FedNat Holding Co - Quarter Report: 2007 March (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
x
QUARTERLY REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934
FOR
THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED March 31, 2007
OR
o
TRANSITION REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934
FOR
THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM ___________________TO
_______________________
Commission
File number 0-2500111
21st
Century Holding Company
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Florida
|
65-0248866
|
|
(State
or Other Jurisdiction of
|
(IRS
Employer
|
|
Incorporation
or Organization)
|
Identification
Number)
|
3661
West Oakland Park Boulevard, Suite 300, Lauderdale Lakes,
Florida
|
33311
|
|
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
954-581-9993
(Registrant's
telephone number, including area code)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the
preceding 12 months (or for such period that the registrant was required to
file
such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the
past
90 days.
Yes
x
No o
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated
filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act
Large
accelerated filer o
|
Accelerated
filer x
|
Non-accelerated
filer o
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes
o
No x
Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common
stock, as of the latest practicable date.
Common
Stock, $.01
par
value
- 8,023,644 outstanding as of May 10, 2007
21ST
CENTURY HOLDING COMPANY
INDEX
PAGE
|
||
PART
I: FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
||
ITEM
1
|
Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data
|
3
|
ITEM
2
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
|
21
|
ITEM
3
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
|
35
|
ITEM
4
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
35
|
PART
II: OTHER INFORMATION
|
||
ITEM
1
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
37
|
ITEM
1A
|
Risk
Factors
|
37
|
ITEM
2
|
Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
|
37
|
ITEM
3
|
Defaults
upon Senior Securities
|
37
|
ITEM
4
|
Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
|
37
|
ITEM
5
|
Other
Information
|
37
|
ITEM
6
|
Exhibits
|
37
|
SIGNATURES
|
38
|
-2-
PART
I: FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item
1
21ST
CENTURY
HOLDING COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
Period
Ending
|
|
||||||
|
|
March
31,
2007
|
|
December
31,
2006
|
|||
(Dollars
in Thousands)
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
|||||||
Investments
|
|||||||
Fixed
maturities, available for sale, at fair value
|
$
|
113,766
|
$
|
98,525
|
|||
Fixed
maturities, held to maturity, at amoritized cost
|
20,379
|
19,667
|
|||||
Equity
securities, available for sale, at fair value
|
7,749
|
6,641
|
|||||
Total
investments
|
141,895
|
124,834
|
|||||
Cash
and short term investments
|
4,149
|
17,917
|
|||||
Finance
contracts, net of allowance for credit losses of $109 in 2007 and
$116
in
|
|||||||
2006,
and net of unearned finance charges of $92 in 2007 and $90 in
2006
|
1,687
|
1,831
|
|||||
Prepaid
reinsurance premiums
|
21,955
|
38,927
|
|||||
Premiums
receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $154 and $66,
respectively
|
6,298
|
7,222
|
|||||
Reinsurance
recoverable, net
|
12,690
|
-
|
|||||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs
|
11,953
|
11,153
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes, net
|
5,185
|
3,610
|
|||||
Income
taxes receivable
|
6,209
|
787
|
|||||
Property,
plant and equipment, net
|
1,220
|
1,296
|
|||||
Other
assets
|
4,375
|
4,556
|
|||||
Total
assets
|
$
|
217,616
|
$
|
212,134
|
|||
LIABILITIES
AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
|||||||
Unpaid
losses and LAE
|
$
|
48,181
|
$
|
39,615
|
|||
Unearned
premiums
|
87,669
|
77,829
|
|||||
Due
to reinsurers, net
|
-
|
4,237
|
|||||
Premiums
deposits and customer credit balances
|
3,840
|
3,793
|
|||||
Revolving
credit outstanding
|
10
|
10
|
|||||
Bank
overdraft
|
694
|
8,107
|
|||||
Subordinated
debt
|
3,125
|
4,167
|
|||||
Deferred
gain from sale of property
|
2,352
|
2,467
|
|||||
Accounts
payable and accrued expenses
|
5,072
|
5,715
|
|||||
Total
liabilities
|
150,943
|
145,940
|
|||||
Commitments
and Contingencies
|
|||||||
Shareholders'
equity:
|
|||||||
Common
stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 37,500,000 shares; issued
and
outstanding 7,959,330 and 7,896,919, respectively
|
80
|
79
|
|||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
48,253
|
47,070
|
|||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income (deficit)
|
(1,093
|
)
|
(967
|
)
|
|||
Retained
earnings
|
19,434
|
20,011
|
|||||
Total
shareholders' equity
|
66,673
|
66,193
|
|||||
Total
liabilities and shareholders' equity
|
$
|
217,616
|
$
|
212,134
|
SEE
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
-3-
21ST
CENTURY
HOLDING COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(UNAUDITED)
Three
Months Ended March 31,
|
|
||||||
|
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
|
||
|
|
(Dollars
in Thousands except
EPS
and dividend data)
|
|||||
Revenue:
|
|||||||
Gross
premiums written
|
$
|
49,191
|
$
|
35,609
|
|||
Gross
premiums ceded
|
(6
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Net
premiums written
|
49,185
|
35,609
|
|||||
(Decrease)
in prepaid reinsurance premiums
|
(16,972
|
)
|
(8,672
|
)
|
|||
(Increase)
in unearned premiums
|
(9,840
|
)
|
(5,130
|
)
|
|||
Net
change in prepaid reinsurance premiums and unearned
premiums
|
(26,812
|
)
|
(13,802
|
)
|
|||
Net
premiums earned
|
22,373
|
21,807
|
|||||
Finance
revenue
|
187
|
636
|
|||||
Managing
general agent fees
|
618
|
658
|
|||||
Net
investment income
|
1,569
|
1,196
|
|||||
Net
realized investment (losses) gains
|
(128
|
)
|
196
|
||||
Other
income
|
967
|
621
|
|||||
Total
revenue
|
25,585
|
25,115
|
|||||
Expenses:
|
|||||||
Loss
and LAE
|
14,103
|
7,569
|
|||||
Operating
and underwriting expenses
|
3,966
|
2,304
|
|||||
Salaries
and wages
|
1,556
|
1,838
|
|||||
Interest
expense
|
85
|
229
|
|||||
Policy
acquisition costs, net of amortization
|
4,608
|
3,918
|
|||||
Total
expenses
|
24,318
|
15,858
|
|||||
Income
before provision for income tax expense
|
1,267
|
9,257
|
|||||
Provision
for income tax expense
|
425
|
3,243
|
|||||
Net
income
|
$
|
843
|
$
|
6,013
|
|||
Basic
net income per share
|
$
|
0.11
|
$
|
0.88
|
|||
Fully
diluted net income per share
|
$
|
0.10
|
$
|
0.83
|
|||
Weighted
average number of common shares outstanding
|
7,958,366
|
6,844,859
|
|||||
Weighted
average number of common shares outstanding (assuming
dilution)
|
8,187,310
|
7,238,311
|
|||||
Dividends
paid per share
|
$
|
0.18
|
$
|
0.12
|
SEE
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
-4-
21ST
CENTURY
HOLDING COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
Three
Months Ended March 31,
|
|
||||||
|
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
|||
(Dollars
in Thousands)
|
|||||||
Cash
flow from operating activities:
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
843
|
$
|
6,013
|
|||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating
|
|||||||
activities:
|
|||||||
Amortization
of investment discount, net
|
(89
|
)
|
(67
|
)
|
|||
Depreciation
and amortization of property plant and equipment, net
|
79
|
91
|
|||||
Net
realized investment (losses) gains
|
(128
|
)
|
196
|
||||
Gain
on sale of assets
|
(115
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Common
Stock issued for interest on Notes
|
63
|
-
|
|||||
Provision
for credit losses, net
|
(19
|
)
|
31
|
||||
Provision
for uncollectible premiums receivable
|
88
|
15
|
|||||
Non-cash
compensation
|
1
|
98
|
|||||
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|||||||
Premiums
receivable
|
837
|
(2,794
|
)
|
||||
Prepaid
reinsurance premiums
|
16,972
|
8,672
|
|||||
Reinsurance
recoverable, net
|
(16,926
|
)
|
84,801
|
||||
Income
taxes recoverable
|
(5,422
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Deferred
income tax expense
|
(1,575
|
)
|
(1,606
|
)
|
|||
Deferred
gain on sale of assets
|
115
|
-
|
|||||
Policy
acquisition costs, net of amortization
|
(800
|
)
|
(644
|
)
|
|||
Premium
finance contracts receivable
|
163
|
2,443
|
|||||
Other
assets
|
66
|
2,258
|
|||||
Unpaid
losses and LAE
|
8,566
|
(100,241
|
)
|
||||
Unearned
premiums
|
9,840
|
5,130
|
|||||
Premium
deposits and customer credit balances
|
47
|
390
|
|||||
Income
taxes payable
|
-
|
1,192
|
|||||
Bank
overdraft
|
(7,413
|
)
|
18,476
|
||||
Accounts
payable and accrued expenses
|
(643
|
)
|
(1,452
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
4,547
|
23,002
|
|||||
Cash
flow used in investing activities:
|
|||||||
Proceeds
from sale of investment securities available for sale
|
55,018
|
103,868
|
|||||
Purchases
of investment securities available for sale
|
(71,987
|
)
|
(111,407
|
)
|
|||
Purchases
of property and equipment
|
(3
|
)
|
(244
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from sale of assets
|
-
|
2,663
|
|||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(16,972
|
)
|
(5,120
|
)
|
|||
Cash
flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
|
|||||||
Subordinated
debt
|
-
|
(1,667
|
)
|
||||
Exercised
stock options
|
78
|
1,082
|
|||||
Dividends
paid
|
(1,421
|
)
|
(884
|
)
|
|||
Exercised
warrants, net
|
-
|
5,964
|
|||||
Tax
benefit related to non-cash compensation
|
-
|
59
|
|||||
Revolving
credit outstanding
|
-
|
(139
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash (used in) provided by financing activities
|
(1,342
|
)
|
4,414
|
||||
Net
(decrease) increase in cash and short term investments
|
(13,767
|
)
|
22,296
|
||||
Cash
and short term investments at beginning of period
|
17,917
|
6,071
|
|||||
Cash
and short term investments at end of period
|
$
|
4,149
|
$
|
28,368
|
SEE
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
-5-
21ST
CENTURY
HOLDING COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
(continued)
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
||||
Supplemental
disclosure of cash flow information:
|
|||||||
Cash
paid during the period for:
|
|||||||
Interest
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
157
|
|||
Non-cash
investing and finance activities:
|
|||||||
Accrued
dividends payable
|
$
|
1,433
|
$
|
762
|
|||
Retirement
of subordinated debt by Common Stock issuance
|
$
|
1,042
|
$
|
-
|
|||
Stock
issued to pay interest on subordinated debt
|
$
|
63
|
$
|
-
|
SEE
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
-6-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
(1) Organization
and Business
The
accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of 21st
Century
Holding Company have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the
instructions for Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. These financial
statements do not include all information and notes required by GAAP for
complete financial statements, and should be read in conjunction with the
audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the
Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.
The
December 31, 2006 year-end balance sheet data was derived from audited financial
statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. The financial
information furnished reflects all adjustments, consisting only of normal
recurring accruals, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for
a
fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash
flows for the periods presented. The results of operations are not necessarily
indicative of the results of operations that may be achieved in the
future.
21st
Century
Holding Company (“21st
Century,” “the Company”, “we,” “us”) is an insurance holding company, which,
through our subsidiaries and our contractual relationships with our independent
agents and general agents, controls substantially all aspects of the insurance
underwriting, distribution and claims process. We are authorized to underwrite
homeowners’ property and casualty insurance, commercial general liability
insurance, and personal automobile insurance in various states with various
lines of authority through our wholly owned subsidiaries, Federated National
Insurance Company (“Federated National”) and American Vehicle Insurance Company
(“American Vehicle”).
Federated
National is authorized to underwrite homeowners’ property and casualty insurance
and personal automobile insurance in Florida as an admitted carrier. American
Vehicle is authorized to underwrite personal automobile insurance and commercial
general liability coverage in Florida as an admitted carrier. In addition,
American Vehicle is authorized to underwrite commercial general liability
insurance in Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Missouri and Arkansas
as a surplus lines carrier and in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama as an admitted
carrier. American Vehicle operations in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Texas, South Carolina and Virginia are on-going. American Vehicle operations
in
Alabama, Arkansas and Missouri are expected to begin this year. American Vehicle
has an application pending authorization as a surplus lines carrier in the
state
of California, and applications pending submission to the states of Mississippi
and Nevada.
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, 81.0%, 16.6% and 2.4% of the premiums
we
underwrote were for homeowners’ property and casualty insurance, commercial
general liability insurance and personal automobile insurance, respectively.
During the three months ended March 31, 2006, 64.9%, 23.1% and 12.0% of the
premiums we underwrote were for homeowners’ property and casualty insurance,
commercial general liability insurance and personal automobile insurance,
respectively. We internally process claims made by our own and third-party
insureds through our wholly owned claims adjusting company, Superior Adjusting,
Inc. (“Superior”). We also offer premium financing to our own and third-party
insureds through our wholly owned subsidiary, Federated Premium Finance, Inc.
(“Federated Premium”).
We
market
and distribute our own and third-party insurers’ products and our other services
primarily in Florida, through contractual relationships with a network of
approximately 1,500 independent agents and a select number of general agents.
Assurance
Managing General Agents, Inc. (“Assurance MGA”), a wholly owned subsidiary, acts
as Federated National’s and American Vehicle’s exclusive managing general agent
in the state of Florida. As American Vehicle continues its expansion into other
states we shall contract with general agents to market our commercial general
liability insurance product beyond the state of Florida. Assurance MGA currently
provides underwriting policy administration, marketing, accounting and financial
services to Federated National and American Vehicle, and participates in the
negotiation of reinsurance contracts. Assurance MGA generates revenue through
a
6% commission fee from the insurance companies’ gross written premium, policy
fee income of $25 per policy and other administrative fees from the marketing
of
company products through the Company’s distribution network. The 6% commission
fee from Federated National and American Vehicle was made effective January
1,
2005. Assurance MGA plans to establish relationships with additional carriers
and add additional insurance products in the future.
-7-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
(2)
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Practices
(A) Critical
Accounting Policies
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management
to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the amounts
reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Future events
and
their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty. Therefore, the
determination of estimates requires the exercise of judgment. Actual results
inevitably will differ from those estimates, and such differences may be
material to the financial statements.
The
most
significant accounting estimates inherent in the preparation of our financial
statements include estimates associated with management’s evaluation of the
determination of liability for unpaid loss and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”)
and the amount and recoverability of amortization of deferred policy acquisition
costs. In addition, significant estimates form the bases for our reserves with
respect to finance contracts, premiums receivable and deferred income taxes.
Various assumptions and other factors underlie the determination of these
significant estimates.
The
process of determining significant estimates is fact specific and takes into
account factors such as historical experience, current and expected economic
conditions, and in the case of unpaid loss and LAE, an actuarial valuation.
Management regularly reevaluates these significant factors and makes adjustments
where facts and circumstances dictate. In selecting the best estimate, we
utilize various actuarial methodologies. Each of these methodologies is designed
to forecast the number of claims we will be called upon to pay and the amounts
we will pay on average to settle those claims. In arriving at our best estimate,
our actuaries consider the likely predictive value of the various loss
development methodologies employed in light of underwriting practices, premium
rate changes and claim settlement practices that may have occurred, and weight
the credibility of each methodology. Our actuarial methodologies take into
account various factors, including, but not limited to, paid losses, liability
estimates for reported losses, paid allocated loss adjustment expenses, salvage
and other recoveries received, reported claim counts, open claim counts and
counts for claims closed with and without payment of loss.
Accounting
for loss contingencies pursuant to Statements of Financial Accounting Standards
(“SFAS”), No.5 involves the existence of a condition, situation or set of
circumstances involving uncertainty as to possible loss that will ultimately
be
resolved when one or more future event(s) occur or fail to occur. Additionally,
accounting for a loss contingency requires management to assess each event
as
probable, reasonably possible or remote. Probable is defined as the future
event
or events are likely to occur. Reasonably possible is defined as the chance
of
the future event or events occurring is more than remote but less than probable,
while remote is defined as the chance of the future event or events occurring
is
slight. An estimated loss in connection with a loss contingency shall be
recorded by a charge to current operations if both of the following conditions
are met: First, the amount can be reasonably estimated; and second, the
information available prior to issuance of the financial statements indicates
that it is probable that a liability has been incurred at the date of the
financial statements. It is implicit in this condition that it is probable
that
one or more future events will occur confirming the fact of the loss or
incurrence of a liability.
We
are
required to review the contractual terms of all our reinsurance purchases to
ensure compliance with SFAS No. 113,
Accounting and Reporting for Reinsurance of Short-Duration and Long-Duration
Contracts.
The
statement establishes the conditions required for a contract with a reinsurer
to
be accounted for as reinsurance and prescribes accounting and reporting
standards for those contracts. Contracts that do not result in the reasonable
possibility that the reinsurer may realize a significant loss from the insurance
risk assumed generally do not meet the conditions for reinsurance accounting
and
must be accounted for as deposits. SFAS No. 113 also requires us to disclose
the
nature, purpose and effect of reinsurance transactions, including the premium
amounts associated with reinsurance assumed and ceded. It also requires
disclosure of concentrations of credit risk associated with reinsurance
receivables and prepaid reinsurance premiums.
(B)
Impact of New Accounting Pronouncements
In
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159 “The Fair Value Option for
Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities — Including an Amendment of
SFAS No. 115” (SFAS No. 159), which permits an entity to
measure many financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value that
are
not currently required to be measured at fair value. Entities that elect the
fair value option will report unrealized gains and losses in earnings at each
subsequent reporting date. The fair value option may be elected on an
instrument-by-instrument basis, with a few exceptions. SFAS No. 159
amends previous guidance to extend the use of the fair value option to
available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities. The Statement also
establishes presentation and disclosure requirements to help financial statement
users understand the effect of the election. We will adopt FAS 159 on its
effective date, January 1, 2008. We do not expect the adoption of FAS
159 to have a material impact, if any, on our financial position or results
of
operations.
-8-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
In
June
2006, FASB issued FIN 48, Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
which
clarifies the accounting for income tax reserves and contingencies recognized
in
an enterprise’s financial statements in accordance with SFAS No. 109,
Accounting
for Income Taxes.
This
Interpretation also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest
and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. This
Interpretation is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006.
The Company has evaluated and concluded that the impact of FIN 48 will be
minimal and includes a policy of classifying interest and penalties related
to
income tax as elements of income tax expense in the consolidated financial
statements. As required by FIN 48, this change was done prospectively.
Previously, penalties and interest were classified as operating and underwriting
expenses.
In
December 2004, FASB revised SFAS No. 123, Share-Based
Payments
(“SFAS
No. 123R”). This statement eliminates the option to apply the intrinsic value
measurement provisions of the Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) No. 25 to
stock compensation awards issued to employees. Rather, SFAS No. 123R requires
companies to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for
an
award of equity instruments based on the grant date fair value of the award.
That cost will be recognized over the requisite service period (usually the
vesting period) during which an employee is required to provide services in
exchange for the award. SFAS No. 123R also requires companies to measure the
cost of employee services received in exchange for employee stock purchase
plan
awards. SFAS No. 123R was effective for 21st
Century’s fiscal year beginning January 1, 2006 as subsequently extended by the
SEC pursuant to its April 13, 2005 announcement.
We
have
determined that the pretax charge to earnings for the year ending 2007 will
total approximately $4,000, of which approximately $800 was charged to income
from continuing operations before provision for income taxes for the three
months ended March 31, 2007. The effect on earnings per share for the three
months ended March 31, 2007 for both undiluted and fully diluted was less than
$0.01 per share. For a more detailed discussion, please see Footnote 8, titled
Stock Compensation Plans.
(C)
Stock Options
At
March
31, 2007, the Company had two stock-based employee compensation plans and one
stock-based franchise compensation plan, which are described later in footnote
8, Stock Compensation Plans.
Effective
January 1, 2006, the Company adopted the fair value recognition provisions
of
SFAS No. 123R using the modified-prospective-transition method. Under that
transition method, compensation cost recognized during the three months ended
March 31, 2007 includes compensation cost for all share-based payments granted
subsequent to January 1, 2007, based on the grant date fair-value estimated
in
accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123R.
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, 5,000 qualified stock options were issued
with an average option price of $21.38 per share. Like all other outstanding
stock options, these stock options contain service conditions and do not contain
any performance conditions. For a further discussion regarding the provisions
of
SFAS No. 123R and its effect on our operations, please refer to footnote 8,
Stock Compensation Plans.
(D)
Earnings
per Share
Basic
earnings per share (“Basic EPS”) is computed by dividing net income by the
weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period
presented. Diluted earnings per share (“Diluted EPS”) is computed by dividing
net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock and common
stock equivalents outstanding during the period presented; outstanding warrants
and stock options are considered common stock equivalents and are included
in
the calculation using the treasury stock method. Additionally, when applicable,
we include in our computation of the weighted average number of common shares
outstanding all common stock issued in connection with the repayment of our
Subordinated note.
-9-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
(E)
Reclassifications
Certain
amounts in 2006 financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the
2007 presentation
(3)
Revolving Credit Outstanding
Federated
Premium’s operations are funded by a revolving loan agreement (“Revolving
Agreement”) with FlatIron Funding Company LLC (“FlatIron”). The Revolving
Agreement is structured as a sale of contracts receivable under a sale and
assignment agreement with Westchester Premium Acceptance Corporation (“WPAC”) (a
wholly-owned subsidiary of FlatIron), which gives WPAC the right to sell or
assign these contracts receivable. Federated Premium, which services these
contracts, has recorded transactions under the Revolving Agreement as secured
borrowings. Outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Agreement as of March
31,
2007 and December 31, 2006 were unchanged at approximately $10,000.
The
effective interest rate on this line of credit, based on our average outstanding
borrowings under the Revolving Agreement, was 20.25% and 11.64% for the three
months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Interest expense on this
revolving credit line for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 totaled
approximately $510 and $3,700, respectively.
(4)
Commitments and Contingencies
Management
has a responsibility to continually measure and monitor its commitments and
its
contingencies. The nature of the Company’s commitments and contingencies can be
grouped into three major categories, insured claim activity, assessment related
activities and operational matters.
We
are
involved in claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business.
revisions to our estimates are based on our analysis of subsequent information
that we receive regarding various factors, including: (i) per claim information;
(ii) company and industry historical loss experience; (iii) legislative
enactments, judicial decisions, legal developments in the awarding of damages,
and (iv) trends in general economic conditions, including the effects of
inflation. Management revises its estimates based on the results of its
analysis. This process assumes that past experience, adjusted for the effects
of
current developments and anticipated trends, is an appropriate basis for
estimating the ultimate settlement of all claims. There is no precise method
for
subsequently evaluating the impact of any specific factor on the adequacy of
the
reserves, because the eventual redundancy or deficiency is affected by multiple
factors. In the opinion of management, the ultimate disposition of these matters
will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position,
results of operations, or liquidity.
We
operate in a regulatory environment where certain entities and organizations
have the authority to require us to participate in assessments. Currently these
entities and organizations include, but are not limited to, the Florida Joint
Underwriters Association, the Florida Insurance Guarantee Association, Citizens
Property Insurance Corporation (“Citizens”) and the Florida Hurricane
Catastrophic Fund.
As
a
direct premium writer in the State of Florida, we are required to participate
in
certain insurer solvency associations under Florida Statutes 631.57(3) (a).
Participation in these pools is based on our written premium by line of business
to total premiums written statewide by all insurers. Participation may result
in
assessments against us as it did in 2006. During 2006 we were assessed $3.9
million in connection with the association. For statutory accounting purposes
these assessments are not charged to operations in contrast GAPP treatment
to
charge current operations for the assessments. Through policyholder surcharges,
as approved by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”), we collected
during the three months ended March 31, 2007 approximately $267,000. These
surcharges are reflected in other income in our statement of operations.
-10-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
During
its regularly scheduled meeting on August 17, 2005, the Board of Governors
of
Citizens determined a 2004 plan year deficit existed in the High Risk Account.
Citizens decided that a $515 million Regular Assessment was in the best interest
of Citizens and consistent with Florida Statutes. On this basis, Citizens
certified for a Regular Assessment. Federated National’s participation in this
assessment totaled $2.0 million. During a subsequent regularly scheduled meeting
on or about December 18, 2006, Citizens Board determined an additional 2004
plan
year deficit existed in the High Risk Account. Citizens decided that a $515
million Regular Assessment was in the best interest of Citizens and consistent
with Florida Statutes. On this basis, Citizens certified for a Regular
Assessment. Federated National’s participation in this assessment totaled $0.3
million. Provisions contained in our excess of loss reinsurance policies provide
for reinsurance participation totaling $1.5 million.
Pursuant
to Section 627.3512, Florida Statutes, insurers are permitted to recoup the
assessment by adding a surcharge to policies in an amount not to exceed the
amount paid by the insurer to Citizens. Federated National is currently
underwriting the recoupment in connection with this assessment and has recouped
approximately $0.2 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2007. As noted
above, Federated National continues to subrogate this assessment to our
reinsurers.
The
OIR
issued Information Memorandum OIR-06-008M, titled Notice
of Anticipated Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Assessment, dated
May
4, 2006, to all property and casualty, surplus lines insurers, and surplus
lines
agents in the state of Florida placing them on notice of an anticipated Florida
Hurricane Catastrophic Fund (“FHCF”) assessment. Sighting the unprecedented
hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005, the FHCF has exhausted nearly all of the
$6
billion in reserves it had accumulated since its inception in 1993. The Florida
State Board of Administration, the body that oversees the FHCF, has issued
its
directive to levy an emergency assessment upon all property and casualty
business in the state of Florida. There is no statutory requirement that
policyholders be notified of the FCHF assessment. The FHCF and OIR are, however,
recommending that insurers include the FHCF assessment in a line item on the
declaration page for two reasons: (1) this is a multi-year assessment and (2)
there may be concurrent assessments and the insureds should know what amount
is
for which assessment. The assessment will become effective on all policies
effective after January 1, 2007 and will be remitted to the administrator of
the
assessment as collected and therefore accounted for in a manner such that
amounts collected or receivable are not recorded as revenues and amounts due
or
paid are not expensed.
In
addition to the assessments noted above, the OIR has also issued Information
Memorandum OIR -07-02M, titled Information
Regarding Emergency Assessment by Citizens Property Insurance
Corporation,
dated
January 11, 2007, to all property and casualty insurers in the State of Florida
placing them on notice that an order has been approved for an emergency
assessment by Citizens for its High Risk Account. This order requires insurers
to begin collecting the emergency assessment for policies issued or renewed
on
or after July 1, 2007. Similar to the FHCF assessment discussed above, the
Citizens emergency assessment will be remitted to the administrator of the
assessment as collected and therefore accounted for in a manner such that
amounts collected or receivable are not recorded as revenues and amounts due
or
paid are not expensed.
Both
Federated National and American Vehicle participate in an insurance
apportionment plan under Florida Statutes Section 627.351, which is referred
to
as a Joint Underwriting Plan (“JUA Plan”). The JUA Plan provides for the
equitable apportionment of any profits realized, or losses and expenses
incurred, among participating motor vehicle insurers. In the event of an
underwriting deficit incurred by the JUA Plan, which is not recovered through
the policyholders in the JUA Plan, such deficit shall be recovered from the
companies participating in the JUA Plan in the proportion that the net direct
written premiums of each such member during the preceding calendar year bear
to
the aggregate net direct premiums written in this state by all members of the
JUA Plan. During the three months ended March 31, 2007, Federated National
and
American Vehicle were not assessed by the JUA Plan based on their respective
Cash Activity Reports. These assessments would be charged to operations as
paid.
Future assessments by this association are undeterminable at this
time.
The
2004,
2003 and 2002 consolidated Federal Income Tax Returns filed by the Company
have
been examined by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) during 2006 and 2005. We
have concurred with certain IRS conclusions and have appealed other conclusions.
Irrespective of the ongoing appellate process, we do not believe that a material
adjustment will occur. Income taxes receivable are net of $160,000 reserve
established in conjunction with this process.
Relative
to the Company’s commitments stemming from operational matters, effective on or
about March 1, 2006, 21st
Century
sold its interest in the Lauderdale Lakes property to an unrelated party. As
part of this transaction, 21st
Century
has agreed to lease the same facilities for a five year term. Our lease for
this
office space expires in December 2011.
-11-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
The
expected future lease payouts in connection with this lease are as
follows:
Fiscal
Year
|
Lease
payments
|
|||
2007
|
452,165
|
|||
2008
|
612,934
|
|||
2009
|
625,193
|
|||
2010
|
637,697
|
|||
2011
|
650,451
|
|||
Total
|
$
|
2,978,440
|
(5)
Comprehensive Income
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, comprehensive income consisted
of
the following:
For
the three months ended
March
31,
|
|||||||
2007
|
|
2006
|
|||||
Net
income
|
$
|
842,805
|
$
|
6,013,312
|
|||
Change
in net unrealized gains on investments available for sale
|
(263,989
|
)
|
182,260
|
||||
Comprehensive
income, before tax
|
578,816
|
6,195,572
|
|||||
Income
tax benefit (expense) related to items of other
comprehensive
|
|||||||
income
|
99,339
|
(68,585
|
)
|
||||
Comprehensive
income
|
$
|
678,155
|
$
|
6,126,987
|
(6)
Segment Information
FASB
Statement No. 131, Disclosures
About Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information,
requires that the amount reported for each segment item be based on what is
used
by the chief operating decision maker in formulating a determination as to
how
many resources to assign to a segment and how to appraise the performance of
that segment. The term chief operating decision maker may apply to the chief
executive officer or chief operating officer or to a group of executives. Note:
The term of chief operating decision maker may apply to a function and not
necessarily to a specific person. This is a management approach rather than
an
industry approach in identifying segments. The segments are based on the
Company’s organizational structure, revenue sources, nature of activities,
existence of responsible managers, and information presented to the Board of
Directors.
If
any
one of the following exists, a segment must be reported on:
·
|
Revenue,
including unaffiliated and inter-segment sales or transfers, is 10%
or
more of total revenue of all operating
segments.
|
·
|
Operating
profit or loss is 10% or more of the greater, in absolute amount,
of the
combined operating profit (or loss) of all industry segments with
operating profits (or losses).
|
·
|
Identifiable
assets are 10% or more of total assets of all operating
segments.
|
Operating
segments that are not reportable should be combined and disclosed in the ‘‘all
other’’ category. Disclosure should be made of the sources of revenue for these
segments.
Accordingly,
we have discontinued our segment disclosures for the finance segment, as it
did
not exceed the 10% threshold for revenues, earnings or assets.
(7)
Reinsurance Agreements
We
follow
industry practice of reinsuring a portion of our risks and paying for that
protection based primarily upon total insured values of all policies in effect
and subject to such reinsurance. Reinsurance involves an insurance company
transferring or “ceding” all or a portion of its exposure on insurance
underwritten by it to another insurer, known as a “reinsurer.” The ceding of
insurance does not legally discharge the insurer from its primary liability
for
the full amount of the policies. If the reinsurer fails to meet its obligations
under the reinsurance agreement, the ceding company is still required to pay
the
insured for the loss.
-12-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
For
the
2006-2007 hurricane season, we have assembled a range of reinsurance products
designed to insure the Company for an aggregate of approximately $414.5 million
for a minimum of two catastrophic events. The reinsurance treaties contain
several complex features and through a series of fluid retentions, attachment
points and limitations, additional coverage may be afforded Federated National
for events beyond the first two catastrophic events. Our retention will vary
depending on the severity and frequency of each catastrophic event. The
reinsurance companies and their respective participation in this season's
program are noted in the table as follows
|
|
First
Event Participation
|
Reinstated
Premium Protection
|
||||||||||||||||
Current
AM
|
|
$20m
in excess of |
$40m
in excess of
|
$72m
in excess of
$75m
and FHCF
|
$20m
in excess of |
$40m
in excess of
|
|||||||||||||
Best
Rating
|
Reinsurer
|
$15m
|
$35m
|
participation
|
$15m
|
$35m
|
|||||||||||||
A+
|
Ace
Tempest Reinsurance Ltd
|
7.5
|
%
|
7.5
|
%
|
||||||||||||||
A
|
Amlin
2001 Syndicate
|
5.0
|
%
|
5.0
|
%
|
5.0
|
%
|
5.0
|
%
|
||||||||||
A-
|
Amlin
Bermuda Ltd
|
2.5
|
%
|
4.0
|
%
|
4.0
|
%
|
2.5
|
%
|
||||||||||
A
|
American
Reinsurance Company
|
|
3.5
|
%
|
|||||||||||||||
A
|
Ascot
1414 Syndicate
|
6.5
|
%
|
||||||||||||||||
A++
|
National
Liability and Fire Company
|
33.8
|
%
|
6.6
|
%
|
77.6
|
%
|
||||||||||||
B++
|
Converium
AG
|
5.0
|
%
|
||||||||||||||||
A+
|
Everest
Reinsurance Company
|
22.0
|
%
|
4.3
|
%
|
12.0
|
%
|
||||||||||||
NR
|
Wentworth
Insurance Company Ltd
|
5.0
|
%
|
.
|
5.0
|
%
|
|||||||||||||
A-
|
Flagstone
Reinsurance Ltd
|
4.3
|
%
|
4.0
|
%
|
||||||||||||||
A
|
MAP
2791 Syndicate
|
2.5
|
%
|
2.5
|
%
|
2.5
|
%
|
2.5
|
%
|
||||||||||
A-
|
New
Castle Reinsurance Company Ltd
|
2.0
|
%
|
2.0
|
%
|
2.0
|
%
|
2.0
|
%
|
||||||||||
A
|
QBE
Reinsurance Corporation
|
1.5
|
%
|
1.0
|
%
|
||||||||||||||
A
|
Renaissance
Reinsurance, Ltd
|
12.5
|
%
|
12.5
|
%
|
||||||||||||||
A+
|
XL
Re Limited
|
2.5
|
%
|
||||||||||||||||
A
|
Odyssey
|
3.5
|
%
|
||||||||||||||||
A
|
Catlin
Insurance Company Ltd
|
25.0
|
%
|
25.0
|
%
|
||||||||||||||
NR
|
Allianz
Risk Transfer (Bermuda) Ltd
|
33.0
|
%
|
33.0
|
%
|
||||||||||||||
A
|
Liberty
Mutual Insurance Company
|
34.7
|
%
|
||||||||||||||||
American
Vehicle Insurance
|
|||||||||||||||||||
NR4
|
Company
(Affiliated)
|
25.0
|
%
|
25.0
|
%
|
In
the
discussion that follows it should be noted that all amounts of reinsurance
are
based on management’s current analysis of Federated National’s exposure levels
to catastrophic risk. Our data was subjected to exposure level data analysis
at
various dates through December 31, 2006. This analysis of our exposure level
in
relation to the total exposures to the FHCF may produce changes in retentions,
limits and reinsurance premiums as a result of increases or decreases in our
exposure level.
Our
overall reinsurance structure may be divided into four major layers of financial
impact in connection with any single catastrophic event. The bottom layer is
considered to be the first $15 million of losses. The next layer is considered
to be greater than $15 million and less than $35 million. The next layer is
considered to be greater than $35 million and less than $233.3 million. The
fourth layer is considered to be losses greater than $233.3 million and less
than 305.3 million.
For
the
first and second catastrophic events equal to or less than $15 million, the
bottom layer, Federated National will retain 100% of the first $4.3 million
and
the last $0.7 million of this bottom layer. The FHCF will participate 100%
for
the $10 million in excess of Federated National’s first $4.3 million.
-13-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
For
the
first and second catastrophic events with aggregate losses in excess of the
first $15.0 million discussed above and less than $35 million, Federated
National has acquired 100% reinsurance protection with a single automatic
premium reinstatement protection provision. The $20 million of coverage afforded
in this layer is by way of 42% traditional, single season, excess of loss
(“Traditional”) treaties and 58% structured multi-year, excess of loss
(“Structured”) treaties. As noted in the chart above, American Vehicle will
reinsure Federated National via a traditional treaty for 25% of this $20 million
layer. Relative to the structured excess of loss reinsurance treaties, terms
contained in these treaties afford capacity in this layer beyond the 2006 -
2007
season for two additional hurricane seasons. The structured treaties offer
respective coverage for a single event in each of the three hurricane seasons
and one additional respective coverage that may be applied as needed in any
one
of the three hurricane seasons. One of the structured treaties, representing
25%
of this layer, contains a provision which prevents the Company from recovery
if
any single event results in damages that exceed $20 billion in the Unites States
and its territories.
For
the
first and second catastrophic events where aggregate losses exceed $35 million,
but are less than $233.3 million, Federated National has acquired 100%
reinsurance protection through a combination of private market reinsurers and
the FHCF program. The private market reinsurers have afforded coverage to insure
us for $40 million against covered losses in excess of $35 million. The FHCF
has
afforded coverage to insure us for 90% of loss greater than $55.6 million and
less than $231.5 million. The private treaties “wrap around” the FHCF treaty and
afford coverage, in aggregate, for losses in excess of $35 million and less
than
$233.3 million. The FHCF treaty is an aggregate “for the entire season” treaty
while the private market treaties afford respective per event coverage. As
to
reinstatement of coverage for the private market treaties, Federated National
has purchased a single automatic premium reinstatement protection provision
that
would provide for an automatic reinstatement for 89% of the $40 million
coverage. Federated National would be responsible for the remaining premium
reinstatement protection and the cost in connection with that reinstatement
is
estimated to be approximately $2.1 million. Federated National would also be
responsible for seasonal losses beyond what is afforded through this part of
the
FHCF coverage.
For
an
event where aggregate losses exceed $233.3 million, but are less than $305.3
million, Federated National has acquired traditional reinsurance treaties
representing 65.3% of this layer without a provision for premium reinstatement
protection. Premium reinstatement coverage would be prorated as to amount and
if
the first event exhausted this coverage then Federated National would be
responsible for approximately $10.4 million for reinstatement protection.
Additional coverage is afforded to Federated National via Industry Loss Warrants
(“ILW”). The ILW policies provide for payments to Federated National based
solely on industry wide losses to private and commercial property only in the
State of Florida, not-withstanding losses incurred directly by Federated
National. A payment to Federated National would only be considered, under the
terms of these contracts, if insured wind damages incurred in the State of
Florida exceeded amounts varying between $25 billion and $20 billion excluding
public property and certain other named exclusions.
The
Company is responsible for single catastrophic events with incurred losses
in
excess of approximately $305 million subject to the terms of the ILW’s
above.
The
estimated cost to the Company in connection with this reinsurance structure
is
approximately $65 million, which is for the most part payable in quarterly
installments that began July 1, 2006 and are being amortized through earned
premium in accordance with the provisions and terms contained in the respective
treaties.
For
the
2005-2006 hurricane season, the excess of loss treaties insured us for
approximately $64.0 million, with the Company retaining the first $3.0 million
of loss and LAE. The treaties had one full reinstatement provision for each
excess layer with 100% additional premium as to time and pro rata as to amount.
In addition, we purchased, Reinstatement Premium Protection from the private
sector which would reimburse the Company 100% of the cost of reinstatement
for
the second event. Unused coverage from the first two events carried forward
to
events beyond the second, in conjunction with a lowered attachment point (as
explained below) afforded by the FHCF.
In
addition to the excess of loss reinsurance policies (described above), we
participated in the FHCF to protect our interest in the insurable risks
associated with our homeowner and mobile home owner insurance products. For
the
first two events, FHCF coverage began after the Company’s retention of $3.0
million and its excess of loss reinsures retention of approximately $40.3
million.
-14-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
As
a
result of the loss and LAE incurred in connection with the hurricane activity
that occurred in 2004 and 2005, the Company has reflected in its operations
the
effects of each storm as follows:
Claim
|
|
Gross
|
|
Reinsurance
|
|
Net
|
|
||||||
2004
Hurricanes
|
|
Count
|
|
Losses
|
|
Recoveries
|
|
Losses
|
|||||
(Dollars
in millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Charley
(August 13)
|
2,572
|
$
|
63.1
|
$
|
53.1
|
$
|
10.0
|
||||||
Frances
(September 3)
|
3,809
|
53.4
|
43.3
|
10.1
|
|||||||||
Ivan
(September 14)
|
1,062
|
26.5
|
-
|
26.5
|
|||||||||
Jeanne
(September 25)
|
1,562
|
13.9
|
-
|
13.9
|
|||||||||
Total
Loss Estimate
|
9,005
|
$
|
156.9
|
$
|
96.4
|
$
|
60.5
|
Claim
|
|
Gross
|
|
Reinsurance
|
|
Net
|
|
||||||
2005
Hurricanes
|
|
Count
|
|
Losses
|
|
Recoveries
|
|
Losses
|
|||||
(Dollars
in millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Dennis
(July 10)
|
322
|
$
|
2.8
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
2.8
|
||||||
Katrina
(August 25)
|
2,110
|
14.5
|
11.5
|
3.0
|
|||||||||
Rita
(September 20)
|
19
|
0.1
|
-
|
0.1
|
|||||||||
Wilma
(October 24)
|
11,650
|
175.2
|
172.2
|
3.0
|
|||||||||
Total
Loss Estimate
|
14,101
|
$
|
192.6
|
$
|
183.7
|
$
|
8.9
|
Effective
March 28, 2006, American Vehicle entered into a 100% quota-share reinsurance
treaty with Republic Underwriters Insurance Company (“Republic”). Republic is
domiciled in the State of Texas and licensed both directly and on a surplus
lines basis in approximately 32 states. Republic has a financial rating of
“A-”
Excellent with A.M. Best. This arrangement will facilitate the policyholder
who
requires their commercial general liability insurance policy to come from an
insurance company with an A.M. Best rating. Our arrangement with Republic allows
for a 4.75% commission on net written premium and reimbursement for all other
costs in connection with the treaty such as premium taxes and assessments.
We
also remit a 1% commission to the intermediary broker on the same net written
premium. Under this agreement the Company assumed approximately $348,000 in
premiums in connection with its operations in the State of Texas. Our operations
in Texas began in December 2006. During the three months ended March 31, 2007,
this 100% quota-sharing reinsurance treaty with Republic was cancelled at their
request, effective June 30, 2007.
We
are
selective in choosing reinsurers and consider numerous factors, the most
important of which are the financial stability of the reinsurer, their history
of responding to claims and their overall reputation. In an effort to minimize
our exposure to the insolvency of a reinsurer, we evaluate the acceptability
and
review the financial condition of the reinsurer at least annually.
Our
automobile quota-share reinsurance treaties for 2003 include loss corridors
with
varying layers of coverage based on ultimate incurred loss ratio results whereby
the two insurance companies will retain 100% of the losses between incurred
loss
ratios of 66% and 86% for policies with an effective date of 2003. Despite
the
loss corridor, the reinsurer assumes significant insurance risk under the
reinsured portions of the underlying insurance contracts and it is reasonably
possible that the reinsurer may realize a significant loss from the transaction.
Our ultimate incurred loss ratios for these treaties as of December 31, 2006
are
estimated to be 66.6% and 77.4% for Federated National and American Vehicle,
respectively.
-15-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
During
2005, Federated National entered into a 100% quota-share agreement with its
affiliate American Vehicle. The agreement ceded 100% of its premium and losses
on all policies with an effective date between July 1, 2005 and December 31,
2005. For presentation purposes, and in accordance with the principles of
consolidation, the agreement between the two affiliated insurance companies
has
been eliminated.
(8)
Stock Compensation Plans
We
implemented a stock option plan in November 1998 that provides for the granting
of stock options to officers, directors, employees and consultants. The
objectives of this plan include attracting and retaining the best personnel,
providing for additional performance incentives, and promoting our success
by
providing employees the opportunity to acquire common stock. Options outstanding
under this plan have been granted at prices which are either equal to or above
the market value of the stock on the date of grant, typically vest over a
four-year period, and expire ten years after the grant date. Under this plan,
we
are authorized to grant options to purchase up to 900,000 common shares, and,
as
of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, we had outstanding exercisable options
to purchase 47,750 and 44,750 shares, respectively.
In
2001,
we implemented a franchisee stock option plan that provided for the granting
of
stock options to individuals purchasing Company owned agencies which were then
converted to franchised agencies. The purpose of the plan was to advance our
interests by providing an additional incentive to encourage managers of Company
owned agencies to purchase the agencies and convert them to franchises. Options
outstanding under the plan were granted at prices which were above the market
value of the stock on the date of grant, vest over a ten-year period, and expire
ten years after the grant date. Under this plan, we are authorized to grant
options to purchase up to 988,500 common shares, and, as of March 31, 2007,
we
had no outstanding exercisable options to purchase shares.
In
2002,
we implemented the 2002 Option Plan. The purpose of this Plan is to advance
our
interests by providing an additional incentive to attract, retain and motivate
highly qualified and competent persons who are key to the Company, including
employees, consultants, independent contractors, and officers and directors,
upon whose efforts and judgment our success is largely dependent, by authorizing
the grant of options to purchase Common Stock to persons who are eligible to
participate hereunder, thereby encouraging stock ownership by such persons,
all
upon and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. Options outstanding
under the plan have been granted at prices which are above the market value
of
the stock on the date of grant, vest over a five-year period, and expire six
years after the grant date. Under this plan, the Company is authorized to grant
options to purchase up to 1,800,000 common shares, and, as of March 31, 2007
and
December 31, 2006, we had outstanding exercisable options to purchase 621,858
and 637,358 shares, respectively.
Activity
in the Company’s stock option plans for the period from January 1, 2005 to March
31, 2007, is summarized below:
-16-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
1998
Plan
|
|
2001
Franchisee Plan
|
|
2002
Plan
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
||||||
|
|
Number
of
Shares
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
|
|
Number
of
Shares
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
|
|
Number
of
Shares
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
|
|||||||
Outstanding
at January 1, 2005
|
198,275
|
$
|
6.67
|
15,000
|
$
|
9.17
|
906,300
|
$
|
10.80
|
||||||||||
Granted
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
451,500
|
$
|
14.39
|
||||||||||
Exercised
|
(96,875
|
)
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
(271,542
|
)
|
$
|
8.96
|
||||||||
Cancelled
|
(3,750
|
)
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
(262,650
|
)
|
$
|
14.00
|
||||||||
Outstanding
at January 1, 2006
|
97,650
|
$
|
6.67
|
15,000
|
$
|
9.17
|
823,608
|
$
|
12.35
|
||||||||||
Granted
|
25,000
|
$
|
27.79
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
86,000
|
$
|
16.44
|
||||||||||
Exercised
|
(77,900
|
)
|
$
|
6.67
|
(15,000
|
)
|
$
|
9.17
|
(212,350
|
)
|
$
|
8.98
|
|||||||
Cancelled
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
(59,900
|
)
|
$
|
14.98
|
|||||||||||
Outstanding
at January 1, 2007
|
44,750
|
$
|
18.47
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
637,358
|
$
|
13.80
|
||||||||||
Granted
|
5,000
|
$
|
21.38
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
||||||||||
Exercised
|
(2,000
|
)
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
(6,100
|
)
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||
Cancelled
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
(9,400
|
)
|
$
|
16.58
|
|||||||||
Outstanding
at March 31, 2007
|
47,750
|
$
|
19.27
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
621,858
|
$
|
13.79
|
Options
outstanding as of March 31, 2007 are exercisable as follows:
1998
Plan
|
|
2001
Franchisee Plan
|
|
2002
Plan
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
||||||
|
Number
of
Shares
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
|
|
Number
of
Shares
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
|
|
Number
of
Shares
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
|
||||||||
Options
Exercisable at:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
March
31, 2007
|
17,750
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
254,608
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||||
December
31, 2007
|
25,000
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
118,648
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||||
December
31, 2008
|
1,000
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
93,001
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||||
December
31, 2009
|
1,000
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
81,599
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||||
December
31, 2010
|
1,000
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
57,501
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||||
December
31, 2011
|
1,000
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
16,501
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||||
Thereafter
|
1,000
|
$
|
6.67
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
10.62
|
||||||||||
Total
options exercisible
|
47,750
|
-
|
621,858
|
At
March
31, 2007, the Company has two stock-based employee compensation plans and one
stock-based franchise compensation plan, which are described above. Prior to
January 1, 2006, we accounted for those plans under the recognition and
measurement provisions of stock-based compensation using the intrinsic value
method prescribed by APB Opinion No. 25, Accounting
for Stock Issued to Employees, and
related Interpretations, as permitted by FASB Statement No. 123, Accounting
for Stock-Based Compensation. Under
these provisions, no stock-based employee compensation cost was recognized
in
the Statement of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2005 or 2004 as
all
options granted under those plans had an exercise price equal to or less than
the market value of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Effective
January 1, 2006, the Company adopted the fair value recognitions provisions
of
FASB Statement No. 123R using the modified-prospective-transition method. Under
that transition method, compensation cost recognized during the three months
ended March 31, 2007 includes compensation cost for all share-based payments
granted subsequent to January 1, 2007, based on the grant date fair-value
estimated in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123R. Results for prior
periods have not been restated.
As
a
result of adopting SFAS No. 123R on January 1, 2006, the Company’s income before
provision for income taxes and net income for the three months ended March
31,
2007, are lower by approximately $800 and $500, respectively, than if it had
continued to account for share-base compensation under ABP Opinion No. 25.
-17-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Basic
and
diluted earnings per share for the three month period ended March 31, 2007
would
have been as reported at $0.11 and $0.10, respectively, if the Company had
not
adopted SFAS No. 123R.
Because
the change in income taxes payable includes the effect of excess tax benefits,
those excess tax benefits also must be shown as a separate operating cash
outflow so that operating cash flows exclude the effect of excess tax benefits.
SFAS No. 123R requires the cash flows resulting from the tax benefits resulting
from tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for those
options (excess tax benefits) to be classified as financing cash
flows.
The
weighted average fair value for the 5,000 new options granted during the three
months ended March 31, 2007, estimated on the date of grant using the
Black-Scholes option-pricing model was $5.36 per option. There were no new
options granted during the quarter ending March 31, 2006.
The
fair
value of options granted is estimated on the date of grant using the following
assumptions:
March
31, 2007
|
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||||
Dividend
yield
|
3.20
|
%
|
2.80
|
%
|
|||
Expected
volatility
|
42.87
|
%
|
44.30
|
%
|
|||
Risk-free
interest rate
|
4.85%
to 4.86
|
%
|
4.83
|
%
|
|||
Expected
life (in years)
|
2.58
|
2.04
to 2.82
|
Volatility
of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates
of return on the share over a specified period of time. The higher the
volatility, the more returns on the shares can be expected to vary - up or
down.
The expected volatility is a measure of the amount by which a financial variable
such as a share price has fluctuated (historical volatility) or is expected
to
fluctuate (expected volatility) during a period. Our volatility as reflected
above contemplates only historical volatility.
Summary
information about the Company’s stock options outstanding at March 31,
2007:
|
|
Range
of
|
|
Outstanding
at
|
|
Weighted
Average
Contractual
|
|
Weighted Average |
|
Exercisable
at
|
|
|||||
|
|
Exercise
Price
|
|
March
31, 2007
|
|
Periods
in Years
|
|
Exercise
Price
|
|
March
31, 2007
|
||||||
1998
Plan
|
$
|
6.67
- $27.79
|
47,750
|
7.19
|
$
|
19.27
|
17,750
|
|||||||||
2001
Franchise Plan
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||||
2002
Plan
|
$
|
8.33
- $18.21
|
621,858
|
3.38
|
$
|
13.79
|
254,608
|
(9)
Subordinated Debt
On
July
31, 2003, we completed a private placement of our 6% Senior Subordinated Notes
(the “July 2003 Notes”), which were offered and sold to accredited investors as
units consisting of one July 2003 Note with a principal amount of $1,000 and
warrants (the “2003 Warrants”) to purchase shares of our Common Stock. We sold
an aggregate of $7.5 million of July 2003 Notes in this placement, which
resulted in proceeds to us (net of placement agent fees of $450,724 and offering
expenses of $110,778) of $6,938,498.
The
July
2003 Notes paid interest at the annual rate of 6%, were subordinated to senior
debt of the Company, and matured on July 31, 2006. Quarterly payments of
principal and interest due on the July 2003 Notes were made in cash or, at
our
option, in shares of our Common Stock. When paid in shares of Common Stock,
the
number of shares issued was determined by dividing the payment due by 95% of
the
weighted-average volume price for the Common Stock on Nasdaq as reported by
Bloomberg for the 20 consecutive trading days preceding the payment
date.
The
2003
Warrants issued in this placement to the purchasers of the July 2003 Notes
and
to the placement agent in the offering, J. Giordano Securities Group (“J.
Giordano”), each entitled the holder to purchase ¾ of one share of our Common
Stock at an exercise price of $12.744 per whole share (as adjusted for the
Company’s three-for-two stock split) until July 31, 2006. The total number of
shares issuable upon exercise of 2003 Warrants issued to the purchasers of
the
July 2003 Notes and to J. Giordano totaled 612,074. GAAP required that
detachable warrants be valued separately from debt and included in paid-in
capital. Based on the terms of the purchase agreement with the investors
in the private placement, management determined that the July 2003 Warrants
had
zero value at the date of issuance.
-18-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial
Statements
On
July
31, 2006, we made the final principal payment of $625,000 on the July 2003
notes
and the July 2003 warrants expired. Of the 612,074 shares that could have been
issued in connection with the July 2003 warrants, 301,430 were exercised,
225,000 were reacquired in the open market by us and 85,644 were unexercised.
The unexercised warrants were cancelled as of July 31, 2006.
On
September 30, 2004, we completed a private placement of 6% Senior Subordinated
Notes due September 30, 2007 (the “September 2004 Notes”). These notes were
offered and sold to accredited investors as units consisting of one September
2004 Note with a principal amount of $1,000 and
warrants to purchase shares of our Common Stock (the “2004 Warrants”), the terms
of which are similar to our July 2003 Notes and 2003 Warrants, except as
described below.
We sold
an aggregate of $12.5 million of units in this placement, which resulted in
proceeds (net of placement agent fees of $700,000 and offering expenses of
$32,500) to us of $11,767,500.
The
September 2004 Notes pay interest at the annual rate of 6%, mature on September
30, 2007, and rank pari passu in terms of payment and priority to the July
2003
Notes. Quarterly payments of principal and interest due on the September 2004
Notes, like the July 2003 Notes, may be made in cash or, at our option, in
shares of our Common Stock. If paid in shares of Common Stock, the number of
shares to be issued shall be determined by dividing the payment due by 95%
of
the weighted-average volume price for the Common Stock on Nasdaq as reported
by
Bloomberg for the 20 consecutive trading days preceding the payment
date.
The
2004
Warrants issued to the purchasers of the September 2004 Notes and to the
placement agent in the offering, J. Giordano, each entitle the holder to
purchase one share of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $12.75 per share
and will be
exercisable until September 30, 2007. The
number of shares issuable upon exercise of the 2004 Warrants issued to
purchasers equaled $12.5 million divided by the exercise price of the warrants,
and totaled 980,392. The number of shares issuable upon exercise of the 2004
Warrants issued to J. Giordano equaled $500,000 divided by the exercise price
of
the warrants, and totaled 39,216. GAAP requires that detachable warrants be
valued separately from debt and included in paid-in capital. Based on the terms
of the purchase agreement with the investors in the private placement,
management determined that the September 2004 Warrants had zero value at the
date of issuance. Of the 1,019,000 warrants issued in connection with the
September 2004 notes, 751,699 have been exercised to date.
The
terms
of the 2004 and 2003 Warrants provide for adjustment of the exercise price
and
the number of shares issuable thereunder upon the occurrence of certain events
typical for private offerings of this type.
As
indicated on the table below, we paid, pursuant to the terms of the July 2003
Notes and in accordance with the contractual computations, selected quarterly
payments of principal and interest due in shares of our Common
Stock.
Quarterly
payment due date
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|||
January
31,
|
n/a
|
-
|
|||||
April
30,
|
n/a
|
38,420
|
|||||
July
31,
|
n/a
|
-
|
|||||
October
31,
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|||||
Total
common stock issued
|
-
|
38,420
|
As
indicated on the table below, as of March 31, 2007, we paid, pursuant to the
terms of the September 2004 Notes and in accordance with the contractual
computations, selected quarterly payments of principal and interest due in
shares of our Common Stock.
-19-
21st
Century Holding Company
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Quarterly
payment due date
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
||||
January
31,
|
54,211
|
-
|
|||||
April
30,
|
-
|
68,696
|
|||||
July
31,
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
October
31,
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Total
common stock issued
|
54,211
|
68,696
|
The
Company retains the privilege of repaying these notes in cash or by the issuance
of common stock.
Our
regularly scheduled payment of principal and interest in connection with the
September 2004 Notes due on April 30, 2007 was paid by the issuance of 63,114
shares of our Common Stock.
For
the
September 2004 Notes, the remaining quarterly principal and interest payments,
totaling approximately $1.0 million per payment, are due quarterly with the
last
installment due on September 30, 2007.
(10)
Discontinued Operations
On December
22, 2004 we announced our intention to sell our interest in Express Tax and
EXPRESSTAX Franchise Corporation for approximately $2 million cash. This
transaction closed with an effective date of January 1, 2005. The book value
of
Express Tax and EXPRESSTAX Franchise Corporation on January 1, 2005 was
approximately $0.6 million.
Additionally,
on the same day, the Company also announced a definitive agreement to sell
the
assets of its subsidiaries, Federated Agency Group and Fed USA, Inc., to
affiliates of Affirmative Insurance Holdings, Inc. (“Affirmative”)(NASDAQ: AFFM)
for approximately $9.5 million. The sale of assets to Affirmative closed on
December 31, 2004, at which time the Company received $7 million cash, with
up
to an additional $2.5 million due in the first quarter of 2006, subject to
certain performance criteria being met.
Currently,
both parties are in discussions relative to the comparison of actual results
to
the established performance criteria. We have been tentatively delayed in
reaching an agreement as to certain provisions that are specific to the
performance criteria. The delay is primarily due to scheduling conflicts among
the parties. We did reflect during the year ended December 31, 2006 operations,
in other income, a $0.4 million receivable.
Assets
and liabilities, including goodwill, that were sold totaled approximately $2.1
million on December 31, 2004.
-20-
21st
Century Holding Company
General
information about 21st
Century Holding Company can be found at www.21stcenturyholding.com
however, the information that can be accessed through our web site is not part
of our report. We make our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on
Form
10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports filed or
furnished pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act
of
1934 available free of charge on our web site, as soon as reasonably practicable
after they are electronically filed with the SEC.
Item
2
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Forward-Looking
Statements
Statements
in this report or in documents that are incorporated by reference that are
not
historical fact are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain
risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ
materially from those discussed herein. Without limiting the generality of
the
foregoing, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,”
“intend,” “could,” “would,” “estimate,” or “continue” or the negative other
variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties include, without
limitation, uncertainties related to estimates, assumptions and projections
relating to losses from the nine hurricanes that occurred in fiscal years 2005
and 2004 and other estimates, assumptions and projections contained in this
10-Q; inflation and other changes in economic conditions (including changes
in
interest rates and financial markets); the impact of new regulations adopted
in
Florida which affect the property and casualty insurance market; pricing
competition and other initiatives by competitors; ability to obtain regulatory
approval for requested rate changes and the timing thereof; legislative and
regulatory developments; the outcome of litigation pending against us, including
the terms of any settlements; risks related to the nature of our business;
dependence on investment income and the composition of our investment portfolio;
the adequacy of our liability for loss and loss adjustment expense; insurance
agents; claims experience; ratings by industry services; catastrophe losses;
reliance on key personnel; weather conditions (including the severity and
frequency of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and hail); changes in driving
patterns and loss trends; acts of war and terrorist activities; court decisions
and trends in litigation and health care and auto repair costs; and other
matters described from time to time by us in this report, and our other filings
with the SEC.
You
are
cautioned not to place reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
are
valid only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation
to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information
or
the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise. In addition, readers should
be aware that GAAP prescribes when a company may reserve for particular risks,
including litigation exposures. Accordingly, results for a given reporting
period could be significantly affected if and when a reserve is established
for
a major contingency. Reported results may therefore appear to be volatile in
certain accounting periods.
Overview
We
are an
insurance holding company, which, through our subsidiaries and our contractual
relationships with our independent agents and general agents, control
substantially all aspects of the insurance underwriting, distribution and claims
process. We are authorized to underwrite homeowners’ property and casualty
insurance, commercial general liability insurance, and personal automobile
insurance, in various states with various lines of authority through our wholly
owned subsidiaries, Federated National and American Vehicle. We internally
process claims made by our own insureds through our wholly owned claims
adjusting company, Superior.
Federated
National is authorized to underwrite homeowners’ property and casualty insurance
and personal automobile insurance in Florida as an admitted carrier. American
Vehicle is authorized to underwrite personal automobile insurance and commercial
general liability coverage in Florida as an admitted carrier. In addition,
American Vehicle is authorized to underwrite commercial general liability
insurance in Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Missouri and Arkansas
as a surplus lines carrier and in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama as an admitted
carrier. American Vehicle operations in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas,
South Carolina and Virginia are on-going. American Vehicle operations in Alabama
and Kentucky are expected to begin this year. American Vehicle has a pending
application to be authorized as a surplus lines carrier in the state of
California.
-21-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, 81.0%, 16.6% and 2.4% of the premiums
we
underwrote were for homeowners’ property and casualty insurance, commercial
general liability insurance and personal automobile insurance, respectively.
During the three months ended March 31, 2006, 64.9%, 23.1% and 12.0% of the
premiums we underwrote were for homeowners’ property and casualty insurance,
commercial general liability insurance and personal automobile insurance,
respectively. We internally process claims made by our own and third-party
insureds through our wholly owned claims adjusting company, Superior. We also
offer premium financing to our own and third-party insureds through our wholly
owned subsidiary, Federated Premium.
We
market
and distribute our own and third-party insurers’ products and our other services
primarily in Florida, through contractual relationships with a network of
approximately 1,500 independent agents and a select number of general agents.
Assurance
MGA, a wholly owned subsidiary, acts as Federated National’s and American
Vehicle’s exclusive managing general agent in the state of Florida. As American
Vehicle continues its expansion into other states we shall contract with general
agents to market our commercial general liability insurance product beyond
the
state of Florida. Assurance MGA currently provides underwriting policy
administration, marketing, accounting and financial services to Federated
National and American Vehicle, and participates in the negotiation of
reinsurance contracts. Assurance MGA generates revenue through a 6% commission
fee from the insurance companies’ gross written premium, policy fee income of
$25 per policy and other administrative fees from the marketing of company
products through the Company’s distribution network. The 6% commission fee from
Federated National and American Vehicle was made effective January 1, 2005.
Assurance MGA plans to establish relationships with additional carriers and
add
additional insurance products in the future.
Our
business, results of operations and financial condition are subject to
fluctuations due to a variety of factors. Abnormally high severity or frequency
of claims in any period could have a material adverse effect on our business,
results of operations and financial condition. Also, if our estimated
liabilities for unpaid losses and LAE are less than actual losses and LAE,
we
will be required to increase reserves with a corresponding reduction in our
net
income in the period in which the deficiency is identified.
We
operate in highly competitive markets and face competition from national,
regional and residual market insurance companies, many of whom are larger and
have greater financial and other resources, have better A.M. Best ratings and
offer more diversified insurance coverage. Our competitors include companies
which market their products through agents, as well as companies which sell
insurance directly to their customers. Large national writers may have certain
competitive advantages over agency writers, including increased name
recognition, increased loyalty of their customer base and reduced policy
acquisition costs. Additionally, during an emergency session in January 2007,
the Florida legislature passed and the Governor signed into law a bill known
as
“CS/HB-1A.” This new law makes fundamental changes to the property and casualty
insurance business in Florida and undertakes a multi-pronged approach to address
the cost of residential property insurance in Florida. First, the new law
requires insurance companies to lower their Florida premium rates for
residential property insurance. The new law also authorizes the state-owned
insurance company, Citizens, which is free of many of the restraints on private
carriers such as surplus, ratios, income taxes and reinsurance expense, to
reduce its premium rates and begin competing against private insurers in the
residential property insurance market and expands the authority of Citizens
to
write commercial insurance. We may also face competition from new or temporary
entrants in our niche markets. In some cases, such entrants may, because of
inexperience, desire for new business or other reasons, price their insurance
below ours. Although our pricing is inevitably influenced to some degree by
that
of our competitors, we believe that it is generally not in our best interest
to
compete solely on price. We compete on the basis of underwriting criteria,
our
distribution network and superior service to our agents and insureds.
In
Florida, more than 200 companies are authorized to underwrite homeowners’
insurance. National and regional companies which compete with us in the
homeowners’ market include Allstate Insurance Company, State Farm Insurance
Company, First Floridian Insurance Company, and Royal Palm Insurance Company.
We
also compete with several Florida domestic property and casualty companies
such
as Universal Insurance Company and Coral Insurance Company. During calendar
year
2006, the Florida OIR announced the take over of several of our major
competitors due to the poor financial condition stemming from the effects of
last year’s catastrophic hurricanes. We have experienced an increase in policy
volume relative to our homeowners’ insurance products due to the narrowed
competition.
Comparable
companies which compete with us in the commercial general liability insurance
market include Century Surety Insurance Company, Atlantic Casualty Insurance
Company, Colony Insurance Company and Burlington/First Financial Insurance
Companies.
-22-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
With
respect to automobile insurance in Florida, we compete with more than 100
companies, which underwrite personal automobile insurance. Comparable companies
which compete with us in the personal automobile insurance market include
Affirmative Insurance Holdings, Inc., which acquired our non-standard automobile
agency business in Florida in December 2004, U.S. Security Insurance Company,
United Automobile Insurance Company, Direct General Insurance Company and
Security National Insurance Company, as well as major insurers such as
Progressive Casualty Insurance Company.
Competition
could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations
and
financial condition.
Our
executive offices are located at 3661 West Oakland Park Boulevard, Suite 300,
Lauderdale Lakes, Florida and our telephone number is (954)
581-9993.
Critical
Accounting Policies
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management
to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the amounts
reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Future events
and
their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty. Therefore, the
determination of estimates requires the exercise of judgment. Actual results
inevitably will differ from those estimates, and such differences may be
material to the financial statements.
The
most
significant accounting estimates inherent in the preparation of our financial
statements include estimates associated with management’s evaluation of the
determination of liability for unpaid loss and LAE and the amount and
recoverability of amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs. In
addition, significant estimates form the bases for our reserves with respect
to
finance contracts, premiums receivable and deferred income taxes. Various
assumptions and other factors underlie the determination of these significant
estimates.
The
process of determining significant estimates is fact specific and takes into
account factors such as historical experience, current and expected economic
conditions, and in the case of unpaid loss and LAE, an actuarial valuation.
Management regularly reevaluates these significant factors and makes adjustments
where facts and circumstances dictate. In selecting the best estimate, we
utilize various actuarial methodologies. Each of these methodologies is designed
to forecast the number of claims we will be called upon to pay and the amounts
we will pay on average to settle those claims. In arriving at our best estimate,
our actuaries consider the likely predictive value of the various loss
development methodologies employed in light of underwriting practices, premium
rate changes and claim settlement practices that may have occurred, and weight
the credibility of each methodology. Our actuarial methodologies take into
account various factors, including, but not limited to, paid losses, liability
estimates for reported losses, paid allocated loss adjustment expenses, salvage
and other recoveries received, reported claim counts, open claim counts and
counts for claims closed with and without payment of loss.
Accounting
for loss contingencies pursuant to SFAS No.5 involves the existence of a
condition, situation or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as to
possible loss that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future event(s)
occur or fail to occur. Additionally, accounting for a loss contingency requires
management to assess each event as probable, reasonably possible or remote.
Probable is defined as the future event or events are likely to occur.
Reasonably possible is defined as the chance of the future event or events
occurring is more than remote but less than probable, while remote is defined
as
the chance of the future event or events occurring is slight. An estimated
loss
in connection with a loss contingency shall be recorded by a charge to current
operations if both of the following conditions are met: First, the amount can
be
reasonably estimated; and second, the information available prior to issuance
of
the financial statements indicates that it is probable that a liability has
been
incurred at the date of the financial statements. It is implicit in this
condition that it is probable that one or more future events will occur
confirming the fact of the loss or incurrence of a liability.
We
are
required to review the contractual terms of all our reinsurance purchases to
ensure compliance with SFAS No. 113,
Accounting and Reporting for Reinsurance of Short-Duration and Long-Duration
Contracts.
The
statement establishes the conditions required for a contract with a reinsurer
to
be accounted for as reinsurance and prescribes accounting and reporting
standards for those contracts. Contracts that do not result in the reasonable
possibility that the reinsurer may realize a significant loss from the insurance
risk assumed generally do not meet the conditions for reinsurance accounting
and
must be accounted for as deposits. SFAS No. 113 also requires us to disclose
the
nature, purpose and effect of reinsurance transactions, including the premium
amounts associated with reinsurance assumed and ceded. It also requires
disclosure of concentrations of credit risk associated with reinsurance
receivables and prepaid reinsurance premiums.
-23-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Please
see Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional
discussions regarding critical accounting policies.
New
Accounting Pronouncements
The
material set forth in Item 1, Part I, “Financial Statements - Note 2 - Summary
of Significant Accounting Policies and Practices” of this Form 10-Q is
incorporated herein by reference.
In
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159 “The Fair Value Option for
Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities — Including an Amendment of
SFAS No. 115” (SFAS No. 159), which permits an entity to
measure many financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value that
are
not currently required to be measured at fair value. Entities that elect the
fair value option will report unrealized gains and losses in earnings at each
subsequent reporting date. The fair value option may be elected on an
instrument-by-instrument basis, with a few exceptions. SFAS No. 159
amends previous guidance to extend the use of the fair value option to
available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities. The Statement also
establishes presentation and disclosure requirements to help financial statement
users understand the effect of the election. We will adopt FAS 159 on its
effective date, January 1, 2008. We do not expect the adoption of FAS
159 to have a material impact, if any, on our financial position or results
of
operations.
In
June
2006, FASB issued FIN 48, Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
which
clarifies the accounting for income tax reserves and contingencies recognized
in
an enterprise’s financial statements in accordance with SFAS No. 109,
Accounting
for Income Taxes.
This
Interpretation also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest
and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. This
Interpretation is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006.
The Company has adopted and concluded that the impact of FIN 48 will be minimal
and includes a policy of classifying interest and penalties related to income
tax as elements of income tax expense in the consolidated financial statements.
As required by FIN 48, this change was done prospectively. Previously, penalties
and interest were classified as operating and underwriting expenses.
Analysis
of Financial Condition
As
of March 31, 2007 as Compared to December 31, 2006
Total
Investments
SFAS
No.
115 addresses accounting and reporting for (a) investments in equity securities
that have readily determinable fair values and (b) all investments in debt
securities. SFAS 115 requires that these securities be classified into one
of
three categories, Held-to-maturity, Trading securities or Available-for-sale.
Investments
classified as held-to-maturity include debt securities wherein the Company’s
intent and ability are to hold the investment until maturity. The accounting
treatment for held-to-maturity investments is to carry them at amortized cost
without consideration to unrealized gains or losses. Investments classified
as
trading securities include debt and equity securities bought and held primarily
for the sale in the near term. The accounting treatment for trading securities
is to carry them at fair value with unrealized holding gains and losses included
in current period operations. Investments classified as available-for-sale
include debt and equity securities that are not classified as held-to-maturity
or as trading security investments. The accounting treatment for
available-for-sale securities is to carry them at fair value with unrealized
holding gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as a separate
component of shareholders’ equity, namely “Other Comprehensive
Income”.
-24-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Total
Investments increased $17.1 million, or 13.7%, to $141.9 million as of March
31,
2007, as compared to $124.8 million as of December 31, 2006. The increase is
primarily a result of our investment of the proceeds from an increase in written
insurance premiums.
The
fixed
maturities and the equity securities that are available for sale and carried
at
fair value represent 85.6% of total investments as of March 31, 2007, as
compared to 84.2% as of December 31, 2006.
We
did
not hold any non-traded investment securities during 2007 or 2006.
Below
is
a summary of net unrealized gains and (losses) at March 31, 2007 and December
31, 2006 by category.
Unrealized
Gains and (Losses)
|
|
||||||
|
|
March
31,
2007
|
|
December
31,
2006
|
|||
Fixed
maturities:
|
|||||||
U.S.
government obligations and agency obligations
|
$
|
(672,318
|
)
|
$
|
(688,190
|
)
|
|
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
(133,889
|
)
|
(145,505
|
)
|
|||
(806,207
|
)
|
(833,695
|
)
|
||||
Corporate
securities:
|
|||||||
Communications
|
6,740
|
6,842
|
|||||
Financial
|
(17,300
|
)
|
(18,790
|
)
|
|||
Other
|
(71,548
|
)
|
(73,983
|
)
|
|||
(82,108
|
)
|
(85,931
|
)
|
||||
Equity
securities:
|
|||||||
Common
stocks
|
(926,299
|
)
|
(631,000
|
)
|
|||
Total
unrealized gains and (losses), net
|
$
|
(1,814,614
|
)
|
$
|
(1,550,626
|
)
|
During
December 2005, we classified $19.7 million of our bond portfolio as
held-to-maturity. The decision to classify this layer of our bond portfolio
as
held-to-maturity was predicated on our intention to establish an irrevocable
letter of credit in order to facilitate business opportunities in connection
with our commercial general liability program. During April 2006, American
Vehicle finalized the irrevocable letter of credit in conjunction with the
100%
Quota Share Reinsurance Agreement with Republic.
Pursuant
to FASB 115, the Company records the unrealized losses, net of estimated income
taxes that are associated with that part of our portfolio classified as
available for sale through the shareholders' equity account titled “Other
Comprehensive Income”. Management periodically reviews the individual
investments that comprise our portfolio in order to determine whether a decline
in fair value below our cost is either other than temporary or permanently
impaired. Factors used in such consideration include, but are not limited to,
the extent and length of time over which the market value has been less than
cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer and our
ability and intent to keep the investment for a period sufficient to allow
for
an anticipated recovery in market value.
In
reaching a conclusion that a security is either other than temporary or
permanently impaired we consider such factors as the timeliness and completeness
of expected dividends, principle and interest payments, ratings from nationally
recognized statistical rating organizations such as Standard and Poor’s and
Moody’s as well as information released via the general media
channels.
The
investments held at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 were comprised mainly
of United States government and agency bonds as well as municipal bonds which
are viewed by the Company as conservative and less risky holdings, though
sensitive to interest rate changes. There is a smaller concentration of
corporate bonds predominantly held in the financial and conglomerate industries.
Approximately two-thirds of the equity holdings are in income funds while the
other third is invested in equities related to the mortgage investment industry
and business service industry.
-25-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
All
of
our securities are in good standing and are not impaired as defined by FASB
115.
We have determined that none of our securities qualify for other than temporary
impairment or permanent impairment status. Our rational for this determination
includes, but is not limited to Standard and Poor’s rating of no less than BB++,
no delinquent interest and dividend payments, near term maturity dates and
our
ability and intent to hold these securities for a period sufficient to allow
for
an anticipated recovery in market value.
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
Cash
and
cash equivalents, which include cash, certificates of deposits, and money market
accounts decreased $13.8 million, or 76.8%, to $4.1 million as of March 31,
2007, as compared to $17.9 million as of December 31, 2006. These balances
are
held primarily in money market accounts at amounts deemed sufficient to meet
short-term cash requirements. Our excess cash and cash equivalents are invested
in accordance with our long-term liquidity requirements.
Finance
Contracts Receivable, Net of Allowance for Credit Losses
Finance
contracts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses, decreased $0.1
million, or 7.9%, to $1.7 million as of March 31, 2007, as compared to $1.8
million as of December 31, 2006. The decrease is primarily due to our sale
in
December 2004 of our assets related to our non-standard automobile insurance
agency business in Florida and the associated financed contracts. We anticipate
a continued decline in the financed contracts receivable, net over the future
short term and its related conversion to cash, cash equivalents and
investments.
Prepaid
Reinsurance Premiums
Prepaid
reinsurance premiums decreased $17.0 million, or 43.6%, to $22.0 million as
of
March 31, 2007, as compared to $38.9 million as of December 31, 2006. The
decrease is due to our payments and amortization of prepaid reinsurance premiums
associated with our homeowners’ book of business.
Premiums
Receivable, Net of Allowance for Credit Losses
Premiums
receivable, net of allowance for credit losses, decreased $0.9 million, or
12.8%, to $6.3 million as of March 31, 2007, as compared to $7.2 million as
of
December 31, 2006.
Our
homeowners’ insurance premiums receivable decreased $1.4 million, or 33.2%, to
$2.8 million as of March 31, 2007, as compared to $4.2 million as of December
31, 2006. The decrease can be attributed to the seasonality of the purchasing
patterns of our policy holders.
Our
commercial general liability insurance premiums receivable increased $0.4
million, or 15.2%, to $3.1 million as of March 31, 2007, as compared to $2.7
million as of December 31, 2006.
Premiums
receivable in connection with our automobile line of business increased $0.2
million, or 14.4%, to $1.3 million as of March 31, 2007, as compared to $1.2
million as of December 31, 2006.
Reinsurance
Recoverable
Reinsurance
recoverable increased to $12.7 million as of March 31, 2007, as compared to
nothing as of December 31, 2006. The increase is due to the timing of
settlements with our reinsurers in connection with the adjustment of loss and
LAE claims as they relate to costs recoverable under our reinsurance
agreements.
Deferred
Policy Acquisition Costs
Deferred
policy acquisition costs increased $0.8 million, or 7.2%, to $12.0 million
as of
March 31, 2007, as compared to $11.2 million as of December 31, 2006. The
increased production volume for both the homeowners’ and commercial general
liability product lines is the reason for the increase to this
asset.
-26-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Deferred
Income Taxes, net
Deferred
income taxes, net, increased $1.6 million, or 43.6%, to $5.2 million as of
March
31, 2007, as compared to $3.6 million as of December 31, 2006. The increase
is
comprised primarily of $2.0 million related to discounted unearned premiums
and
$0.4 million in conjunction with other deferred tax assets, offset by $0.8
million associated with deferred policy acquisition costs.
Income
Taxes Receivable
Income
taxes receivable increased $5.4 million, or 688.6%, to $6.2 million as of March
31, 2007, as compared to $0.8 million as of December 31, 2006. The change is
due
to tax payment patterns in connection with our tax liabilities.
Property,
Plant and Equipment, net
Property,
plant and equipment, net, decreased $0.1 million, or 5.8%, to $1.2 million
as of
March 31, 2007, as compared to $1.3 million as of December 31, 2006.
Other
Assets
Other
assets decreased $0.2 million, or 4.0%, to $4.4 million as of March 31, 2007,
as
compared to $4.6 million as of December 31, 2006. Major components of other
assets are as follows:
March
31,
2007
|
|
|
December
31,
2006
|
||||
Accrued
interest income
|
$
|
1,052,474
|
$
|
1,515,584
|
|||
Notes
receivable
|
921,963
|
1,027,958
|
|||||
Revenue
sharing due from reinsurer
|
1,481,525
|
979,677
|
|||||
Unamortized
loan costs
|
29,165
|
61,572
|
|||||
Compensating
cash balances
|
9,911
|
9,911
|
|||||
Due
from sale of discontinued operations, net
|
320,000
|
320,000
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses
|
454,710
|
531,008
|
|||||
Other
|
104,873
|
110,642
|
|||||
$
|
4,374,621
|
$
|
4,556,352
|
Unpaid
Losses and LAE
Unpaid
losses and LAE increased $8.6 million, or 21.6%, to $48.2 million as of March
31, 2007, as compared to $39.6 million as of December 31, 2006. The increase
in
unpaid losses and LAE relates to our payment patterns primarily relative to
the
settling of hurricane related claims. The composition of unpaid loss and LAE
by
product line is as follows:
March
31,
2007
|
|
|
December
31,
2006
|
||||
Homeowners'
|
$
|
29,521,387
|
$
|
21,788,126
|
|||
Commercial
General Liability
|
12,268,728
|
11,100,116
|
|||||
Automobile
|
6,391,140
|
6,727,236
|
|||||
$
|
48,181,255
|
$
|
39,615,478
|
Factors
that affect unpaid losses and LAE include the estimates made on a claim-by-claim
basis known as “case reserves” coupled with bulk estimates known as incurred but
not yet reported (“IBNR”). Periodic estimates by management of the ultimate
costs required to settle all claim files are based on the Company’s analysis of
historical data and estimations of the impact of numerous factors such as (i)
per claim information; (ii) company and industry historical loss experience;
(iii) legislative enactments, judicial decisions, legal developments in the
awarding of damages, and changes in political attitudes; and (iv) trends in
general economic conditions, including the effects of inflation. Management
revises its estimates based on the results of its analysis. This process assumes
that past experience, adjusted for the effects of current developments and
anticipated trends, is an appropriate basis for estimating the ultimate
settlement of all claims. There is no precise method for subsequently evaluating
the impact of any specific factor on the adequacy of the reserves, because
the
eventual redundancy or deficiency is affected by multiple factors.
-27-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Unearned
Premium
Unearned
premiums increased $9.8 million, or 12.6%, to $87.7 million as of March 31,
2007, as compared to $77.8 million as of December 31, 2006. The increase was
due
to a $10.1 million increase in unearned homeowners’ insurance premiums, a $0.1
million decrease in unearned commercial general liability premiums, and a $0.1
million decrease in unearned automobile premiums. These changes reflect our
continued emphasis in 2007 on property and commercial general liability
insurance products.
Due
to Reinsurers, net
Due
to
reinsurers, net decreased to nothing and converted to the asset reinsurance
recoverable, net, as of March 31, 2007, as compared to $4.2 million as of
December 31, 2006.
Premium
Deposits and Customer Credit Balances
Premium
deposits and customer credit balances remained unchanged at $3.8 million as
of
March 31, 2007, as compared to December 31, 2006. Premium deposits are monies
received on policies not yet in force as of March 31, 2007.
Revolving
Credit Outstanding
Revolving
credit outstanding remained unchanged at nearly nothing as of March 31, 2007,
as
compared to December 31, 2006. The balance is due to our cash management
efforts, our requested credit reduction, and sale in December 2004 of our assets
related to our non-standard automobile insurance agency business in Florida
and
the derived finance contracts receivable.
Bank
Overdraft
Bank
overdraft decreased $7.4 million, or 91.4%, to $0.7 as of March 31, 2007, as
compared to $8.1 million as of December 31, 2006. The bank overdraft relates
primarily to loss and LAE disbursements paid but not yet presented for payment
by the policyholder or vendor. The decrease relates to our payment patterns
in
relationship to the rate at which those cash disbursements are presented to
the
bank for payment.
Subordinated
Debt
Subordinated
debt decreased $1.0 million, or 25.0%, to $3.1 million as of March 31, 2007,
as
compared to $4.2 million as of December 31, 2006. The decrease is in connection
with the scheduled quarterly principal payments on the September 2004
Notes.
Deferred
Gain from Sale of Property
Deferred
gain from sale of property decreased $0.1 million, or 4.7%, to $2.4 as of March
31, 2007, as compared to $2.5 as of December 31, 2006. In accordance with the
provisions of FASB No. 13, we will amortize the deferred gain over the term
of
the lease-back which is scheduled to end in December 2011.
Accounts
Payable and Accrued Expenses
Accounts
payable and accrued expenses decreased $0.6 million, or 11.3%, to $5.1 million
as of March 31, 2007, as compared to $5.7 million as of December 31, 2006.
This
decrease is due to our cash management efforts and timing of payments with
our
trade vendors.
-28-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Results
of Operations
Three
Months Ended March 31, 2007 as Compared to Three Months Ended March 31,
2006
Gross
Premiums Written
Gross
premiums written increased $13.6 million, or 38.1%, to $49.2 million for the
three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $35.6 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2006. The following table denotes gross premiums written
by major product line
|
|
Three
months ended March 31,
|
|||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Amount
|
Percentage
|
Amount
|
Percentage
|
||||||||||
Homeowners'
|
$
|
39,863,621
|
81.0
|
%
|
$
|
23,102,526
|
64.9
|
%
|
|||||
Commercial
liability
|
8,150,098
|
16.6
|
%
|
8,220,213
|
23.1
|
%
|
|||||||
Automobile
|
1,177,010
|
2.4
|
%
|
4,286,334
|
12.0
|
%
|
|||||||
Gross
written premiums
|
$
|
49,190,729
|
100.0
|
%
|
$
|
35,609,073
|
100.0
|
%
|
The
following table sets forth the amounts and percentages of our gross premiums
written in connection with our commercial general liability program by state:
Three
months ended March 31,
|
|||||||||||||
2007
|
|
2006
|
|||||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
|||||||||||||
Amount
|
|
Percentage
|
|
Amount
|
|
Percentage
|
|||||||
Florida
|
$
|
5,624
|
69.0
|
%
|
$
|
6,567
|
79.9
|
%
|
|||||
Georgia
|
297
|
3.6
|
%
|
335
|
4.1
|
%
|
|||||||
Kentucky
|
1
|
0.0
|
%
|
-
|
0.0
|
%
|
|||||||
Louisiana
|
1,202
|
14.8
|
%
|
1,318
|
16.0
|
%
|
|||||||
South
Carolina
|
44
|
0.5
|
%
|
-
|
0.0
|
%
|
|||||||
Texas
|
967
|
11.9
|
%
|
-
|
0.0
|
%
|
|||||||
Virginia
|
15
|
0.2
|
%
|
-
|
0.0
|
%
|
|||||||
Gross
written premiums
|
$
|
8,150
|
100.0
|
%
|
$
|
8,220
|
100.0
|
%
|
The
Company’s sale of homeowners’ policies increased $16.8 million, or 72.6% to
$39.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $23.1
million for the three months ended March 31, 2006. The increase is primarily
due
to the increased rates in effect on our homeowners’ policies, and to a lesser
extent, a greater number of in-force policies.
The
Company’s sale of auto insurance policies decreased by $3.1 million, or 72.5%,
to $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $4.3
million for the three months ended March 31, 2006.
Gross
Premiums Ceded
Gross
premiums ceded remained unchanged at nearly nothing for the three months ended
March 31, 2007, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2006.
(Decrease)
in Prepaid Reinsurance Premiums
The
(decrease) in prepaid reinsurance premiums was ($17.0) million for the three
months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to ($8.7) million for the three months
ended March 31, 2006. The increased charge to written premium is primarily
associated with the timing of our reinsurance payments measured against the
term
of the underlying reinsurance policies.
-29-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
(Increase)
in Unearned Premiums
The
(increase) in unearned premiums was ($9.8) million for the three months ended
March 31, 2007, as compared to ($5.1) million for the three months ended March
31, 2006. The change was due to a ($10.1) million increase in unearned
homeowners’ insurance premiums, a $0.1 million decrease in unearned commercial
general liability premiums and a $.01 million decrease in unearned automobile
premiums. These changes reflect our continued growth along our homeowners’ and
commercial general liability lines of business.
Net
Premiums Earned
Net
premiums earned increased $0.6 million, or 2.6%, to $22.4 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $21.8 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2006. The following table denotes net premiums earned by product
line.
Three
months ended March 31,
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
|
||||||||
|
|
Amount
|
|
Percentage
|
|
Amount
|
|
Percentage
|
|||||
Homeowners'
|
$
|
12,810,858
|
57.27
|
%
|
$
|
11,285,520
|
51.75
|
%
|
|||||
Commercial
liability
|
8,265,715
|
36.94
|
%
|
5,866,877
|
26.90
|
%
|
|||||||
Automobile
|
1,296,455
|
5.79
|
%
|
4,655,043
|
21.35
|
%
|
|||||||
Net
premiums earned
|
$
|
22,373,028
|
100.00
|
%
|
$
|
21,807,440
|
100.00
|
%
|
As
noted
above, the Company’s efforts to expand commercial general liability lines of
insurance products are coming to fruition, as reflected by increased net
premiums earned of $2.4 million, or 40.9 % to $8.3 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $5.9 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2006.
Finance
Revenue
Finance
revenue decreased $0.4 million, or 70.7%, to $0.2 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $0.6 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. The change is primarily due to the Company’s decreased emphasis
on automobile insurance and the finance revenue derived there-from.
Managing
General Agent Fees
Managing
general agent fees decreased 6.0% to $0.6 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2007, as compared to $0.7 million for the three months ended March
31,
2006.
Net
Investment Income
Net
investment income increased $0.4 million, or 31.1%, to $1.6 million for the
three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $1.2 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2006. The increase in investment income is primarily
a
result of the additional amounts of invested assets. Also affecting our net
investment income was an increase in overall yield to 4.7 % for the three months
ended March 31, 2007 as compared to a yield of 4.6% for the three months ended
March 31, 2006.
Net
Realized Investment (Losses) Gains
Net
realized investment (losses) gains decreased to ($0.1) million for the three
months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $0.2 for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. The table below depicts (losses) gains by investment
category.
-30-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Net
Realized (Losses) Gains
Three
Months Ended Mar 31,
|
|
||||||
|
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
|||
Fixed
maturities:
|
|||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
$
|
(63
|
)
|
75
|
|||
Corporate
securities:
|
|||||||
Financial
|
-
|
(33,816
|
)
|
||||
Equity
securities:
|
|||||||
Common
stocks
|
(128,069
|
)
|
229,952
|
||||
Total
net realized (losses) gains
|
$
|
(128,132
|
)
|
$
|
196,211
|
Other
Income
Other
income increased $0.3 million, or 55.7%, to $1.0 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $0.6 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. Major components of other income for the three months ended
March 31, 2007 included approximately $0.5 million of commissions in connection
with the acquisition of our current reinsurance program, $0.3 million in
connection with FIGA fees and $0.1 million in partial recognition of our gain
on
the sale of our Lauderdale Lakes property. Other sources included commissions
in
connection with the national flood insurance program, rental income and interest
income.
Loss
and LAE
Loss
and
LAE, our most significant expense, represent actual payments made and changes
in
estimated future payments to be made to or on behalf of our policyholders,
including expenses required to settle claims and losses. We revise our estimates
based on the results of analysis of estimated future payments to be made. This
process assumes that past experience, adjusted for the effects of current
developments and anticipated trends, is an appropriate basis for predicting
future events.
Loss
and
LAE increased by $6.5 million, or 86.3%, to $14.1 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $7.6 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. The increase is primarily in connection with a 95.7% increase
to
first quarter operations for reinsurance costs as compared to the same three
months last year. Our loss ratio for the three months ended March 31, 2007
as compared to March 31, 2006 increased by 28.3 points or 81.6%, from 63% to
35%, of which 17.3 points are in connection with the increased reinsurance
costs
and 11.0 points to an overall increase in anticipated ultimate losses.
Included in the above, we incurred a $1.0 million charge to operations for
adverse development in connection with the 2004 hurricane season.
We
continue to revise our estimates of the ultimate financial impact of past
storms. The revisions to our estimates are based on our analysis of subsequent
information that we receive regarding various factors, including: (i) per claim
information; (ii) company and industry historical loss experience; (iii)
legislative enactments, judicial decisions, legal developments in the awarding
of damages, and (iv) trends in general economic conditions, including the
effects of inflation. Management revises its estimates based on the results
of
its analysis. This process assumes that past experience, adjusted for the
effects of current developments and anticipated trends, is an appropriate basis
for estimating the ultimate settlement of all claims. There is no precise method
for subsequently evaluating the impact of any specific factor on the adequacy
of
the reserves, because the eventual redundancy or deficiency is affected by
multiple factors.
The
table
below reflects no charge to operations during the three months ended March
31,
2007 from the four hurricanes that occurred in July, August, September and
October of 2005.
-31-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
2005
Hurricanes
|
Claim
Count
|
|
Gross
Losses
|
|
Reinsurance
Recoveries
|
|
Net
Losses
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
(Dollars
in millions)
|
|||||||||
Dennis
(July 10)
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
||||||
Katrina
(August 25)
|
(3
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||
Rita
(September 20)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||
Wilma
(October 24)
|
94
|
11.2
|
11.2
|
-
|
|||||||||
Total
Loss Estimate
|
91
|
$
|
11.2
|
$
|
11.2
|
$
|
-
|
The
table
below reflects a $1.0 million charge to operations during the three months
ended
March 31, 2007 from the four hurricanes that occurred in July, August and
September 2004.
2004
Hurricanes
|
Claim
Count
|
|
Gross
Losses
|
|
Reinsurance
Recoveries
|
|
Net
Losses
|
||||||
(Dollars
in millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Charley
(August 13)
|
1
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
||||||
Frances
(September 3)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||
Ivan
(September 14)
|
-
|
1.0
|
-
|
1.0
|
|||||||||
Jeanne
(September 25)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||
Total
Loss Estimate
|
1
|
$
|
1.0
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
1.0
|
In
accordance with GAAP, our loss ratio is computed as loss and LAE divided by
net
premiums earned. A lower loss ratio generally results in higher operating
income. Our loss ratio for the three month period ended March 31, 2007 was
63.0%
compared with 34.7% for the same period in 2006. The table below reflects the
loss ratios by product line.
Three
Months Ended March 31,
|
|
||||||
|
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
|||
Homeowners'
|
70.2
|
%
|
25.6
|
%
|
|||
Commercial
General Liability
|
32.1
|
%
|
22.6
|
%
|
|||
Automobile
|
189.6
|
%
|
72.0
|
%
|
|||
All
lines
|
63.0
|
%
|
34.7
|
%
|
Operating
and Underwriting Expenses
Operating
and underwriting expenses increased $1.7 million, or 72.1%, to $4.0 million
for
the three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $2.3 million for the
three
months ended March 31, 2006. The increase is primarily due to a charge to
operations of $1.0 million in connection with the tentative and expected to
be
negotiated settlement of an expired agreement to service insureds for a
third-party insurance company. The terms of this agreement call for our
company to adjust claims associated with policies of the third-party insurance
company written between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2001. The change is
also due to a $0.5 million increase in premium tax expense which is directly
correlated to an increase in written premium and a $0.1 million increase in
rent
due to the 2006 sale and lease-back of our building.
Salaries
and Wages
Salaries
and wages decreased $0.3 million, or 15.3%, to $1.6 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $1.8 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. As a result of adopting SFAS No. 123R on January 1, 2006,
salaries and wages for the three months ended March 31, 2006 increased $157,000,
representing approximately 54.7% of the first quarter’s overall change.
-32-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
Interest
Expense
Interest
expense decreased $0.1 million, or 62.9%, to $0.1 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $0.2 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. The decrease is in correlation to our decreased subordinated
debt.
Policy
Acquisition Costs, Net of Amortization
Policy
acquisition costs, net of amortization, increased $0.7 million, or 17.6%, to
$4.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $3.9
million for the three months ended March 31, 2006. Policy acquisition costs,
net
of amortization, consists of the actual policy acquisition costs, including
commissions, payroll and premium taxes, less commissions earned on reinsurance
ceded and policy fees earned.
Provision
for Income Tax Expense
The
provision for income tax expense decreased $2.8 million, or 86.9%, to $0.4
million for the three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $3.2 million
for the three months ended March 31, 2006. The effective rate for income tax
expense was 33.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to
35.0% the same three month period in 2006.
Net
Income
As
a
result of the foregoing, the Company’s net income for the three months ended
March 31, 2007 was $0.8 million compared to net income of $6.0 million for
the
three months ended March 31, 2006.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, our primary sources of capital were revenues
generated from operations, including decreased prepaid reinsurance premiums,
increased unearned premiums, an increase in unpaid losses and LAE and decreased
premiums receivable. Operational sources of capital also included decreased
finance contracts receivable, a decrease in deferred gain on sale of assets,
an
increase in the provision for uncollectible premiums receivable, depreciation
and amortization, decreased other assets and common stock issued for interest
on
notes, Also contributing to our liquidity were proceeds from the sale of
investment securities and exercised employee stock options. Because we are
a
holding company, we are largely dependent upon fees and commissions from our
subsidiaries for cash flow.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, operations provided net operating cash flow
of $4.5 million, as compared to $23.0 million for the three months ended March
31, 2006.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, operations generated $37.7 million of gross
cash flow, due to a $17.0 million decrease in prepaid reinsurance premiums,
a
$9.8 million increase in unearned premiums, an $8.6 million increase in unpaid
losses and LAE, and a $0.8 million decrease in premiums receivable. To a much
less significant extent, operations generated additional sources of cash via
a
$0.2 million decrease in finance contracts receivable, a $0.1 million decrease
in deferred gain on sale of assets, a $0.1 million increase in the provision
for
uncollectible premiums receivable, $0.1 million in depreciation and
amortization, a $0.1 million decrease in other assets, $0.1 million in common
stock issued for interest on notes and less than a $0.1 million increase in
premium deposits and customer credit balances and non-cash compensation.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, operations used $33.1 million of gross cash
flow primarily due to a $17.0 million increase in reinsurance recoverable,
net,
a $7.4 million decrease in bank overdrafts, a $5.4 million increase in income
taxes recoverable, a $1.6 million increase in deferred income tax expense,
a
$0.8 million increase in policy acquisition costs, net of amortization, a $0.6
million decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses, $0.1 million in
net
realized investment losses, $0.1 million in gain on sale of assets, $0.1 million
in amortization of investment discount, net and less than a $0.1 million
increase in the provision for credit losses, net.
Subject
to catastrophic occurrences, net operating cash flow is currently expected
to be
positive in both the short-term and the reasonably foreseeable future.
-33-
21st
Century Holding Company
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, net investing activities used $17.0 million,
as compared to $5.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006. Our
available for sale investment portfolio is highly liquid as it consists entirely
of readily marketable securities.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, investing activities generated $55.0 million
and used $72.0 million from the maturity several times over of our very short
municipal portfolio.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, net financing activities used $1.3 million,
as compared to providing $4.4 million for the three months ended March 31,
2006.
For the three months ended March 31, 2007, the sources of cash in connection
with financing activities included $0.1 million from the exercise of stock
options. The uses of cash in connection with financing activities included
$1.4
million in dividends paid.
Federated
Premium’s operations are partially funded by the revolving loan agreement with
FlatIron. The effective interest rate on this line of credit, based on our
average outstanding borrowings under the revolving loan agreement, was 20.25%
and 11.64% for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Interest expense on this revolving credit line totaled approximately $500 and
$3,700 for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
Outstanding
borrowings under the revolving loan agreement were approximately $10,000 as
of
both March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006.
As
an
alternative to premium finance, we offer direct billing in connection with
our
automobile program, where the insurance company accepts from the insured, as
a
receivable, a promise to pay the premium, as opposed to requiring the full
amount of the policy, either directly from the insured or from a premium finance
company. The advantage of direct billing a policyholder by the insurance company
is that we are not reliant on our credit facility, but remain able to charge
and
collect interest from the policyholder.
We
believe that our current capital resources, together with cash flow from
operations, will be sufficient to meet currently anticipated working capital
requirements. There can be no assurances, however, that such will be the case.
As
of
March 31, 2007, we did not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities
or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as “structured
finance” or “special purpose” entities, which were established for the purpose
of facilitating off-balance-sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow
or
limited purposes. As such, management believes that we currently are not exposed
to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risks that could arise if we
had
engaged in transactions of that type requiring disclosure herein.
Impact
of Inflation and Changing Prices
The
consolidated financial statements and related data presented herein have been
prepared in accordance with GAAP which requires the measurement of financial
position and operating results in terms of historical dollars without
considering changes in the relative purchasing power of money over time due
to
inflation. Our primary assets and liabilities are monetary in nature. As a
result, interest rates have a more significant impact on performance than the
effects of general levels of inflation. Interest rates do not necessarily move
in the same direction or with the same magnitude as the inflationary effect
on
the cost of paying losses and LAE.
Insurance
premiums are established before we know the amount of loss and LAE and the
extent to which inflation may affect such expenses. Consequently, we attempt
to
anticipate the future impact of inflation when establishing rate levels. While
we attempt to charge adequate premiums, we may be limited in raising premium
levels for competitive and regulatory reasons. Inflation also affects the market
value of our investment portfolio and the investment rate of return. Any future
economic changes which result in prolonged and increasing levels of inflation
could cause increases in the dollar amount of incurred loss and LAE and thereby
materially adversely affect future liability requirements.
-34-
21st
Century Holding Company
Item
3
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Information
related to quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk was
included under Item 7a, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market
Risk”, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.
No material changes have occurred in market risk since this information was
disclosed except as discussed below.
Our
investment portfolio is available for sale and is carried at fair value, except
for that portion deemed as held to maturity. Gains that represent securities
with a fair value in excess of amortized cost, and losses (amortized cost is
in
excess of fair value) that are deemed temporary by management are recorded
in
shareholders’ equity in accumulated other comprehensive income. Losses that are
deemed other than temporary by management are recorded as net realized losses
in
the consolidated statement of operations. A summary of the investment portfolio
as of March 31, 2007 follows:
Book
Value
|
|
Fair
/ Amortized Value
|
|
Unrealized
Gain
(Loss)
|
||||||||||||
Fixed
maturities:
|
||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government obligations and agencies available for sale
|
$
|
90,606,458
|
63.06
|
%
|
$
|
89,934,140
|
63.38
|
%
|
$
|
(672,318
|
)
|
|||||
U.S.
government obligations and agencies held to maturity
|
19,378,016
|
13.48
|
%
|
19,390,835
|
13.67
|
%
|
12,819
|
|||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions available for sale
|
21,388,528
|
14.88
|
%
|
21,254,640
|
14.98
|
%
|
(133,888
|
)
|
||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions held to maturity
|
501,425
|
0.35
|
%
|
494,864
|
0.35
|
%
|
(6,561
|
)
|
||||||||
131,874,427
|
91.77
|
%
|
131,074,479
|
92.38
|
%
|
(799,948
|
)
|
|||||||||
Corporate
securities:
|
||||||||||||||||
Communications
available for sale
|
509,270
|
0.36
|
%
|
516,010
|
0.36
|
%
|
6,740
|
|||||||||
Financial
available for sale
|
500,000
|
0.35
|
%
|
482,700
|
0.34
|
%
|
(17,300
|
)
|
||||||||
Other
available for sale
|
1,650,000
|
1.15
|
%
|
1,578,452
|
1.11
|
%
|
(71,548
|
)
|
||||||||
Other
held to maturity
|
500,000
|
0.35
|
%
|
493,740
|
0.35
|
%
|
(6,260
|
)
|
||||||||
3,159,270
|
2.21
|
%
|
3,070,902
|
2.16
|
%
|
(88,368
|
)
|
|||||||||
Equity
securities:
|
||||||||||||||||
Common
stocks available for sale
|
8,675,639
|
6.02
|
%
|
7,749,341
|
5.46
|
%
|
(926,298
|
)
|
||||||||
Total
fixed, corporate and equity securities
|
$
|
143,709,336
|
100.00
|
%
|
$
|
141,894,722
|
100.00
|
%
|
$
|
(1,814,614
|
)
|
For
our
held to maturity portfolio as of March 31, 2007, the unrealized loss on our
U.S.
government obligations and agencies was approximately $685,700 and the
unrealized loss on our obligations of states and political subdivisions was
approximately $149,378.
As
of
March 31, 2007, there were no concentrations greater than 5% of total
investments in any single investment other than United States government
obligations and obligations of states and political subdivisions.
Item
4
Controls
and Procedures
We
maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed in the reports that the Company files
or
submits under the Securities and Exchange Act is recorded, processed,
summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules
and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the
Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosures.
Our
management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls
and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 as of March 31, 2007. Due to the fact that the material
weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as reported in
our
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 have not been remediated,
our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that
our
disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of March 31, 2007.
In
our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, we identified two
material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting with
respect to (i) the recognition and accounting of unrecorded premium transactions
and (ii) an income tax issue relating to computing our income tax liability
where we failed to consider a prior year tax refund applied to our fiscal year
ended December 31, 2006.
-35-
21st
Century Holding Company
We
continue our efforts to remediate these material weaknesses through ongoing
process improvements and the implementation of enhanced policies and controls
over the timely recognition of unreported premium transactions and tax
accounting in fiscal 2007, and such remediation will continue during the
remaining part of fiscal 2007. Accordingly, these material weaknesses are not
yet remediated. No material weaknesses will be considered remediated until
the
remediated procedures have operated for an appropriate period and have been
tested, and management has concluded that they are operating effectively.
To
compensate for these material weaknesses, the Company performed additional
analysis and other procedures in order to prepare the unaudited quarterly
consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States of America. Accordingly, management
believes that the unaudited consolidated financial statements included in this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q fairly present, in all material respects, our
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the periods
presented.
Except
for our ongoing remediation efforts, there were no changes during the quarter
that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect,
our internal control over financial reporting.
-36-
21st
Century Holding Company
Part
II: OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1
Legal
Proceedings
We
are
involved in various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course
of
business. In the opinion of management, the ultimate disposition of these
matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial
position, results of operations, or liquidity.
Item
1A
Risk
Factors
In
addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully
consider the factors discussed in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, which could materially
affect our business, financial condition or future results. The risks described
in our Annual Report on Form 10-K are not the only risks facing our Company.
Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we
currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our
business, financial condition and/or operating results. The most significant
of
these risks include weather related conditions.
Item
2
(a)
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, certain non-executive employees exercised
options to acquire an aggregate of 8,200 shares of the Company's common stock
with proceeds to the Company aggregating to approximately $0.1 million. All
of
the option holders paid cash for these shares. The shares underlying the options
were registered on registration statements on Form S-8 and the shares issued
to
these persons do not contain any restrictive legends. During January and
February 2007, we issued an aggregate of 5,000 options to two employees under
our 1998 stock option plan. The options have an exercise price of $21.38 per
share, vest over five years at 20% per year and expire six years from the grant
date.
(b)
None
(c)
None
Item
3
Defaults
upon Senior Securities
None
Item
4
Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
None
Item
5
Other
Information
None
Item
6
Exhibits
31.1
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
|
31.2
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
|
32.1
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
|
32.2
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
|
* filed
herewith
|
-37-
21st
Century Holding Company
Signatures
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.
21st
CENTURY HOLDING COMPANY
|
||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Edward J. Lawson | |
Edward
J. Lawson, President, Chief Executive Officer and
Chairman
of the Board
|
/s/ James G. Jennings, III | ||
James
G. Jennings III, Chief Financial Officer
|
||
Date:
May 10, 2007
|
-38-
EXHIBIT
INDEX
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
||
31.3
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
|
32.2
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
|
32.2
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. *
|
|
* filed
herewith
|
39