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First American Financial Corp - Quarter Report: 2019 September (Form 10-Q)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2019

 

OR

 

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 001-34580

 

 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware

 

26-1911571

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

 

 

1 First American Way, Santa Ana, California

 

92707-5913

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

(714) 250-3000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common stock, $0.00001 par value

 

FAF

 

The New York Stock Exchange

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 shorter 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       No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes      No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act

 

Large accelerated filer

 

  

Accelerated filer

 

 

 

 

 

Non-accelerated filer

 

  

Smaller reporting company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emerging growth company

 

 

 

 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes      No  

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

On October 21, 2019, there were 112,336,298 shares of common stock outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 


 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

INFORMATION INCLUDED IN REPORT

 

PART I: FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018

  

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

  

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for each of the quarters within the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

  

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F. Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 2.

 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

  

 

35

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 3.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

  

 

47

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 4.

 

Controls and Procedures

  

 

47

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART II: OTHER INFORMATION

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.

 

Legal Proceedings

  

 

48

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1A.

 

Risk Factors

  

 

49

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 6.

 

Exhibits

  

 

57

 

Items 2 through 5 of Part II have been omitted because they are not applicable with respect to the current reporting period.

2


 

THIS QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 27A OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION 21E OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED.  THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT RELATE STRICTLY TO HISTORICAL OR CURRENT FACTS AND MAY CONTAIN THE WORDS “BELIEVE,” “ANTICIPATE,” “EXPECT,” “INTEND,” “PLAN,” “PREDICT,” “ESTIMATE,” “PROJECT,” “WILL BE,” “WILL CONTINUE,” “WILL LIKELY RESULT,” OR OTHER SIMILAR WORDS AND PHRASES OR FUTURE OR CONDITIONAL VERBS SUCH AS “WILL,” “MAY,” “MIGHT,” “SHOULD,” “WOULD,” OR “COULD.” THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INCLUDE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, STATEMENTS REGARDING FUTURE OPERATIONS, PERFORMANCE, FINANCIAL CONDITION, PROSPECTS, PLANS AND STRATEGIES.  THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED ON CURRENT EXPECTATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS THAT MAY PROVE TO BE INCORRECT.

 

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES EXIST THAT MAY CAUSE RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE SET FORTH IN THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE THE ANTICIPATED RESULTS TO DIFFER FROM THOSE DESCRIBED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INCLUDE, WITHOUT LIMITATION:

 

INTEREST RATE FLUCTUATIONS;

 

CHANGES IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKETS;

 

UNCERTAINTY FROM THE EXPECTED DISCONTINUANCE OF LIBOR AND TRANSITION TO ANY OTHER INTEREST RATE BENCHMARK;

 

VOLATILITY IN THE CAPITAL MARKETS;

 

UNFAVORABLE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS;

 

FAILURES AT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHERE THE COMPANY DEPOSITS FUNDS;

 

REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND CHANGES IN APPLICABLE LAWS AND GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS, INCLUDING DATA PRIVACY LAWS;

 

HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY BY LEGISLATORS AND REGULATORS OF THE COMPANY’S TITLE INSURANCE AND SERVICES SEGMENT AND CERTAIN OTHER OF THE COMPANY’S BUSINESSES;

 

USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY THE COMPANY AND OTHER PARTIES;

 

REGULATION OF TITLE INSURANCE RATES;

 

LIMITATIONS ON ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS AND OTHER DATA;

 

CHANGES IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH LARGE MORTGAGE LENDERS AND GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED ENTERPRISES;

 

CHANGES IN MEASURES OF THE STRENGTH OF THE COMPANY’S TITLE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS, INCLUDING RATINGS AND STATUTORY CAPITAL AND SURPLUS;

 

LOSSES IN THE COMPANY’S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO;

 

MATERIAL VARIANCE BETWEEN ACTUAL AND EXPECTED CLAIMS EXPERIENCE;

 

DEFALCATIONS, INCREASED CLAIMS OR OTHER COSTS AND EXPENSES ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE COMPANY’S USE OF TITLE AGENTS;

 

ANY INADEQUACY IN THE COMPANY’S RISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK;

 

SYSTEMS DAMAGE, FAILURES, INTERRUPTIONS AND INTRUSIONS, OR UNAUTHORIZED DATA DISCLOSURES;

 

INNOVATION EFFORTS OF THE COMPANY AND OTHER INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS AND ANY RELATED MARKET DISRUPTION;

 

ERRORS AND FRAUD INVOLVING THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS;

 

THE COMPANY’S USE OF A GLOBAL WORKFORCE;

 

INABILITY OF THE COMPANY’S SUBSIDIARIES TO PAY DIVIDENDS OR REPAY FUNDS; AND

3


 

 

OTHER FACTORS DESCRIBED IN THIS QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q, INCLUDING UNDER THE CAPTION “RISK FACTORS” IN ITEM 1A OF PART II.

 

THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS SPEAK ONLY AS OF THE DATE THEY ARE MADE.  THE COMPANY DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS TO REFLECT CIRCUMSTANCES OR EVENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE DATE THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE MADE.

 

 

 

 

4


 

PART I: FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.

Financial Statements.

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except par values)

(unaudited)

 

 

September 30,

2019

 

 

December 31,

2018

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$

1,710,999

 

 

$

1,467,129

 

Accounts and accrued income receivable, net

 

351,816

 

 

 

325,686

 

Income taxes receivable

 

20,703

 

 

 

11,007

 

Investments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits with banks

 

38,459

 

 

 

36,209

 

Debt securities, includes pledged securities of $93,152 and $110,975

 

5,882,421

 

 

 

5,713,811

 

Equity securities

 

416,488

 

 

 

353,535

 

Other investments

 

215,766

 

 

 

121,965

 

 

 

6,553,134

 

 

 

6,225,520

 

Secured financings receivable

 

352,013

 

 

 

76,311

 

Property and equipment, net

 

447,980

 

 

 

457,840

 

Operating lease assets

 

288,406

 

 

 

 

Title plants and other indexes

 

580,600

 

 

 

577,467

 

Deferred income taxes

 

16,636

 

 

 

16,636

 

Goodwill

 

1,149,765

 

 

 

1,144,166

 

Other intangible assets, net

 

92,855

 

 

 

109,372

 

Other assets

 

239,185

 

 

 

219,501

 

 

$

11,804,092

 

 

$

10,630,635

 

Liabilities and Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits

$

3,840,728

 

 

$

3,786,183

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

812,499

 

 

 

778,688

 

Deferred revenue

 

261,463

 

 

 

243,280

 

Reserve for known and incurred but not reported claims

 

1,054,724

 

 

 

1,042,679

 

Income taxes payable

 

90,099

 

 

 

8,988

 

Deferred income taxes

 

217,097

 

 

 

217,097

 

Operating lease liabilities

 

319,445

 

 

 

 

Secured financings payable

 

233,483

 

 

 

76,313

 

Notes and contracts payable

 

728,332

 

 

 

732,019

 

 

 

7,557,870

 

 

 

6,885,247

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, $0.00001 par value; Authorized—500 shares;
Outstanding—none

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.00001 par value; Authorized—300,000 shares;
Outstanding—112,336 shares and 111,496 shares

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

2,288,737

 

 

 

2,258,290

 

Retained earnings

 

1,985,073

 

 

 

1,644,165

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(31,670

)

 

 

(160,575

)

Total stockholders’ equity

 

4,242,141

 

 

 

3,741,881

 

Noncontrolling interests

 

4,081

 

 

 

3,507

 

Total equity

 

4,246,222

 

 

 

3,745,388

 

 

$

11,804,092

 

 

$

10,630,635

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

5


 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct premiums and escrow fees

 

$

728,610

 

 

$

649,375

 

 

$

1,910,830

 

 

$

1,854,835

 

Agent premiums

 

 

656,154

 

 

 

615,113

 

 

 

1,701,538

 

 

 

1,701,831

 

Information and other

 

 

208,297

 

 

 

198,680

 

 

 

581,858

 

 

 

596,090

 

Net investment income

 

 

76,628

 

 

 

67,874

 

 

 

236,607

 

 

 

167,000

 

Net realized investment gains

 

 

1,507

 

 

 

11,144

 

 

 

42,564

 

 

 

10,975

 

 

 

 

1,671,196

 

 

 

1,542,186

 

 

 

4,473,397

 

 

 

4,330,731

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel costs

 

 

470,683

 

 

 

449,839

 

 

 

1,329,322

 

 

 

1,312,455

 

Premiums retained by agents

 

 

518,824

 

 

 

485,621

 

 

 

1,344,517

 

 

 

1,341,808

 

Other operating expenses

 

 

248,252

 

 

 

227,670

 

 

 

667,047

 

 

 

675,085

 

Provision for policy losses and other claims

 

 

124,683

 

 

 

122,196

 

 

 

331,525

 

 

 

336,395

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

31,719

 

 

 

31,729

 

 

 

97,537

 

 

 

92,534

 

Premium taxes

 

 

19,484

 

 

 

18,774

 

 

 

50,887

 

 

 

51,837

 

Interest

 

 

12,213

 

 

 

10,770

 

 

 

36,057

 

 

 

29,997

 

 

 

 

1,425,858

 

 

 

1,346,599

 

 

 

3,856,892

 

 

 

3,840,111

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

245,338

 

 

 

195,587

 

 

 

616,505

 

 

 

490,620

 

Income taxes

 

 

57,171

 

 

 

44,126

 

 

 

131,263

 

 

 

107,896

 

Net income

 

 

188,167

 

 

 

151,461

 

 

 

485,242

 

 

 

382,724

 

Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

985

 

 

 

(19

)

 

 

1,830

 

 

 

(123

)

Net income attributable to the Company

 

$

187,182

 

 

$

151,480

 

 

$

483,412

 

 

$

382,847

 

Net income per share attributable to the Company's

stockholders (Note 10):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

1.65

 

 

$

1.34

 

 

$

4.28

 

 

$

3.40

 

Diluted

 

$

1.65

 

 

$

1.34

 

 

$

4.26

 

 

$

3.38

 

Cash dividends declared per share

 

$

0.42

 

 

$

0.42

 

 

$

1.26

 

 

$

1.18

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding (Note 10):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

113,163

 

 

 

112,722

 

 

 

112,983

 

 

 

112,541

 

Diluted

 

 

113,741

 

 

 

113,365

 

 

 

113,509

 

 

 

113,213

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

6


 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Net income

 

$

188,167

 

 

$

151,461

 

 

$

485,242

 

 

$

382,724

 

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized gains (losses) on debt securities

 

 

13,493

 

 

 

(14,662

)

 

 

126,172

 

 

 

(73,933

)

Foreign currency translation adjustment

 

 

(7,373

)

 

 

3,001

 

 

 

2,959

 

 

 

(11,296

)

Pension benefit adjustment

 

 

(76

)

 

 

118

 

 

 

(227

)

 

 

357

 

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

 

 

6,044

 

 

 

(11,543

)

 

 

128,904

 

 

 

(84,872

)

Comprehensive income

 

 

194,211

 

 

 

139,918

 

 

 

614,146

 

 

 

297,852

 

Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

985

 

 

 

(19

)

 

 

1,829

 

 

 

(142

)

Comprehensive income attributable to the Company

 

$

193,226

 

 

$

139,937

 

 

$

612,317

 

 

$

297,994

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

7


 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

First American Financial Corporation Stockholders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

Common
stock

 

 

Additional
paid-in
capital

 

 

Retained
earnings

 

 

Accumulated
other
comprehensive
loss

 

 

Total
stockholders’
equity

 

 

Noncontrolling
interests

 

 

Total

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

 

 

111,496

 

 

$

1

 

 

$

2,258,290

 

 

$

1,644,165

 

 

$

(160,575

)

 

$

3,741,881

 

 

$

3,507

 

 

$

3,745,388

  

Cumulative-effect adjustment (Note 1)

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

1,283

  

 

 

 

 

 

1,283

  

 

 

 

 

 

1,283

  

Net income for three months ended March 31, 2019

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

109,575

  

 

 

 

 

 

109,575

  

 

 

229

 

 

 

109,804

  

Dividends on common shares

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(47,021

 

 

 

 

 

(47,021

)

 

 

 

 

 

(47,021

)

Purchase of Company shares

 

 

(47

)

 

 

 

 

 

(2,066

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2,066

)

 

 

 

 

 

(2,066

)

Shares issued in connection with share-based compensation

 

 

623

  

  

 

 

  

 

(10,618

)

  

 

(862

 

 

 

 

 

(11,480

)

 

 

 

 

 

(11,480

)

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

19,597

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19,597

 

 

 

 

 

 

19,597

 

Net activity related to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(60

)

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(60

)

 

 

(1,226

)

 

 

(1,286

)

Other comprehensive income (loss)

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

66,318

 

 

 

66,318

 

 

 

(1

)

 

 

66,317

 

Balance at March 31, 2019

 

 

112,072

  

  

 

1

  

  

 

2,265,143

  

  

 

1,707,140

  

 

 

(94,257

 

 

3,878,027

 

 

 

2,509

 

 

 

3,880,536

  

Net income for three months ended June 30, 2019

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

186,655

  

 

 

 

 

 

186,655

  

 

 

616

 

 

 

187,271

  

Dividends on common shares

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(47,084

 

 

 

 

 

(47,084

)

 

 

 

 

 

(47,084

)

Shares issued in connection with share-based compensation

 

 

145

  

  

 

 

  

 

3,836

 

  

 

(846

 

 

 

 

 

2,990

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,990

 

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

7,758

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,758

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,758

 

Net activity related to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

20

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

56,543

 

 

 

56,543

 

 

 

 

 

 

56,543

 

Balance at June 30, 2019

 

 

112,217

  

  

 

1

  

  

 

2,276,737

  

  

 

1,845,865

  

 

 

(37,714

 

 

4,084,889

 

 

 

3,145

 

 

 

4,088,034

  

Net income for three months ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

187,182

  

 

 

 

 

 

187,182

  

 

 

985

 

 

 

188,167

  

Dividends on common shares

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(47,139

 

 

 

 

 

(47,139

)

 

 

 

 

 

(47,139

)

Shares issued in connection with share-based compensation

 

 

119

  

  

 

 

  

 

4,466

 

  

 

(835

 

 

 

 

 

3,631

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,631

 

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

7,556

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,556

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,556

 

Net activity related to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(22

)

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(22

)

 

 

(49

)

 

 

(71

)

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

6,044

 

 

 

6,044

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,044

 

Balance at September 30, 2019

 

 

112,336

  

  

$

1

  

  

$

2,288,737

  

  

$

1,985,073

  

 

$

(31,670

 

$

4,242,141

 

 

$

4,081

 

 

$

4,246,222

  

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.


8


 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity – (Continued)

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

First American Financial Corporation Stockholders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

Common
stock

 

 

Additional
paid-in
capital

 

 

Retained
earnings

 

 

Accumulated
other
comprehensive
loss

 

 

Total
stockholders’
equity

 

 

Noncontrolling
interests

 

 

Total

 

Balance at December 31, 2017

 

 

110,925

 

 

$

1

 

 

$

2,236,351

 

 

$

1,311,112

 

 

$

(67,509

)

 

$

3,479,955

 

 

$

3,070

 

 

$

3,483,025

  

Cumulative-effect adjustment (Note 1)

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

40,550

  

 

 

(40,550

)

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

Net income (loss) for three months ended March 31, 2018

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

76,227

  

 

 

 

 

 

76,227

  

 

 

(55

)

 

 

76,172

  

Dividends on common shares

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(42,330

 

 

 

 

 

(42,330

)

 

 

 

 

 

(42,330

)

Shares issued in connection with share-based compensation

 

 

620

  

  

 

 

  

 

(11,759

)

  

 

(847

 

 

 

 

 

(12,606

)

 

 

 

 

 

(12,606

)

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

19,509

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19,509

 

 

 

 

 

 

19,509

 

Net activity related to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

189

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

189

 

 

 

(1,090

)

 

 

(901

)

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

(50,409

)

 

 

(50,409

)

 

 

(19

)

 

 

(50,428

)

Balance at March 31, 2018

 

 

111,545

  

  

 

1

  

  

 

2,244,290

  

  

 

1,384,712

  

 

 

(158,468

 

 

3,470,535

 

 

 

1,906

 

 

 

3,472,441

  

Net income (loss) for three months ended June 30, 2018

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

155,140

  

 

 

 

 

 

155,140

  

 

 

(49

)

 

 

155,091

  

Dividends on common shares

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(42,387

 

 

 

 

 

(42,387

)

 

 

 

 

 

(42,387

)

Shares issued in connection with share-based compensation

 

 

113

  

  

 

 

  

 

2,204

 

  

 

(827

 

 

 

 

 

1,377

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,377

 

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

7,626

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,626

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,626

 

Net activity related to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

133

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

133

 

 

 

(158

)

 

 

(25

)

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

(22,901

)

 

 

(22,901

)

 

 

 

 

 

(22,901

)

Balance at June 30, 2018

 

 

111,658

  

  

 

1

  

  

 

2,254,253

  

  

 

1,496,638

  

 

 

(181,369

 

 

3,569,523

 

 

 

1,699

 

 

 

3,571,222

  

Net income (loss) for three months ended September 30, 2018

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

151,480

  

 

 

 

 

 

151,480

  

 

 

(19

)

 

 

151,461

  

Dividends on common shares

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(46,912

 

 

 

 

 

(46,912

)

 

 

 

 

 

(46,912

)

Shares issued in connection with share-based compensation

 

 

129

  

  

 

 

  

 

5,466

 

  

 

(910

 

 

 

 

 

4,556

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,556

 

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

7,241

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,241

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,241

 

Net activity related to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

(130

)

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(130

)

 

 

103

 

 

 

(27

)

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

(11,543

)

 

 

(11,543

)

 

 

 

 

 

(11,543

)

Balance at September 30, 2018

 

 

111,787

  

  

$

1

  

  

$

2,266,830

  

  

$

1,600,296

  

 

$

(192,912

 

$

3,674,215

 

 

$

1,783

 

 

$

3,675,998

  

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

9


 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

485,242

 

 

$

382,724

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for policy losses and other claims

 

 

331,525

 

 

 

336,395

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

97,537

 

 

 

92,534

 

Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts on debt securities, net

 

 

18,646

 

 

 

20,521

 

Net realized investment gains

 

 

(42,564

)

 

 

(10,975

)

Share-based compensation

 

 

34,911

 

 

 

34,376

 

Equity in earnings of equity method investments, net

 

 

(1,802

)

 

 

(2,255

)

Dividends from equity method investments

 

 

4,077

 

 

 

3,419

 

Changes in assets and liabilities excluding effects of acquisitions and noncash transactions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claims paid, including assets acquired, net of recoveries

 

 

(305,174

)

 

 

(333,970

)

Net change in income tax accounts

 

 

17,523

 

 

 

12,301

 

Increase in accounts and accrued income receivable

 

 

(52,757

)

 

 

(51,150

)

Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

10,686

 

 

 

(11,806

)

Increase in deferred revenue

 

 

19,484

 

 

 

14,678

 

Other, net

 

 

(5,653

)

 

 

(1,931

)

Cash provided by operating activities

 

 

611,681

 

 

 

484,861

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net cash effect of acquisitions/dispositions

 

 

(19,674

)

 

 

(73,757

)

Net (increase) decrease in deposits with banks

 

 

(3,749

)

 

 

2,462

 

Purchases of debt and equity securities

 

 

(1,611,934

)

 

 

(1,924,260

)

Proceeds from sales of debt and equity securities

 

 

979,019

 

 

 

660,548

 

Proceeds from maturities of debt securities

 

 

666,749

 

 

 

429,287

 

Net increase in other investments

 

 

(81,707

)

 

 

(6,612

)

Advances under secured financing agreements

 

 

(5,311,828

)

 

 

(1,537,657

)

Collections of secured financings receivable

 

 

5,036,122

 

 

 

1,520,911

 

Capital expenditures

 

 

(78,158

)

 

 

(87,319

)

Proceeds from sales of property and equipment

 

 

105

 

 

 

1,670

 

Cash used for investing activities

 

 

(425,055

)

 

 

(1,014,727

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net change in deposits

 

 

54,545

 

 

 

1,478,069

 

Borrowings under secured financing agreements

 

 

5,195,063

 

 

 

1,537,593

 

Repayments of secured financings payable

 

 

(5,037,893

)

 

 

(1,520,855

)

Borrowings under unsecured credit agreement

 

 

160,000

 

 

 

 

Repayments of notes and contracts payable

 

 

(164,280

)

 

 

(4,111

)

Net activity related to noncontrolling interests

 

 

(1,112

)

 

 

(945

)

Net payments in connection with share-based compensation

 

 

(4,859

)

 

 

(6,673

)

Purchase of Company shares

 

 

(2,066

)

 

 

 

Payments of cash dividends

 

 

(141,244

)

 

 

(131,629

)

Cash provided by financing activities

 

 

58,154

 

 

 

1,351,449

 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

 

 

(910

)

 

 

(3,490

)

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

 

 

243,870

 

 

 

818,093

 

Cash and cash equivalents—Beginning of period

 

 

1,467,129

 

 

 

1,387,226

 

Cash and cash equivalents—End of period

 

$

1,710,999

 

 

$

2,205,319

 

Supplemental information:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid during the period for:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

$

34,053

 

 

$

28,030

 

Premium taxes

 

$

55,229

 

 

$

56,396

 

Income taxes, less refunds of $930 and $1,047

 

$

113,723

 

 

$

95,041

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

10


 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(unaudited)

 

Note 1 – Basis of Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The condensed consolidated financial information included in this report has been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and Article 10 of Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Regulation S-X.  The principles for condensed interim financial information do not require the inclusion of all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.  Therefore, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the First American Financial Corporation (the “Company”) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.  The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, they contain all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the consolidated results for the interim periods.  All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated upon consolidation.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued updated guidance that requires the rights and obligations associated with leasing arrangements to be reflected on the balance sheet in order to increase transparency and comparability among organizations.  Under the updated guidance, lessees are required to recognize a right-of-use asset and a liability to make lease payments and disclose key information about leasing arrangements.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018.  The updated guidance may either be adopted using a modified retrospective transition approach or may be initially applied on the adoption date with the recognition of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption.  The Company adopted and initially applied the updated guidance on January 1, 2019.  Upon adoption, the Company recognized deferred gains of $1.3 million on previous sale and operating leaseback transactions as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings.  The Company elected to adopt the package of practical expedients allowed under the guidance, which was applied to all leases as of the adoption date.  The package of practical expedients included (1) entities could choose not to reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) entities could choose not to reassess the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) entities could choose not to reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases.  See Note 4 Leases for further information on the Company’s leasing arrangements.  

Pending Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2018, the FASB issued updated guidance that is intended to reduce potential diversity in practice in accounting for the costs of implementing cloud computing arrangements (i.e., hosting arrangements) that are service contracts.  The updated guidance aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs for these arrangements with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued updated guidance as part of its disclosure framework project intended to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements.  The updated guidance eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements. The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  Except for the disclosure requirements, the Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued updated guidance intended to simplify how an entity tests goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test.  Under the updated guidance, an entity will perform its goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and will recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, with the loss recognized limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting

11


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued updated guidance intended to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date.  The updated guidance replaces the current incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires the consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  Except for the disclosure requirements, the Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

Note 2 – Escrow Deposits, Like-kind Exchange Deposits and Trust Assets

The Company administers escrow deposits and trust assets as a service to its customers.  Escrow deposits totaled $8.7 billion and $7.6 billion at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, of which $3.7 billion and $3.6 billion, respectively, were held at First American Trust, FSB.  The escrow deposits held at First American Trust, FSB are temporarily invested in cash and cash equivalents and debt securities, with offsetting liabilities included in deposits in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.  The remaining escrow deposits are held at third-party financial institutions.

Trust assets held or managed by First American Trust, FSB totaled $4.1 billion and $3.6 billion at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.  Escrow deposits held at third-party financial institutions and trust assets are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are not included in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.  However, the Company could be held contingently liable for the disposition of these assets.

In conducting its operations, the Company often holds customers’ assets in escrow, pending completion of real estate transactions and, as a result, the Company has ongoing programs for realizing economic benefits with various financial institutions.  The results from these programs are included as income or a reduction in expense in the condensed consolidated statements of income, as appropriate, based on the nature of the arrangement and benefit received.

The Company facilitates tax-deferred property exchanges for customers pursuant to Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code and tax-deferred reverse exchanges pursuant to Revenue Procedure 2000-37.  As a facilitator and intermediary, the Company holds the proceeds from sales transactions and takes temporary title to property identified by the customer to be acquired with such proceeds.  Upon the completion of each such exchange, the identified property is transferred to the customer or, if the exchange does not take place, an amount equal to the sales proceeds or, in the case of a reverse exchange, title to the property held by the Company is transferred to the customer.  Like-kind exchange funds held by the Company totaled $2.7 billion at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.  The like-kind exchange deposits are held at third-party financial institutions and, due to the structure utilized to facilitate these transactions, the proceeds and property are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are not included in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.  All such amounts are placed in deposit accounts insured, up to applicable limits, by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.  The Company could be held contingently liable to the customer for the transfers of property, disbursements of proceeds and the returns on such proceeds.

12


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 3 – Debt and Equity Securities

Investments in debt securities, classified as available-for-sale, are as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

Amortized
cost

 

 

Gross unrealized

 

 

Estimated
fair value

 

 

 

 

Gains

 

 

Losses

 

 

 

September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

208,873

 

 

$

984

 

 

$

(283

)

 

$

209,574

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

1,041,195

 

 

 

49,524

 

 

 

(129

)

 

 

1,090,590

 

Foreign government bonds

 

 

159,039

 

 

 

2,437

 

 

 

(116

)

 

 

161,360

 

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

364,815

 

 

 

8,736

 

 

 

(115

)

 

 

373,436

 

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

3,155,538

 

 

 

40,519

 

 

 

(9,900

)

 

 

3,186,157

 

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

564,505

 

 

 

19,278

 

 

 

(1,179

)

 

 

582,604

 

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

270,978

 

 

 

8,106

 

 

 

(384

)

 

 

278,700

 

 

 

$

5,764,943

 

 

$

129,584

 

 

$

(12,106

)

 

$

5,882,421

 

December 31, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

162,904

 

 

$

741

 

 

$

(1,139

)

 

$

162,506

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

1,050,134

 

 

 

7,210

 

 

 

(12,309

)

 

 

1,045,035

 

Foreign government bonds

 

 

158,885

 

 

 

571

 

 

 

(2,159

)

 

 

157,297

 

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

319,115

 

 

 

1,145

 

 

 

(4,093

)

 

 

316,167

 

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

3,219,585

 

 

 

12,030

 

 

 

(29,016

)

 

 

3,202,599

 

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

575,646

 

 

 

1,113

 

 

 

(15,499

)

 

 

561,260

 

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

274,881

 

 

 

551

 

 

 

(6,485

)

 

 

268,947

 

 

 

$

5,761,150

 

 

$

23,361

 

 

$

(70,700

)

 

$

5,713,811

 

 

Sales of debt securities resulted in realized gains of $3.3 million and $8.2 million, realized losses of $0.5 million and $5.2 million, and proceeds of $229.4 million and $852.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and realized gains of $0.6 million and $1.9 million, realized losses of $3.1 million and $6.9 million, and proceeds of $183.1 million and $525.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.

13


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Gross unrealized losses on investments in debt securities are as follows:

 

 

 

Less than 12 months

 

 

12 months or longer

 

 

Total

 

(in thousands)

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Unrealized

losses

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Unrealized

losses

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Unrealized

losses

 

September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

42,776

 

 

$

(271

)

 

$

4,925

 

 

$

(12

)

 

$

47,701

 

 

$

(283

)

Municipal bonds

 

 

42,084

 

 

 

(111

)

 

 

3,397

 

 

 

(18

)

 

 

45,481

 

 

 

(129

)

Foreign government bonds

 

 

26,049

 

 

 

(78

)

 

 

10,801

 

 

 

(38

)

 

 

36,850

 

 

 

(116

)

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

14,935

 

 

 

(32

)

 

 

32,537

 

 

 

(83

)

 

 

47,472

 

 

 

(115

)

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

581,727

 

 

 

(3,900

)

 

 

683,684

 

 

 

(6,000

)

 

 

1,265,411

 

 

 

(9,900

)

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

69,127

 

 

 

(668

)

 

 

13,933

 

 

 

(511

)

 

 

83,060

 

 

 

(1,179

)

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

18,494

 

 

 

(148

)

 

 

12,077

 

 

 

(236

)

 

 

30,571

 

 

 

(384

)

 

 

$

795,192

 

 

$

(5,208

)

 

$

761,354

 

 

$

(6,898

)

 

$

1,556,546

 

 

$

(12,106

)

December 31, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

19,749

 

 

$

(85

)

 

$

55,615

 

 

$

(1,054

)

 

$

75,364

 

 

$

(1,139

)

Municipal bonds

 

 

172,387

 

 

 

(1,772

)

 

 

369,139

 

 

 

(10,537

)

 

 

541,526

 

 

 

(12,309

)

Foreign government bonds

 

 

23,654

 

 

 

(1,037

)

 

 

42,119

 

 

 

(1,122

)

 

 

65,773

 

 

 

(2,159

)

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

56,270

 

 

 

(748

)

 

 

90,631

 

 

 

(3,345

)

 

 

146,901

 

 

 

(4,093

)

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

850,459

 

 

 

(6,955

)

 

 

982,610

 

 

 

(22,061

)

 

 

1,833,069

 

 

 

(29,016

)

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

374,473

 

 

 

(10,537

)

 

 

109,844

 

 

 

(4,962

)

 

 

484,317

 

 

 

(15,499

)

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

175,762

 

 

 

(4,575

)

 

 

50,802

 

 

 

(1,910

)

 

 

226,564

 

 

 

(6,485

)

 

 

$

1,672,754

 

 

$

(25,709

)

 

$

1,700,760

 

 

$

(44,991

)

 

$

3,373,514

 

 

$

(70,700

)

 

Based on the Company’s review of its debt securities in an unrealized loss position at September 30, 2019, it determined that the losses were primarily the result of changes in interest rates, which were considered to be temporary, rather than a deterioration in credit quality.  The Company does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell these securities prior to recovering their amortized cost.  As such, the Company does not consider these securities to be other-than-temporarily impaired at September 30, 2019.

 

14


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Investments in debt securities at September 30, 2019, by contractual maturities, are as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

Due in one

year or less

 

 

Due after

one through

five years

 

 

Due after

five through

ten years

 

 

Due after

ten years

 

 

Total

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

$

76,388

 

 

$

103,981

 

 

$

24,067

 

 

$

4,437

 

 

$

208,873

 

Estimated fair value

 

$

76,438

 

 

$

104,782

 

 

$

24,035

 

 

$

4,319

 

 

$

209,574

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

$

74,855

 

 

$

156,509

 

 

$

303,603

 

 

$

506,228

 

 

$

1,041,195

 

Estimated fair value

 

$

75,082

 

 

$

158,756

 

 

$

318,688

 

 

$

538,064

 

 

$

1,090,590

 

Foreign government bonds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

$

12,967

 

 

$

81,436

 

 

$

56,338

 

 

$

8,298

 

 

$

159,039

 

Estimated fair value

 

$

12,928

 

 

$

82,186

 

 

$

57,367

 

 

$

8,879

 

 

$

161,360

 

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

$

30,394

 

 

$

119,642

 

 

$

140,215

 

 

$

74,564

 

 

$

364,815

 

Estimated fair value

 

$

30,427

 

 

$

120,701

 

 

$

144,471

 

 

$

77,837

 

 

$

373,436

 

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

$

45,800

 

 

$

300,810

 

 

$

184,908

 

 

$

32,987

 

 

$

564,505

 

Estimated fair value

 

$

45,867

 

 

$

308,609

 

 

$

192,169

 

 

$

35,959

 

 

$

582,604

 

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

$

25,623

 

 

$

169,666

 

 

$

66,489

 

 

$

9,200

 

 

$

270,978

 

Estimated fair value

 

$

25,656

 

 

$

172,679

 

 

$

70,301

 

 

$

10,064

 

 

$

278,700

 

Total debt securities excluding mortgage-backed securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

$

266,027

 

 

$

932,044

 

 

$

775,620

 

 

$

635,714

 

 

$

2,609,405

 

Estimated fair value

 

$

266,398

 

 

$

947,713

 

 

$

807,031

 

 

$

675,122

 

 

$

2,696,264

 

Total mortgage-backed securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

3,155,538

 

Estimated fair value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

3,186,157

 

Total debt securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized cost

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

5,764,943

 

Estimated fair value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

5,882,421

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities, which include contractual terms to maturity, are not categorized by contractual maturity as borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with, or without, call or prepayment penalties.

 

 

15


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Investments in equity securities are as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

Cost

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stocks

 

$

18,487

 

 

$

14,262

 

Common stocks

 

 

369,852

 

 

 

402,226

 

 

 

$

388,339

 

 

$

416,488

 

December 31, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stocks

 

$

16,892

 

 

$

14,162

 

Common stocks

 

 

341,460

 

 

 

339,373

 

 

 

$

358,352

 

 

$

353,535

 

 

Net gains (realized and unrealized) of $0.2 million and $41.6 million were recognized for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, as a result of changes in the fair values of equity securities.  Included in net gains during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, were net unrealized losses of $1.5 million and net unrealized gains of $35.9 million, respectively, related to equity securities still held at September 30, 2019.  Net gains of $14.2 million and $16.0 million were recognized for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, as a result of changes in the fair values of equity securities.  Included in net gains during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, were net unrealized gains of $14.1 million and $15.9 million, respectively, related to equity securities still held at September 30, 2018.  

The composition of the investment portfolio at September 30, 2019, by credit rating, is as follows:

 

 

 

A- or higher

 

 

BBB+ to BBB-

 

 

Non-Investment Grade

 

 

Total

 

(in thousands, except percentages)

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

Debt securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

209,574

 

 

 

100.0

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

$

209,574

 

 

 

100.0

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

1,048,526

 

 

 

96.2

 

 

 

40,686

 

 

 

3.7

 

 

 

1,378

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

1,090,590

 

 

 

100.0

 

Foreign government bonds

 

 

141,959

 

 

 

87.9

 

 

 

13,820

 

 

 

8.6

 

 

 

5,581

 

 

 

3.5

 

 

 

161,360

 

 

 

100.0

 

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

373,436

 

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

373,436

 

 

 

100.0

 

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

3,186,157

 

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,186,157

 

 

 

100.0

 

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

251,999

 

 

 

43.2

 

 

 

236,341

 

 

 

40.6

 

 

 

94,264

 

 

 

16.2

 

 

 

582,604

 

 

 

100.0

 

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

104,526

 

 

 

37.5

 

 

 

151,605

 

 

 

54.4

 

 

 

22,569

 

 

 

8.1

 

 

 

278,700

 

 

 

100.0

 

Total debt securities

 

 

5,316,177

 

 

 

90.4

 

 

 

442,452

 

 

 

7.5

 

 

 

123,792

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

 

5,882,421

 

 

 

100.0

 

Preferred stocks

 

 

43

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

13,124

 

 

 

92.0

 

 

 

1,095

 

 

 

7.7

 

 

 

14,262

 

 

 

100.0

 

Total

 

$

5,316,220

 

 

 

90.2

 

 

$

455,576

 

 

 

7.7

 

 

$

124,887

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

$

5,896,683

 

 

 

100.0

 

Included in debt securities at September 30, 2019, were bank loans totaling $78.1 million, of which $68.1 million were non-investment grade; high yield corporate debt securities totaling $45.2 million, all of which were non-investment grade; and emerging market debt securities totaling $57.2 million, of which $9.1 million were non-investment grade.

 

16


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

The composition of the debt securities portfolio in an unrealized loss position at September 30, 2019, by credit rating, is as follows:

 

 

 

A- or higher

 

 

BBB+ to BBB-

 

 

Non-Investment Grade

 

 

Total

 

(in thousands, except percentages)

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Estimated

fair value

 

 

Percentage

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

47,701

 

 

 

100.0

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

$

47,701

 

 

 

100.0

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

43,010

 

 

 

94.6

 

 

 

2,471

 

 

 

5.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

45,481

 

 

 

100.0

 

Foreign government bonds

 

 

36,850

 

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

36,850

 

 

 

100.0

 

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

47,472

 

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

47,472

 

 

 

100.0

 

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

1,265,411

 

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,265,411

 

 

 

100.0

 

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

18,790

 

 

 

22.6

 

 

 

29,450

 

 

 

35.5

 

 

 

34,820

 

 

 

41.9

 

 

 

83,060

 

 

 

100.0

 

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

13,343

 

 

 

43.7

 

 

 

9,394

 

 

 

30.7

 

 

 

7,834

 

 

 

25.6

 

 

 

30,571

 

 

 

100.0

 

Total

 

$

1,472,577

 

 

 

94.6

 

 

$

41,315

 

 

 

2.7

 

 

$

42,654

 

 

 

2.7

 

 

$

1,556,546

 

 

 

100.0

 

Debt securities in an unrealized loss position at September 30, 2019, included bank loans totaling $29.7 million, of which $28.8 million were non-investment grade; high yield corporate debt securities totaling $13.7 million, all of which were non-investment grade; and emerging market debt securities totaling $0.5 million, of which $0.2 million were non-investment grade.

The credit ratings in the above tables reflect published ratings obtained from globally recognized securities rating agencies.  If a security was rated differently among the rating agencies, the lowest rating was selected.  Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities are not rated by any of the ratings agencies; however, these securities have been included in the above table in the “A- or higher” rating category because the payments of principal and interest are guaranteed by the governmental agency that issued the security.

 

 

Note 4 – Leases

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted updated accounting guidance which requires lessees in leasing arrangements to recognize a right-of-use asset and a liability to make lease payments on the balance sheet.

The Company leases commercial real estate, including office buildings and office space, and also certain equipment. The Company has elected the practical expedient for its leases of commercial real estate whereby it does not separately account for nonlease components (e.g., common-area maintenance costs) from the associated lease components (e.g., fixed payments including rent, real estate taxes and insurance costs) and instead accounts for both components as a single lease component.  Variable lease costs, which include any variable lease and nonlease components and rents that vary based on changes to an index or rate, are expensed as incurred.

Most of the Company’s leases of commercial real estate include one or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term from one to five years, and some leases include options to terminate the lease within the first year.

The Company has elected the practical expedient which allows for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less to be excluded from recognition on the balance sheet and for which lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

As most of the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit discount rate, the Company applies its incremental borrowing rate, which is based on the information available as of the commencement date, in determining the present value of lease payments.

17


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Lease assets and liabilities are summarized as follows:

 

(in thousands)

Classification

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2019

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating lease assets

Operating lease assets

 

 

 

$

288,406

 

Finance lease assets

Other assets

 

 

 

 

3,864

 

Total lease assets

 

 

 

 

$

292,270

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating lease liabilities

Operating lease liabilities

 

 

 

$

319,445

 

Finance lease liabilities

Notes and contracts payable

 

 

 

 

4,150

 

Total lease liabilities

 

 

 

 

$

323,595

 

 

The components of lease expense are as follows:

 

(in thousands)

Classification

 

Three Months Ended
September 30, 2019

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2019

 

Operating lease cost

Other operating expenses

 

$

21,770

 

 

$

65,332

 

Finance lease cost:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortization of lease assets

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

490

 

 

 

1,586

 

Interest on lease liabilities

Interest

 

 

43

 

 

 

148

 

Variable lease cost

Other operating expenses

 

 

8,369

 

 

 

23,678

 

Short-term lease cost

Other operating expenses

 

 

327

 

 

 

1,317

 

Sublease income

Information and other

 

 

(377

)

 

 

(1,232

)

Net lease cost

 

 

$

30,622

 

 

$

90,829

 

 

Future minimum lease payments under operating and finance leases with noncancelable lease terms, as of September 30, 2019, are as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

Operating Leases

 

 

 

Finance Leases

 

 

 

Total

 

Remainder of 2019

$

22,438

 

 

$

362

 

 

$

22,800

 

2020

 

82,378

 

 

 

1,445

 

 

 

83,823

 

2021

 

68,112

 

 

 

1,140

 

 

 

69,252

 

2022

 

56,188

 

 

 

1,045

 

 

 

57,233

 

2023

 

41,864

 

 

 

437

 

 

 

42,301

 

2024

 

29,632

 

 

 

 

 

 

29,632

 

Thereafter

 

59,414

 

 

 

 

 

 

59,414

 

Total lease payments

 

360,026

 

 

 

4,429

 

 

 

364,455

 

Interest

 

(40,581

)

 

 

(279

)

 

 

(40,860

)

Present value of lease liabilities

$

319,445

 

 

$

4,150

 

 

$

323,595

 

 

Information related to lease terms and discount rates is as follows:

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2019

 

Weighted-average remaining lease terms (years):

 

 

 

 

Operating leases

 

 

5.5

 

Finance leases

 

 

3.4

 

Weighted-average discount rates:

 

 

 

 

Operating leases

 

 

4.24

%

Finance leases

 

 

4.12

%

18


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

 

Cash flow information related to lease liabilities is as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2019

 

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Operating cash flows from operating leases

 

$

66,705

 

Operating cash flows from finance leases

 

$

148

 

Financing cash flows from finance leases

 

$

1,446

 

Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities

 

$

26,785

 

 

Future minimum lease payments under operating leases with noncancelable lease terms, as of December 31, 2018, are as follows:

 

Year

 

in thousands

 

2019

 

$

76,375

 

2020

 

 

68,026

 

2021

 

 

54,853

 

2022

 

 

41,859

 

2023

 

 

28,948

 

Thereafter

 

 

64,732

 

Total lease payments

 

$

334,793

 

 

Total rental expense for all operating leases was $22.2 million and $67.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.

 

 

Note 5 – Goodwill

A summary of the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill, by reportable segment, for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, is as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

Title

Insurance

and Services

 

 

Specialty

Insurance

 

 

Total

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

 

$

1,097,401

 

 

$

46,765

 

 

$

1,144,166

 

Acquisitions

 

 

4,689

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,689

 

Foreign currency translation

 

 

910

 

 

 

 

 

 

910

 

Balance at September 30, 2019

 

$

1,103,000

 

 

$

46,765

 

 

$

1,149,765

 

 

The Company’s four reporting units for purposes of assessing goodwill for impairment are title insurance, home warranty, property and casualty insurance and trust and other services.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, there were no triggering events that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of any reporting unit below its carrying amount.

 

19


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 6 – Other Intangible Assets

Other intangible assets consist of the following:

 

(in thousands)

 

September 30,

2019

 

 

December 31,

2018

 

Finite-lived intangible assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customer relationships

 

$

99,737

 

 

$

114,603

 

Noncompete agreements

 

 

13,464

 

 

 

14,402

 

Trademarks

 

 

10,769

 

 

 

10,753

 

Internal-use software licenses

 

 

20,238

 

 

 

29,394

 

Patents

 

 

2,840

 

 

 

2,840

 

 

 

 

147,048

 

 

 

171,992

 

Accumulated amortization

 

 

(71,108

)

 

 

(79,535

)

 

 

 

75,940

 

 

 

92,457

 

Indefinite-lived intangible assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Licenses

 

 

16,915

 

 

 

16,915

 

 

 

$

92,855

 

 

$

109,372

 

 

Amortization expense for finite-lived intangible assets was $6.7 million and $22.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and $7.9 million and $22.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.

Estimated amortization expense for finite-lived intangible assets for the next five years is as follows:

 

Year

 

(in thousands)

 

Remainder of 2019

 

$

6,165

 

2020

 

$

16,752

 

2021

 

$

11,442

 

2022

 

$

10,447

 

2023

 

$

9,851

 

2024

 

$

7,197

 

 

 

20


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 7 – Reserve for Known and Incurred But Not Reported Claims

Activity in the reserve for known and incurred but not reported claims is summarized as follows:

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

(in thousands)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Balance at beginning of period

 

$

1,042,679

 

 

$

1,028,933

 

Provision related to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current year

 

 

325,012

 

 

 

328,326

 

Prior years

 

 

6,513

 

 

 

8,069

 

 

 

 

331,525

 

 

 

336,395

 

Payments, net of recoveries, related to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current year

 

 

158,285

 

 

 

167,802

 

Prior years

 

 

146,889

 

 

 

166,168

 

 

 

 

305,174

 

 

 

333,970

 

Other

 

 

(14,306

)

 

 

(4,399

)

Balance at end of period

 

$

1,054,724

 

 

$

1,026,959

 

 

 

The provision for title insurance losses, expressed as a percentage of title insurance premiums and escrow fees, was 4.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.  The current quarter rate of 4.0% reflects the ultimate loss rate for the current policy year and no change in the loss reserve estimates for prior policy years.  The 4.0% rate for the third quarter of 2018 reflected the ultimate loss rate for the 2018 policy year and no change in the loss reserve estimates for prior policy years.

A summary of the Company’s loss reserves is as follows:

 

(in thousands, except percentages)

 

September 30, 2019

 

 

December 31, 2018

 

Known title claims

 

$

84,569

 

 

 

8.0

%

 

$

80,306

 

 

 

7.7

%

Incurred but not reported claims

 

 

888,118

 

 

 

84.2

%

 

 

877,134

 

 

 

84.1

%

Total title claims

 

 

972,687

 

 

 

92.2

%

 

 

957,440

 

 

 

91.8

%

Non-title claims

 

 

82,037

 

 

 

7.8

%

 

 

85,239

 

 

 

8.2

%

Total loss reserves

 

$

1,054,724

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

1,042,679

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

21


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 8 – Notes and Contracts Payable

In April 2019, the Company entered into a senior unsecured credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPMorgan”) in its capacity as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto.  The credit agreement, which is comprised of a $700.0 million revolving credit facility, includes an expansion option that permits the Company, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, to increase the revolving commitments and/or add term loan tranches in an aggregate amount not to exceed $350.0 million.  Unless terminated earlier, the credit agreement will terminate on April 30, 2024.  The obligations of the Company under the credit agreement are neither secured nor guaranteed.  Upon entry into the credit agreement, the Company borrowed $160.0 million and repaid the $160.0 million obligation outstanding under the previous $700.0 million senior unsecured credit agreement, which was terminated at that time.  Other proceeds under the credit agreement may be used for general corporate purposes.  At September 30, 2019, outstanding borrowings under the facility totaled $160.0 million at an interest rate of 3.54%.

At the Company’s election, borrowings of revolving loans under the credit agreement bear interest at (a) the Alternate Base Rate plus the applicable spread or (b) the Adjusted LIBOR rate plus the applicable spread (in each case as defined in the credit agreement).  The Company may select interest periods of one, two, three or six months or (if agreed to by all lenders) such other number of months for Eurodollar borrowings of loans.  The applicable spread varies depending upon the debt rating assigned by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Rating Services and/or Fitch Ratings Inc.  The minimum applicable spread for Alternate Base Rate borrowings is 0.25% and the maximum is 1.00%.  The minimum applicable spread for Adjusted LIBOR rate borrowings is 1.25% and the maximum is 2.00%.  The rate of interest on any term loans incurred in connection with the expansion option will be established at or about the time such loans are made and may differ from the rate of interest on revolving loans.

The credit agreement includes representations and warranties, reporting covenants, affirmative covenants, negative covenants, financial covenants and events of default customary for financings of this type. Upon the occurrence of an event of default the lenders may accelerate the loans. Upon the occurrence of certain insolvency and bankruptcy events of default the loans will automatically accelerate. As of September 30, 2019, the Company was in compliance with the financial covenants under the credit agreement.

 

 

Note 9 – Income Taxes

The Company’s effective income tax rates (income tax expense as a percentage of income before income taxes) were 23.3% and 21.3% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and 22.6% and 22.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.  The Company’s effective tax rates differ from the statutory federal rate of 21% due to state and foreign income taxes incurred, as well as permanent differences between amounts reported for financial statement purposes and amounts reported for income tax purposes, including the recognition of excess tax benefits or tax deficiencies associated with share-based payment transactions through income tax expense.  In addition, the tax rates for 2019 reflect the resolution of state tax matters from prior years.

In connection with the Company’s September 2010 spin-off from its prior parent, the Company entered into a tax sharing agreement which governs the Company’s and its prior parent’s respective rights, responsibilities and obligations for certain tax related matters.  At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had a net payable to its prior parent of $0.5 million and $15.6 million, respectively, related to tax matters prior to the spin-off.  This amount is included in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets in accounts payable and accrued liabilities.  The decrease during the current year was primarily the result of the resolution of state tax matters for years prior to the spin-off.

The Company evaluates the realizability of its deferred tax assets by assessing the valuation allowance and makes adjustments to the allowance as necessary.  The factors used by the Company to assess the likelihood of realization include its forecast of future taxable income and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize its deferred tax assets.  The Company’s ability or failure to achieve forecasted taxable income in the applicable taxing jurisdictions could affect the ultimate realization of its deferred tax assets.  Based on future operating results in certain jurisdictions, it is possible that the current valuation allowance positions of those jurisdictions could be adjusted during the next 12 months.

22


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

As of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the liability for income taxes associated with uncertain tax positions was $5.1 million and $13.3 million, respectively.  The decrease during the current year was primarily the result of the resolution of state tax matters from prior years.  As of  September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the liability could be reduced by $2.0 million and $3.7 million, respectively, due to offsetting tax benefits associated with the correlative effects of potential adjustments, including timing adjustments and state income taxes.  The net liability, if recognized, would favorably affect the Company’s effective income tax rate.

The Company’s continuing practice is to recognize interest and penalties, if any, related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense.  As of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had accrued interest and penalties, net of tax benefits, of $0.1 million and $5.8 million, respectively, related to uncertain tax positions.

It is reasonably possible that the amount of the unrecognized benefit with respect to certain of the Company’s unrecognized tax positions may significantly decrease within the next 12 months.  Any such change may be the result of ongoing audits or the expiration of federal and state statutes of limitations for the assessment of taxes.

The Company, or one of its subsidiaries, files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various state jurisdictions and various non-U.S. jurisdictions.  The primary non-federal jurisdictions are California, Canada, India and the United Kingdom.  As of September 30, 2019, the Company had concluded U.S. federal income tax examinations through 2015 and is generally no longer subject to state and non-U.S. income tax examinations for years prior to 2010.

Note 10 – Earnings Per Share

The computation of basic and diluted earnings per share is as follows:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Numerator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income attributable to the Company

 

$

187,182

 

 

$

151,480

 

 

$

483,412

 

 

$

382,847

 

Denominator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic weighted-average shares

 

 

113,163

 

 

 

112,722

 

 

 

112,983

 

 

 

112,541

 

Effect of dilutive employee stock options and
restricted stock units (“RSUs”)

 

 

578

 

 

 

643

 

 

 

526

 

 

 

672

 

Diluted weighted-average shares

 

 

113,741

 

 

 

113,365

 

 

 

113,509

 

 

 

113,213

 

Net income per share attributable to the Company’s stockholders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

1.65

 

 

$

1.34

 

 

$

4.28

 

 

$

3.40

 

Diluted

 

$

1.65

 

 

$

1.34

 

 

$

4.26

 

 

$

3.38

 

 

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, RSUs excluded from the weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding due to their antidilutive effect were not material.  No RSUs were excluded due to their antidilutive effect on weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding for either period in the prior year. No stock options had an antidilutive effect on weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding for either period in the current or prior year.

23


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 11 – Employee Benefit Plans

Net periodic costs related to the Company’s unfunded supplemental benefit plans includes the following components:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 

(in thousands)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service costs

 

$

70

 

 

$

130

 

 

$

211

 

 

$

390

 

Interest costs

 

 

2,280

 

 

 

2,018

 

 

 

6,838

 

 

 

6,054

 

Amortization of net actuarial loss

 

 

916

 

 

 

1,205

 

 

 

2,746

 

 

 

3,615

 

Amortization of prior service credit

 

 

(1,018

)

 

 

(1,045

)

 

 

(3,053

)

 

 

(3,135

)

 

 

$

2,248

 

 

$

2,308

 

 

$

6,742

 

 

$

6,924

 

The Company contributed $10.8 million to its unfunded supplemental benefit plans during the nine months ended September 30, 2019, and expects to contribute an additional $3.8 million during the remainder of 2019.

 

 

Note 12 – Fair Value Measurements

Certain of the Company’s assets are carried at fair value.  Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

The Company categorizes its assets and liabilities carried at fair value using a three-level hierarchy for fair value measurements that distinguishes between market participant assumptions developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company (observable inputs) and the Company’s own assumptions about market participant assumptions developed based on the best information available in the circumstances (unobservable inputs).  The hierarchy for inputs used in determining fair value maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that observable inputs be used when available.  The hierarchy level assigned to the assets and liabilities is based on management’s assessment of the transparency and reliability of the inputs used to estimate the fair values at the measurement date.  The three hierarchy levels are defined as follows:

Level 1—Valuations based on unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2—Valuations based on observable inputs (other than Level 1 prices), such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities at the measurement date; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3—Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement, and involve management judgment.

If the inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the hierarchy level assigned is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

24


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis

The valuation techniques and inputs used by the Company to estimate the fair value of assets measured on a recurring basis are summarized as follows:

Debt securities

The fair values of debt securities were based on the market values obtained from independent pricing services that were evaluated using pricing models that vary by asset class and incorporate available trade, bid and other market information and price quotes from well-established, independent broker-dealers.  The independent pricing services monitor market indicators, industry and economic events, and for broker-quoted only securities, obtain quotes from market makers or broker-dealers that they recognize to be market participants.  The pricing services utilize the market approach in determining the fair values of the debt securities held by the Company.  The Company obtains an understanding of the valuation models and assumptions utilized by the services and has controls in place to determine that the values provided represent fair values.  The Company’s validation procedures include comparing prices received from the pricing services to quotes received from other third party sources for certain securities with market prices that are readily verifiable.  If the price comparison results in differences over a predefined threshold, the Company will assess the reasonableness of the changes relative to prior periods given the prevailing market conditions and assess changes in the issuers’ credit worthiness, performance of any underlying collateral and prices of the instrument relative to similar issuances.  To date, the Company has not made any material adjustments to the fair value measurements provided by the pricing services.

Typical inputs and assumptions to pricing models used to value the Company’s debt securities include, but are not limited to, benchmark yields, reported trades, broker-dealer quotes, credit spreads, credit ratings, bond insurance (if applicable), benchmark securities, bids, offers, reference data and industry and economic events.  For mortgage-backed securities, inputs and assumptions may also include the structure of issuance, characteristics of the issuer, collateral attributes and prepayment speeds.

Equity securities

The fair values of equity securities, including preferred and common stocks, were based on quoted market prices for identical assets that are readily and regularly available in an active market.

The following tables present the fair values of the Company’s assets, measured on a recurring basis, as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018:

 

(in thousands)

 

Total

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debt securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

209,574

 

 

$

 

 

$

209,574

 

 

$

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

1,090,590

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,090,590

 

 

 

 

Foreign government bonds

 

 

161,360

 

 

 

 

 

 

161,360

 

 

 

 

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

373,436

 

 

 

 

 

 

373,436

 

 

 

 

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

3,186,157

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,186,157

 

 

 

 

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

582,604

 

 

 

 

 

 

582,604

 

 

 

 

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

278,700

 

 

 

 

 

 

278,700

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,882,421

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,882,421

 

 

 

 

Equity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stocks

 

 

14,262

 

 

 

14,262

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stocks

 

 

402,226

 

 

 

402,226

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

416,488

 

 

 

416,488

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

$

6,298,909

 

 

$

416,488

 

 

$

5,882,421

 

 

$

 

 

25


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

(in thousands)

 

Total

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

December 31, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debt securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury bonds

 

$

162,506

 

 

$

 

 

$

162,506

 

 

$

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

1,045,035

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,045,035

 

 

 

 

Foreign government bonds

 

 

157,297

 

 

 

 

 

 

157,297

 

 

 

 

Governmental agency bonds

 

 

316,167

 

 

 

 

 

 

316,167

 

 

 

 

Governmental agency mortgage-backed securities

 

 

3,202,599

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,202,599

 

 

 

 

U.S. corporate debt securities

 

 

561,260

 

 

 

 

 

 

561,260

 

 

 

 

Foreign corporate debt securities

 

 

268,947

 

 

 

 

 

 

268,947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,713,811

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,713,811

 

 

 

 

Equity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stocks

 

 

14,162

 

 

 

14,162

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stocks

 

 

339,373

 

 

 

339,373

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

353,535

 

 

 

353,535

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

$

6,067,346

 

 

$

353,535

 

 

$

5,713,811

 

 

$

 

 

There were no transfers between Levels 1 and 2 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.  Transfers into or out of the Level 3 category occur when unobservable inputs become more or less significant to the fair value measurement.  The Company’s policy is to recognize transfers between levels in the fair value hierarchy at the end of the reporting period.

Financial instruments not measured at fair value

In estimating the fair values of its financial instruments not measured at fair value, the Company used the following methods and assumptions:

Cash and cash equivalents

The carrying amount for cash and cash equivalents approximates fair value due to the short-term maturity of these investments.

Deposits with banks

The fair value of deposits with banks is estimated based on rates currently offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities, where applicable.

Notes receivable, net

The fair value of notes receivable, net is estimated based on current market rates offered for notes with similar maturities and credit quality.

Secured financings receivable

The carrying amount of secured financings receivable approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these assets.

Secured financings payable

The carrying amount of secured financings payable approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these liabilities.

Notes and contracts payable

The fair value of notes and contracts payable is estimated based on current rates offered to the Company for debt of similar remaining maturities.

26


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments, not measured at fair value, as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018:

 

 

 

Carrying

 

 

Estimated fair value

 

(in thousands)

 

Amount

 

 

Total

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

1,710,999

 

 

$

1,710,999

 

 

$

1,710,999

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

Deposits with banks

 

$

38,459

 

 

$

38,385

 

 

$

1,518

 

 

$

36,867

 

 

$

 

Notes receivable, net

 

$

19,156

 

 

$

19,029

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

19,029

 

Secured financings receivable

 

$

352,013

 

 

$

352,013

 

 

$

 

 

$

352,013

 

 

$

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secured financings payable

 

$

233,483

 

 

$

233,483

 

 

$

 

 

$

233,483

 

 

$

 

Notes and contracts payable

 

$

728,332

 

 

$

762,011

 

 

$

 

 

$

757,739

 

 

$

4,272

 

 

 

 

Carrying

 

 

Estimated fair value

 

(in thousands)

 

Amount

 

 

Total

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

December 31, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

1,467,129

 

 

$

1,467,129

 

 

$

1,467,129

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

Deposits with banks

 

$

36,209

 

 

$

35,979

 

 

$

4,307

 

 

$

31,672

 

 

$

 

Notes receivable, net

 

$

13,237

 

 

$

12,805

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

12,805

 

Secured financings receivable

 

$

76,311

 

 

$

76,311

 

 

$

 

 

$

76,311

 

 

$

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secured financings payable

 

$

76,313

 

 

$

76,313

 

 

$

 

 

$

76,313

 

 

$

 

Notes and contracts payable

 

$

732,019

 

 

$

741,839

 

 

$

 

 

$

736,048

 

 

$

5,791

 

 

 

Note 13 – Share-Based Compensation

The following table presents costs associated with the Company’s share-based compensation plans:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 

(in thousands)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RSUs

 

$

6,608

 

 

$

6,392

 

 

$

31,761

 

 

$

31,570

 

Employee stock purchase plan

 

 

948

 

 

 

849

 

 

 

3,150

 

 

 

2,806

 

 

 

$

7,556

 

 

$

7,241

 

 

$

34,911

 

 

$

34,376

 

 

The following table summarizes RSU activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

 

(in thousands, except weighted-average grant-date fair value)

 

Shares

 

 

Weighted-average

grant-date

fair value

 

Unvested at December 31, 2018

 

 

1,248

 

 

$

44.53

 

Granted during 2019

 

 

758

 

 

$

51.31

 

Vested during 2019

 

 

(822

)

 

$

44.49

 

Forfeited during 2019

 

 

(19

)

 

$

47.44

 

Unvested at September 30, 2019

 

 

1,165

 

 

$

48.91

 

 

27


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 14 – Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (“AOCI”)

The following table presents a summary of the changes in each component of AOCI for the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

 

(in thousands)

 

Unrealized

gains (losses)

on debt securities

 

 

Foreign

currency

translation

adjustment

 

 

Pension

benefit

adjustment

 

 

Accumulated

other

comprehensive

income (loss)

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

 

$

(42,165

)

 

$

(65,628

)

 

$

(52,780

)

 

$

(160,573

)

Change in unrealized gains (losses) on debt securities

 

 

164,817

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

164,817

 

Change in foreign currency translation adjustment

 

 

 

 

 

3,146

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,146

 

Amortization of net actuarial loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,746

 

 

 

2,746

 

Amortization of prior service credit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3,053

)

 

 

(3,053

)

Tax effect

 

 

(38,645

)

 

 

(187

)

 

 

80

 

 

 

(38,752

)

Balance at September 30, 2019

 

$

84,007

 

 

$

(62,669

)

 

$

(53,007

)

 

$

(31,669

)

Allocated to the Company

 

$

84,006

 

 

$

(62,669

)

 

$

(53,007

)

 

$

(31,670

)

Allocated to noncontrolling interests

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Balance at September 30, 2019

 

$

84,007

 

 

$

(62,669

)

 

$

(53,007

)

 

$

(31,669

)

The following table presents the other comprehensive income (loss) reclassification adjustments for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:

 

(in thousands)

 

Unrealized

gains (losses)

on debt securities

 

 

Foreign

currency

translation

adjustment

 

 

Pension

benefit

adjustment

 

 

Total

other

comprehensive

income (loss)

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretax change before reclassifications

 

$

19,348

 

 

$

(7,614

)

 

$

 

 

$

11,734

 

Reclassifications out of AOCI

 

 

(2,165

)

 

 

 

 

 

(102

)

 

 

(2,267

)

Tax effect

 

 

(3,690

)

 

 

241

 

 

 

26

 

 

 

(3,423

)

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

 

$

13,493

 

 

$

(7,373

)

 

$

(76

)

 

$

6,044

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretax change before reclassifications

 

$

(21,879

)

 

$

2,441

 

 

$

 

 

$

(19,438

)

Reclassifications out of AOCI

 

 

2,522

 

 

 

 

 

 

160

 

 

 

2,682

 

Tax effect

 

 

4,695

 

 

 

560

 

 

 

(42

)

 

 

5,213

 

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

 

$

(14,662

)

 

$

3,001

 

 

$

118

 

 

$

(11,543

)

 

28


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

The following table presents the other comprehensive income (loss) reclassification adjustments for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:

 

(in thousands)

 

Unrealized

gains (losses)

on debt securities

 

 

Foreign

currency

translation

adjustment

 

 

Pension

benefit

adjustment

 

 

Total

other

comprehensive

income (loss)

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretax change before reclassifications

 

$

166,647

 

 

$

3,146

 

 

$

 

 

$

169,793

 

Reclassifications out of AOCI

 

 

(1,830

)

 

 

 

 

 

(307

)

 

 

(2,137

)

Tax effect

 

 

(38,645

)

 

 

(187

)

 

 

80

 

 

 

(38,752

)

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

 

$

126,172

 

 

$

2,959

 

 

$

(227

)

 

$

128,904

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretax change before reclassifications

 

$

(101,173

)

 

$

(11,856

)

 

$

 

 

$

(113,029

)

Reclassifications out of AOCI

 

 

4,757

 

 

 

 

 

 

480

 

 

 

5,237

 

Tax effect

 

 

22,483

 

 

 

560

 

 

 

(123

)

 

 

22,920

 

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

 

$

(73,933

)

 

$

(11,296

)

 

$

357

 

 

$

(84,872

)

 

The following table presents the effects of the reclassifications out of AOCI on the respective line items in the condensed consolidated statements of income:

 

 

Amounts reclassified from AOCI

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

Affected line items

Unrealized gains (losses) on debt securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net realized gains (losses) on sales of debt securities

 

$

2,165

 

 

$

(2,522

)

 

$

1,830

 

 

$

(4,757

)

 

Net realized investment gains

Tax effect

 

$

(465

)

 

$

612

 

 

$

(429

)

 

$

1,109

 

 

 

Pension benefit adjustment (1):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortization of net actuarial loss

 

$

(916

)

 

$

(1,205

)

 

$

(2,746

)

 

$

(3,615

)

 

Other operating expenses

Amortization of prior service credit

 

 

1,018

 

 

 

1,045

 

 

 

3,053

 

 

 

3,135

 

 

Other operating expenses

Pretax total

 

$

102

 

 

$

(160

)

 

$

307

 

 

$

(480

)

 

 

Tax effect

 

$

(26

)

 

$

42

 

 

$

(80

)

 

$

123

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

These components of AOCI are components of net periodic cost.  See Note 11 Employee Benefit Plans for additional details.

 

 

29


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 15 – Litigation and Regulatory Contingencies

The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to a number of non-ordinary course lawsuits.  These lawsuits frequently are similar in nature to other lawsuits pending against the Company’s competitors.

For those non-ordinary course lawsuits where the Company has determined that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability representing the best estimate of the Company’s financial exposure based on known facts has been recorded.  Actual losses may materially differ from the amounts recorded.

It is, however, often not possible to assess the probability of loss.  Lawsuits that are putative class actions require a plaintiff to satisfy a number of procedural requirements before proceeding to trial.  These requirements include, among others, demonstration to a court that the law proscribes in some manner the Company’s activities, the making of factual allegations sufficient to suggest that the Company’s activities exceeded the limits of the law and a determination by the court—known as class certification—that the law permits a group of individuals to pursue the case together as a class.  In certain instances the Company may also be able to compel the plaintiff to arbitrate its claim on an individual basis.  If these procedural requirements are not met, either the lawsuit cannot proceed or, as is the case with class certification or compelled arbitration, the plaintiffs lose the financial incentive to proceed with the case (or the amount at issue effectively becomes de minimis).  Frequently, a court’s determination as to these procedural requirements is subject to appeal to a higher court.  As a result of, among other factors, ambiguities and inconsistencies in the myriad laws applicable to the Company’s business and the uniqueness of the factual issues presented in any given lawsuit, the Company often cannot determine the probability of loss until a court has finally determined that a plaintiff has satisfied applicable procedural requirements.

Furthermore, for putative class actions, it is often impossible to estimate the possible loss or a range of loss amounts, even where the Company has determined that a loss is reasonably possible.  Generally class actions involve a large number of people and the effort to determine which people satisfy the requirements to become plaintiffs—or class members—is often time consuming and burdensome.  Moreover, these lawsuits raise complex factual issues which result in uncertainty as to their outcome and, ultimately, make it difficult for the Company to estimate the amount of damages which a plaintiff might successfully prove.  In addition, many of the Company’s businesses are regulated by various federal, state, local and foreign governmental agencies and are subject to numerous statutory guidelines.  These regulations and statutory guidelines often are complex, inconsistent or ambiguous, which results in additional uncertainty as to the outcome of a given lawsuit—including the amount of damages a plaintiff might be afforded—or makes it difficult to analogize experience in one case or jurisdiction to another case or jurisdiction.

Most of the non-ordinary course lawsuits to which the Company and its subsidiaries are parties challenge practices in the Company’s title insurance business, though a limited number of cases also pertain to the Company’s other businesses.  These lawsuits include, among others, cases alleging, among other assertions, that the Company or one of its subsidiaries  improperly charged fees for products and services, improperly handled property and casualty claims and gave items of value to builders as inducements to refer business in violation of certain laws, such as consumer protection laws and laws generally prohibiting unfair business practices, and certain obligations, including:

 

Tenefufu vs. First American Specialty Insurance Company, filed on June 1, 2017 and pending in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Sacramento, and

 

Wilmot v. First American Financial Corporation, et al., filed on April 20, 2007 and pending in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

These lawsuits are putative class actions for which a class has not been certified.  For the reasons described above, the Company has not yet been able to assess the probability of loss or estimate the possible loss or the range of loss.

The Company and/or its subsidiaries are also parties to numerous class action lawsuits as a result of the information security incident that occurred during the second quarter of 2019.  All of these lawsuits are putative class actions for which a class has not been certified.  For the reasons described above, the Company has not yet been able to assess the probability of loss or estimate the possible loss or the range of loss.

30


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

While some of the lawsuits described above may be material to the Company’s operating results in any particular period if an unfavorable outcome results, the Company does not believe that any of these lawsuits will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s overall financial condition or liquidity.

The Company also is a party to non-ordinary course lawsuits other than those described above.  With respect to these lawsuits, the Company has determined either that a loss is not reasonably possible or that the estimated loss or range of loss, if any, is not material to the condensed consolidated financial statements as a whole.

The Company’s title insurance, property and casualty insurance, home warranty, banking, thrift, trust and wealth management businesses are regulated by various federal, state and local governmental agencies.  Many of the Company’s other businesses operate within statutory guidelines.  Consequently, the Company may from time to time be subject to examination or investigation by such governmental agencies.  Currently, governmental agencies are examining or investigating certain of the Company’s operations.  One of these investigations pertains to title insurance policies issued by agents of the Company’s title insurance subsidiary in the State of Indiana during 2006-2008.  As a result of this investigation, the Indiana Commissioner of Insurance determined, based upon a simple extrapolation of a review of settlement statements issued in 129 transactions, that the Company’s title insurance subsidiary overcharged consumers by approximately $3.1 million and, consequently, failed to pay premium taxes by approximately $38,000.  The Commissioner ordered the payment of these amounts to the Indiana Department of Insurance, plus interest and certain fees and expenses.  On appeal, the Commissioner was ordered to refund approximately $2.8 million in inappropriately assessed interest and fees. The Commissioner has appealed this order and the Company expects to cross-appeal to challenge the Commissioner’s methodology for determining the appropriateness of the premium charged, among other matters.  With respect to the same transactions involved in this investigation, on July 24, 2019, the Commissioner filed a Statement of Charges seeking payment of a civil penalty relating to the alleged overcharges.  While the Company intends to conduct a vigorous defense to the Statement of Charges, should the Commissioner prevail it is expected that any civil penalty would be proportionate to the amount actually determined to have been overcharged.  The Company also has received numerous regulatory inquiries and/or investigations as a result of the information security incident that occurred during the second quarter of 2019.  With respect to matters where the Company has determined that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company has recorded a liability representing its best estimate of the financial exposure based on known facts.  While the ultimate disposition of each such exam or investigation is not yet determinable, the Company does not believe that individually or in the aggregate they will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.  These exams or investigations could, however, result in changes to the Company’s business practices which could ultimately have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

The Company’s Canadian operations provide certain services to lenders which it believes to be exempt from excise tax under applicable Canadian tax laws.  However, in October 2014, the Canadian taxing authority provided internal guidance that the services in question should be subject to the excise tax.  During July 2019, the Company received an assessment from the Canadian taxing authority.  The amount of the assessment is $14.4 million, which is based on the exchange rate as of, and includes interest charges through, September 30, 2019.  As the Company does not believe that the services in question are subject to excise tax, it intends to avail itself of avenues of appeal, and it believes it is reasonably likely that the Company will prevail on the merits.  Based on the current facts and circumstances, the Company does not believe a loss is probable, therefore no liability has been recorded.

The Company and its subsidiaries also are involved in numerous ongoing routine legal and regulatory proceedings related to their operations.  With respect to each of these proceedings, the Company has determined either that a loss is not reasonably possible or that the estimated loss or range of loss, if any, is not material to the condensed consolidated financial statements as a whole.

 

 

31


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

Note 16 – Segment Information

The Company consists of the following reportable segments and a corporate function:

 

The Company’s title insurance and services segment issues title insurance policies on residential and commercial property in the United States and offers similar or related products and services internationally.  This segment also provides closing and/or escrow services; accommodates tax-deferred exchanges of real estate; provides products, services and solutions designed to mitigate risk or otherwise facilitate real estate transactions, many of which products, services and solutions involve the use of real property-related data; maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images; and provides appraisals and other valuation-related products and services, lien release and document custodial services, warehouse lending services, default-related products and services, evidence of title, and banking, trust and wealth management services.  The Company, through its principal title insurance subsidiary and such subsidiary’s affiliates, transacts its title insurance business through a network of direct operations and agents.  Through this network, the Company issues policies in the 49 states that permit the issuance of title insurance policies, the District of Columbia and certain United States territories.  The Company also offers title insurance, closing services and similar or related products and services, either directly or through third parties in other countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea and various other established and emerging markets.

 

The Company’s specialty insurance segment issues property and casualty insurance policies and sells home warranty products.  The property and casualty insurance business provides insurance coverage to residential homeowners and renters for liability losses and typical hazards such as fire, theft, vandalism and other types of property damage.  This business is licensed to issue policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and actively issues policies in 46 states.  The majority of policy liability is in the western United States, including approximately 60% in California.  In certain markets it also offers preferred risk auto insurance to better compete with other carriers offering bundled home and auto insurance.  The home warranty business provides residential service contracts that cover residential systems, such as heating and air conditioning systems, and certain appliances against failures that occur as the result of normal usage during the coverage period.  This business currently operates in 35 states and the District of Columbia.

The corporate function consists primarily of certain financing facilities as well as the corporate services that support the Company’s business operations.

Selected financial information about the Company’s operations, by segment, is as follows:

For the three months ended September 30, 2019:

 

(in thousands)

 

Revenues

 

 

Income (loss)

before

income taxes

 

 

Depreciation

and

amortization

 

 

Capital

expenditures

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

1,540,741

 

 

$

253,570

 

 

$

29,822

 

 

$

22,869

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

129,190

 

 

 

11,021

 

 

 

1,859

 

 

 

2,015

 

Corporate

 

 

1,770

 

 

 

(19,253

)

 

 

38

 

 

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

(505

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

1,671,196

 

 

$

245,338

 

 

$

31,719

 

 

$

24,884

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Direct

premiums

and escrow

fees

 

 

Agent

premiums

 

 

Information

and other

 

 

Net

investment

income

 

 

Net realized

investment

gains (losses)

 

 

Total

Revenues

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

606,812

 

 

$

656,154

 

 

$

205,282

 

 

$

72,044

 

 

$

449

 

 

$

1,540,741

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

121,798

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,270

 

 

 

3,064

 

 

 

1,058

 

 

 

129,190

 

 

 

$

728,610

 

 

$

656,154

 

 

$

208,552

 

 

$

75,108

 

 

$

1,507

 

 

$

1,669,931

 

32


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

For the three months ended September 30, 2018:

 

(in thousands)

 

Revenues

 

 

Income (loss)

before

income taxes

 

 

Depreciation

and

amortization

 

 

Capital

expenditures

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

1,413,841

 

 

$

206,539

 

 

$

29,978

 

 

$

28,342

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

124,179

 

 

 

6,201

 

 

 

1,713

 

 

 

2,403

 

Corporate

 

 

4,461

 

 

 

(17,153

)

 

 

38

 

 

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

(295

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

1,542,186

 

 

$

195,587

 

 

$

31,729

 

 

$

30,745

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Direct

premiums

and escrow

fees

 

 

Agent

premiums

 

 

Information

and other

 

 

Net

investment

income

 

 

Net realized

investment

gains (losses)

 

 

Total

Revenues

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

532,769

 

 

$

615,113

 

 

$

195,963

 

 

$

60,871

 

 

$

9,125

 

 

$

1,413,841

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

116,606

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,981

 

 

 

2,573

 

 

 

2,019

 

 

 

124,179

 

 

 

$

649,375

 

 

$

615,113

 

 

$

198,944

 

 

$

63,444

 

 

$

11,144

 

 

$

1,538,020

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

 

(in thousands)

 

Revenues

 

 

Income (loss)

before

income taxes

 

 

Depreciation

and

amortization

 

 

Capital

expenditures

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

4,084,795

 

 

$

628,392

 

 

$

92,043

 

 

$

71,839

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

374,340

 

 

 

44,546

 

 

 

5,379

 

 

 

7,187

 

Corporate

 

 

15,456

 

 

 

(56,433

)

 

 

115

 

 

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

(1,194

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

4,473,397

 

 

$

616,505

 

 

$

97,537

 

 

$

79,026

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Direct

premiums

and escrow

fees

 

 

Agent

premiums

 

 

Information

and other

 

 

Net

investment

income

 

 

Net realized

investment

gains (losses)

 

 

Total

Revenues

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

1,561,926

 

 

$

1,701,538

 

 

$

573,150

 

 

$

213,067

 

 

$

35,114

 

 

$

4,084,795

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

348,904

 

 

 

 

 

 

9,490

 

 

 

8,496

 

 

 

7,450

 

 

 

374,340

 

 

 

$

1,910,830

 

 

$

1,701,538

 

 

$

582,640

 

 

$

221,563

 

 

$

42,564

 

 

$

4,459,135

 

 

33


 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – (Continued)
(unaudited)

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2018:

 

(in thousands)

 

Revenues

 

 

Income (loss)

before

income taxes

 

 

Depreciation

and

amortization

 

 

Capital

expenditures

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

3,968,347

  

 

$

518,565

 

 

$

87,438

 

 

$

84,296

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

357,750

  

 

 

26,220

 

 

 

4,981

 

 

 

9,981

 

Corporate

 

 

5,488

 

 

 

(54,165

)

 

 

115

 

 

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

(854

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

4,330,731

  

 

$

490,620

 

 

$

92,534

 

 

$

94,277

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Direct

premiums

and escrow

fees

 

 

Agent

premiums

 

 

Information

and other

 

 

Net

investment

income

 

 

Net realized

investment

gains (losses)

 

 

Total

Revenues

 

Title Insurance and Services

 

$

1,515,537

  

  

$

1,701,831

  

  

$

588,079

  

  

$

154,009

  

  

$

8,891

 

 

$

3,968,347

 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

339,298

 

 

 

 

 

 

8,807

 

 

 

7,561

 

 

 

2,084

 

  

 

357,750

 

 

 

$

1,854,835

 

 

$

1,701,831

 

 

$

596,886

 

 

$

161,570

 

 

$

10,975

 

 

$

4,326,097

 

 

 

 

 

 

34


 

Item 2.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

THIS QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 27A OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION 21E OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED.  THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT RELATE STRICTLY TO HISTORICAL OR CURRENT FACTS AND MAY CONTAIN THE WORDS “BELIEVE,” “ANTICIPATE,” “EXPECT,” “INTEND,” “PLAN,” “PREDICT,” “ESTIMATE,” “PROJECT,” “WILL BE,” “WILL CONTINUE,” “WILL LIKELY RESULT,” OR OTHER SIMILAR WORDS AND PHRASES OR FUTURE OR CONDITIONAL VERBS SUCH AS “WILL,” “MAY,” “MIGHT,” “SHOULD,” “WOULD,” OR “COULD.” THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INCLUDE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, STATEMENTS REGARDING FUTURE OPERATIONS, PERFORMANCE, FINANCIAL CONDITION, PROSPECTS, PLANS AND STRATEGIES.  THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED ON CURRENT EXPECTATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS THAT MAY PROVE TO BE INCORRECT.

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES EXIST THAT MAY CAUSE RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE SET FORTH IN THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.  FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE THE ANTICIPATED RESULTS TO DIFFER FROM THOSE DESCRIBED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INCLUDE THE FACTORS SET FORTH ON PAGES 3-4 OF THIS QUARTERLY REPORT.  THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS SPEAK ONLY AS OF THE DATE THEY ARE MADE.  THE COMPANY DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS TO REFLECT CIRCUMSTANCES OR EVENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE DATE THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE MADE.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

A summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies that it considers to be the most dependent on the application of estimates and assumptions can be found in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.  Changes in 2019 to the Company’s significant accounting policies, which are dependent upon estimates and assumptions, include the adoption of new lease accounting guidance. For discussion of the new guidance and the related changes to the Company’s accounting policy, see Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Note 4 Leases to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued updated guidance that requires the rights and obligations associated with leasing arrangements to be reflected on the balance sheet in order to increase transparency and comparability among organizations.  Under the updated guidance, lessees are required to recognize a right-of-use asset and a liability to make lease payments and disclose key information about leasing arrangements.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018.  The updated guidance may either be adopted using a modified retrospective transition approach or may be initially applied on the adoption date with the recognition of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption.  The Company adopted and initially applied the updated guidance on January 1, 2019.  Upon adoption, the Company recognized deferred gains of $1.3 million on previous sale and operating leaseback transactions as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings.  The Company elected to adopt the package of practical expedients allowed under the guidance, which was applied to all leases as of the adoption date.  The package of practical expedients included (1) entities could choose not to reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) entities could choose not to reassess the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) entities could choose not to reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases.  See Note 4 Leases to the condensed consolidated financial statements for further information on the Company’s leasing arrangements.  

35


 

Pending Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2018, the FASB issued updated guidance that is intended to reduce potential diversity in practice in accounting for the costs of implementing cloud computing arrangements (i.e., hosting arrangements) that are service contracts.  The updated guidance aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs for these arrangements with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued updated guidance as part of its disclosure framework project intended to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements.  The updated guidance eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements. The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  Except for the disclosure requirements, the Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued updated guidance intended to simplify how an entity tests goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test.  Under the updated guidance, an entity will perform its goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and will recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, with the loss recognized limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued updated guidance intended to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date.  The updated guidance replaces the current incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires the consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates.  The updated guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.  Except for the disclosure requirements, the Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

36


 

Results of Operations

Summary of Third Quarter

A substantial portion of the revenues for the Company’s title insurance and services segment results from the sale and refinancing of residential and commercial real estate.  In the Company’s specialty insurance segment, revenues associated with the initial year of coverage in both the home warranty and property and casualty operations are impacted by volatility in residential purchase transactions.  Traditionally, the greatest volume of real estate activity, particularly residential purchase activity, has occurred in the spring and summer months.  However, changes in interest rates, as well as other changes in general economic conditions in the United States and abroad, can cause fluctuations in the traditional pattern of real estate activity.

The Company’s total revenues increased $129.0 million, or 8.4%, in the third quarter of 2019 when compared with the third quarter of 2018.  This increase was primarily attributable to increases in direct premiums and escrow fees of $79.2 million, or 12.2%, and agent premiums of $41.0 million, or 6.7%.  Direct premiums and escrow fees in the title insurance and services segment from domestic residential refinance, commercial and residential purchase transactions increased $48.8 million, or 110.0%, $16.2 million, or 8.8%, and $8.6 million, or 3.4%, respectively, in the third quarter of 2019 when compared to the third quarter of 2018.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s September 19, 2019 Mortgage Finance Forecast (the “MBA Forecast”), residential mortgage originations in the United States (based on the total dollar value of the transactions) increased 32.4% in the third quarter of 2019 when compared with the third quarter of 2018.  According to the MBA Forecast, the dollar amount of purchase originations increased 8.4% and refinance originations increased 107.2%.  This volume of domestic residential mortgage origination activity contributed to an increase in direct premiums and escrow fees for the Company’s direct title operations of 3.4% and 110.0% from residential purchase and refinance transactions, respectively, in the third quarter of 2019 when compared to the third quarter of 2018.

During the third quarter of 2019, the level of domestic title orders opened per day by the Company’s direct title operations increased 25.4% when compared with the third quarter of 2018.  Residential refinance opened orders per day increased by 105.1%, residential purchase opened orders per day increased by 2.0% and commercial opened orders per day increased by 2.7%, when compared to the third quarter of 2018.

During the second quarter of 2019, the Company initiated an investigation regarding potential unauthorized access to non-public personal information as a result of a vulnerability in one of the Company's applications.  This investigation concluded during the third quarter of 2019.  The investigation identified imaged documents containing non-public personal information pertaining to 32 consumers that likely were accessed without authorization.  These 32 consumers were notified and offered complimentary credit monitoring services.  This incident triggered numerous federal and state governmental inquiries as well as private lawsuits against the Company.  Costs incurred during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 related to this incident were immaterial to the Company’s results of operations and financial condition, and costs related to this incident for future periods are expected to be immaterial to the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.  Furthermore, the Company has insurance that may cover certain costs associated with this incident.  Similarly, this incident’s impact on the Company’s business is expected to be immaterial.

When compared to 2018, the Company’s title insurance and services segment benefited from rising net investment income.  This positive trend in net investment income was due to increases in short-term interest rates and higher average balances.  The increase in short-term interest rates was driven by the actions taken by the Federal Reserve to increase the federal funds rate.  The higher average balances were largely driven by strength in the Company’s commercial business.  However, the Federal Reserve decreased the federal funds rate 50 basis points during the third quarter of 2019, which will negatively impact the Company’s net investment income for the fourth quarter of 2019.  Additionally, any future decreases in short-term interest rates or average balances will have a negative impact on future net investment income.

The Company is increasingly utilizing decision science, artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies, processes and techniques to speed the delivery of its products, increase efficiency and otherwise improve the customer experience.  These efforts include streamlining the closing process by converting certain manual processes into digital ones, which improves the customer experience by simplifying and reducing the time it takes to close a transaction, reducing the risk of fraud and improving communication.  These efforts also include the automation of many of the tasks required to build and update title plants and to search and examine title records, among others.  While many of these initiatives are also designed to decrease risk, they present risks of their own.  The degree to which these innovative efforts will be successful, and their ultimate impact on the Company’s results of operations, is uncertain.

37


 

In addition to the Company’s innovative activities, other participants in the real estate and mortgage industries are seeking to innovate in ways that could impact the Company’s businesses.  These participants include certain of the Company’s sources of business, competitors and ultimate customers.  Innovations by these participants may change the demand for the Company’s products and services, the manner in which the Company’s products and services are ordered or fulfilled and the revenue or profitability derived from the products and services.  The Company has made and will likely continue to make high-risk, illiquid investments in some of these participants, typically during their early- and growth-stages.  If any of these companies do not succeed, the Company could lose and/or be required to impair all or part of its investment in the unsuccessful company.  Accordingly, the Company’s efforts to anticipate and participate in these transformations could require significant additional investment and may not succeed, resulting in a reduction in market share, reduced profitability and/or a loss of invested funds. The ultimate degree to which these and other innovations in the real estate industry will impact the Company’s business and results of operations is uncertain. 

Additionally, the Company continues to monitor developments in its regulatory environment.  Currently, federal officials are discussing various potential changes to laws and regulations that could impact the Company’s businesses, including the reform of government-sponsored enterprises such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and data privacy regulations, among others.  In addition, comprehensive tax reform legislation known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Act”) was signed into law on December 22, 2017 and included changes that could affect the real estate and mortgage markets, including changes to the mortgage interest deduction, the increase in the standard deduction (which limits the benefit of itemizing and deducting mortgage interest separately) and the limitation of state and local tax deductions, among others.  The full extent of the impact of the Tax Reform Act on volumes of real estate transactions and mortgage originations is uncertain.  Other changes in these areas, and more generally in the regulatory environment in which the Company and its customers operate, could similarly impact the volume of mortgage originations in the United States and the Company’s competitive position and results of operations.

38


 

Title Insurance and Services

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

(in thousands, except percentages)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

 

$ Change

 

 

% Change

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

 

$ Change

 

 

% Change

 

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct premiums and escrow fees

 

$

606,812

 

 

$

532,769

 

 

 

$

74,043

 

 

 

13.9

%

 

$

1,561,926

 

 

$

1,515,537

 

 

 

$

46,389

 

 

 

3.1

%

Agent premiums

 

 

656,154

 

 

 

615,113

 

 

 

 

41,041

 

 

 

6.7

 

 

 

1,701,538

 

 

 

1,701,831

 

 

 

 

(293

)

 

 

 

Information and other

 

 

205,282

 

 

 

195,963

 

 

 

 

9,319

 

 

 

4.8

 

 

 

573,150

 

 

 

588,079

 

 

 

 

(14,929

)

 

 

(2.5

)

Net investment income

 

 

72,044

 

 

 

60,871

 

 

 

 

11,173

 

 

 

18.4

 

 

 

213,067

 

 

 

154,009

 

 

 

 

59,058

 

 

 

38.3

 

Net realized investment gains

 

 

449

 

 

 

9,125

 

 

 

 

(8,676

)

 

 

(95.1

)

 

 

35,114

 

 

 

8,891

 

 

 

 

26,223

 

 

 

294.9

 

 

 

 

1,540,741

 

 

 

1,413,841

 

 

 

 

126,900

 

 

 

9.0

 

 

 

4,084,795

 

 

 

3,968,347

 

 

 

 

116,448

 

 

 

2.9

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel costs

 

 

447,795

 

 

 

425,565

 

 

 

 

22,230

 

 

 

5.2

 

 

 

1,251,590

 

 

 

1,246,240

 

 

 

 

5,350

 

 

 

0.4

 

Premiums retained by agents

 

 

518,824

 

 

 

485,621

 

 

 

 

33,203

 

 

 

6.8

 

 

 

1,344,517

 

 

 

1,341,808

 

 

 

 

2,709

 

 

 

0.2

 

Other operating expenses

 

 

218,687

 

 

 

200,932

 

 

 

 

17,755

 

 

 

8.8

 

 

 

581,455

 

 

 

594,164

 

 

 

 

(12,709

)

 

 

(2.1

)

Provision for policy losses and other claims

 

 

50,519

 

 

 

45,916

 

 

 

 

4,603

 

 

 

10.0

 

 

 

130,539

 

 

 

128,700

 

 

 

 

1,839

 

 

 

1.4

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

29,822

 

 

 

29,978

 

 

 

 

(156

)

 

 

(0.5

)

 

 

92,043

 

 

 

87,438

 

 

 

 

4,605

 

 

 

5.3

 

Premium taxes

 

 

17,310

 

 

 

16,910

 

 

 

 

400

 

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

44,988

 

 

 

46,401

 

 

 

 

(1,413

)

 

 

(3.0

)

Interest

 

 

4,214

 

 

 

2,380

 

 

 

 

1,834

 

 

 

77.1

 

 

 

11,271

 

 

 

5,031

 

 

 

 

6,240

 

 

 

124.0

 

 

 

 

1,287,171

 

 

 

1,207,302

 

 

 

 

79,869

 

 

 

6.6

 

 

 

3,456,403

 

 

 

3,449,782

 

 

 

 

6,621

 

 

 

0.2

 

Income before income taxes

 

$

253,570

 

 

$

206,539

 

 

 

$

47,031

 

 

 

22.8

%

 

$

628,392

 

 

$

518,565

 

 

 

$

109,827

 

 

 

21.2

%

Pretax margins

 

 

16.5

%

 

 

14.6

%

 

 

 

1.9

%

 

 

13.0

%

 

 

15.4

%

 

 

13.1

%

 

 

 

2.3

%

 

 

17.6

%

Direct premiums and escrow fees were $606.8 million and $1.6 billion for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, increases of $74.0 million, or 13.9%, and $46.4 million, or 3.1%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increase for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to an increase in the number of domestic title orders closed by the Company’s direct title operations, partially offset by a decrease in the average domestic revenues per order closed.  The increase for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to an increase in the number of domestic title orders closed by the Company’s direct title operations.  The average revenues per order closed were $2,513 and $2,540 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, a decrease of 5.8% and an increase of 0.4% when compared with $2,667 and $2,529 for the respective periods of the prior year. The decrease in average revenues per order closed for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to a shift in the mix of direct revenues generated from higher premium commercial and residential purchase products to lower premium residential refinance products, partially offset by higher average revenues per order from commercial transactions and higher residential real estate values.  The slight increase in average revenues per order closed for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to higher revenues per order from commercial transactions and higher residential real estate values, mostly offset by a shift in the mix of direct revenues generated from higher premium commercial and residential purchase products to lower premium residential refinance products.  The Company’s direct title operations closed 224,100 and 571,600 domestic title orders during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, increases of 21.5% and 3.1% when compared with 184,500 and 554,300 title orders closed during the respective periods of the prior year.  These increases were generally consistent with the increases in residential mortgage origination activity in the United States as reported in the MBA Forecast.

Agent premiums were $656.2 million and $1.7 billion for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, an increase of $41.0 million, or 6.7%, and a decrease of $0.3 million, or essentially flat, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  Agent premiums are recorded when notice of issuance is received from the agent, which is generally when cash payment is received by the Company.  As a result, there is generally a delay between the agent’s issuance of a title policy and the Company’s recognition of agent premiums.  Therefore, current quarter agent premiums typically reflect prior quarter mortgage origination activity.  The increase in agent premiums for the three months ended September 30, 2019 is generally consistent with the 0.7% increase in the Company’s direct premiums and escrow fees in the second quarter of 2019 as compared with the second quarter of 2018.

Information and other revenues primarily consist of revenues generated from fees associated with title search and related reports, title and other real property records and images, other non-insured settlement services, and risk mitigation products and services.  These revenues generally trend with direct premiums and escrow fees but are typically less volatile since a portion of the revenues are subscription based and do not fluctuate with transaction volumes.

39


 

Information and other revenues were $205.3 million and $573.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, an increase of $9.3 million, or 4.8%, and a decrease of $14.9 million, or 2.5%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increase in information and other revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to growth in real estate transaction and mortgage origination activity that led to higher demand for the Company’s title information products, partially offset by a decline in foreclosure activity.   The decrease in information and other revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to lower revenues from the Company’s centralized lender businesses and international operations, partially offset by the growth in real estate transactions and mortgage origination activity that led to higher demand for the Company’s title information products.  The three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were also impacted by changes in certain contractual arrangements that require the netting of production related costs against related revenues.

Net investment income totaled $72.0 million and $213.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, increases of $11.2 million, or 18.4%, and $59.1 million, or 38.3%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increases were mainly attributable to higher average balances and higher short-term interest rates, which drove higher income from the Company’s cash and investment portfolio, tax-deferred property exchange business and escrow balances.

Net realized investment gains totaled $0.4 million and $35.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.  The net realized investment gains for the three months ended September 30, 2019 were primarily from the sale of debt securities, partially offset by impairment related to software.  The net realized investment gains for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 were primarily from an increase in the fair values of equity securities.  Net realized investment gains totaled $9.1 million and $8.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.  The net realized investment gains for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were primarily from an increase in the fair values of equity securities, partially offset by losses from the sales of debt securities.

The title insurance and services segment (primarily direct operations) is labor intensive; accordingly, a major expense component is personnel costs.  This expense component is affected by two primary factors: the need to monitor personnel changes to match the level of corresponding or anticipated new orders and the need to provide quality service.

Personnel costs were $447.8 million and $1.3 billion for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, increases of $22.2 million, or 5.2%, and $5.4 million, or 0.4%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increases for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were primarily attributable to higher incentive compensation, employee benefit costs and overtime expense, partially offset by lower salary and payroll tax expenses.  The increases in incentive compensation expense were due to higher profitability.  The increases in employee benefit costs were due to a higher expected 401(k) savings plan match driven by improved financial results.  The decreases in salary and payroll tax expense were driven by lower average headcount in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 when compared with the same periods of the prior year.

Agents retained $518.8 million and $1.3 billion of title premiums generated by agency operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, which compares with $485.6 million and $1.3 billion for the respective periods of the prior year.  The percentage of title premiums retained by agents was 79.1% and 79.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, compared to 78.9% and 78.8% for the respective periods of the prior year.  The changes in the percentage of title premiums retained by agents for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 when compared to the same periods of the prior year were primarily due to changes in the geographic mix of agency revenues.

Other operating expenses for the title insurance and services segment were $218.7 million and $581.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, an increase of $17.8 million, or 8.8%, and a decrease of $12.7 million, or 2.1%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increase in other operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to higher production related costs driven by the growth in transaction activity, impairments related to certain leases that were impacted by the consolidation of office locations related to a previous acquisition and higher software expense, partially offset by lower regulatory costs due to the recording of a reserve related to a legacy regulatory matter during the third quarter of 2018.  The decrease in other operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to lower foreign currency exchange losses, lower computer hardware related costs, lower regulatory costs and higher earnings credits, partially offset by impairments related to certain leases and higher software expense.  The three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were also impacted by declines in production related expense attributable to changes in certain contractual arrangements that require the netting of production related costs against related revenues.

40


 

The provision for policy losses and other claims, expressed as a percentage of title premiums and escrow fees, was 4.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.  The current quarter rate of 4.0% reflects the ultimate loss rate for the current policy year and no change in the loss reserve estimates for prior policy years.  The 4.0% rate for the third quarter of 2018 reflected the ultimate loss rate for the 2018 policy year and no change in the loss reserve estimates for prior policy years.

Depreciation and amortization expense was $29.8 million and $92.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, a decrease of $0.2 million, or 0.5%, and an increase of $4.6 million, or 5.3%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increase in depreciation and amortization expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to higher amortization expense associated with internally developed technology.

Premium taxes were $17.3 million and $45.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, an increase of $0.4 million, or 2.4%, and a decrease of $1.4 million, or 3.0%, respectively, compared to $16.9 million and $46.4 million for the same periods of the prior year. Premium taxes as a percentage of title insurance premiums and escrow fees were 1.4% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, and 1.5% and 1.4% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.

Interest expense was $4.2 million and $11.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, increases of $1.8 million, or 77.1%, and $6.2 million, or 124.0%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increase for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to higher interest paid related to secured financings payable.  The increase for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to higher interest paid related to customer deposits at the Company’s banking subsidiary, First American Trust, FSB, and secured financings payable.  The increases in interest paid on secured financings payable for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2109 were due to increases in average balances outstanding.  The increase in interest paid on customer deposits for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was due to an increase in average balances and higher interest rates paid.

The profit margins for the title insurance business reflect the high cost of performing the essential services required before insuring title, whereas the corresponding revenues are subject to regulatory and competitive pricing restraints.  Due to the relatively high proportion of fixed costs, title insurance profit margins generally improve as closed order volumes increase.  Title insurance profit margins are also impacted by the segment’s net investment income and net realized investment gains or losses, which may not move in the same direction as closed order volumes.  Title insurance profit margins are affected by the composition (residential or commercial) and type (resale, refinancing or new construction) of real estate activity.  Title insurance profit margins are also affected by the percentage of title insurance premiums generated by agency operations.  Profit margins from direct operations are generally higher than from agency operations due primarily to the large portion of the premium that is retained by the agent.  The pre-tax margins for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were 16.5% and 15.4%, respectively, compared with 14.6% and 13.1% in the respective periods of the prior year.

41


 

Specialty Insurance

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

(in thousands, except percentages)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

$ Change

 

 

% Change

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

$ Change

 

 

% Change

 

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct premiums

 

$

121,798

 

 

$

116,606

 

 

$

5,192

 

 

 

4.5

%

 

$

348,904

 

 

$

339,298

 

 

$

9,606

 

 

 

2.8

%

Information and other

 

 

3,270

 

 

 

2,981

 

 

 

289

 

 

 

9.7

 

 

 

9,490

 

 

 

8,807

 

 

 

683

 

 

 

7.8

 

Net investment income

 

 

3,064

 

 

 

2,573

 

 

 

491

 

 

 

19.1

 

 

 

8,496

 

 

 

7,561

 

 

 

935

 

 

 

12.4

 

Net realized investment gains

 

 

1,058

 

 

 

2,019

 

 

 

(961

)

 

 

(47.6

)

 

 

7,450

 

 

 

2,084

 

 

 

5,366

 

 

 

257.5

 

 

 

 

129,190

 

 

 

124,179

 

 

 

5,011

 

 

 

4.0

 

 

 

374,340

 

 

 

357,750

 

 

 

16,590

 

 

 

4.6

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel costs

 

 

20,742

 

 

 

19,416

 

 

 

1,326

 

 

 

6.8

 

 

 

60,246

 

 

 

57,234

 

 

 

3,012

 

 

 

5.3

 

Other operating expenses

 

 

19,230

 

 

 

18,705

 

 

 

525

 

 

 

2.8

 

 

 

57,284

 

 

 

56,184

 

 

 

1,100

 

 

 

2.0

 

Provision for policy losses and other claims

 

 

74,164

 

 

 

76,280

 

 

 

(2,116

)

 

 

(2.8

)

 

 

200,986

 

 

 

207,695

 

 

 

(6,709

)

 

 

(3.2

)

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

1,859

 

 

 

1,713

 

 

 

146

 

 

 

8.5

 

 

 

5,379

 

 

 

4,981

 

 

 

398

 

 

 

8.0

 

Premium taxes

 

 

2,174

 

 

 

1,864

 

 

 

310

 

 

 

16.6

 

 

 

5,899

 

 

 

5,436

 

 

 

463

 

 

 

8.5

 

 

 

 

118,169

 

 

 

117,978

 

 

 

191

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

329,794

 

 

 

331,530

 

 

 

(1,736

)

 

 

(0.5

)

Income before income taxes

 

$

11,021

 

 

$

6,201

 

 

$

4,820

 

 

 

77.7

%

 

$

44,546

 

 

$

26,220

 

 

$

18,326

 

 

 

69.9

%

Margins

 

 

8.5

%

 

 

5.0

%

 

 

3.5

%

 

 

70.0

%

 

 

11.9

%

 

 

7.3

%

 

 

4.6

%

 

 

63.0

%

 

Direct premiums were $121.8 million and $348.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, increases of $5.2 million, or 4.5%, and $9.6 million, or 2.8%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increases were primarily attributable to higher premiums earned in the home warranty business driven by an increase in the number of home warranty residential service contracts issued and an increase in the average price charged per contract.

Net realized investment gains for the specialty insurance segment totaled $1.1 million and $7.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and $2.0 million and $2.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.  These net realized investment gains were primarily from the increase in the fair values of equity securities.

Personnel costs and other operating expenses were $40.0 million and $117.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, increases of $1.9 million, or 4.9%, and $4.1 million, or 3.6%, when compared with the respective periods of the prior year.  The increases were primarily attributable to higher salary, employee benefit costs, professional services and advertising expenses, partially offset by lower employee severance and sales tax expenses.  The increases in salary expense were primarily due to higher average salaries.

The provision for home warranty claims, expressed as a percentage of home warranty premiums, was 59.9% and 52.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, compared with 62.9% and 56.1% for the respective periods of the prior year.  The decrease in the claims rate for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to a decrease in the severity of claims, partially offset by an increase in the frequency of claims.  The decrease in the severity of home warranty claims was due to more efficient claims management, which was mainly driven by improved rates with contractors and more efficient allocation of claims to contractors.  The provision for property and casualty claims, expressed as a percentage of property and casualty insurance premiums, was 63.8% and 73.8% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, compared with 72.5% and 75.2% for the respective periods of the prior year.  The decrease in the claims rate for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to recoveries received during the quarter related to wildfires that occurred in 2018 and 2017.

Premium taxes were $2.2 million and $5.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, compared with $1.9 million and $5.4 million for the respective periods of the prior year.  Premium taxes as a percentage of specialty insurance segment premiums were 1.8% and 1.7% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and 1.6% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018.

42


 

A large part of the revenues for the specialty insurance businesses are generated by renewals and are not dependent on the level of real estate activity in the year of renewal.  With the exception of loss expense, the majority of the expenses for this segment are variable in nature and therefore generally fluctuate consistent with revenue fluctuations.  Accordingly, profit margins for this segment (before loss expense) are relatively constant, although as a result of some fixed expenses, profit margins (before loss expense) should nominally improve as premium revenues increase.  Specialty insurance profit margins are also impacted by the segment’s net investment income and net realized investment gains or losses, which may not move in the same direction as premium revenues.  The pre-tax margins for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were 8.5% and 11.9%, respectively, compared with 5.0% and 7.3% in the respective periods of the prior year.

Corporate

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

(in thousands, except percentages)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

$ Change

 

 

% Change

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

$ Change

 

 

% Change

 

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net investment income

 

$

1,770

 

 

$

4,461

 

 

$

(2,691

)

 

 

(60.3

)%

 

$

15,456

 

 

$

5,488

 

 

$

9,968

 

 

 

181.6

%

 

 

 

1,770

 

 

 

4,461

 

 

 

(2,691

)

 

 

(60.3

)

 

 

15,456

 

 

 

5,488

 

 

 

9,968

 

 

 

181.6

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel costs

 

 

2,146

 

 

 

4,858

 

 

 

(2,712

)

 

 

(55.8

)

 

 

17,486

 

 

 

8,981

 

 

 

8,505

 

 

 

94.7

 

Other operating expenses

 

 

10,590

 

 

 

8,297

 

 

 

2,293

 

 

 

27.6

 

 

 

29,090

 

 

 

25,533

 

 

 

3,557

 

 

 

13.9

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

38

 

 

 

38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

115

 

 

 

115

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

 

8,249

 

 

 

8,421

 

 

 

(172

)

 

 

(2.0

)

 

 

25,198

 

 

 

25,024

 

 

 

174

 

 

 

0.7

 

 

 

 

21,023

 

 

 

21,614

 

 

 

(591

)

 

 

(2.7

)

 

 

71,889

 

 

 

59,653

 

 

 

12,236

 

 

 

20.5

 

Loss before income taxes

 

$

(19,253

)

 

$

(17,153

)

 

$

(2,100

)

 

 

(12.2

)%

 

$

(56,433

)

 

$

(54,165

)

 

$

(2,268

)

 

 

(4.2

)%

Net investment income totaled $1.8 million and $15.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, compared with $4.5 million and $5.5 million for the respective periods of the prior year.  The decrease in net investment income for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attribute to lower earnings on investments associated with the Company’s deferred compensation plan.  The increase in net investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to higher earnings on investments associated with the Company’s deferred compensation plan and higher interest income on cash balances when compared to the same period of 2018.

Corporate personnel costs and other operating expenses were $12.7 million and $46.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, compared with $13.2 million and $34.5 million for the respective periods of the prior year.  The increase in corporate personnel costs and other operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to higher expense related to the Company’s deferred compensation plan.

Eliminations

The Company’s inter-segment eliminations were not material for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

INCOME TAXES

The Company’s effective income tax rates (income tax expense as a percentage of income before income taxes) were 23.3% and 21.3% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, compared with 22.6% and 22.0% for the respective periods of the prior year.  The differences in the effective tax rates for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 when compared with the respective periods of the prior year were primarily due to the resolution of state tax matters during the second quarter of 2019 related to prior years, taxes on unremitted foreign earnings, and the recognition of excess tax benefits or tax deficiencies associated with share-based payment transactions through income tax expense.

The Company evaluates the realizability of its deferred tax assets by assessing the valuation allowance and makes adjustments to the allowance as necessary.  The factors used to assess the likelihood of realization include the Company’s forecast of future taxable income and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize the deferred tax assets.  The Company’s ability or failure to achieve forecasted taxable income in the applicable taxing jurisdictions could affect the ultimate realization of deferred tax assets.  Based on actual future operating results in certain jurisdictions, it is possible that the current valuation allowance positions of those jurisdictions could be adjusted in the next 12 months.

43


 

NET INCOME AND NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE COMPANY

Net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 was $188.2 million and $485.2 million, respectively, compared with $151.5 million and $382.7 million for the respective periods of the prior year. Net income attributable to the Company for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 was $187.2 million, or $1.65 per diluted share, and $483.4 million, or $4.26 per diluted share, respectively, compared with $151.5 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, and $382.8 million, or $3.38 per diluted share, for the respective periods of the prior year.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Cash requirements.    The Company generates cash primarily from the sale of its products and services and investment income.  The Company’s current cash requirements include operating expenses, taxes, payments of principal and interest on its debt, capital expenditures, dividends on its common stock, and may include business acquisitions and repurchases of its common stock.  Management forecasts the cash needs of the holding company and its primary subsidiaries and regularly reviews their short-term and long-term projected sources and uses of funds, as well as the asset, liability, investment and cash flow assumptions underlying such forecasts.  Based on the Company’s ability to generate cash flows from operations, its liquid-asset position and amounts available on its revolving credit facility, management believes that its resources are sufficient to satisfy its anticipated operational cash requirements and obligations for at least the next twelve months.

The substantial majority of the Company’s business is dependent upon activity in the real estate and mortgage markets, which are cyclical and seasonal.  Periods of increasing interest rates and reduced mortgage financing availability generally have an adverse effect on residential real estate activity and therefore typically decrease the Company’s revenues.  In contrast, periods of declining interest rates and increased mortgage financing availability generally have a positive effect on residential real estate activity, which typically increases the Company’s revenues.  Residential purchase activity is typically slower in the winter months with increased volumes in the spring and summer months.  Residential refinance activity is typically more volatile than purchase activity and is highly impacted by changes in interest rates.  Commercial real estate volumes are less sensitive to changes in interest rates, but fluctuate based on local supply and demand conditions for space and mortgage financing availability.

Cash provided by operating activities totaled $611.7 million and $484.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, after claim payments, net of recoveries, of $305.2 million and $334.0 million, respectively.  The principal nonoperating uses of cash and cash equivalents for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 were advances under secured financing agreements, repayments of secured financings payable, purchases of debt and equity securities, repayments of notes and contracts payable, dividends to common stockholders, purchases of other investments, and capital expenditures.  The principal nonoperating uses of cash and cash equivalents for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were purchases of debt and equity securities, advances under secured financing agreements, repayments of secured financings payable, dividends to common stockholders, business acquisitions, and capital expenditures.  The principal nonoperating sources of cash and cash equivalents for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 were borrowings under secured financing agreements, collections of secured financings receivable, proceeds from the sales and maturities of debt and equity securities and borrowings under the unsecured credit agreement.  The principal nonoperating sources of cash and cash equivalents for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were borrowings under secured financing agreements, collections of secured financings receivable, an increase in the deposit balances at the Company’s banking operations and proceeds from the sales and maturities of debt and equity securities.  The net effect of all activities on cash and cash equivalents were increases of $243.9 million and $818.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The Company continually assesses its capital allocation strategy, including decisions relating to dividends, stock repurchases, capital expenditures, acquisitions and investments.  In September 2019, the Company paid a third quarter cash dividend of 42 cents per common share.  Management expects that the Company will continue to pay quarterly cash dividends at or above the current level.  The timing, declaration and payment of future dividends, however, falls within the discretion of the Company’s board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including the Company’s financial condition and earnings, the capital requirements of the Company’s businesses, restrictions imposed by applicable law and any other factors the board of directors deems relevant from time to time.

44


 

The Company maintains a stock repurchase plan with authorization up to $250.0 million, of which $161.6 million remained as of September 30, 2019.  Purchases may be made from time to time by the Company in the open market at prevailing market prices or in privately negotiated transactions.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company repurchased and retired 47 thousand shares of its common stock for a total purchase price of $2.1 million and, as of September 30, 2019, had repurchased and retired 3.6 million shares of its common stock under the current authorization for a total purchase price of $88.4 million.

Holding Company.    First American Financial Corporation is a holding company that conducts all of its operations through its subsidiaries.  The holding company’s current cash requirements include payments of principal and interest on its debt, taxes, payments in connection with employee benefit plans, dividends on its common stock and other expenses.  The holding company is dependent upon dividends and other payments from its operating subsidiaries to meet its cash requirements.  The Company’s target is to maintain a cash balance at the holding company equal to at least twelve months of estimated cash requirements.  At certain points in time, the actual cash balance at the holding company may vary from this target due to, among other factors, the timing and amount of cash payments made and dividend payments received.  Pursuant to insurance and other regulations under which the Company’s insurance subsidiaries operate, the amount of dividends, loans and advances available to the holding company is limited, principally for the protection of policyholders.  As of September 30, 2019, under such regulations, the maximum amount available to the holding company from its insurance subsidiaries for the remainder of 2019, without prior approval from applicable regulators, was dividends of $247.1 million and loans and advances of $98.5 million.  However, the timing and amount of dividends paid by the Company’s insurance subsidiaries to the holding company falls within the discretion of each insurance subsidiary’s board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including the level of total statutory capital and surplus required to support minimum financial strength ratings by certain rating agencies.  Such restrictions have not had, nor are they expected to have, an impact on the holding company’s ability to meet its cash obligations.

As of September 30, 2019, the holding company’s sources of liquidity included $61.2 million of cash and cash equivalents and $540.0 million available on the Company’s revolving credit facility.  Management believes that liquidity at the holding company is sufficient to satisfy anticipated cash requirements and obligations for at least the next twelve months.

Financing.    In April 2019, the Company entered into a senior unsecured credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPMorgan”) in its capacity as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto.  The credit agreement, which is comprised of a $700.0 million revolving credit facility, includes an expansion option that permits the Company, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, to increase the revolving commitments and/or add term loan tranches in an aggregate amount not to exceed $350.0 million.  Unless terminated earlier, the credit agreement will terminate on April 30, 2024.  The obligations of the Company under the credit agreement are neither secured nor guaranteed.  Upon entry into the credit agreement, the Company borrowed $160.0 million and repaid the $160.0 million obligation outstanding under the previous $700.0 million senior unsecured credit agreement, which was terminated at that time.  Other proceeds under the credit agreement may be used for general corporate purposes.  At September 30, 2019, outstanding borrowings under the facility totaled $160.0 million at an interest rate of 3.54%.

At the Company’s election, borrowings of revolving loans under the credit agreement bear interest at (a) the Alternate Base Rate plus the applicable spread or (b) the Adjusted LIBOR rate plus the applicable spread (in each case as defined in the credit agreement).  The Company may select interest periods of one, two, three or six months or (if agreed to by all lenders) such other number of months for Eurodollar borrowings of loans.  The applicable spread varies depending upon the debt rating assigned by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Rating Services and/or Fitch Ratings Inc.  The minimum applicable spread for Alternate Base Rate borrowings is 0.25% and the maximum is 1.00%.  The minimum applicable spread for Adjusted LIBOR rate borrowings is 1.25% and the maximum is 2.00%.  The rate of interest on any term loans incurred in connection with the expansion option will be established at or about the time such loans are made and may differ from the rate of interest on revolving loans.

The credit agreement includes representations and warranties, reporting covenants, affirmative covenants, negative covenants, financial covenants and events of default customary for financings of this type.  Upon the occurrence of an event of default the lenders may accelerate the loans.  Upon the occurrence of certain insolvency and bankruptcy events of default the loans will automatically accelerate.  As of September 30, 2019, the Company was in compliance with the financial covenants under the credit agreement.

In addition to amounts available under its credit facility, certain subsidiaries of the Company are parties to master repurchase agreements which are used as part of the Company’s liquidity management activities and to support its risk management activities.  In particular, securities loaned or sold under repurchase agreements may be used as short-term funding sources.  As of September 30, 2019, no amounts remained outstanding under these agreements.

 

45


 

In addition to being a party to master repurchase agreements, the Company’s federal savings bank subsidiary, First American Trust, FSB, maintains a secured line of credit with the Federal Home Loan Bank and federal funds lines of credit with certain correspondent institutions.  Also, a Canadian subsidiary of the Company, First Canadian Title Company Limited, maintains credit facilities with certain Canadian banking institutions. As of September 30, 2019, no amounts were outstanding under any of these facilities.

The Company’s debt to capitalization ratios were 18.5% and 17.8% at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.  

Investment Portfolio.    The Company maintains a high quality, liquid investment portfolio that is primarily held at its insurance and banking subsidiaries.  As of September 30, 2019, 93% of the Company’s investment portfolio consisted of debt securities, of which 69% were either United States government-backed or rated AAA and 98% were either rated or classified as investment grade.  Percentages are based on the estimated fair values of the securities.  Credit ratings reflect published ratings obtained from globally recognized securities rating agencies.  If a security was rated differently among the rating agencies, the lowest rating was selected.  For further information on the credit quality of the Company’s investment portfolio at September 30, 2019, see Note 3 Debt and Equity Securities to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

In addition to its debt and equity securities portfolio, the Company maintains certain money-market and other short-term investments.

Off-balance sheet arrangements.    The Company administers escrow deposits and trust assets as a service to its customers.  Escrow deposits totaled $8.7 billion and $7.6 billion at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, of which $3.7 billion and $3.6 billion, respectively, were held at First American Trust, FSB.  The escrow deposits held at First American Trust, FSB are temporarily invested in cash and cash equivalents and debt securities, with offsetting liabilities included in deposits in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.  The remaining escrow deposits are held at third-party financial institutions.

Trust assets held or managed by First American Trust, FSB totaled $4.1 billion and $3.6 billion at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.  Escrow deposits held at third-party financial institutions and trust assets are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are not included in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.  However, the Company could be held contingently liable for the disposition of these assets.

In conducting its operations, the Company often holds customers’ assets in escrow, pending completion of real estate transactions and, as a result, the Company has ongoing programs for realizing economic benefits with various financial institutions.  The results from these programs are included as income or a reduction in expense in the condensed consolidated statements of income, as appropriate, based on the nature of the arrangement and benefit received.

The Company facilitates tax-deferred property exchanges for customers pursuant to Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code and tax-deferred reverse exchanges pursuant to Revenue Procedure 2000-37.  As a facilitator and intermediary, the Company holds the proceeds from sales transactions and takes temporary title to property identified by the customer to be acquired with such proceeds.  Upon the completion of each such exchange, the identified property is transferred to the customer or, if the exchange does not take place, an amount equal to the sales proceeds or, in the case of a reverse exchange, title to the property held by the Company is transferred to the customer.  Like-kind exchange funds held by the Company totaled $2.7 billion at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.  The like-kind exchange deposits are held at third-party financial institutions and, due to the structure utilized to facilitate these transactions, the proceeds and property are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are not included in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.  All such amounts are placed in deposit accounts insured, up to applicable limits, by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.  The Company could be held contingently liable to the customer for the transfers of property, disbursements of proceeds and the returns on such proceeds.

46


 

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

The Company’s primary exposure to market risk relates to interest rate risk associated with certain financial instruments.  Although the Company monitors its risk associated with fluctuations in interest rates, it does not currently use derivative financial instruments on any significant scale to hedge these risks.

There have been no material changes in the Company’s market risks since the filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Item 4.

Controls and Procedures.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer have concluded that, as of September 30, 2019, the end of the quarterly period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, were effective, based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 13a-15(b) thereunder.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There was no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended September 30, 2019, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

47


 

PART II: OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.

The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to a number of non-ordinary course lawsuits.  These lawsuits frequently are similar in nature to other lawsuits pending against the Company’s competitors.

For those non-ordinary course lawsuits where the Company has determined that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability representing the best estimate of the Company’s financial exposure based on known facts has been recorded.  Actual losses may materially differ from the amounts recorded.

It is, however, often not possible to assess the probability of loss.  Lawsuits that are putative class actions require a plaintiff to satisfy a number of procedural requirements before proceeding to trial.  These requirements include, among others, demonstration to a court that the law proscribes in some manner the Company’s activities, the making of factual allegations sufficient to suggest that the Company’s activities exceeded the limits of the law and a determination by the court—known as class certification—that the law permits a group of individuals to pursue the case together as a class.  In certain instances the Company may also be able to compel the plaintiff to arbitrate its claim on an individual basis.  If these procedural requirements are not met, either the lawsuit cannot proceed or, as is the case with class certification or compelled arbitration, the plaintiffs lose the financial incentive to proceed with the case (or the amount at issue effectively becomes de minimis).  Frequently, a court’s determination as to these procedural requirements is subject to appeal to a higher court.  As a result of, among other factors, ambiguities and inconsistencies in the myriad laws applicable to the Company’s business and the uniqueness of the factual issues presented in any given lawsuit, the Company often cannot determine the probability of loss until a court has finally determined that a plaintiff has satisfied applicable procedural requirements.

Furthermore, for putative class actions, it is often impossible to estimate the possible loss or a range of loss amounts, even where the Company has determined that a loss is reasonably possible.  Generally class actions involve a large number of people and the effort to determine which people satisfy the requirements to become plaintiffs—or class members—is often time consuming and burdensome.  Moreover, these lawsuits raise complex factual issues which result in uncertainty as to their outcome and, ultimately, make it difficult for the Company to estimate the amount of damages which a plaintiff might successfully prove.  In addition, many of the Company’s businesses are regulated by various federal, state, local and foreign governmental agencies and are subject to numerous statutory guidelines.  These regulations and statutory guidelines often are complex, inconsistent or ambiguous, which results in additional uncertainty as to the outcome of a given lawsuit—including the amount of damages a plaintiff might be afforded—or makes it difficult to analogize experience in one case or jurisdiction to another case or jurisdiction.

Most of the non-ordinary course lawsuits to which the Company and its subsidiaries are parties challenge practices in the Company’s title insurance business, though a limited number of cases also pertain to the Company’s other businesses.  These lawsuits include, among others, cases alleging, among other assertions, that the Company or one of its subsidiaries  improperly charged fees for products and services, improperly handled property and casualty claims and gave items of value to builders as inducements to refer business in violation of certain laws, such as consumer protection laws and laws generally prohibiting unfair business practices, and certain obligations, including:

 

Tenefufu vs. First American Specialty Insurance Company, filed on June 1, 2017 and pending in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Sacramento, and

 

Wilmot v. First American Financial Corporation, et al., filed on April 20, 2007 and pending in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

These lawsuits are putative class actions for which a class has not been certified.  For the reasons described above, the Company has not yet been able to assess the probability of loss or estimate the possible loss or the range of loss.

The Company and/or its subsidiaries are also parties to numerous class action lawsuits as a result of the information security incident that occurred during the second quarter of 2019.  All of these lawsuits are putative class actions for which a class has not been certified.  For the reasons described above, the Company has not yet been able to assess the probability of loss or estimate the possible loss or the range of loss.

While some of the lawsuits described above may be material to the Company’s operating results in any particular period if an unfavorable outcome results, the Company does not believe that any of these lawsuits will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s overall financial condition or liquidity.

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The Company also is a party to non-ordinary course lawsuits other than those described above.  With respect to these lawsuits, the Company has determined either that a loss is not reasonably possible or that the estimated loss or range of loss, if any, is not material to the condensed consolidated financial statements as a whole.

The Company’s title insurance, property and casualty insurance, home warranty, banking, thrift, trust and wealth management businesses are regulated by various federal, state and local governmental agencies.  Many of the Company’s other businesses operate within statutory guidelines.  Consequently, the Company may from time to time be subject to examination or investigation by such governmental agencies.  Currently, governmental agencies are examining or investigating certain of the Company’s operations.  One of these investigations pertains to title insurance policies issued by agents of the Company’s title insurance subsidiary in the State of Indiana during 2006-2008.  As a result of this investigation, the Indiana Commissioner of Insurance determined, based upon a simple extrapolation of a review of settlement statements issued in 129 transactions, that the Company’s title insurance subsidiary overcharged consumers by approximately $3.1 million and, consequently, failed to pay premium taxes by approximately $38,000.  The Commissioner ordered the payment of these amounts to the Indiana Department of Insurance, plus interest and certain fees and expenses.  On appeal, the Commissioner was ordered to refund approximately $2.8 million in inappropriately assessed interest and fees. The Commissioner has appealed this order and the Company expects to cross-appeal to challenge the Commissioner’s methodology for determining the appropriateness of the premium charged, among other matters.  With respect to the same transactions involved in this investigation, on July 24, 2019, the Commissioner filed a Statement of Charges seeking payment of a civil penalty relating to the alleged overcharges.  While the Company intends to conduct a vigorous defense to the Statement of Charges, should the Commissioner prevail it is expected that any civil penalty would be proportionate to the amount actually determined to have been overcharged.  The Company also has received numerous regulatory inquiries and/or investigations as a result of the information security incident that occurred during the second quarter of 2019.  With respect to matters where the Company has determined that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company has recorded a liability representing its best estimate of the financial exposure based on known facts.  While the ultimate disposition of each such exam or investigation is not yet determinable, the Company does not believe that individually or in the aggregate they will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.  These exams or investigations could, however, result in changes to the Company’s business practices which could ultimately have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

The Company’s Canadian operations provide certain services to lenders which it believes to be exempt from excise tax under applicable Canadian tax laws.  However, in October 2014, the Canadian taxing authority provided internal guidance that the services in question should be subject to the excise tax.  During July 2019, the Company received an assessment from the Canadian taxing authority.  The amount of the assessment is $14.4 million, which is based on the exchange rate as of, and includes interest charges through, September 30, 2019. As the Company does not believe that the services in question are subject to excise tax, it intends to avail itself of avenues of appeal, and it believes it is reasonably likely that the Company will prevail on the merits.  Based on the current facts and circumstances, the Company does not believe a loss is probable, therefore no liability has been recorded.

The Company and its subsidiaries also are involved in numerous ongoing routine legal and regulatory proceedings related to their operations.  With respect to each of these proceedings, the Company has determined either that a loss is not reasonably possible or that the estimated loss or range of loss, if any, is not material to the condensed consolidated financial statements as a whole.

Item 1A.

Risk Factors.

You should carefully consider each of the following risk factors and the other information contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.  The Company faces risks other than those listed here, including those that are unknown to the Company and others of which the Company may be aware but, at present, considers immaterial.  Because of the following factors, as well as other variables affecting the Company’s operating results, past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods.

1. Conditions in the real estate market generally impact the demand for a substantial portion of the Company’s products and services and the Company’s claims experience

Demand for a substantial portion of the Company’s products and services generally decreases as the number of real estate transactions in which its products and services are purchased decreases.  The number of real estate transactions in which the Company’s products and services are purchased decreases in the following situations, among others:

 

when mortgage interest rates are high or rising;

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when the availability of credit, including commercial and residential mortgage funding, is limited; and

 

when real estate affordability is declining.

These circumstances, particularly when combined with declining real estate values and the increase in foreclosures that often results therefrom, also tend to adversely impact the Company’s title claims experience.

2. Unfavorable economic conditions could adversely affect the Company

Historically, uncertainty and negative trends in general economic conditions in the United States and abroad, including significant tightening of credit markets and a general decline in the value of real property, have created a difficult operating environment for the Company’s core title and settlement businesses.  These conditions also tend to negatively impact the amount of funds the Company receives from third parties to be held in trust pending the closing of commercial and residential real estate transactions.  The Company may deposit these funds, as well as its own funds, with the federal savings bank it owns.  The Company’s bank invests those funds and any realized losses incurred on those investments will be reflected in the Company’s consolidated results.  The likelihood of such losses, which generally would not occur if the Company were to deposit these funds in an unaffiliated entity, increases when economic conditions are unfavorable.  Moreover, during periods of unfavorable economic conditions, the return on these funds deposited at the Company’s bank, as well as funds the Company may deposit with third party financial institutions, tends to decline.  In addition, the Company holds investments in entities, such as title agencies and settlement service providers, as well as other securities in its investment portfolio, which also may be negatively impacted by these conditions.  Depending upon the ultimate severity and duration of any economic downturn, the resulting effects on the Company could be materially adverse, including a significant reduction in revenues, earnings and cash flows, challenges to the Company’s ability to satisfy covenants or otherwise meet its obligations under debt facilities, difficulties in obtaining access to capital, challenges to the Company’s ability to pay dividends at currently anticipated levels, deterioration in the value of or return on its investments and increased credit risk from customers and others with obligations to the Company.

3. Uncertainty from the expected discontinuance of LIBOR and transition to any other interest rate benchmark may affect our cost of capital and net investment income

In July 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority announced that it intends to stop persuading or compelling banks to submit LIBOR rates after 2021, which is expected to result in these widely used reference rates no longer being available.  We have exposure to LIBOR-based financial instruments, such as LIBOR-based securities held in our investment portfolio.  Borrowings under our $700.0 million senior unsecured credit facility and some of our warehouse credit facilities also are LIBOR-based, although each allows for the use of an unspecified alternative benchmark rate if LIBOR is no longer available.  Potential changes to LIBOR, as well as uncertainty related to such potential changes and the establishment of any alternative reference rate, may adversely affect our cost of capital and the market for LIBOR-based securities, which could have an adverse impact on the earnings from or value of our investment portfolio.  At this time, we cannot predict the overall effect of the modification or discontinuation of LIBOR or the establishment of any alternative benchmark rate.

4. Failures at financial institutions at which the Company deposits funds could adversely affect the Company

The Company deposits substantial funds in financial institutions.  These funds include amounts owned by third parties, such as escrow deposits.  Should one or more of the financial institutions at which deposits are maintained fail, there is no guarantee that the Company would recover the funds deposited, whether through Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage or otherwise.  In the event of any such failure, the Company also could be held liable for the funds owned by third parties.

5. Regulatory oversight and changes in government regulation could require the Company to raise capital, make it more difficult to deploy capital, including dividends to shareholders and repurchases of the Company’s shares, prohibit or limit the Company’s operations, make it more costly or burdensome to conduct such operations or result in decreased demand for the Company’s products and services

Many of the Company’s businesses, including its title insurance, property and casualty insurance, home warranty, banking, trust and wealth management businesses, are regulated by various federal, state, local and foreign governmental agencies.  These and other of the Company’s businesses also operate within statutory guidelines.  The industry in which the Company operates and the markets into which it sells its products are also regulated and subject to statutory guidelines.  

Regulatory oversight could require the Company to raise capital, and/or make it more difficult to deploy capital, including dividends to shareholders and repurchases of the Company’s shares.  For example, regulatory capital requirements for the

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Company have historically applied only at the subsidiary level, specifically to the Company’s federal savings bank subsidiary and the Company’s insurance underwriter subsidiaries.  However, both the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System have issued proposals for group capital requirements.  These new requirements, if finalized and adopted in their current forms, would apply to the Company at the group level and would be in addition to existing subsidiary-level capital requirements.  It is possible that the requirements, particularly in an economic downturn, could have the effect of requiring the Company to raise capital and/or making it more difficult to otherwise deploy capital, including dividends to shareholders and repurchases of the Company’s shares.      

In addition, changes in the applicable regulatory environment, statutory guidelines or interpretations of existing regulations or statutes, enhanced governmental oversight or efforts by governmental agencies to cause customers to refrain from using the Company’s products or services could prohibit or limit its future operations or make it more costly or burdensome to conduct such operations or result in decreased demand for the Company’s products and services or a change in our competitive position.  The impact of these changes would be more significant if they involve jurisdictions in which the Company generates a greater portion of its title premiums, such as the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. These changes may compel the Company to reduce its prices, may restrict its ability to implement price increases or acquire assets or businesses, may limit the manner in which the Company conducts its business or otherwise may have a negative impact on its ability to generate revenues, earnings and cash flows.

6. Scrutiny of the Company’s businesses and the industries in which it operates by governmental entities and others could adversely affect the Company

The real estate settlement services industry, an industry in which the Company generates a substantial portion of its revenue and earnings, is subject to continuous scrutiny by regulators, legislators, the media and plaintiffs’ attorneys.  Though often directed at the industry generally, these groups may also focus their attention directly on the Company’s businesses.  In either case, this scrutiny may result in changes which could adversely affect the Company’s operations and, therefore, its financial condition and liquidity.

Governmental entities have routinely inquired into certain practices in the real estate settlement services industry to determine whether certain of the Company’s businesses or its competitors have violated applicable laws, which include, among others, the insurance codes of the various jurisdictions and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and similar state, federal and foreign laws.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), for example, has actively utilized its regulatory authority over the mortgage and real estate markets by bringing enforcement actions against various participants in the mortgage and settlement industries.  Departments of insurance in the various states, the CFPB and other federal regulators and applicable regulators in international jurisdictions, either separately or together, also periodically conduct targeted inquiries into the practices of title insurance companies and other settlement services providers in their respective jurisdictions.

Further, from time to time plaintiffs’ lawyers may target the Company and other members of the Company’s industry with lawsuits claiming legal violations or other wrongful conduct.  These lawsuits may involve large groups of plaintiffs and claims for substantial damages.  Any of these types of inquiries or proceedings may result in a finding of a violation of the law or other wrongful conduct and may result in the payment of fines or damages or the imposition of restrictions on the Company’s conduct which could impact its operations and financial condition.  Moreover, these laws and standards of conduct often are ambiguous and, thus, it may be difficult to ensure compliance.  This ambiguity may force the Company to mitigate its risk by settling claims or by ending practices that generate revenues, earnings and cash flows.

7. The use of social media by the Company and other parties could result in damage to the Company’s reputation or otherwise adversely affect the Company

The Company increasingly utilizes social media to communicate with current and potential customers and employees, as well as other individuals interested in the Company.  Information delivered by the Company, or by third parties about the Company, via social media can be easily accessed and rapidly disseminated, and could result in reputational harm, decreased customer loyalty or other issues that could diminish the value of the Company’s brand or result in significant liability.

8. Regulation of title insurance rates could adversely affect the Company

Title insurance rates are subject to extensive regulation, which varies from state to state.  In many states the approval of the applicable state insurance regulator is required prior to implementing a rate change.  This regulation could hinder the Company’s ability to promptly adapt to changing market dynamics through price adjustments, which could adversely affect its results of operations, particularly in a rapidly declining market.

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9. Changes in certain laws and regulations, and in the regulatory environment in which the Company operates, could adversely affect the Company

Federal and state officials are currently discussing various potential changes to laws and regulations that could impact the Company’s businesses, including the reform of government-sponsored enterprises such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and data privacy regulations, among others.  Changes in these areas, and more generally in the regulatory environment in which the Company and its customers operate, could adversely impact the volume of mortgage originations in the United States and the Company’s competitive position and results of operations.

10. Recent and pending data privacy laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company

An increasing number of federal, state, and international laws and regulations apply to the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer, and other processing of personal data, including the California Consumer Privacy Act and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation.  We believe that other jurisdictions are considering similar laws.  The effects of these privacy laws, including the cost of compliance, are not fully known and are potentially significant, and the failure to comply could adversely affect the Company.  As a result of the Company’s information security incident that occurred during the second quarter of 2019, there could be increased scrutiny of the Company’s compliance with these privacy laws and there is increased oversight of its information security program.

11. The Company may find it difficult to acquire necessary data

Certain data used and supplied by the Company are subject to regulation by various federal, state and local regulatory authorities.  Compliance with existing federal, state and local laws and regulations with respect to such data has not had a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations to date.  Nonetheless, federal, state and local laws and regulations in the United States designed to protect the public from the misuse of personal information in the marketplace and adverse publicity or potential litigation concerning the commercial use of such information may affect the Company’s operations and could result in substantial regulatory compliance expense, litigation expense and a loss of revenue.  The suppliers of data to the Company face similar burdens.  As a result of these and other factors, the Company may find it financially burdensome to acquire necessary data.

12. Changes in the Company’s relationships with large mortgage lenders or government–sponsored enterprises could adversely affect the Company

The mortgage market in the United States is concentrated.  Due to the consolidated nature of the industry, the Company derives a significant percentage of its revenues from a relatively small base of lenders, and their borrowers, which enhances the negotiating power of these lenders with respect to the pricing and the terms on which they purchase the Company’s products and other matters.  Similarly, government-sponsored enterprises, because of their significant role in the mortgage process, have significant influence over the Company and other service providers.  These circumstances could adversely affect the Company’s revenues and profitability.  Changes in the Company’s relationship with any of these lenders or government-sponsored enterprises, the loss of all or a portion of the business the Company derives from these parties, any refusal of these parties to accept the Company’s products and services, the modification of the government-sponsored enterprises’ requirement for title insurance in connection with mortgages they purchase or the use of alternatives to the Company’s products and services, could have a material adverse effect on the Company.

13. A downgrade by ratings agencies, reductions in statutory capital and surplus maintained by the Company’s title insurance underwriters or a deterioration in other measures of financial strength could adversely affect the Company

Certain of the Company’s customers use measurements of the financial strength of the Company’s title insurance underwriters, including, among others, ratings provided by ratings agencies and levels of statutory capital and surplus maintained by those underwriters, in determining the amount of a policy they will accept and the amount of reinsurance required.  Each of the major ratings agencies currently rates the Company’s title insurance operations.  The Company’s principal title insurance underwriter’s financial strength ratings are “A2” by Moody’s Investor Services, Inc., “A” by Fitch Ratings, Inc., “A-” by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and “A” by A.M. Best Company, Inc. These ratings provide the agencies’ perspectives on the financial strength, operating performance and cash generating ability of those operations.  These agencies continually review these ratings and the ratings are subject to change.  Statutory capital and surplus, or the amount by which statutory assets exceed statutory liabilities, is also a measure of financial strength.  The Company’s principal title insurance underwriter maintained $1.2 billion of total statutory capital and surplus as of December 31, 2018.  Accordingly, if the ratings or statutory capital and surplus of these title insurance underwriters are reduced from their current levels, or if there is a deterioration in other measures of financial strength, the Company’s results of operations, competitive position and liquidity could be adversely affected.

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14. The Company’s investment portfolio is subject to certain risks and could experience losses

The Company maintains a substantial investment portfolio, primarily consisting of fixed income debt securities.  The investment portfolio also includes adjustable-rate debt securities, common and preferred stock, as well as money-market and other short-term investments.  Securities in the Company’s investment portfolio are subject to certain economic and financial market risks, such as credit risk, interest rate (including call, prepayment and extension) risk and/or liquidity risk.  The risk of loss associated with the portfolio is increased during periods of instability in credit markets and economic conditions.  Debt and equity securities are carried at fair value on the Company’s balance sheet.  Changes in the fair value of debt securities is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss on the balance sheet.  For debt securities in an unrealized loss position, where the loss is deemed to be other-than-temporary, the Company records the loss in earnings.  Changes in the fair value of equity securities are recognized in earnings.  Changes in the fair value of securities in the Company’s investment portfolio could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, statutory surplus, financial condition and cash flow.

15. Actual claims experience could materially vary from the expected claims experience reflected in the Company’s reserve for incurred but not reported claims

The Company maintains a reserve for incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) claims pertaining to its title, escrow and other insurance and guarantee products.  The majority of this reserve pertains to title insurance policies, which are long-duration contracts with the majority of the claims reported within the first few years following the issuance of the policy.  Generally, 70% to 80% of claim amounts become known in the first six years of the policy life, and the majority of IBNR reserves relate to the six most recent policy years.  Changes in expected ultimate losses and corresponding loss rates for recent policy years are considered likely and could result in a material adjustment to the IBNR reserves.  Based on historical experience, management believes a 50 basis point change to the loss rates for recent policy years, positive or negative, is reasonably likely given the long duration nature of a title insurance policy.  For example, if the expected ultimate losses for each of the last six policy years increased or decreased by 50 basis points, the resulting impact on the Company’s IBNR reserve would be an increase or decrease, as the case may be, of $124.0 million.  A material change in expected ultimate losses and corresponding loss rates for older policy years is also possible, particularly for policy years with loss ratios exceeding historical norms.  The estimates made by management in determining the appropriate level of IBNR reserves could ultimately prove to be materially different from actual claims experience.

16. The issuance of the Company’s title insurance policies and related activities by title agents, which operate with substantial independence from the Company, could adversely affect the Company

The Company’s title insurance subsidiaries issue a significant portion of their policies through title agents that operate with a substantial degree of independence from the Company.  While these title agents are subject to certain contractual limitations that are designed to limit the Company’s risk with respect to their activities, there is no guarantee that the agents will fulfill their contractual obligations to the Company.  In addition, regulators are increasingly seeking to hold the Company responsible for the actions of these title agents and, under certain circumstances, the Company may be held liable directly to third parties for actions (including defalcations) or omissions of these agents.  Case law in certain states also suggests that the Company is liable for the actions or omissions of its agents in those states, regardless of contractual limitations.  As a result, the Company’s use of title agents could result in increased claims on the Company’s policies issued through agents and an increase in other costs and expenses.

17. The Company’s risk management framework could prove inadequate, which could adversely affect the Company

The Company’s risk management framework is designed to identify, monitor and mitigate risks that could have a negative impact on the Company’s financial condition or reputation.  This framework includes departments or groups dedicated to enterprise risk management, information security, disaster recovery and other information technology-related risks, business continuity, legal and compliance, compensation structures and other human resources matters, vendor management and internal audit, among others.  While many of the processes overseen by these departments function at the enterprise level, many also function through, or rely to a certain degree upon, risk mitigation efforts in local operating groups.  Similarly, with respect to the risks the Company assumes in the ordinary course of its business through the issuance of title insurance policies and the provision of related products and services, the Company employs localized as well as centralized risk mitigation efforts.  These efforts include the implementation of underwriting policies and procedures and other mechanisms for assessing risk.  Underwriting title insurance policies and making other risk-assumption decisions frequently involves a substantial degree of individual judgment and, accordingly, underwriters are maintained at the regional, divisional and corporate levels with varying degrees of underwriting authority.  These individuals may be encouraged by customers or others to assume risks or to expeditiously make risk determinations.  If the Company’s risk mitigation efforts prove inadequate, the Company could be adversely affected.

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18. Systems damage, failures, interruptions and intrusions, and unauthorized data disclosures may disrupt the Company’s business, harm the Company’s reputation, result in material claims for damages or otherwise adversely affect the Company

The Company uses computer systems and other technologies (collectively referred to as “systems”), some of which it owns and manages and some of which are owned and/or managed by third parties, including providers of distributed computing infrastructure platforms commonly known as the “cloud.”  The Company and its agents, suppliers, service providers, and customers use these systems to receive, process, store and transmit business information, including highly sensitive non-public personal information as well as data from suppliers and other information upon which the Company’s business relies.  The Company also uses these systems to manage substantial cash, investment assets, bank deposits, trust assets and escrow account balances on behalf of itself and its customers, among other activities.  Many of the Company’s products, services and solutions involving the use of real property related data are fully reliant on these systems and are only available electronically.  Accordingly, for a variety of reasons, the integrity of these systems and the protection of the information that resides thereon are critically important to the Company’s successful operation.

These systems have been subject to, and are likely to continue to be the target of, computer viruses, cyber attacks, phishing attacks and other malicious activity.  These attacks have increased in frequency and sophistication in recent years.  Further, certain other potential causes of system damage or other negative system-related events are wholly or partially beyond the Company’s control, such as natural disasters, vendor failures to satisfy service level requirements and power or telecommunications failures.  These incidents, regardless of their underlying causes, could expose the Company to system-related damages, failures, interruptions, and other negative events or could otherwise disrupt the Company’s business and could also result in the loss or unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring or destruction of confidential, proprietary and other information pertaining to the Company, its customers, employees, agents or suppliers.

In fact, during the third quarter of 2019, the Company concluded an investigation regarding potential unauthorized access to non-public personal information as a result of a vulnerability in one of the Company's applications.  The investigation identified imaged documents containing non-public personal information pertaining to 32 consumers that likely were accessed without authorization.  These 32 consumers were notified and offered complimentary credit monitoring services.  This incident triggered numerous federal and state governmental inquiries as well as private lawsuits against the Company.  While the incident is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s business, it may increase the risk associated with any future incidents, particularly the risk of damage to the Company’s reputation.

Certain laws and contracts the Company has entered into require it to notify various parties, including consumers or customers, in the event of certain actual or potential data breaches or systems failures.  These notifications can result, among other things, in the loss of customers, lawsuits, adverse publicity, diversion of management’s time and energy, the attention of regulatory authorities, fines and disruptions in sales.  Further, the Company’s financial institution customers have obligations to safeguard their systems and sensitive information and the Company may be bound contractually and/or by regulation to comply with the same requirements.  If the Company fails to comply with applicable regulations and contractual requirements, it could be exposed to lawsuits, governmental proceedings or the imposition of fines, among other consequences.

Any inability to prevent or adequately respond to the issues described above could disrupt the Company’s business, inhibit its ability to retain existing customers or attract new customers and/or result in financial losses, litigation, increased costs or other adverse consequences that could be material to the Company.

19. The Company is pursuing various innovative initiatives, which could result in increased title claims or otherwise adversely affect the Company

In an effort to speed the delivery of its products, increase efficiency, improve quality, improve the customer experience and decrease risk, the Company is increasingly utilizing decision science, artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies, processes and techniques.  These efforts include streamlining the closing process by converting certain manual processes into digital ones, in an endeavor to improve the customer experience by simplifying and reducing the time it takes to close a transaction, reducing the risk of fraud and improving communication.  The Company increasingly is employing advanced technologies to automate various processes, including various processes related to the building, maintaining and updating of title plants and other data assets, as well as the search and examination of information in connection with the issuance of title insurance policies.  Risks from these and other innovative initiatives include those associated with potential defects in the design and development of the technologies used to automate processes, misapplication of technologies, the reliance on data that may prove inadequate, and failure to meet customer expectations, among others.  As a result of these risks the Company could experience increased claims, reputational damage or other adverse effects, which could be material to the Company.

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20. Potentially disruptive innovation in the real estate industry and/or the Company’s participation in these efforts could adversely affect the Company

In addition to the Company’s innovative activities, other participants in the real estate industry are seeking to innovate in ways that could adversely impact the Company’s businesses.  These participants include certain of the Company’s sources of business, competitors and ultimate customers.  Innovations by these participants may change the demand for the Company’s products and services, the manner in which the Company’s products and services are ordered or fulfilled and the revenue or profitability derived from the products and services.  The Company has made and will likely continue to make high-risk, illiquid investments in some of these participants, typically during their early- and growth-stages.  If any of these companies do not succeed, the Company could lose and/or be required to impair all or part of its investment in the unsuccessful company.  These investments could also facilitate efforts that ultimately disrupt the Company’s business or enable competitors.  Accordingly, the Company’s efforts to anticipate and participate in these transformations could require significant additional investment and management attention and may not succeed.  These innovative efforts by third parties, and the manner in which the Company, its agents and other industry participants respond to them, could therefore have an adverse effect on the Company.

21. Errors and fraud involving the transfer of funds may adversely affect the Company

The Company relies on its systems, employees and domestic and international banks to transfer its own funds and the funds of third parties.  In addition to relying on third-party banks to transfer these funds, the Company’s federal savings bank subsidiary transfers funds on behalf of the Company as well as title agents that are not affiliates of the Company.  These transfers are susceptible to user input error, fraud, system interruptions, incorrect processing and similar errors that could result in lost funds or delayed transactions.  The Company’s email and computer systems and systems used by its agents, customers and other parties involved in a transaction have been subject to, and are likely to continue to be the target of, fraudulent attacks, including attempts to cause the Company or its agents to improperly transfer funds.  These attacks have increased in frequency and sophistication in recent years.  Funds transferred to a fraudulent recipient are often not recoverable.  In certain instances the Company may be liable for those unrecovered funds.  The controls and procedures used by the Company to prevent transfer errors and fraud may prove inadequate, resulting in financial losses, reputational harm, loss of customers or other adverse consequences which could be material to the Company.

22. The Company’s use of a global workforce involves risks that could adversely affect the Company

The Company utilizes lower cost labor in countries such as India and the Philippines, among others.  These countries are subject to relatively high degrees of political and social instability and may lack the infrastructure to withstand natural disasters.  Such disruptions could decrease efficiency and increase the Company’s costs.  Weakness of the United States dollar in relation to the currencies used in these countries may also reduce the savings achievable through this strategy.  Furthermore, the practice of utilizing labor based in other countries is subject to heightened scrutiny in the United States and, as a result, the Company could face pressure to decrease its use of labor based outside the United States.  Laws or regulations that require the Company to use labor based in the United States or effectively increase the cost of the Company’s labor costs abroad also could be enacted.  The Company may not be able to pass on these increased costs to its customers.

23. As a holding company, the Company depends on distributions from its subsidiaries, and if distributions from its subsidiaries are materially impaired, the Company’s ability to declare and pay dividends may be adversely affected; in addition, insurance and other regulations limit the amount of dividends, loans and advances available from the Company’s insurance subsidiaries

The Company is a holding company whose primary assets are investments in its operating subsidiaries.  The Company’s ability to pay dividends is dependent on the ability of its subsidiaries to pay dividends or repay funds.  If the Company’s operating subsidiaries are not able to pay dividends or repay funds, the Company may not be able to fulfill parent company obligations and/or declare and pay dividends to its stockholders.  Moreover, pursuant to insurance and other regulations under which the Company’s insurance subsidiaries operate, the amount of dividends, loans and advances available is limited.  As of September 30, 2019, under such regulations, the maximum amount available for the remainder of 2019 from these insurance subsidiaries, without prior approval from applicable regulators, was dividends of $247.1 million and loans and advances of $98.5 million.

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24. Certain provisions of the Company’s bylaws and certificate of incorporation may reduce the likelihood of any unsolicited acquisition proposal or potential change of control that the Company’s stockholders might consider favorable

The Company’s bylaws and certificate of incorporation contain provisions that could be considered “anti-takeover” provisions because they make it harder for a third-party to acquire the Company without the consent of the Company’s incumbent board of directors.  Under these provisions:

 

election of the Company’s board of directors is staggered such that only one-third of the directors are elected by the stockholders each year and the directors serve three year terms prior to reelection;

 

stockholders may not remove directors without cause, change the size of the board of directors or, except as may be provided for in the terms of preferred stock the Company issues in the future, fill vacancies on the board of directors;

 

stockholders may act only at stockholder meetings and not by written consent;

 

stockholders must comply with advance notice provisions for nominating directors or presenting other proposals at stockholder meetings; and

 

the Company’s board of directors may without stockholder approval issue preferred shares and determine their rights and terms, including voting rights, or adopt a stockholder rights plan.

While the Company believes that they are appropriate, these provisions, which may only be amended by the affirmative vote of the holders of approximately 67% of the Company’s issued voting shares, could have the effect of discouraging an unsolicited acquisition proposal or delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control transaction that might involve a premium price or otherwise be considered favorably by the Company’s stockholders.

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Item 6.

Exhibits.

Each management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement in which any director or named executive officer of First American Financial Corporation, as defined by Item 402(a)(3) of Regulation S-K (17 C.F.R. §229.402(a)(3)), participates that is included among the exhibits listed on the Exhibit Index is identified on the Exhibit Index by an asterisk (*).

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

 

Location

 

 

 

 

 

  3.1

 

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of First American Financial Corporation dated May 28, 2010.

 

Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 1, 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

  3.2

 

Bylaws of First American Financial Corporation, effective as of August 16, 2017.

 

Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed August 22, 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

  31(a)

 

Certification by Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

  31(b)

 

Certification by Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

  32(a)

 

Certification by Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

  32(b)

 

Certification by Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

101.INS

 

Inline XBRL Instance Document.  The instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.

 

N/A.

 

 

 

 

 

101.SCH

 

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

101.CAL

 

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

101.DEF

 

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

101.LAB

 

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

101.PRE

 

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.

 

Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

104

 

Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).

 

N/A.

 

 

 

 

57


 

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 thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

(Registrant)

 

 

 

 

Date: October 24, 2019

 

By

/s/ Dennis J. Gilmore

 

 

 

Dennis J. Gilmore

 

 

 

Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

Date: October 24, 2019

 

By

/s/ Mark E. Seaton

 

 

 

Mark E. Seaton

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

58