
(1) Per share amounts reflect the 3-for-2 common stock split effected on April
4, 2006.
W. R. Berkley Corporation Page 5
Operating Results by Segment
(Amounts in thousands, except ratios (1))
Fourth Quarter Full Year
-------------------------- --------------------------
2006 2005 2006 2005
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Specialty: (2)(3)
Gross premiums written $ 467,560 $ 515,734 $1,918,521 $1,932,821
Net premiums written 438,139 485,834 1,814,479 1,827,865
Premiums earned 444,597 477,991 1,752,507 1,682,193
Pre-tax income 140,389 97,918 479,105 345,896
Loss ratio 56.4% 62.1% 59.1% 62.4%
Expense ratio 24.6% 25.2% 25.0% 25.1%
GAAP combined ratio 81.0% 87.3% 84.1% 87.5%
Regional: (2)
Gross premiums written $ 328,811 $ 322,920 $1,415,311 $1,384,574
Net premiums written 291,597 286,318 1,235,302 1,196,487
Premiums earned 308,074 302,588 1,205,912 1,173,174
Pre-tax income 51,796 59,302 201,417 216,495
Loss ratio 60.3% 54.7% 59.7% 55.8%
Expense ratio 30.5% 30.9% 30.6% 30.6%
GAAP combined ratio 90.8% 85.6% 90.3% 86.4%
Alternative Markets: (3)
Gross premiums written $ 140,715 $ 158,157 $ 747,680 $ 781,411
Net premiums written 119,569 141,844 651,255 669,774
Premiums earned 167,157 181,178 658,805 663,478
Pre-tax income 73,081 80,903 291,416 238,462
Loss ratio 55.7% 51.4% 53.5% 59.4%
Expense ratio 21.4% 18.4% 22.1% 20.1%
GAAP combined ratio 77.1% 69.8% 75.6% 79.5%
Reinsurance: (2)
Gross premiums written $ 201,717 $ 180,559 $ 940,797 $ 770,781
Net premiums written 192,840 167,206 892,769 719,540
Premiums earned 192,834 187,934 859,411 754,097
Pre-tax income 40,137 24,283 135,424 63,606
Loss ratio 66.8% 70.9% 72.0% 74.1%
Expense ratio 31.6% 30.1% 27.8% 30.1%
GAAP combined ratio 98.4% 101.0% 99.8% 104.2%
International:
Gross premiums written $ 79,739 $ 78,597 $ 254,605 $ 218,396
Net premiums written 71,426 69,065 225,188 190,908
Premiums earned 53,046 48,224 215,987 187,993
Pre-tax income 12,676 5,274 34,447 20,890
Loss ratio 57.3% 71.6% 64.2% 66.5%
Expense ratio 32.3% 28.1% 32.0% 29.6%
GAAP combined ratio 89.6% 99.7% 96.2% 96.1%
</Table>
(Continued)
W. R. Berkley Corporation Page 6
Operating Results by Segment (continued)
(Amounts in thousands, except ratios (1))
Fourth Quarter Full Year
----------------------------- -----------------------------
2006 2005 2006 2005
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Corporate and Eliminations:
Realized investment gains $ 5,912 $ 3,324 $ 9,648 $ 17,209
Interest and other, net (41,560) (33,361) (162,812) (132,021)
Pre-tax loss (35,648) (30,037) (153,164) (114,812)
Total:
Gross premiums written $ 1,218,542 $ 1,255,967 $ 5,276,914 $ 5,087,983
Net premiums written 1,113,571 1,150,267 4,818,993 4,604,574
Premiums earned 1,165,708 1,197,915 4,692,622 4,460,935
Pre-tax income 282,431 237,643 988,645 770,537
Loss ratio 59.1% 60.4% 61.0% 62.4%
Expense ratio 27.4% 26.6% 27.0% 26.9%
GAAP combined ratio 86.5% 87.0% 88.0% 89.3%
</Table>
(1) Loss ratio is losses and loss expenses incurred expressed as a percentage
of premiums earned. Expense ratio is underwriting expenses expressed as a
percentage of premiums earned. Underwriting expenses do not include
expenses related to insurance services or unallocated corporate expenses.
For the international segment, the loss and expense ratios do not include
life insurance business. GAAP combined ratio is the sum of the loss ratio
and the expense ratio.
(2) Fourth quarter weather-related losses were $8 million in 2006 (all in the
regional segment) compared with $26 million in 2005 ($5 million for
regional, $8 million for specialty and $13 million for reinsurance). Full
year weather-related losses were $39 million in 2006 (all in the regional
segment) compared with $99 million in 2005 ($35 million for regional, $16
million for specialty and $48 million for reinsurance).
(3) In 2005, the Company developed sufficient information to begin reporting
earned but unbilled audit premiums. For specialty, net premiums written
included estimated earned but unbilled audit premiums of $1 million and $18
million in the fourth quarter and full year of 2006, respectively, compared
with $45 million in the fourth quarter and full year of 2005. For
alternative markets, net premiums written included estimated earned but
unbilled audit premiums of $2 million and $4 million in the fourth quarter
and full year of 2006, respectively, compared with $12 million in the
fourth quarter and full year of 2005.
W. R. Berkley Corporation Page 7
Selected Balance Sheet Information
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
December 31, December 31,
2006 2005
----------- -----------
Total investments (1) $12,012,298 $10,378,250
Total assets 15,656,489 13,896,287
Reserves for losses and loss expenses 7,784,269 6,711,760
Senior notes and other debt 869,187 967,818
Junior subordinated debentures 241,953 450,634
Stockholders' equity (2) 3,335,159 2,567,077
Shares outstanding 192,772 191,265
Stockholders' equity per share 17.30 13.42
</Table>
(1) Total investments include cash and cash equivalents, trading accounts
receivable from brokers and clearing organizations, trading account
securities sold but not yet purchased and unsettled purchases.
(2) Stockholders' equity includes after-tax unrealized gains from investments
and currency translation adjustments of $126 million and $25 million as of
December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively.
W. R. Berkley Corporation Page 8
Supplemental Information
(Amounts in thousands)
Fourth Quarter Full Year
---------------------------- -----------------------------
Reconciliation of net operating income to net income: 2006 2005 2006 2005
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net operating income (1) $ 193,666 $ 165,294 $ 692,404 $ 533,889
Realized investment gains, net of taxes 4,390 2,130 7,114 11,003
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net income $ 198,056 $ 167,424 $ 699,518 $ 544,892
=========== =========== =========== ===========
Return on equity:
Net Income (2) 30.9% 31.7% 27.2% 25.8%
Net operating income (2) 30.2% 31.3% 27.0% 25.3%
Cash flow:
Cash flow from operations before cash transfers
to/from trading account (3) $ 452,610 $ 369,400 $ 1,789,013 $ 1,814,386
Trading account transfers -- -- (225,000) (80,027)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Cash flow from operations $ 452,610 $ 369,400 $ 1,564,013 $ 1,734,359
=========== =========== =========== ===========
</Table>
(1) Net operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure defined by the Company
as net income excluding realized investment gains and losses. Management
believes that excluding realized investment gains and losses, which result
primarily from changes in general economic conditions, provides a useful
indicator of trends in the Company's underlying operations.
(2) Return on equity represents net income and net operating income expressed
on an annualized basis as a percentage of beginning of year stockholders'
equity.
(3) Cash flow before trading account transfers is a non-GAAP financial measure
that excludes cash contributions to and withdrawals from the arbitrage
trading account. Management believes that cash transfers to and withdrawals
from the arbitrage trading account are the result of changes in investment
allocations and that excluding such transfers provides a useful measure of
the Company's cash flow. Reclassifications have been made to the cash flow
information for the fourth quarter and full year of 2005 to conform to the
presentation of the 2006 information.