DEF: AXIS Capital Reports Strong 2024 Performance, Driven by Specialty Underwriting Focus
Summary
- AXIS Capital had a transformative year in 2024, marked by significant achievements aligned with strategic priorities.
- The company delivered a return on average common equity (ROACE) of 20.5% and an operating return on average common equity (OROACE) of 18.6%.
- Year-end diluted book value per share (DBVPS) grew by 20.7% to $65.27.
- Record operating earnings per diluted common share reached $11.18, a 98% increase over the prior year.
- The group combined ratio improved to 92.3%, a 7.6 point improvement.
- Total gross written premiums were a record $9 billion, up 7.8% over the prior year.
- Net investment income reached a record $759 million for the year.
- The insurance segment achieved a combined ratio of 89.1% and generated $6.6 billion in gross premiums written, up 7.7% over the prior year.
- The reinsurance segment produced a combined ratio of 91.8% and generated $2.4 billion in gross written premiums, growing nearly 8%.
Sentiment
Score: 9
Explanation: The document presents a highly positive outlook for AXIS Capital, supported by strong financial results and strategic achievements. The company's focus on specialty underwriting and commitment to shareholder value creation contribute to a favorable sentiment.
Positives
- Record operating earnings per share were achieved.
- The company is well-positioned in attractive markets and poised to capitalize on emerging business opportunities.
- The 'How We Work' program continues to progress, enhancing all aspects of how the company operates.
- The company is making important investments in technology and AI capabilities.
- The company is advancing its award-winning Corporate Citizenship program.
- The company is committed to building on the momentum that it's achieved while delivering value to its shareholders and all its stakeholders.
- The company's 2024 Say on Pay vote received support from 96% of the votes cast.
Risks
- The document mentions a 'complex and rapidly evolving risk environment'.
- The document mentions that 'much work remains ahead' to realize the company's best potential.
Future Outlook
AXIS Capital anticipates sustained profitable growth and value creation in 2025 and beyond, driven by its position in attractive markets and emerging business opportunities.
Management Comments
- 2024 was a transformative year for AXIS as we took meaningful steps toward achieving our specialty leadership ambition, while producing one of the strongest years in our Company's history.
- As we shared at our 2024 Investor Day, our aspiration is to be the leading specialty underwriter, generating consistent top-quartile diluted book value per share growth.
- AXIS enters 2025 with confidence in our future, coupled with recognition that much work remains ahead, and we are deeply committed to helping our Company realize its best potential as a specialty underwriting leader.
Industry Context
The announcement highlights AXIS Capital's focus on specialty underwriting, a segment of the insurance industry that often commands higher premiums due to the complexity and unique risks involved. The company's performance reflects a broader trend in the industry towards specialization and disciplined underwriting.
Comparison to Industry Standards
- The document states that AXIS' aspiration is to be the leading specialty underwriter, generating consistent top-quartile diluted book value per share growth.
- The document states that the company's relative total shareholder return for the three-year period ending December 31, 2024 ranked in the 83rd percentile of our PSU peer group.
Stakeholder Impact
- The company is delivering long-term value to its colleagues, shareholders, customers, and other stakeholders.
- The company is supporting the diverse needs of its customers in today's dynamic risk landscape.
- The company is committed to building on the momentum that it's achieved while delivering value to its shareholders and all its stakeholders.
Next Steps
- The company will hold the 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on May 16, 2025.
- The company will continue to monitor and make progress against its commitment to a science-based aligned target of 50% absolute reduction of Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions across its global operations by 2030, using a 2019 baseline.
- The company continues to prepare for the implementation of CSRD as well as monitor its reporting obligations under the CSRD.
Related Party Transactions
- The Company engages SKY Harbor Capital Management, LLC, a portfolio company of investment funds managed by Stone Point, to manage certain of our debt portfolios representing approximately 11% of our total investments.
- We have an investment of $3 million in the Freedom Consumer Credit Fund, LLC Series B, the manager of which is Freedom Financial Asset Management, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Pantheon Partners, LLC (Pantheon).
- We have a $92 million investment in Stone Points private equity fund, Trident VIII L.P. ('Trident VIII') and co-investments of $30 million.
- We have a $39 million investment in Stone Point's private equity fund, Trident IX L.P. ('Trident IX').
- We have a $48 million investment in Rialto Real Estate IV-Property ('Rialto') and co-investments of $23 million with Rialto Real Estate Fund IV-Property, a fund managed by a portfolio company of Stone Points private equity fund, Trident VII L.P.
- We have a $18 million investment in Stone Point Credit Corporation.
- We have a $7 million investment in a loan to Eagle Point Credit Management LLC, which is majority-owned by Trident IX.
- We have a $6 million investment in cumulative preferred shares of Aspida Holdings Ltd.
- We have a $43 million investment in Monarch Point Re, a collateralized reinsurer which is jointly sponsored by the Company and Stone Point.
- We have committed up to $25 million in Stone Point's private equity fund, Trident X L.P. ('Trident X').
- We have committed up to $60 million in a separately managed account to be managed by Stone Point Credit LLC.
- On December 13, 2024, we entered into a loss portfolio transfer reinsurance agreement with Cavello Bay Reinsurance Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Enstar Group Limited ('Enstar') to retrocede a portfolio of reinsurance business predominantly related to 2021 and prior underwriting years.
- On February 3, 2025, we entered into a stock repurchase agreement with T-VIII PubOpps LP ('T8'), an investment vehicle managed by Stone Point, pursuant to which T8 agreed to sell 2,234,636 shares to the Company for an aggregate price of approximately $200 million.
- On March 5, 2025, we entered into a stock repurchase agreement with T8, pursuant to which T8 agreed to sell 2,139,037 shares to the Company for an aggregate price of approximately $200 million.
Key Dates
- 2020: AXIS adopted the United Nations Global Compact and the Principles for Sustainable Insurance.
- 2022: PSU awards issued with rTSR as the sole financial metric.
- 2023: The 'How We Work' program was launched.
- 2023-05-04: Vincent Tizzio appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer.
- 2024-01: Stanley Galanski joined the Board.
- 2024-04: The Energy Transition Syndicate was launched at Lloyds of London.
- 2024-12-13: AXIS entered into a loss portfolio transfer reinsurance agreement with Cavello Bay Reinsurance Limited.
- 2025-02-03: AXIS entered into a stock repurchase agreement with T-VIII PubOpps LP to sell 2,234,636 shares.
- 2025-03-05: AXIS entered into a stock repurchase agreement with T8 to sell 2,139,037 shares.
- 2025-03-14: Record date for Annual General Meeting.
- 2025-04-03: Date of letter from CEO and Board Chair.
- 2025-04-03: This Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and the attached proxy statement are being distributed or made available.
- 2025-05-16: Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
- 2026: Long-term target of 11% G&A ratio.
Keywords
Filings with Classifications
Investor Presentation
- The company reported record first quarter operating EPS.
- The company reported record diluted book value per share.
- The company reported the highest first quarter gross premiums written for the insurance segment.
Quarterly Report
- Net income available to common shareholders decreased from $387.9 million to $186.5 million year over year.
- The effective tax rate increased from (46.0%) to 18.6% year over year.
Earnings Release
- Net income available to common shareholders decreased compared to the same period last year.
Proxy Statement
- The company delivered a return on average common equity (ROACE) of 20.5% and an operating return on average common equity (OROACE) of 18.6%.
- Year-end diluted book value per share (DBVPS) grew by 20.7% to $65.27.
- Record operating earnings per diluted common share reached $11.18, a 98% increase over the prior year.
- The group combined ratio improved to 92.3%, a 7.6 point improvement.
- Total gross written premiums were a record $9 billion, up 7.8% over the prior year.
- Net investment income reached a record $759 million for the year.
Annual Results
- The company may require additional capital in the future, which may not be available or may only be available on unfavorable terms.
- Any equity or debt financing, if available at all, may be on terms that are not favorable to us.
- As economic and market uncertainty continues, it is possible that access to the capital markets may become more constrained and cost of capital may increase.
Investor Presentation
- The company reported record operating EPS for Q4 and full year 2024.
- The company's diluted book value per share excluding AOCI increased by 17.5% year-over-year.
- Gross premiums written for the group was up 11% year over year to $2.0B for the quarter, the highest production fourth quarter ever.
Quarterly Report
- Net income available to common shareholders significantly increased compared to the previous year.
- Operating return on equity improved substantially.
- Diluted book value per share showed strong growth.
Investor Presentation
- The company reported record third-quarter insurance premium production.
- Net investment income reached a record high for the third quarter.
- The diluted book value per common share increased significantly.
Quarterly Report
- The company's operating income of $230 million and 17.3% annualized operating ROACE exceeded expectations.
- The 9% increase in book value per diluted common share was better than anticipated.
- The 33% increase in net investment income was a positive surprise.
Quarterly Report
- The company's combined ratio of 93.1% indicates an underwriting loss, which is worse than expected.
- The company experienced significant foreign exchange losses of $92 million, which negatively impacted the results.
Investor Presentation
- The company reported record gross premiums written for the second quarter.
- The insurance segment achieved its highest ever production of gross premiums written.
- The company's annualized operating ROACE was 19.1%, indicating strong profitability.
- Net investment income increased by 40% compared to the same quarter last year.
- Diluted book value per share grew by 16.3% over the last 12 months.
Quarterly Report
- The company's net income available to common shareholders of $204 million, or $2.42 per common share, exceeded expectations.
- The company's operating income of $250 million, or $2.93 per diluted common share, was better than anticipated.
- The company's underwriting income of $161 million was a strong result.
Quarterly Report
- The company's net income, operating income, and operating ROACE all exceeded prior year results.
- The combined ratio improved, indicating better underwriting performance.
- Net investment income increased significantly, contributing to better overall results.
Investor Day Presentation
- The company's current accident year combined ratio has improved from 100% in 2021 to 96% in Q1 2024, indicating better underwriting performance.
- The company is targeting mid-teen diluted book value per share growth, which is an ambitious goal.
- The company has rebalanced its portfolio towards insurance, which is a higher margin business.
Quarterly Report
- The company's net income available to common shareholders significantly increased compared to the same period last year.
- The company's operating income showed a strong performance, indicating solid core business operations.
- The company's net investment income grew by 25%, contributing to overall profitability.
Quarterly Report
- The company's net income and operating income significantly exceeded the prior year's first quarter results.
- The annualized return on average common equity (ROACE) of 32.1% and operating ROACE of 18.2% are strong indicators of improved profitability.
- The specialty insurance business achieved a combined ratio of 86.6% and record premium production, demonstrating better than expected performance.
Proxy Statement
- The company achieved record premium production, strong operating income, meaningful growth in diluted book value per share, and significant improvement in the current accident year combined ratio.
Credit Facility Amendment
- The reduction in the committed facility from $500 million to $300 million indicates a reduction in guaranteed credit availability, which is worse than the previous arrangement.
Investor Presentation
- The reinsurance segment's combined ratio of 107.6% indicates underwriting losses, which is worse than expected.
Quarterly Report
- The company reported a net loss for the quarter, primarily due to a significant adverse prior year reserve development, which was worse than expected.
Preliminary Earnings Release
- The company had to strengthen its reserves by a significant $425 million pre-tax ($361 million post-tax), indicating worse than expected prior year loss development.
Disclaimer: This summary was generated by artificial intelligence and its accuracy is not guaranteed. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, recommendation, or endorsement of any kind. It may contain errors or omissions. You should not rely on this information to make financial decisions. Always seek the advice of a qualified financial professional before making any investment or financial decisions. Use of this information is at your own risk.