Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter 2024 Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Bowhead Specialty Holdings (NYSE: BOW) announced its Q4 2024 financial results. Gross written premiums rose 26.3% to $184.8 million. Net income was $13.6 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, while adjusted net income was $14.1 million, or $0.42 per diluted share. The return on equity was 14.8%, and adjusted return on equity was 15.3%. Book value per share stood at $11.34, and diluted book value per share was $11.03.

For the full year 2024, gross written premiums increased 37.0% to $695.7 million. Net income reached $38.2 million, or $1.29 per diluted share, with adjusted net income at $42.7 million, or $1.44 per diluted share. The return on equity was 13.6%, and adjusted return on equity was 15.2%.

The Casualty division led growth with a 56% increase in premiums. The Healthcare Liability and Professional Liability divisions also saw double-digit growth. Bowhead launched Baleen, a tech-enabled underwriting operation, which generated $1.2 million in gross written premiums in Q4, a 175% sequential growth.

The loss ratio for 2024 was 64.4%, up from 63.0% in 2023. The expense ratio decreased to 31.4% for the year. Net investment income surged 107.1% to $40.1 million, with a book yield of 4.6% and a new money rate of 4.9%.

Positive

• Gross written premiums up 26.3% in Q4
• Net income of $13.6 million in Q4
• Adjusted net income of $14.1 million in Q4
• Return on equity of 14.8% in Q4
• Gross written premiums up 37.0% for 2024
• Net income of $38.2 million for 2024
• Adjusted net income of $42.7 million for 2024
• Return on equity of 13.6% for 2024
• Casualty division premiums up 56%
• Baleen underwriting operation generated $1.2 million in Q4
• Net investment income up 107.1% for 2024

Negative

• Loss ratio increased to 64.4% for 2024

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BOW), a specialty lines insurance group focused on providing casualty, professional liability and healthcare liability insurance products, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024⁽¹⁾.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Highlights

• Gross written premiums increased 26.3% to $184.8 million.
• Net income of $13.6 million, or $0.41 per diluted share.
• Adjusted net income⁽²⁾ of $14.1 million, or $0.42 per diluted share⁽²⁾.
• Return on equity of 14.8% and adjusted return on equity⁽²⁾ of 15.3%.
• Book value per share $11.34 and diluted book value per share of $11.03.

Full Year 2024 Highlights

• Gross written premiums increased 37.0% to $695.7 million.
• Net income of $38.2 million, or $1.29 per diluted share.
• Adjusted net income⁽²⁾ of $42.7 million, or $1.44 per diluted share⁽²⁾.
• Return on equity of 13.6% and adjusted return on equity⁽²⁾ of 15.2%.

Bowhead Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Sills, commented, “After completing our fourth year of operations, we are once again incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. This milestone year as a new public company has been defined by profitable growth, continued innovation, and strong execution across all our underwriting divisions. Premiums grew 37% in the year driven by a 56% growth in our Casualty division and double-digit premium growth in our Healthcare Liability and Professional Liability divisions. Late in Q2, we launched Baleen, our tech-enabled low touch “flow” underwriting operation, which supplements our “craft” underwriting solution. We are pleased with our initial results and look forward to applying this technology in other areas of our business. As we look ahead into 2025, our focus is to build on the momentum we generated in 2024 and continue to grow our business profitably. This is just the beginning for Bowhead and I couldn’t be more excited for what I expect to be a company that is capable of cross cycle profitability.”

Underwriting Results

The 26.3% increase in gross written premiums to $184.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 was driven by renewals, new business and continued growth in our platform across all divisions:

• Our Casualty division led the growth with a 43.1% increase to $105.9 million;
• Healthcare Liability increased 8.8% to $31.7 million; and
• Professional Liability increased 6.5% to $46.0 million.
• Late in the second quarter of 2024, we launched a new division called Baleen Specialty, which focuses on small, hard-to-place risks written 100% on a non-admitted basis. Baleen is a streamlined, tech-enabled low touch “flow” underwriting operation that supplements the “craft” solutions we offer today. In line with our deliberate, measured and limited roll out, Baleen Specialty generated $1.2 million of gross written premiums for the fourth quarter of 2024, a sequential growth of 175% from the previous quarter.

Our loss ratio for the year of 64.4% increased 1.4 points compared to 63.0% in 2023 due to mix changes in the portfolio, where Casualty, which has higher current accident year industry loss ratios, comprised a larger proportion of our portfolio compared to 2023. There was no prior accident year reserve development in our loss ratio for the year.

During the quarter, as part of our annual independent actuarial reserve review, we reallocated prior accident year loss reserves by division, primarily from Professional Liability to Casualty, to align more closely with industry loss ratios. The increase in our loss ratio and reallocation of prior accident year reserves are primarily based on inputs from industry data due to Bowhead’s limited loss experience. As of December 31, 2024, incurred but not reported liabilities comprised 90.7% of our net loss reserves.

Our expense ratio for the fourth quarter of 30.1% and for the year ended December 31, 2024 of 31.4%, decreased 1.2 points and 0.5 points, respectively, driven by the continued scaling of our business and prudent management of operating expenses.

Investment Results

Net investment income increased 79.8% in the quarter to $12.2 million and 107.1% for the year to $40.1 million, driven by the increase in our investment portfolio and higher yields on invested assets. Our investment portfolio had a had a book yield of 4.6% and a new money rate of 4.9% at the end of the year.

The weighted average effective duration of our investment portfolio, which included cash equivalents, was 2.2 years and had an average rating of “AA” at December 31, 2024.

____________________
(1)		Comparisons in this release are made to December 31, 2023 financial results unless otherwise noted.
(2)		Non-GAAP financial measure. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures.

Summary of Operating Results

The following table summarizes the Company’s results of operations for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

	Three Months Ended December 31,											Twelve Months Ended December 31,
		2024				2023			% Change				2024				2023			% Change
	($ in thousands, except percentages and per share data)
Gross written premiums	$	184,769			$	146,321			26.3	%		$	695,717			$	507,688			37.0	%
Ceded written premiums		(64,585	)			(51,376	)		25.7	%			(244,295	)			(173,016	)		41.2	%
Net written premiums	$	120,184			$	94,945			26.6	%		$	451,422			$	334,672			34.9	%
Revenues
Net earned premiums	$	106,864			$	75,992			40.6	%		$	385,111			$	263,902			45.9	%
Net investment income		12,193				6,782			79.8	%			40,121				19,371			107.1	%
Net realized investment losses		—				—			NM				(16	)			—			NM
Other insurance-related income		274				31			783.9	%			444				125			255.2	%
Total revenues		119,331				82,805			44.1	%			425,660				283,398			50.2	%
Expenses
Net losses and loss adjustment expenses		66,937				52,618			27.2	%			248,099				166,282			49.2	%
Net acquisition costs		9,130				5,787			57.8	%			32,397				20,935			54.8	%
Operating expenses		23,352				18,001			29.7	%			89,112				63,456			40.4	%
Non-operating expenses		622				630			(1.3	)%			2,807				630			345.6	%
Warrant expense		792				—			NM				1,917				—			NM
Credit facility interest expenses and fees		248				—			NM				725				—			NM
Foreign exchange losses (gains)		1				(41	)		(102.4	)%			68				(20	)		(440.0	)%
Total expenses		101,082				76,995			31.3	%			375,125				251,283			49.3	%
Income before income taxes		18,249				5,810			214.1	%			50,535				32,115			57.4	%
Income tax expense		(4,642	)			(1,027	)		352.0	%			(12,292	)			(7,068	)		73.9	%
Net income	$	13,607			$	4,783			184.5	%		$	38,243			$	25,047			52.7	%
Key Operating and Financial Metrics:
Adjusted net income(1)	$	14,099			$	5,793			143.4	%		$	42,686			$	26,152			63.2	%
Loss ratio		62.6	%			69.2	%						64.4	%			63.0	%
Expense ratio		30.1	%			31.3	%						31.4	%			31.9	%
Combined ratio		92.7	%			100.5	%						95.8	%			94.9	%
Return on equity(2)		14.8	%			11.0	%						13.6	%			18.2	%
Adjusted return on equity(1)(2)		15.3	%			13.4	%						15.2	%			19.0	%
Diluted earnings per share	$	0.41			$	0.20						$	1.29			$	1.04
Diluted adjusted earnings per share(1)	$	0.42			$	0.24						$	1.44			$	1.09

____________________
NM - Percentage change is not meaningful.
(1)		Non-GAAP financial measure. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures.
(2)		For the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, net income and adjusted net income are annualized to arrive at return on equity and adjusted return on equity.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

	December 31, 2024				December 31, 2023
	($ in thousands, except share data)
Assets
Investments
Fixed maturity securities, available for sale, at fair value (amortized cost of $894,145 and $569,013, respectively)	$	879,989			$	554,624
Short-term investments, at amortized cost, which approximates fair value		9,997				8,824
Total investments		889,986				563,448
Cash and cash equivalents		97,476				118,070
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		124,582				1,698
Accrued investment income		7,520				4,660
Premium balances receivable		63,672				38,817
Reinsurance recoverable		255,072				139,389
Prepaid reinsurance premiums		152,567				116,732
Deferred policy acquisition costs		27,625				19,407
Property and equipment, net		6,845				7,601
Income taxes receivable		586				1,107
Deferred tax assets, net		20,340				14,229
Other assets		7,971				2,701
Total assets	$	1,654,242			$	1,027,859
Liabilities
Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses	$	756,859			$	431,186
Unearned premiums		446,850				344,704
Reinsurance balances payable		51,856				40,440
Income taxes payable		1,571				42
Accrued expenses		18,010				14,900
Other liabilities		8,654				4,510
Total liabilities		1,283,800				835,782
Commitments and contingencies (Note 13)
Mezzanine equity
Performance stock units		265				—
Stockholders' equity
Common stock		327				240
($0.01 par value; 400,000,000 shares authorized, 32,662,683 and 24,000,000 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively)
Additional paid-in capital		318,095				178,543
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(11,154	)			(11,372	)
Retained earnings		62,909				24,666
Total stockholders' equity		370,177				192,077
Total mezzanine equity and stockholders' equity		370,442				192,077
Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and stockholders' equity	$	1,654,242			$	1,027,859

Gross Written Premiums

The following tables present gross written premiums by underwriting division for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

	Three Months Ended December 31,
		2024			% of Total				2023			% of Total			$ Change				% Change
	($ in thousands, except percentages)
Casualty	$	105,872			57.3	%		$	73,993			50.6	%		$	31,879			43.1	%
Professional Liability		46,010			24.9	%			43,195			29.5	%			2,815			6.5	%
Healthcare Liability		31,699			17.2	%			29,133			19.9	%			2,566			8.8	%
Baleen Specialty		1,188			0.6	%			—			—	%			1,188			NM
Gross written premiums	$	184,769			100.0	%		$	146,321			100.0	%		$	38,448			26.3	%

	Twelve Months Ended December 31,
		2024			% of Total				2023			% of Total			$ Change				% Change
	($ in thousands, except percentages)
Casualty	$	431,817			62.1	%		$	277,455			54.7	%		$	154,362			55.6	%
Professional Liability		160,651			23.1	%			145,251			28.6	%			15,400			10.6	%
Healthcare Liability		101,619			14.6	%			84,982			16.7	%			16,637			19.6	%
Baleen Specialty		1,630			0.2	%			—			—	%			1,630			NM
Gross written premiums	$	695,717			100.0	%		$	507,688			100.0	%		$	188,029			37.0	%

Loss Ratio

The following tables summarize current and prior accident year loss ratios for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

	Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024							2023
	Net Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums			Net Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums
	($ in thousands, except percentages)
Current accident year	$	66,937			62.6	%		$	53,254			70.0	%
Prior accident year reserve development		—			—	%			(636	)		(0.8	)%
Total	$	66,937			62.6	%		$	52,618			69.2	%

	Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024							2023
	Net Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums			Net Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums
	($ in thousands, except percentages)
Current accident year	$	248,099			64.4	%		$	166,282			63.0	%
Prior accident year reserve development		—			—	%			—			—	%
Total	$	248,099			64.4	%		$	166,282			63.0	%

Expense Ratio

The following tables summarize the components of our expense ratio for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

	Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024							2023
	Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums			Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums
	($ in thousands, except percentages)
Net acquisition costs	$	9,130			8.5	%		$	5,787			7.6	%
Operating expenses		23,352			21.9	%			18,001			23.7	%
Less: Other insurance-related income		(274	)		(0.3	)%			(31	)		—	%
Total expense ratio	$	32,208			30.1	%		$	23,757			31.3	%

	Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024							2023
	Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums			Expenses				% of Net Earned Premiums
	($ in thousands, except percentages)
Net acquisition costs	$	32,397			8.4	%		$	20,935			7.9	%
Operating expenses		89,112			23.1	%			63,456			24.0	%
Less: Other insurance-related income		(444	)		(0.1	)%			(125	)		—	%
Total expense ratio	$	121,065			31.4	%		$	84,266			31.9	%

Net Investment Income

The following table summarizes the sources of net investment income for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

	Three Months Ended December 31,								Twelve Months Ended December 31,
		2024				2023				2024				2023
	($ in thousands)
U.S. government and government agency	$	3,198			$	2,511			$	14,514			$	4,673
State and municipal		591				387				1,832				1,550
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		981				378				2,584				1,381
Residential mortgage-backed securities		2,399				244				6,517				962
Asset-backed securities		1,283				1,171				3,043				3,708
Corporate		2,154				934				5,768				3,448
Short-term investments		130				126				480				943
Cash and cash equivalents		1,700				1,179				6,193				3,190
Gross investment income		12,436				6,930				40,931				19,855
Investment expenses		(243	)			(148	)			(810	)			(484	)
Net investment income	$	12,193			$	6,782			$	40,121			$	19,371

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This earnings release contains certain financial measures that are not presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). We use these non-GAAP financial measures when planning, monitoring and evaluating our performance. Management believes that each of the non-GAAP financial measures described below provides useful insight into our underlying business performance.

• Adjusted net income is defined as net income excluding the impact of net realized investment losses, non-operating expenses, foreign exchange losses (gains), and certain strategic initiatives. Adjusted net income excludes the impact of certain items that may not be indicative of underlying business trends, operating results, or future outlook, net of tax impact. We calculate the tax impact only on adjustments that would be included in calculating our income tax expense using the estimated tax rate at which we received a deduction for these adjustments.
• Adjusted return on equity is defined as adjusted net income as a percentage of average beginning and ending mezzanine equity and stockholders’ equity.
• Diluted adjusted earnings per share is defined as adjusted net income divided by the weighted average common shares outstanding for the period, reflecting the dilution that may occur if equity based awards are converted into common stock equivalents as calculated using the treasury stock method.

You should not rely on these non-GAAP financial measures as a substitute for any U.S. GAAP financial measure. While we believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating our business, this information should be considered supplemental in nature and not as a replacement for or superior to the comparable U.S. GAAP measures. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate such measures differently, which reduces their usefulness as comparative measures.

Adjusted net income

Adjusted net income for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 reconciles to net income as follows:

	Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024								2023
	Before income taxes				After income taxes				Before income taxes				After income taxes
	($ in thousands)
Income as reported	$	18,249			$	13,607			$	5,810			$	4,783
Adjustments:
Non-operating expenses		622				622				630				630
Foreign exchange losses (gains)		1				1				(41	)			(41	)
Strategic initiatives(1)		—				—				706				706
Tax impact		—				(131	)			—				(285	)
Adjusted net income	$	18,872			$	14,099			$	7,105			$	5,793

	Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024								2023
	Before income taxes				After income taxes				Before income taxes				After income taxes
	($ in thousands)
Income as reported	$	50,535			$	38,243			$	32,115			$	25,047
Adjustments:
Net realized investment losses		16				16				—				—
Non-operating expenses		2,807				2,807				630				630
Foreign exchange losses (gains)		68				68				(20	)			(20	)
Strategic initiatives(1)		2,733				2,733				806				806
Tax impact		—				(1,181	)			—				(311	)
Adjusted net income	$	56,159			$	42,686			$	33,531			$	26,152

____________________
(1)		Strategic initiatives for the three months and years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 represents costs incurred to set up our Baleen Specialty division, which is recorded in operating expenses within the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The costs incurred primarily represent expenses to implement the new platform and processes supporting the Baleen Specialty division. See “Business— Our Business”

Adjusted return on equity

Adjusted return on equity for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 reconciles to return on equity as follows:

	Three Months Ended December 31,								Twelve Months Ended December 31,
		2024				2023				2024				2023
	($ in thousands, except percentages)
Numerator: Adjusted net income(1)	$	56,395			$	23,172			$	42,686			$	26,152
Denominator: Average mezzanine equity and stockholders' equity		367,467				173,251				281,259				137,726
Adjusted return on equity		15.3	%			13.4	%			15.2	%			19.0	%

____________________
(1)		For the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, net income and adjusted net income are annualized to arrive at return on equity and adjusted return on equity.

Diluted adjusted earnings per share

Diluted adjusted earnings per share for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 reconciles to diluted earnings per share as follows:

	Three Months Ended December 31,								Twelve Months Ended December 31,
		2024				2023				2024				2023
	($ in thousands, except share and per share data)
Numerator: Adjusted net income	$	14,099			$	5,793			$	42,686			$	26,152
Denominator: Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		33,571,535				24,000,000				29,677,196				24,000,000
Diluted adjusted earnings per share	$	0.42			$	0.24			$	1.44			$	1.09

About Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc.

Bowhead Specialty is a specialty lines insurance group providing casualty, professional liability and healthcare liability insurance products. The team is composed of highly experienced and respected industry veterans with decades of individual, successful underwriting and management experience. We provide “craft” underwriting solutions, which require deep underwriting and claims expertise in order to produce attractive financial results. In May 2024, we supplemented our “craft” solution with our “flow” underwriting operation, which is a streamlined, tech-enabled low touch form of underwriting, focused on small, niche and hard-to-place risks. Our policies are primarily written on a non-admitted, or excess and surplus lines (“E&S”) basis, which is free of rate and policy form restrictions, and provides the flexibility to rapidly adjust to emerging market opportunities.

We pride ourselves on the quality and experience of our people, who are committed to exceeding our partners’ expectations through excellent service and expertise. Our collaborative culture spans all functions of our business, which allows us to provide a consistent, positive experience for all of our partners.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call to discuss its results today, Tuesday, February 25, 2025, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Interested parties may access the conference call through a live webcast, which can be accessed via this link or by visiting the Company’s Investor Relations website. A dial-in option for listen-only participants will be available after registering for the call. Please join the live webcast or dial in at least 10 minutes before the start of the call.

A replay of the event webcast will be available on the company’s Investor Relations website for one year following the call.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "projects," "seeks," "future," "outlook," "prospects" "will," "would," "should," "could," "may," "can have" or similar words. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those described in the Company’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250225372984/en/

Investor Relations Contact:

Shirley Yap, Head of Investor Relations

investorrelations@bowheadspecialty.com

Source: Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc.

FAQ

What were Bowhead Specialty Holdings' Q4 2024 financial results?

Bowhead Specialty Holdings reported a 26.3% increase in gross written premiums to $184.8 million, net income of $13.6 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, and adjusted net income of $14.1 million, or $0.42 per diluted share.

How did Bowhead Specialty Holdings perform in the full year 2024?

For the full year 2024, Bowhead Specialty Holdings saw a 37.0% increase in gross written premiums to $695.7 million, net income of $38.2 million, or $1.29 per diluted share, and adjusted net income of $42.7 million, or $1.44 per diluted share.

What was the return on equity for Bowhead Specialty Holdings in Q4 2024?

The return on equity for Bowhead Specialty Holdings in Q4 2024 was 14.8%, and the adjusted return on equity was 15.3%.

What was the increase in premiums for Bowhead Specialty Holdings' Casualty division?

The Casualty division premiums increased by 56% for Bowhead Specialty Holdings in 2024.

What is Baleen and how did it perform in Q4 2024?

Baleen is a tech-enabled underwriting operation launched by Bowhead Specialty Holdings. It generated $1.2 million in gross written premiums in Q4 2024, a sequential growth of 175%.

How did Bowhead Specialty Holdings' net investment income perform in 2024?

Net investment income for Bowhead Specialty Holdings increased 107.1% to $40.1 million in 2024.