First American Financial Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of 2020
First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) reported strong financial results for Q4 2020, with total revenue reaching $2.2 billion, up 24% year-over-year, and net income of $280.3 million, or $2.49 per diluted share. The company's Title Insurance segment achieved a record pretax margin of 18.9%. However, average revenue per order decreased by 6% due to a shift towards refinance transactions. The company announced a new $300 million share repurchase plan and increased dividends by 5%. Full-year revenue reached $7.1 billion, marking a 14% increase from 2019.
- Q4 total revenue of $2.2 billion, up 24% YoY.
- Net income of $280.3 million, or $2.49 per diluted share, up from $224 million, or $1.97 per diluted share YoY.
- Title Insurance segment pretax margin at a record 18.9%.
- Board approved a new $300 million share repurchase plan.
- Common stock dividend raised by 5% to $1.84 annually.
- Average revenue per order decreased by 6% due to a shift to refinance transactions.
- Commercial segment revenues declined by 5% compared to last year.
- Specialty Insurance segment pretax margin was negative at -4.7%.
First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a leading global provider of title insurance, settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2020.
Current Quarter Highlights
-
Total revenue of
$2.2 billion , up 24 percent compared with last year- Closed title orders up 32 percent, driven by a 75 percent increase in refinance orders
- Average revenue per order down 6 percent, driven by the shift to refinance transactions
-
Net realized investment gains of
$55.5 million , or 38 cents per diluted share, primarily due to the change in the fair value of equity securities -
Title Insurance and Services segment record pretax margin of 18.9 percent
- 16.8 percent excluding net realized investment gains
-
Commercial revenues of
$226.6 million , down 5 percent compared with last year -
In January 2021, entered into book transfer agreements to facilitate exit from the property and casualty insurance business within the Specialty Insurance segment
- Transfer expected to be complete by the third quarter of 2022
-
Board of directors approved a new
$300 million share repurchase plan -
Repurchased 1.4 million shares for a total of
$69.7 million at an average price of$49.20 -
Debt-to-capital ratio of 23.7 percent, or 17.0 percent excluding secured financings payable of
$516.2 million
Full Year 2020 Highlights
-
Total revenue of
$7.1 billion , up 14 percent compared with last year -
Title Insurance and Services segment pretax margin of 15.7 percent
- 14.6 percent excluding net realized investment gains
- Specialty Insurance segment pretax margin of -4.7 percent
-
Cash flow from operations of
$1.1 billion , up 19 percent compared with last year - Return on equity of 14.9 percent
-
Closed
$350 million acquisition of Docutech -
Repurchased 3.2 million shares for a total of
$138.6 million at an average price of$43.44 -
Raised the common stock dividend by 5 percent in both January and November to an annual rate of
$1.84 per share - Named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the fifth consecutive year
Selected Financial Information
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
Full Year Ended |
|
||||||||||
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
||||||||||
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
||||
Total revenue |
|
$ |
2,151.3 |
|
|
$ |
1,728.7 |
|
|
$ |
7,086.7 |
|
|
$ |
6,202.1 |
|
Income before taxes |
|
|
382.3 |
|
|
|
288.5 |
|
|
|
923.3 |
|
|
|
905.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
$ |
280.3 |
|
|
$ |
224.0 |
|
|
$ |
696.4 |
|
|
$ |
707.4 |
|
Net income per diluted share |
|
|
2.49 |
|
|
1.97 |
|
|
|
6.16 |
|
|
|
6.22 |
|
|
Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2020 was
The first was a reversal of a portion of the impairment initially taken in the third quarter, resulting in an
Total revenue for the full year of 2020 was
“Our 2020 performance demonstrated the remarkable resilience of our people amidst the challenges presented by the pandemic,” said Dennis J. Gilmore, chief executive officer at First American Financial Corporation. “The company closed over one million transactions while most of our people were working from home. Historically high industry mortgage originations supported revenue growth of 14 percent to
“During the year, we executed on our commitment to return capital to shareholders. The company increased the common stock dividend by 5 percent in both January and November to an annual rate of
“Looking ahead, the robust mortgage market has continued into 2021, with strong refinance and purchase activity, driven by elevated housing demand and low mortgage rates. We are also encouraged by the rebound in the commercial market in the fourth quarter and expect our commercial business performance will continue to improve throughout the year. In January, the company also entered into book transfer agreements to facilitate our exit from the property and casualty insurance business, enabling us to maintain focus on our core business and redeploy the capital to areas with higher expected returns. We expect to complete the transfer by the third quarter of 2022.”
Title Insurance and Services
|
||||||||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|||||
|
|
December 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
||
Total revenues |
|
$ |
2,000.1 |
|
|
$ |
1,591.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before taxes |
|
$ |
377.2 |
|
|
$ |
283.8 |
|
Pretax margin |
|
|
18.9 |
% |
|
|
17.8 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Title open orders(1) |
|
|
354,600 |
|
|
|
251,700 |
|
Title closed orders(1) |
|
|
295,100 |
|
|
|
224,200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. Commercial |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues |
|
$ |
226.6 |
|
|
$ |
238.9 |
|
Open orders |
|
|
32,100 |
|
|
|
32,900 |
|
Closed orders |
|
|
19,400 |
|
|
|
20,900 |
|
Average revenue per order |
|
$ |
11,700 |
|
|
$ |
11,400 |
|
(1) U.S. direct title insurance orders only. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues for the Title Insurance and Services segment during the fourth quarter were
Information and other revenues were
Investment income was
Personnel costs were
Other operating expenses were
The provision for policy losses and other claims was
Depreciation and amortization expense was
Pretax income for the Title Insurance and Services segment was
Specialty Insurance
|
||||||||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|||||
|
|
December 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
||
Total revenues |
|
$ |
140.6 |
|
|
$ |
131.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before taxes |
|
$ |
26.7 |
|
|
$ |
22.0 |
|
Pretax margin |
|
|
19.0 |
% |
|
|
16.7 |
% |
Total revenues for the Specialty Insurance segment were
Teleconference/Webcast
First American’s fourth quarter 2020 results will be discussed in more detail on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at 11 a.m. EST, via teleconference. The toll-free dial-in number is 877-407-8293. Callers from outside the United States may dial +1-201-689-8349.
The live audio webcast of the call will be available on First American’s website at www.firstam.com/investor. An audio replay of the conference call will be available through February 25, 2021, by dialing 201-612-7415 and using the conference ID 13714735. An audio archive of the call will also be available on First American’s investor website.
About First American
First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a leading provider of title insurance, settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions that traces its heritage back to 1889. First American also provides title plant management services; title and other real property records and images; valuation products and services; home warranty products; banking, trust and wealth management services; and other related products and services. With total revenue of
Website Disclosure
First American posts information of interest to investors at www.firstam.com/investor. This includes opened and closed title insurance order counts for its U.S. direct title insurance operations, which are posted approximately 10 to 12 days after the end of each month.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this press release and the related management commentary contain, and responses to investor questions may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and may contain the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “estimate,” “project,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” or other similar words and phrases or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “would,” or “could.” These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding future operations, performance, financial condition, prospects, plans and strategies. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that may prove to be incorrect. Risks and uncertainties exist that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the anticipated results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation: interest rate fluctuations; changes in the performance of the real estate markets; volatility in the capital markets; unfavorable economic conditions; the coronavirus pandemic and responses thereto; impairments in the company’s goodwill or other intangible assets; uncertainty from the expected discontinuance of LIBOR and transition to any other interest rate benchmark; failures at financial institutions where the company deposits funds; regulatory oversight and changes in applicable laws and government regulations, including privacy and data protection laws; heightened scrutiny by legislators and regulators of the company’s title insurance and services segment and certain other of the company’s businesses; regulation of title insurance rates; limitations on access to public records and other data; climate change, health crises, severe weather conditions and other catastrophe events; changes in relationships with large mortgage lenders and government-sponsored enterprises; changes in measures of the strength of the company’s title insurance underwriters, including ratings and statutory capital and surplus; losses in the company’s investment portfolio; material variance between actual and expected claims experience; defalcations, increased claims or other costs and expenses attributable to the company’s use of title agents; any inadequacy in the company’s risk management framework; systems damage, failures, interruptions, cyberattacks and intrusions, or unauthorized data disclosures; innovation efforts of the company and other industry participants and any related market disruption; errors and fraud involving the transfer of funds; the company’s use of a global workforce; inability of the company’s subsidiaries to pay dividends or repay funds; and other factors described in the company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This news release and related management commentary contain certain financial measures that are not presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), including an adjusted debt to capitalization ratio, personnel and other operating expense ratios, success ratios, net operating revenues; and adjusted revenues, adjusted pretax income, adjusted earnings per share, and adjusted pretax margins for the company, its title insurance and services segment and its specialty insurance segment. The company is presenting these non-GAAP financial measures because they provide the company’s management and investors with additional insight into the financial leverage, operational efficiency and performance of the company relative to earlier periods and relative to the company’s competitors. The company does not intend for these non-GAAP financial measures to be a substitute for any GAAP financial information. In this news release, these non-GAAP financial measures have been presented with, and reconciled to, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Investors should use these non-GAAP financial measures only in conjunction with the comparable GAAP financial measures.
First American Financial Corporation |
|
|||||||||||||||
Summary of Consolidated Financial Results and Selected Information |
|
|||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except per share amounts and title orders, unaudited) |
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
Year Ended |
|
||||||||||
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
||||||||||
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
||||
Total revenues |
|
$ |
2,151,274 |
|
|
$ |
1,728,664 |
|
|
$ |
7,086,667 |
|
|
$ |
6,202,061 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes |
|
$ |
382,280 |
|
|
$ |
288,513 |
|
|
$ |
923,270 |
|
|
$ |
905,018 |
|
Income tax expense |
|
|
100,915 |
|
|
|
63,907 |
|
|
|
222,774 |
|
|
|
195,170 |
|
Net income |
|
|
281,365 |
|
|
|
224,606 |
|
|
|
700,496 |
|
|
|
709,848 |
|
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
|
|
1,074 |
|
|
|
608 |
|
|
|
4,067 |
|
|
|
2,438 |
|
Net income attributable to the Company |
|
$ |
280,291 |
|
|
$ |
223,998 |
|
|
$ |
696,429 |
|
|
$ |
707,410 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per share attributable to stockholders: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
$ |
2.50 |
|
|
$ |
1.98 |
|
|
$ |
6.18 |
|
|
$ |
6.26 |
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
2.49 |
|
|
$ |
1.97 |
|
|
$ |
6.16 |
|
|
$ |
6.22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash dividends declared per share |
|
$ |
0.46 |
|
|
$ |
0.42 |
|
|
$ |
1.78 |
|
|
$ |
1.68 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
|
112,165 |
|
|
|
113,301 |
|
|
|
112,746 |
|
|
|
113,080 |
|
Diluted |
|
|
112,486 |
|
|
|
113,984 |
|
|
|
113,020 |
|
|
|
113,655 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected Title Insurance Segment Information |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Title orders opened(1) |
|
|
354,600 |
|
|
|
251,700 |
|
|
|
1,470,900 |
|
|
|
1,093,000 |
|
Title orders closed(1) |
|
|
295,100 |
|
|
|
224,200 |
|
|
|
1,043,800 |
|
|
|
795,800 |
|
Paid title claims |
|
$ |
43,252 |
|
|
$ |
42,469 |
|
|
$ |
164,104 |
|
|
$ |
162,207 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) U.S. direct title insurance orders only. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First American Financial Corporation |
|
|||||||
Selected Consolidated Balance Sheet Information |
|
|||||||
(in thousands, unaudited) |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
||
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
||
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
1,275,466 |
|
|
$ |
1,485,959 |
|
Investments |
|
|
7,214,820 |
|
|
|
6,589,443 |
|
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net |
|
|
1,573,102 |
|
|
|
1,242,741 |
|
Total assets |
|
|
12,795,988 |
|
|
|
11,519,167 |
|
Reserve for claim losses |
|
|
1,178,004 |
|
|
|
1,063,044 |
|
Notes and contracts payable |
|
|
1,010,756 |
|
|
|
728,232 |
|
Total stockholders’ equity |
|
$ |
4,909,972 |
|
|
$ |
4,420,484 |
|
First American Financial Corporation |
|||||||||||||||
Segment Information |
|||||||||||||||
(in thousands, unaudited) |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
Title |
|
Specialty |
|
Corporate |
|||||||
December 31, 2020 |
|
Consolidated |
|
Insurance |
|
Insurance |
|
(incl. Elims.) |
|||||||
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Direct premiums and escrow fees |
|
$ |
906,957 |
|
|
$ |
777,045 |
|
$ |
129,912 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
Agent premiums |
|
|
839,444 |
|
|
|
839,444 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Information and other |
|
|
284,797 |
|
|
|
281,609 |
|
|
3,447 |
|
|
|
(259 |
) |
Net investment income |
|
|
64,530 |
|
|
|
51,600 |
|
|
2,118 |
|
|
|
10,812 |
|
Net realized investment gains |
|
|
55,546 |
|
|
|
50,418 |
|
|
5,128 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
2,151,274 |
|
|
|
2,000,116 |
|
|
140,605 |
|
|
|
10,553 |
|
Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Personnel costs |
|
|
549,032 |
|
|
|
514,735 |
|
|
22,436 |
|
|
|
11,861 |
|
Premiums retained by agents |
|
|
663,861 |
|
|
|
663,861 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Other operating expenses |
|
|
330,701 |
|
|
|
299,609 |
|
|
21,374 |
|
|
|
9,718 |
|
Provision for policy losses and other claims |
|
|
165,506 |
|
|
|
80,808 |
|
|
84,698 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
38,327 |
|
|
|
36,587 |
|
|
1,703 |
|
|
|
37 |
|
Impairments on disposition of business |
|
|
(18,329 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
|
(18,329 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
Premium taxes |
|
|
23,950 |
|
|
|
21,896 |
|
|
2,054 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Interest |
|
|
15,946 |
|
|
|
5,372 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
10,574 |
|
|
|
|
1,768,994 |
|
|
|
1,622,868 |
|
|
113,936 |
|
|
|
32,190 |
|
Income (loss) before income taxes |
|
$ |
382,280 |
|
|
$ |
377,248 |
|
$ |
26,669 |
|
|
$ |
(21,637 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
Title |
|
Specialty |
|
Corporate |
|||||||
December 31, 2019 |
|
Consolidated |
|
Insurance |
|
Insurance |
|
(incl. Elims.) |
|||||||
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Direct premiums and escrow fees |
|
$ |
748,443 |
|
|
$ |
626,130 |
|
$ |
122,313 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
Agent premiums |
|
|
671,602 |
|
|
|
671,602 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Information and other |
|
|
205,973 |
|
|
|
202,972 |
|
|
3,253 |
|
|
|
(252 |
) |
Net investment income |
|
|
78,806 |
|
|
|
69,843 |
|
|
2,753 |
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FAQ
What were First American Financial's earnings for Q4 2020 (FAF)?
First American Financial reported Q4 2020 earnings of $280.3 million, or $2.49 per diluted share.
How much revenue did First American Financial (FAF) generate in 2020?
First American Financial generated total revenue of $7.1 billion in 2020, a 14% increase from the previous year.
What is the pretax margin for First American's Title Insurance segment for Q4 2020?
The Title Insurance segment achieved a record pretax margin of 18.9% for Q4 2020.
Did First American Financial increase its dividend in 2021?
Yes, First American Financial raised its common stock dividend by 5% to an annual rate of $1.84 per share.
What share repurchase plan did First American Financial announce?
First American Financial announced a new $300 million share repurchase plan.
First American Financial Corporation
NYSE:FAFFAF RankingsFAF Latest NewsFAF Stock Data
6.88B
98.14M
3.74%
89.56%
0.91%
Insurance - Specialty
Title Insurance
United States of America
SANTA ANA
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