Greenlight Re Announces Fourth Quarter and Year End 2019 Financial Results

Decrease in fully diluted book value per share of 1.7% for the year to $12.88;
Fully diluted net loss per share of $0.11 for the year

Company to Hold Conference Call at 9:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 10, 2020

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, March 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. (NASDAQ: GLRE) (“Greenlight Re” or the “Company”) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2019.

Greenlight Re reported a net loss attributable to common shareholders of $30.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2019, compared to a net loss attributable to common shareholders of $80.8 million for the same period in 2018. The fully diluted net loss per share for the fourth quarter of 2019 was $0.84, compared to a net loss per share of $2.25 for the same period in 2018. The Company’s fourth quarter of 2019 was impacted by catastrophe losses related to typhoons Hagibis and Faxai.

Fully diluted adjusted book value per share was $12.88 as of December 31, 2019, compared to $13.10 per share as of December 31, 2018 and $13.67 as of September 30, 2019.

Management Commentary

Simon Burton, Chief Executive Officer of Greenlight Re, stated, “As we compare our portfolio at the end of 2019 with the one that started the year, we are pleased with the progress we’ve made. Excluding the adverse loss development on our private passenger auto business recognized in the first half of 2019, our portfolio performed acceptably during 2019, despite $17 million of natural catastrophe losses that we incurred during the year. We are optimistic about our positioning in 2020, which will enable us to take advantage of improving market conditions.”

Mr. Burton continued, “As previously discussed, the Company has undertaken a strategic review process and has been engaging in discussions with interested counterparties. The review is not yet complete. We continue to evaluate various options and ultimately intend to determine the best outcome for our shareholders.”

Commenting on the investment portfolio, David Einhorn, Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated, “Our investment returns from the Solasglas fund were positive for the year, reporting a 9.3% return and an overall net investment gain of $46.1 million. We gave up some ground during the fourth quarter, given the unabated outperformance of growth vs. value stocks.”

Financial and Operating Highlights
Fourth Quarter 2019

• Gross written premiums were $98.5 million, compared to $135.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. The quarterly decrease was largely due to the non-renewal of certain auto business, offset by additional new business written in several different markets.
   
• Net written premiums decreased 6.2% to $98.4 million, compared to $104.9 million reported in the prior-year period. Ceded premiums were $0.1 million compared to $30.3 million in the prior year period. The decrease in ceded premium in the quarter was primarily due to the non-renewal of retrocessional coverage on auto business.
   
• Net earned premiums were $108.6 million, a decrease from $119.6 million reported in the prior-year period.
   
• Net underwriting loss of $15.8 million, compared to a net underwriting loss of $18.0 million reported in the fourth quarter of 2018. The underwriting loss was negatively impacted by natural catastrophe losses of $14.2 million related primarily to typhoons Hagibis and Faxai.  The quarterly loss reserve review resulted in a small adverse development of $1.1 million booked in the quarter.
   
• A composite ratio for the quarter of 111.9%, compared to 112.6% for the prior-year period. The combined ratio for the quarter was 114.5%, compared to 115.0% for the prior-year period.  Natural catastrophe losses contributed 13.1 percentage points to the composite and combined ratios for the quarter.
   
• A net investment loss of $8.8 million, compared to a net investment loss of $56.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. Included in total net investment loss is a loss of $5.7 million on the Solasglas fund and a $6.0 million valuation allowance provision made on notes receivable.

Year Ended December 31, 2019

• Gross written premiums were $524.0 million, a decrease of 7.7% from $567.5 million reported in the prior-year period.
  
  
• Net earned premiums were $483.6 million, a decrease of 4.9% from $508.4 million reported in the prior-year period.
  
  
• A composite ratio for the year ended December 31, 2019 of 104.5%, compared to 100.2% for the prior-year period. The combined ratio for the year ended December 31, 2019 was 106.9%, compared to 102.8% for the prior-year period. Catastrophe losses contributed 3.6 percentage points to the composite and combined ratio for 2019, compared to 3.7 percentage points for 2018.
  
  
• Total net investment income of $52.3 million, compared to a net investment loss of $323.1 million reported in the prior-year period. Included in total net investment income is a gain of  $46.1 million on the Solasglas fund, which reported a gain of 9.3% for the year.

Conference Call Details

Greenlight Re will hold a live conference call to discuss its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2019 on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.  The conference call title is Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. Fourth Quarter and Year End 2019 Earnings Call.

To participate in the Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. Fourth Quarter and Year End 2019 Earnings Call, please dial in to the conference call at:

Telephone participants may avoid any delays by pre-registering for the call using the following link to receive a special dial-in number and PIN.

Conference Call registration link: http://dpregister.com/10138290

The conference call can also be accessed via webcast at:

https://services.choruscall.com/links/glre200225.html

A telephone replay of the call will be available from 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on March 10, 2020 until 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on March 17, 2020.  The replay of the call may be accessed by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (U.S. toll free) or 1-412-317-0088 (international), access code 10138290. An audio file of the call will also be available on the Company’s website, www.greenlightre.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In presenting the Company’s results, management has included financial measures that are not calculated under standards or rules that comprise accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP). Such measures, including fully diluted adjusted book value per share and net underwriting income (loss), are referred to as non-GAAP measures. These non-GAAP measures may be defined or calculated differently by other companies. Management believes these measures allow for a more complete understanding of the underlying business. These measures are used to monitor our results and should not be viewed as a substitute for those determined in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of such measures to the most comparable GAAP figures are included in the attached financial information in accordance with Regulation G.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in the U.S. Federal securities laws. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements made on behalf of the Company. These risks and uncertainties include the impact of general economic conditions and conditions affecting the insurance and reinsurance industry, the adequacy of our reserves, our ability to assess underwriting risk, trends in rates for property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, competition, investment market fluctuations, trends in insured and paid losses, catastrophes, regulatory and legal uncertainties and other factors described in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities Exchange Commission.  The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as provided by law.

About Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd.
Established in 2004, Greenlight Re (www.greenlightre.com) is a NASDAQ listed company with specialist property and casualty reinsurance companies based in the Cayman Islands and Ireland.  Greenlight Re provides risk management products and services to the insurance, reinsurance and other risk marketplaces.  The Company focuses on delivering risk solutions to clients and brokers by whom Greenlight Re's expertise, analytics and customer service offerings are demanded.  With an emphasis on deriving superior returns from both sides of the balance sheet, Greenlight Re manages its assets according to a value-oriented equity-focused strategy that supports the goal of long-term growth in book value per share.

Contact:
Investor Relations:
Adam Prior
The Equity Group Inc.
(212) 836-9606
IR@greenlightre.ky

The following table provides the ratios categorized as Property, Casualty and Other:

GREENLIGHT CAPITAL RE, LTD.
NON-GAAP MEASURES AND RECONCILIATION

Basic Adjusted Book Value Per Share and Fully Diluted Adjusted Book Value Per Share

We believe that long-term growth in fully diluted adjusted book value per share is the most relevant measure of our financial performance because it provides management and investors a yardstick by which to monitor the shareholder value generated. In addition, fully diluted adjusted book value per share may be useful to our investors, shareholders and other interested parties to form a basis of comparison with other companies within the property and casualty reinsurance industry.

Basic adjusted book value per share is considered a non-GAAP financial measure because the numerator excludes non-controlling interests in the Joint Venture. The Joint Venture was terminated during the first quarter of 2019, and as a result no such adjustment is required as at December 31, 2019. Fully diluted adjusted book value per share is also considered a non-GAAP financial measure and represents basic adjusted book value per share combined with any dilutive impact of in-the-money stock options and RSUs issued and outstanding as of any period end. In addition, the fully diluted adjusted book value per share includes the dilutive effect, if any, of ordinary shares to be issued upon conversion of the convertible notes. Basic adjusted book value per share and fully diluted adjusted book value per share should not be viewed as substitutes for the comparable U.S. GAAP measures.

Our primary financial goal is to increase fully diluted adjusted book value per share over the long term.

The following table presents a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures basic adjusted and fully diluted adjusted book value per share to the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure.

(1) All unvested restricted shares, including those with performance conditions, are included in the “basic adjusted” and “fully diluted adjusted” denominators. As of December 31, 2019, the number of unvested restricted shares with performance conditions was 356,900 (30,660 and 0, as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively).

Net Underwriting Income (Loss)

One way that we evaluate the Company’s underwriting performance is through the measurement of net underwriting income (loss). We do not use premiums written as a measure of performance. Net underwriting income (loss) is a performance measure used by management as it measures the fundamentals underlying the Company’s underwriting operations. We believe that the use of net underwriting income (loss) enables investors and other users of the Company’s financial information to analyze our performance in a manner similar to how management analyzes performance. Management also believes that this measure follows industry practice and allows the users of financial information to compare the Company’s performance with its those of our industry peer group.

Net underwriting income (loss) is considered a non-GAAP financial measure because it excludes items used in the calculation of net income before taxes under U.S. GAAP. Net underwriting income (loss) is calculated as net premiums earned, plus other income (expense) relating to deposit-accounted contracts, less net loss and loss adjustment expenses, less acquisition costs, and less underwriting expenses. The measure excludes, on a recurring basis: (1) investment income (loss); (2) other income (expense) not related to underwriting, including foreign exchange gains or losses; (3) corporate general and administrative expenses; (4) interest expense and (5) income taxes. We exclude total investment related income or loss and foreign exchange gains or losses as we believe these items are influenced by market conditions and other factors not related to underwriting decisions. We exclude corporate expenses because these expenses are generally fixed and not incremental to or directly related to our underwriting operations. We believe all of these amounts are largely independent of our underwriting process and including them could hinder the analysis of trends in our underwriting operations. Net underwriting income (loss) should not be viewed as a substitute for U.S. GAAP net income.

The reconciliations of net underwriting income (loss) to income (loss) before income taxes (the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure) on a consolidated basis is shown below: