we and by our quarter CFO, good your and remarks second Jeremy Markel CEO. Group, serve is and call. joined results some to opening and My to I'll Insurance open name I'm Operations, to today The Noble. you, morning. Tom Costanzo, as make of things Welcome floor Brian on a Insurance Gayner, the our Thank financial the conference President comments I our Then and over update engine. turn then will few for Brian our you and questions. Jeremy on
goals. the Markel our with spend who build appreciate Group share cannot the owners always We to We time chance without long-term our partners.
the fellow questions, comments as business. your thoughts As such, owners welcome long-term we and of
speak got our each show and Those our will with X some results financial First some reporting contributions recent the follow Brian you. from longer-term of conventions positive off, results. results most quarterly I share will of to year-to-date numbers. financial share and will to engines. we've good
the Our Underwriting to quarter. first first in of sequentially grow continued engine the half XXXX. insurance from profitability improved
and conservatism by accounting reserve seen ongoing can development. integrity be also favorable Our ongoing
We of our continue ongoing far class am set dedication in to inflation industry-wide across business. proud every produce Ventures improved results improve XXXX teammates our and in to I we despite loss and almost records operations, their our of pressures performance. so to and sales insurance costs continuing underwriting new earnings. ongoing In of underwriting
the last volatility few directions years of I supply returning HEP interest overall ] disrupted think after I challenging surprises movements results it's competitive to both accurate rate of other backdrop being chain as and challenges in with, dramatic and against positions. to of economic sense creating these external environment, some of [ in achieved the describe also overall that snapping speed increasingly say normality conditions, emerging we force. dealt a and would
the Markel I be buying in to of last amidst and how the Ventures about and been very prouder prices is on Ventures other years, One were we've high continues several perform the for talking the couldn't well that these businesses. point transaction their conditions, selling efforts and results. team's
their not so that discipline and to pleased partners Farms at far I'm in complement companies As our add in offerings acted VSC to acquired existing or XXXX. and family and with have did such, our report that we businesses any XXXX, XXXX new Costa footprint.
guide tasks with our and regulatory-driven interest selecting management use private. welcome at are Costa leading we site majority services, public control, provider and and of delighted we company to us and to family. met long-standing the Dollar the Ventures the second a the in of is Markel water them new in of a added investments quarter VSC to in each X-part both transactions of storm Valor a Environmental. Valor purchase end erosion the also We
one, businesses are: that with parts don't debt. for much we X on good use Those returns too capital look
look teams and with those reinvestment we for equal Third, and first a integrity; price. opportunities attributes businesses management and all look look at fair X Second, of for four, lovely talent measures of we with for we capital discipline,
deals and and of being additions as attractive for Higher and financial Costa things be that loose certain As rates buyer family days. business trees equity are different to firms. home conditions of sellers and we the sellers. check. from we consummate Valor not worth Until It's and offices an their check-check-check private owners. long-term, multi-generation for backers At interest those and to a family some such buyer to times, changing VSE, recently, did of attractive these an few types and starting shake can noting beyond businesses any
more in this of productively time way years. are goes engaged been sellers with case conversations kinds in for way the has environment recent tuned in more than We by. it more as Stay news in
personally am we're days. we're I excited and by these what seeing working on what
at capital up We've X-part and to return durable them on are me. our spring opportunities to rates businesses is overnight. to good meet that Our relationships exciting skills The honing act for these and skills capital the test ability and productively don't wisely of now deploy been required growing. to invest decades,
dividend Similarly, replaced side, continues as security. each our our higher high-quality the in from with investment portfolio income bond of consistently continues On dividend is a strategy. portfolio coupon time-tested follow The to to to continue increase. recurring and maturing equities our income we interest increase
the we a long-term XXX, our While approach. the focus. possessed committed S&P the last equity by our in remain market trails time seemed returns this disciplined The XXXXs magnitude to was the singular relative S&P we by year trailed this when market late
turned our that to me similar guns thing, to It facing sheet. the out protected a might our good we we when today seems phase That as and did be environment market environment balance changed. preserved at and be time. like change to stuck a We
will been remain time-tested successful and have to strategy. our We and committed low-cost tax-efficient
at horizon to want on some the XXXX longer-term I turn Finally, the results, thoughts progress Brian Group. to review provide before a to I Markel our of call over the measurement
the one over do we repeatedly to aspire and build stated fashion. enduring in to we've the we years, great of an world's companies, As so mean
behavior, over annual long-term our internally, constantly accomplishments measure compensation. we performance to X-year on foster to tool one measures. calculate do remain rather and to than quarterly incentive effort performance or focused our an We intervals longer-term judge in so As
Five of at years portfolio June XX, ago, investment our XXXX, total billion. had that we is debt investments, cash entire minus net plus $XX.X
through XXXX, for million, of stands about increase an $XXX XXXX, we earned and At $XXX income XX, underwriting our June As change billion, we lowest ago of of X income earned Ventures XXXX, income, the years Markel XXXX, about million Markel XXXX, increase XX%. XXX%. Through June about XX%. million. XX, number each the increase later, June $X,XXX, on operations. operating XXXX, an of we $XX.X The XXX%. XX, sold an is operating Markel that June June ago underwriting share million XX, XX, XX, At through years price and share for $X,XXX. share number X earned of earned increase of sold of XX, of June insurance years of XXXX, Five of June in page. through each $XXX $XXX an insurance we income at of
the at XX.XXX looking shares. of math majority place and million the million, ago, the shares. it the available repurchases stood X at time It XXXX, more the of of vast calculation deploy divided the own that we've count June XX.XXX XXXX by The to almost productively of value repurchased Markel us shares. me opportunities at share stood decrease of to years intrinsic At took we're indicates array our XXXX of capital, company a to X to response per XX, In frame. share Markel, in fewer these through million seems shares. circumstance
our time. more the ought our way achieved. important than of shareholders the people to the returns and culture efforts of outcome company. the numbers The over and I numbers that the Even is the excellent think results this this the are get for produce numbers, of
As we the keeping hard we Markel and in the zealous humor. our pursuit sense in statement, believe paragraph of excellence first Style, of a work while say of culture
the company I and and of for ongoing such am honesty proud build principles. is of around them creed of all thank our their fairness to efforts Markel in our dealings. wonderful people Our I
wait, to frac assistance copilot want Cynthia second, of ] to Microsoft to my ask just to poem tools over but you. a Featherman about [ here, I But with wonderful it and but like said. comments a what deployed I actually do, write able I'd my I help and take I share turn interject and things just AI take that, will only to Brian. can't With before the This
to you news some you're share X We're So quarter about review. our good. glad with
Fire, engines have Ventures Insurance, our that X and We Investments they inspire. fuel
mills. some its in showed skill despite engine Insurance Our underwriting
heights Our in Ventures earnings and and buys. engine to sales new new soared
value we tax-efficient low-cost, of X plan our track less and to progress fears. and brand. stuck engine more over years, our Investment Our and We see
value bought thank also our we join back of We we unpacking. trust your your that some lock. to you We you'll you backing, stock hope and in our for show
AI that augmented it with over Brian. presentation, me to let you, So turn