INVESTORS TITLE CO - Quarter Report: 2006 September (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
[ X ] | QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For
the
Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2006
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: 0-11774
INVESTORS
TITLE COMPANY
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
North
Carolina
|
56-1110199
|
|
(State
of Incorporation)
|
|
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification
No.)
|
121
North Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
(Address
of
Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(919)
968-2200
(Registrant's
Telephone Number Including Area Code)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be
filed by Section 13 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 x
No
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated
filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check
one): Large accelerated filer Accelerated
filer Non-accelerated
filer x
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes No x
As
of
October 23, 2006, there were 2,506,892 common shares of the registrant
outstanding.
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX
PART
I.
|
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
|
||
|
|||
|
|||
PART
II.
|
OTHER
INFORMATION
|
||
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
|||||||
As
of September 30, 2006 and December 31,
2005
|
|||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
September
30, 2006
|
December
31, 2005
|
||||||
Assets
|
|||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
3,957,098
|
$
|
14,608,481
|
|||
Investments
in securities:
|
|||||||
Fixed
maturities:
|
|||||||
Held-to-maturity,
at amortized cost (fair value: 2006: $1,246,739;
2005: $1,719,190)
|
1,200,276
|
1,648,708
|
|||||
Available-for-sale,
at fair value
|
96,677,536
|
75,472,342
|
|||||
Equity
securities, available-for-sale, at fair value
|
12,363,984
|
9,437,678
|
|||||
Short-term
investments
|
3,000,463
|
7,257,734
|
|||||
Other
investments
|
1,629,631
|
1,336,111
|
|||||
Total
investments
|
114,871,890
|
95,152,573
|
|||||
Premiums
and fees receivable,
less
allowance for doubtful accounts of
$2,536,000
and $2,444,000 for
2006 and 2005, respectively
|
7,326,398
|
7,818,558
|
|||||
Accrued
interest and dividends
|
1,081,266
|
1,010,198
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses and other assets
|
6,796,132
|
1,592,326
|
|||||
Property
acquired in settlement of claims
|
417,800
|
359,980
|
|||||
Property,
net
|
6,119,700
|
5,466,765
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes, net
|
2,011,981
|
2,462,647
|
|||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
142,582,265
|
$
|
128,471,528
|
|||
Liabilities
and Stockholders' Equity
|
|||||||
Liabilities:
|
|||||||
Reserves
for claims (Note 2)
|
$
|
36,477,000
|
$
|
34,857,000
|
|||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
12,758,421
|
7,928,384
|
|||||
Commissions
and reinsurance payables
|
353,362
|
442,098
|
|||||
Current
income taxes payable
|
126,255
|
946,790
|
|||||
Total
liabilities
|
49,715,038
|
44,174,272
|
|||||
Commitments
and Contingencies (Note 7)
|
|||||||
Stockholders'
Equity:
|
|||||||
Class
A Junior Participating preferred stock (shares authorized 100,000;
no
shares issued)
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Common
stock-no par value (shares authorized 10,000,000;
|
|||||||
2,506,784
and 2,549,434 shares issued and outstanding 2006 and 2005,
|
|||||||
respectively,
excluding 291,676 and 297,783 shares 2006 and 2005,
|
|||||||
respectively,
of common stock held by the Company's subsidiary)
|
1
|
1
|
|||||
Retained
earnings
|
90,002,406
|
81,477,022
|
|||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
(net unrealized gain on investments) (Note 3)
|
2,864,820
|
2,820,233
|
|||||
Total
stockholders' equity
|
92,867,227
|
84,297,256
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
|
$
|
142,582,265
|
$
|
128,471,528
|
|||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
1
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
|||||||||||||
For
the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2006 and
2005
|
|||||||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||
September
30
|
September
30
|
||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|||||||||||||
Underwriting
income:
|
|||||||||||||
Premiums
written
|
$
|
18,347,342
|
$ |
21,035,519
|
$
|
54,315,786
|
$ |
58,333,687
|
|||||
Less
- premiums for reinsurance ceded
|
104,666
|
49,419
|
317,893
|
234,234
|
|||||||||
Net
premiums written
|
18,242,676
|
20,986,100
|
53,997,893
|
58,099,453
|
|||||||||
Investment
income - interest and dividends
|
1,036,155
|
812,659
|
3,064,905
|
2,373,983
|
|||||||||
Net
realized gain (loss) on sales of investments
|
(55,930
|
)
|
69,597
|
488,527
|
89,504
|
||||||||
Exchange
services revenue (Note 5)
|
1,604,992
|
1,222,602
|
4,541,081
|
3,272,034
|
|||||||||
Other
|
894,441
|
942,365
|
2,935,397
|
2,381,990
|
|||||||||
Total
|
21,722,334
|
24,033,323
|
65,027,803
|
66,216,964
|
|||||||||
Operating
Expenses:
|
|||||||||||||
Commissions
to agents
|
6,796,146
|
8,209,799
|
20,368,864
|
23,050,329
|
|||||||||
Provision
for claims (Note 2)
|
1,992,901
|
2,283,372
|
5,878,592
|
6,354,485
|
|||||||||
Salaries,
employee benefits and payroll taxes (Notes 4 and 6)
|
4,901,427
|
4,540,061
|
14,824,296
|
14,320,940
|
|||||||||
Office
occupancy and operations
|
1,247,299
|
1,133,563
|
3,978,654
|
3,722,639
|
|||||||||
Business
development
|
568,982
|
591,506
|
1,622,145
|
1,483,367
|
|||||||||
Taxes,
other than payroll and income
|
196,707
|
67,234
|
493,599
|
387,218
|
|||||||||
Premium
and retaliatory taxes
|
396,851
|
411,084
|
1,067,461
|
1,204,399
|
|||||||||
Professional
fees
|
554,487
|
370,297
|
1,879,643
|
1,461,478
|
|||||||||
Other
|
92,435
|
186,878
|
531,002
|
298,088
|
|||||||||
Total
|
16,747,235
|
17,793,794
|
50,644,256
|
52,282,943
|
|||||||||
Income
Before Income Taxes
|
4,975,099
|
6,239,529
|
14,383,547
|
13,934,021
|
|||||||||
Provision
For Income Taxes
|
1,303,030
|
1,910,000
|
3,521,000
|
4,162,000
|
|||||||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
3,672,069
|
$ |
4,329,529
|
$
|
10,862,547
|
$ |
9,772,021
|
|||||
Basic
Earnings Per Common Share (Note 4)
|
$
|
1.46
|
$ |
1.69
|
$
|
4.29
|
$ |
3.81
|
|||||
Weighted
Average Shares Outstanding - Basic (Note 4)
|
2,517,691
|
2,559,154
|
2,534,883
|
2,562,247
|
|||||||||
Diluted
Earnings Per Common Share (Note 4)
|
$
|
1.44
|
$ |
1.67
|
$
|
4.23
|
$ |
3.74
|
|||||
Weighted
Average Shares Outstanding - Diluted (Note 4)
|
2,550,607
|
2,600,289
|
2,569,585
|
2,611,073
|
|||||||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
2
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
||||||||||||||||
For
the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2006 and
2005
|
||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||||||||||
Accumulated
|
||||||||||||||||
Other
Comprehensive
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
(Net
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||
Common
Stock
|
Retained
|
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
|
Stockholders'
|
|||||||||||||
Shares
|
Amount
|
Earnings
|
on
Investments)
|
Equity
|
||||||||||||
Balance,
December 31, 2004
|
2,481,024
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
69,272,092
|
$
|
3,235,178
|
$
|
72,507,271
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
9,772,021
|
9,772,021
|
||||||||||||||
Dividends
($.12 per share)
|
(307,911
|
)
|
(307,911
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Shares
of common stock repurchased
|
(87,043
|
)
|
(2,815,515
|
)
|
(2,815,515
|
)
|
||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment of
|
||||||||||||||||
bonuses
and fees
|
1,010
|
38,068
|
38,068
|
|||||||||||||
Stock
options exercised
|
162,720
|
2,410,249
|
2,410,249
|
|||||||||||||
Net
unrealized loss on investments
|
(351,274
|
)
|
(351,274
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Balance,
September 30, 2005
|
2,557,711
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
78,369,004
|
$
|
2,883,904
|
$
|
81,252,909
|
|||||||
Balance,
December 31, 2005
|
2,549,434
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
81,477,022
|
$
|
2,820,233
|
$
|
84,297,256
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
10,862,547
|
10,862,547
|
||||||||||||||
Dividends
($.18 per share)
|
(456,005
|
)
|
(456,005
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Shares
of common stock repurchased
|
(500
|
)
|
(22,445
|
)
|
(22,445
|
)
|
||||||||||
Shares
of common stock repurchased and retired
|
(49,107
|
)
|
(2,130,841
|
)
|
(2,130,841
|
)
|
||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment of
|
||||||||||||||||
bonuses
and fees
|
392
|
16,813
|
16,813
|
|||||||||||||
Stock
options exercised
|
6,565
|
167,184
|
167,184
|
|||||||||||||
Share
based compensation expense
|
63,753
|
63,753
|
||||||||||||||
Change
in investment accounting method
|
24,378
|
24,378
|
||||||||||||||
Net
unrealized gain on investments
|
44,587
|
44,587
|
||||||||||||||
Balance,
September 30, 2006
|
2,506,784
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
90,002,406
|
$
|
2,864,820
|
$
|
92,867,227
|
|||||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
3
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
|||||||
For
the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2006 and
2005
|
|||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
2006
|
2005
|
||||||
Operating
Activities:
|
|
||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
10,862,547
|
$
|
9,772,021
|
|||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash
|
|||||||
provided
by operating activities:
|
|||||||
Depreciation
|
803,632
|
715,064
|
|||||
Amortization,
net
|
140,236
|
57,234
|
|||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment of bonuses and fees
|
16,813
|
38,068
|
|||||
Share
based compensation expense related to stock options
|
63,753
|
-
|
|||||
Provision
for losses on premiums receivable
|
92,000
|
360,000
|
|||||
Net
gain on disposals of property
|
(13,042
|
)
|
(24,684
|
)
|
|||
Net
realized gain on sales of investments
|
(488,527
|
)
|
(89,504
|
)
|
|||
Provision
for claims
|
5,878,592
|
6,354,485
|
|||||
Provision
for deferred income taxes
|
428,000
|
188,000
|
|||||
Changes
in assets and liabilities:
|
|||||||
(Increase)
decrease in receivables and other assets
|
67,466
|
(3,262,585
|
)
|
||||
Increase
in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
593,284
|
1,186,424
|
|||||
Decrease
in commissions and reinsurance payables
|
(88,736
|
)
|
(4,268
|
)
|
|||
Decrease
in current income taxes payable
|
(820,535
|
)
|
(172,758
|
)
|
|||
Payments
of claims, net of recoveries
|
(4,258,592
|
)
|
(3,888,485
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
13,276,891
|
11,229,012
|
|||||
Investing
Activities:
|
|||||||
Purchases
of available-for-sale securities
|
(41,809,590
|
)
|
(25,569,390
|
)
|
|||
Purchases
of short-term securities
|
(71,631
|
)
|
(16,099,896
|
)
|
|||
Purchases
of and net earnings (losses) from other investments
|
(648,000
|
)
|
(432,014
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities
|
18,086,066
|
34,283,148
|
|||||
Proceeds
from maturities of held-to-maturity securities
|
456,000
|
507,000
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sales and maturities of short-term securities
|
4,328,902
|
408,948
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sales and distributions of other investments
|
444,480
|
315,684
|
|||||
Other
investment transactions
|
(65,622
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Purchases
of property
|
(1,474,540
|
)
|
(546,429
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from disposals of property
|
7,330
|
31,632
|
|||||
Other
property transactions
|
23,685
|
-
|
|||||
Net
change in pending trades
|
(763,247
|
)
|
(1,975,561
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash used
in investing
activities
|
(21,486,167
|
)
|
(9,076,878
|
)
|
|||
Financing
Activities:
|
|||||||
Repurchases
of common stock, net
|
(2,153,286
|
)
|
(2,815,515
|
)
|
|||
Exercise
of options
|
167,184
|
2,410,249
|
|||||
Dividends
paid
|
(456,005
|
)
|
(307,911
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash used in financing activities
|
(2,442,107
|
)
|
(713,177
|
)
|
|||
Net
Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents
|
(10,651,383
|
)
|
1,438,957
|
||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period
|
14,608,481
|
4,726,443
|
|||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, End of Period
|
$
|
3,957,098
|
$
|
6,165,400
|
|||
Supplemental
Disclosures:
|
|||||||
Cash
Paid During the Period for:
|
|||||||
Income
Taxes, net of refunds
|
$
|
3,909,000
|
$
|
4,154,000
|
See
notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
4
INVESTORS
TITLE COMPANY
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
September
30, 2006
(Unaudited)
Note
1
- Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
Reference
should be made to the "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" of Investors
Title Company’s (“the Company”) Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended
December 31, 2005 for a complete description of the Company's significant
accounting policies.
Principles
of Consolidation - The
accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts
and operations of Investors Title Company and its subsidiaries (Investors Title
Insurance Company, Northeast Investors Title Insurance Company, Investors Title
Exchange Corporation, Investors Title Accommodation Corporation, Investors
Title
Management Services, Inc., Investors Title Commercial Agency, LLC, Investors
Capital Management Company and Investors Trust Company), and have been prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim
financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10
of
Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures
normally included in annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted.
All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in
consolidation.
In
the
opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair
presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows
in
the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been included.
All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for
the
quarter and the nine months ended September 30, 2006 are not necessarily
indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December
31,
2006.
For
further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and
footnotes thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2005.
Use
of
Estimates and Assumptions - The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date
of
the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and
expenses during
the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and
assumptions used.
Reclassification
- Certain
2005 amounts have been reclassified to conform to 2006 classifications. These
reclassifications had no effect on net income or stockholders’ equity as
previously reported.
Stock-Based
Compensation - In
December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) revised
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (“SFAS 123R”), “Share-Based
Payment,” which establishes accounting for share-based awards exchanged for
employee services and requires companies to expense the estimated fair value
of
these awards over the requisite employee service period. On April 14, 2005,
the
Securities and Exchange Commission adopted a new rule amending the effective
dates for SFAS 123R. In accordance with the new rule, the Company adopted the
accounting provisions of SFAS 123R beginning in the first quarter of
2006.
5
Under
SFAS
123R, share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date, based
on the
estimated fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the
employee’s requisite service period. The Company has no awards with market or
performance conditions. The Company adopted the provisions of SFAS 123R on
January 1, 2006, the first day of the Company’s fiscal year 2006, using a
modified prospective application, which provides for certain changes to the
method for valuing share-based compensation. Under the modified prospective
application, prior periods are not revised for comparative purposes. The
valuation provisions of SFAS 123R apply to new awards and to awards that
are
outstanding on the effective date and subsequently modified or cancelled.
Estimated compensation expense for awards outstanding at the effective date
will
be recognized over the remaining service period using the compensation cost
calculated for pro forma disclosure purposes under FASB Statement No. 123,
“Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” (“SFAS 123”).
As
share-based
compensation expense recognized in the consolidated statements of income
for the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2006 is based on awards ultimately
expected to vest, it should be reduced for estimated forfeitures. SFAS 123R
requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if
necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those
estimates. In the Company’s pro forma information required under SFAS 123 for
the periods prior to fiscal 2006, the Company accounted for forfeitures as
they
occurred.
Prior
to
adopting the provisions of SFAS 123R, the Company recorded estimated
compensation expense for employee stock options based upon their intrinsic
value
on the date of grant pursuant to Accounting Principles Board Opinion No.
25,
(“APB 25”), “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees” and provided the required
pro forma disclosures of SFAS 123. Because the Company established the exercise
price based on the fair market value of the Company’s stock at the date of
grant, the stock options had no intrinsic value upon grant, and therefore
no
estimated expense was recorded prior to adopting SFAS 123R. Each accounting
period, the Company reported the potential dilutive impact of stock options
in
its diluted earnings per common share using the treasury-stock method.
Out-of-the-money stock options (i.e., the average stock price during the
period
was below the exercise price of the stock option) were not included in diluted
earnings per common share as their effect was anti-dilutive.
6
Pro
forma
net earnings for 2005, including effects of expensing stock options is as
follows:
Three
Months
Ended
September
30,
2005
|
Nine
Months
Ended
September
30,
2005
|
||||||
Net
income as reported
|
$
|
4,329,529
|
$
|
9,772,021
|
|||
Add
back issuance of common stock in payment of bonuses and fees, net
of
tax
|
20,772
|
25,124
|
|||||
Deduct
total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under
fair
value based method for all awards, net of tax
|
(57,897
|
)
|
(135,094
|
)
|
|||
Pro
forma net income
|
$
|
4,292,404
|
$
|
9,662,051
|
|||
Net
income per share:
|
|||||||
Basic
- as reported
|
$
|
1.69
|
$
|
3.81
|
|||
Basic
- pro forma
|
$
|
1.68
|
$
|
3.77
|
|||
Diluted
- as reported
|
$
|
1.67
|
$
|
3.74
|
|||
Diluted
- pro forma
|
$
|
1.65
|
$
|
3.70
|
|||
As
a
result of adopting SFAS 123R, the Company’s income before income taxes for the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2006, was lower by $27,456 and
$63,753, respectively, than if it had continued to account for share-based
compensation under APB 25. The net income for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2006, was lower by $22,709 and $55,841, respectively, than if
it
had continued to account for share-based compensation under APB 25. Basic and
diluted earnings per share for the three months ended September 30, 2006 would
have increased $0 .01 per
share
basic and $0 .01 per
share
diluted, while the earnings per share for the nine months ended September 30,
2006 would have increased $0 .02
per
share basic and $0.02 per share diluted.
SFAS
123R
also requires a change to the statement of cash flow classification of certain
tax benefits from share-based compensation deductions beginning on January
1,
2006. As there was no tax benefit recorded for the nine months ended September
30, 2005, no adjustment was necessary.
Recently
Issued Accounting Standards - In
July
2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in
Income Taxes - an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109” (“FIN 48”), which
clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in tax positions. This Interpretation
requires that the Company recognize in its financial statements the impact
of a
tax position if that position is more likely than not of being sustained on
audit, based on the technical merits of the position. The provisions of FIN
48
are effective as of the beginning of the Company’s 2007 fiscal year, with the
cumulative effect, if any, of the change in accounting principle recorded as
an
adjustment to beginning retained earnings. The Company is currently
evaluating the impact of adopting FIN 48 on its consolidated financial
position and results of operations.
7
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“SFAS
No. 157”). SFAS No. 157 establishes a common definition for fair value to be
applied to US GAAP guidance requiring use of fair value, establishes a framework
for measuring fair value, and expands disclosure about such fair value
measurements. SFAS No. 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007. The Company is currently assessing the impact of SFAS No.
157
on its consolidated financial position and results of
operations.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined
Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans” (“SFAS No. 158”). SFAS No. 158
requires that employers recognize on a prospective basis the funded status
of
their defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans on their
consolidated balance sheet and recognize as a component of other comprehensive
income, net of tax, the gains or losses and prior service costs or credits
that
arise during the period but are not recognized as components of net periodic
benefit cost. SFAS No. 158 also requires additional disclosures in the notes
to
financial statements. SFAS No. 158 is effective as of the end of fiscal years
ending after December 15, 2006. The Company is currently assessing the impact
of
adopting SFAS No. 158, but it does not expect that it will have a material
effect on its consolidated financial position or results of
operations.
In
September 2006, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin 108 “Considering
the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in
Current Year Financial Statements” (“SAB 108”). SAB 108 requires that public
companies utilize a “dual-approach” to assessing the quantitative effects of
financial misstatements. This dual approach includes both an income statement
focused assessment and a balance sheet focused assessment. The guidance in
SAB
108 must be applied to annual financial statements for fiscal years ending
after
November 15, 2006. The Company is currently assessing the impact of adopting
SAB
108, but it does not expect that it will have a material effect on its
consolidated financial position or results of operations.
8
Note 2 - Reserves for Claims
Transactions
in the reserves for claims for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 and
the
year ended December 31, 2005 were as follows:
Nine
Months Ended
|
Year
Ended
|
||||||
September
30, 2006
|
December
31, 2005
|
||||||
Balance,
beginning of year
|
$
|
34,857,000
|
$
|
31,842,000
|
|||
Provision,
charged to operations
|
5,878,592
|
8,164,783
|
|||||
Payments
of claims, net of recoveries
|
(4,258,592
|
)
|
(5,149,783
|
)
|
|||
Ending
balance
|
$
|
36,477,000
|
$
|
34,857,000
|
The
total
reserve for all reported and unreported losses the Company incurred through
September 30, 2006 is represented by the reserves for claims. The Company's
reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses are established using
estimated amounts required to settle claims for which notice has been received
(reported) and the amount estimated to be required to satisfy incurred claims
of
policyholders which may be reported in the future. Despite the variability
of
such estimates, management believes that the reserves are adequate to cover
claim losses which might result from pending and future claims for policies
issued through September 30, 2006. The Company continually reviews and adjusts
its reserve estimates to reflect its loss experience and any new information
that becomes available. Adjustments resulting from such reviews may be
significant.
Claims
and
losses paid are charged to the reserves for claims. Although claims losses
are
typically paid in cash, occasionally claims are settled by purchasing the
interest of the insured or the claimant in the real property. When this event
occurs, the Company carries assets at the lower of cost or estimated realizable
value, net of any indebtedness on the property.
Note
3
- Comprehensive Income
Total
comprehensive income for the three months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005
was
$4,926,511 and $4,027,018, respectively. Comprehensive income for the nine
months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005 was $10,907,134 and $9,420,747,
respectively. Other comprehensive income is comprised solely of unrealized
gains
or losses on the Company's available-for-sale securities.
Note
4
- Earnings Per Common Share and Stock Options
Basic
earnings per common share is computed by dividing net income by the
weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting
period. Diluted earnings per common share is computed by dividing net income
by
the combination of dilutive common share equivalents, comprised of shares
issuable under the Company’s share-based compensation plans and the
weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting
period. Dilutive common share equivalents include the dilutive effect of
in-the-money shares, which is calculated based on the average share price for
each period using the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method,
the exercise price of a share, the amount of compensation cost, if any, for
future service that the Company has not yet recognized, and the amount of
estimated tax benefits that would be recorded in additional paid-in capital,
if
any, when the share is exercised are assumed to be used to repurchase shares
in
the current period. The incremental dilutive common share equivalents,
calculated using the treasury stock method were 32,916 and 41,135 for the three
months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively and 34,702 and 48,826
for
the nine months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
9
The
Company has adopted Employee Stock Option Purchase Plans (the "Plans") under
which options or Stock Appreciation Rights (“SARS”) to purchase shares (not to
exceed 500,000 shares) of the Company's stock may be granted to key employees
of
the Company at a price not less than the market value on the date of grant.
SARS
and options, which are predominantly incentive stock options, are exercisable
and vest immediately or within one year or at 10% to 20% per year beginning
on
the date of grant and generally expire in five to ten years.
A
summary
of stock option transactions for all stock option plans follows:
Weighted
|
Average
|
||||||||||||
Average
|
Remaining
|
Aggregate
|
|||||||||||
Number
|
Exercise
|
Contractual
|
Intrinsic
|
||||||||||
Of
Shares
|
Price
|
Term
(years)
|
Value
|
||||||||||
Outstanding
as of December 31, 2005
|
82,001
|
$
|
20.50
|
||||||||||
Options
granted
|
3,000
|
$
|
43.78
|
||||||||||
Options
exercised
|
(6,565
|
)
|
$
|
16.89
|
|||||||||
Options
cancelled/forfeited/expired
|
(1,610
|
)
|
$
|
22.12
|
|||||||||
Outstanding
as of September 30, 2006
|
76,826
|
$
|
21.68
|
4.54
|
$
|
1,868,079
|
|||||||
Exercisable
as of September 30, 2006
|
44,706
|
$
|
22.50
|
4.34
|
$
|
1,050,744
|
|||||||
Unvested
as of September 30, 2006
|
32,120
|
$
|
20.55
|
4.82
|
$
|
817,334
|
The
aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise
price of the underlying awards and the quoted price of the Company’s common
stock at September 30, 2006. There were no options excluded from the calculation
as all options were in the money. The intrinsic value of options exercised
during the nine months ended September 30, 2006 was approximately
$173,000.
During
the
second quarter of 2006, the Company issued 3,000 Stock Settled Stock
Appreciation Rights to the directors of the Company. SARS give the holder the
right to receive stock in the appreciation in the value of shares of stock
from
the grant date for a specified period of time, and as a result, are accounted
for as equity instruments. As such, these were valued using the Black-Scholes
option valuation model. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on
the
date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the
weighted-average assumptions noted in the following table. Expected volatilities
are based on both the implied and historical volatility of the Company’s stock.
The Company uses historical data to estimate option exercise and employee
termination within the valuation model. The expected term of options represents
the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. The
interest rate for periods during the expected life of the option is based on
the
U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of the grant. The weighted
average-fair value for the SARS issued was $13.96 and was estimated using the
following weighted-average assumptions:
10
2006
|
||||
Expected
Life in Years
|
5.0
|
|||
Volatility
|
27.16
|
%
|
||
Interest
Rate
|
4.97
|
%
|
||
Yield
Rate
|
0.55
|
%
|
||
There
was
approximately $64,000 of compensation expense relating to shares vesting on
or
before September 30, 2006 included in salaries, employee benefits and payroll
taxes of the consolidated statement of income for the nine months ended
September 30, 2006. As of September 30, 2006, there was approximately $286,000
of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested share-based
compensation arrangements granted under the Company’s stock awards plans. That
cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 4.82
years.
Note
5
- Segment Information
Consistent
with SFAS No. 131, “Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information”,
the
Company has aggregated its operating segments into two reportable segments:
1)
title insurance services; and 2) tax-deferred exchange services.
Three
Months Ended
September
30, 2006
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
18,603,562
|
$
|
1,604,992
|
$
|
743,424
|
$
|
(209,869
|
)
|
$
|
20,742,109
|
|||||
Investment
income
|
904,388
|
4,030
|
145,237
|
(17,500
|
)
|
1,036,155
|
||||||||||
Net
realized (loss) on sales of investments
|
(55,930
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(55,930
|
)
|
|||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
19,452,020
|
$
|
1,609,022
|
$
|
888,661
|
$
|
(227,369
|
)
|
$
|
21,722,334
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
15,900,745
|
395,864
|
660,495
|
(209,869
|
)
|
16,747,235
|
||||||||||
Income
before
income
taxes
|
$
|
3,551,275
|
$
|
1,213,158
|
$
|
228,166
|
$
|
(17,500
|
)
|
$
|
4,975,099
|
|||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
116,325,540
|
$
|
1,688,913
|
$
|
24,567,812
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
142,582,265
|
11
Three
Months Ended
September
30, 2005
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
21,527,738
|
$
|
1,222,602
|
$
|
585,434
|
$
|
(184,707
|
)
|
$
|
23,151,067
|
|||||
Investment
income
|
748,873
|
9,499
|
67,213
|
(12,926
|
)
|
812,659
|
||||||||||
Net
realized gain on
sales
of investments
|
51,132
|
-
|
18,465
|
-
|
69,597
|
|||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
22,327,743
|
$
|
1,232,101
|
$
|
671,112
|
$
|
(197,633
|
)
|
$
|
24,033,323
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
17,280,896
|
277,343
|
421,576
|
(186,021
|
)
|
17,793,794
|
||||||||||
Income
before
income
taxes
|
$
|
5,046,847
|
$
|
954,758
|
$
|
249,536
|
$
|
(11,612
|
)
|
$
|
6,239,529
|
|||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
102,495,320
|
$
|
1,458,268
|
$
|
19,478,639
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
123,432,227
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30, 2006
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
55,254,217
|
$
|
4,541,081
|
$
|
2,312,548
|
$
|
(633,475
|
)
|
$
|
61,474,371
|
|||||
Investment
income
|
2,707,816
|
15,443
|
394,546
|
(52,900
|
)
|
3,064,905
|
||||||||||
Net
realized gain on
sales
of investments
|
488,527
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
488,527
|
|||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
58,450,560
|
$
|
4,556,524
|
$
|
2,707,094
|
$
|
(686,375
|
)
|
$
|
65,027,803
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
48,008,265
|
944,692
|
2,324,774
|
(633,475
|
)
|
50,644,256
|
||||||||||
Income
before
income
taxes
|
$
|
10,442,295
|
$
|
3,611,832
|
$
|
382,320
|
$
|
(52,900
|
)
|
$
|
14,383,547
|
|||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
116,325,540
|
$
|
1,688,913
|
$
|
24,567,812
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
142,582,265
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30, 2005
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
59,354,631
|
$
|
3,272,034
|
$
|
1,648,948
|
$
|
(522,136
|
)
|
$
|
63,753,477
|
|||||
Investment
income
|
2,197,854
|
12,142
|
200,079
|
(36,092
|
)
|
2,373,983
|
||||||||||
Net
realized gain on
sales
of investments
|
71,039
|
-
|
18,465
|
-
|
89,504
|
|||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
61,623,524
|
$
|
3,284,176
|
$
|
1,867,492
|
$
|
(558,228
|
)
|
$
|
66,216,964
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
50,508,764
|
646,686
|
1,650,943
|
(523,450
|
)
|
52,282,943
|
||||||||||
Income
before
income
taxes
|
$
|
11,114,760
|
$
|
2,637,490
|
$
|
216,549
|
$
|
(34,778
|
)
|
$
|
13,934,021
|
|||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
102,495,320
|
$
|
1,458,268
|
$
|
19,478,639
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
123,432,227
|
Operating
revenues represent net premiums written and other revenues.
12
Note
6
- Retirement and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
On
November 17, 2003, Investors Title Insurance Company entered into employment
agreements with key executives that provide for the continuation of certain
employee benefits upon retirement. The executive employee benefits include
health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance and life insurance. The
plan is unfunded. The following sets forth the net periodic benefits cost for
the executive benefits for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006
and 2005:
Three
Months Ended
September
30,
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$
|
3,557
|
$
|
3,592
|
$
|
10,671
|
$
|
10,775
|
|||||
Interest
cost
|
3,515
|
3,418
|
10,545
|
10,256
|
|||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized prior service cost
|
5,097
|
5,097
|
15,291
|
15,291
|
|||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized gains
|
(416
|
)
|
(148
|
)
|
(1,248
|
)
|
(444
|
)
|
|||||
Net
Periodic Benefits Costs
|
$
|
11,753
|
$
|
11,959
|
$
|
35,259
|
$
|
35,878
|
Note
7
- Commitments and Contingencies
The
Company and its subsidiaries are involved in various legal proceedings that
are
incidental to their business. In the Company’s opinion, based on the present
status of these proceedings, any potential liability of the Company or its
subsidiaries with respect to these legal proceedings will not, in the aggregate,
be material to the Company’s consolidated financial condition or
operations.
Note
8
- Subsequent Events
Subsequent
to September 30, 2006, the Company retired 291,676 shares of its common stock
that it received as a dividend from one of its subsidiaries. As this was an
intercompany transaction, it will have no effect to the consolidated financial
statements except that issued shares will be reduced by 291,676.
13
The
Company's 2005 Form 10-K and 2005 Annual Report to Shareholders should be read
in conjunction with the following discussion since they contain important
information for evaluating the Company's operating results and financial
condition.
Overview
Title
Insurance:
Investors Title Company (the "Company") engages primarily in two segments of
business. Its primary business activity is the issuance of title insurance
through two subsidiaries, Investors Title Insurance Company ("ITIC") and
Northeast Investors Title Insurance Company ("NE-ITIC") which accounted for
89.9% of the Company’s operating revenues in 2006. Through ITIC and NE-ITIC, the
Company underwrites land title insurance for real estate owners and mortgagees
as a primary insurer. Title insurance protects against loss or damage resulting
from title defects that affect real property. The commitment and policies issued
are predominately the standard American Land Title Association approved
forms.
There
are
two basic types of title insurance policies - one for the mortgage lender and
one for the real estate owner. A lender often requires property owners to
purchase title insurance to protect its position as a holder of a mortgage
loan,
but the lender's title insurance policy does not protect the property owner.
The
property owner has to purchase a separate owner's title insurance policy to
protect their investment. When real property is conveyed from one party to
another, occasionally there is an undisclosed defect in the title or a mistake
or omission in a prior deed, will or mortgage that may give a third party a
legal claim against such property. If a claim is made against real property,
title insurance provides a corporate guarantee against insured defects, pays
all
legal expenses to eliminate any title defects, pays any claims arising from
errors in title examination and recording, and pays any losses arising from
hidden defects in title and defects that are not of record. Title insurance
provides an assurance that the insurance holder's ownership and use of such
property will be defended promptly against claims, at no cost, whether or not
the claim is valid.
ITIC
delivers title insurance coverage through a home office, branch offices and
issuing agents. In North Carolina, ITIC issues policies primarily through a
home
office and 27 branch offices. The Company also has branch offices in South
Carolina and Nebraska. Title policies are issued primarily through issuing
agents in other states. Issuing agents are typically real estate attorneys
or
subsidiaries of community and regional mortgage lending institutions, depending
on local customs and regulations and the Company’s marketing strategy in a
particular territory. The ability to attract and retain issuing agents is a
key
determinant of the Company’s growth in premiums written.
The
Company's overall level of premiums written in the land title insurance industry
is affected by a number of factors, including the level of interest rates,
the
availability of mortgage funds, the level of real estate transactions and
mortgage refinance activity, the cost of real estate, employment levels, family
income levels and general economic conditions. Generally, real estate activity
declines as a result of higher interest rates or an economic downturn, thus
leading to a corresponding decline in title insurance premiums written and
profitability of the Company. The cyclical nature of the land title insurance
industry has historically caused fluctuations in revenues and profitability
and
it is expected to continue to do so in the future. Revenues for this segment
result from refinance activity, purchases of new and existing residential and
commercial real estate and certain other types of mortgage lending such as
home
equity lines of credit.
14
Volume
is
a key factor in the Company's profitability due to the existence of fixed
costs
such as personnel and occupancy expenses associated with the support of the
issuance of title insurance policies and general corporate operations. These
expenses will be incurred by the Company regardless of the level of premiums
written. The resulting operating leverage has historically tended to amplify
the
impact of changes in volume on the Company’s profitability.
Since
the
title insurance business generally is closely related to the overall level
of
real estate activity, and title insurance volumes generally fluctuate based
on
the effect changes in interest rates have on the level of real estate activity,
any substantial increases in interest rates will likely have a negative impact
on mortgage originations. Operating results for the third quarter and the
nine
months ended September 30, 2006, therefore, should not be viewed as indicative
of the Company’s future operating results.
The
Company continues to monitor and strives to manage operating expenses such
as
office occupancy and operations and salaries, employee benefits and payroll
taxes to offset the cyclical nature of the real estate market and with knowledge
of the potential for further declines in title insurance revenues if interest
rates continue to rise or the economy slows.
Exchange
Services:
The
Company's second business segment provides customer services in connection
with
tax-deferred real property exchanges through its subsidiaries, Investors
Title
Exchange
Corporation ("ITEC") and Investors Title Accommodation
Corporation ("ITAC"). ITEC serves as a qualified intermediary in Section
1031
like-kind exchanges of real or personal property. In its role as qualified
intermediary, ITEC coordinates the exchange aspects of the real estate
transaction with the closing agents. ITEC's duties include drafting standard
exchange documents, holding the exchange funds between the sale of the old
property and the purchase of the new property, and accepting the formal
identification of the replacement property within the required identification
period. ITAC serves as exchange accommodation titleholder in reverse exchanges.
As exchange accommodation titleholder, ITAC offers a vehicle for accommodating
a
reverse exchange when the taxpayer must acquire replacement property before
selling the relinquished property.
Factors
that influence the title insurance industry will also generally affect the
exchange services industry. In addition, the services provided by the Company’s
exchange services are pursuant to provisions in the Internal Revenue Code.
From
time to time, these exchange provisions are subject to review and proposed
changes.
On
February 3, 2006, the IRS proposed new regulations which, if adopted, may
negatively affect the ability of qualified intermediaries to retain interest
earned on exchange funds held during exchange transactions. If passed as
proposed, these regulations would materially adversely impact the exchange
services segment and the Company’s net income, since a major portion of the
exchange segment’s revenues are based on interest income earned on deposits held
by the Company. A public hearing on the proposed regulations was held on
June 6,
2006, but no official response has been issued by the IRS on whether or not
they
plan to finalize the regulations as proposed.
Other
Services:
Other
services include those offered by Investors Trust Company ("INTC"),
Investors Capital Management Company (“ICMC”) and Investors Title Management
Services, Inc. (“ITMS”), wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. In
conjunction with INTC, ICMC provides investment management and trust services
to
individuals, companies, banks and trusts. ITMS offers a variety of consulting
services, including training and guidance, to provide partners with the
technical expertise to start and successfully operate a title insurance
agency.
15
Critical
Accounting Estimates and Policies
The
preparation of the Company’s financial statements requires management to make
estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of certain assets,
liabilities, revenue, expenses and related disclosures surrounding contingencies
and commitments. Actual results could differ from these estimates. During the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2006, the Company made no material
changes in its critical accounting policies as previously disclosed within
Management’s Discussion and Analysis in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2005 as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Results
of Operations
For
the
third quarter ended September 30, 2006, net premiums written decreased 13.1%
to
$18,242,676, investment income increased 27.5% to $1,036,155, revenues decreased
9.6% to $21,722,334 and net income decreased 15.2% to $3,672,069, all compared
with the third quarter of 2005. Net income per basic and diluted common share
decreased 13.6% and 13.8%, respectively, to $1.46 and $1.44 as compared with
the
prior year quarter. For the third quarter of 2006, the title insurance segment's
operating revenues decreased 13.4% compared with the third quarter of 2005,
while the exchange services segment's operating revenues increased 31.3% for
the
third quarter of 2006, compared with the same quarter in 2005.
For
the
nine-month period ended September 30, 2006, net premiums written decreased
7.1%
to $53,997,893, investment
income increased 29.1% to $3,064,905, revenues decreased 1.8% to $65,027,803
and
net income increased 11.2% to $10,862,547, all compared with the same period
in
2005. Net income per basic and diluted common share increased 12.6% and 13.1%,
respectively, to $4.29 and $4.23 compared with the first nine months of 2005.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2006, the title insurance segment's
operating revenues decreased 6.7% compared with the same period in 2005, while
the exchange services segment's operating revenues increased 38.8% for the
nine
months ended September 30, 2006 compared with the same nine-month period in
2005.
Operating
revenues:
Operating revenues include premiums written and reinsurance assumed, net of
reinsurance ceded (net premiums written), exchange segment income, plus other
income as well as gains and losses on the disposal of fixed assets. Investment
income and realized gains and losses are not included in operating revenues
and
are discussed separately following operating revenues.
16
Following
is a schedule of premiums written for the three and nine months ended September
30, 2006 and 2005 in all states in which the Company's two insurance
subsidiaries, ITIC and NE-ITIC, currently underwrite insurance:
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||
September
30, 2006
|
September
30, 2006
|
||||||||||||
State
|
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
|||||||||
Alabama
|
$
|
185,318
|
$
|
304,229
|
$
|
759,499
|
$
|
1,034,232
|
|||||
Florida
|
359,531
|
410,075
|
965,822
|
1,182,015
|
|||||||||
Illinois
|
291,810
|
244,111
|
819,718
|
735,441
|
|||||||||
Kentucky
|
618,829
|
616,986
|
1,775,866
|
1,601,826
|
|||||||||
Maryland
|
344,598
|
471,464
|
1,126,272
|
1,331,992
|
|||||||||
Michigan
|
825,711
|
1,229,606
|
2,584,541
|
3,614,984
|
|||||||||
Minnesota
|
200,469
|
227,850
|
842,538
|
756,642
|
|||||||||
Mississippi
|
225,319
|
249,728
|
526,996
|
811,321
|
|||||||||
Nebraska
|
172,005
|
212,204
|
503,451
|
597,899
|
|||||||||
New
York
|
602,667
|
998,587
|
1,815,458
|
2,358,964
|
|||||||||
North
Carolina
|
9,185,274
|
10,111,914
|
27,400,208
|
27,477,382
|
|||||||||
Pennsylvania
|
373,498
|
460,000
|
1,100,005
|
1,287,648
|
|||||||||
South
Carolina
|
2,045,816
|
1,748,951
|
4,984,670
|
5,136,939
|
|||||||||
Tennessee
|
686,497
|
775,812
|
1,967,589
|
2,066,396
|
|||||||||
Virginia
|
1,515,282
|
2,078,630
|
5,087,324
|
6,032,643
|
|||||||||
West
Virginia
|
577,884
|
728,273
|
1,673,725
|
1,740,338
|
|||||||||
Other
States
|
135,101
|
167,099
|
373,945
|
552,979
|
|||||||||
Direct
Premiums
|
18,345,609
|
21,035,519
|
54,307,627
|
58,319,641
|
|||||||||
Reinsurance
Assumed
|
1,733
|
-
|
8,159
|
14,046
|
|||||||||
Reinsurance
Ceded
|
(104,666
|
)
|
(49,419
|
)
|
(317,893
|
)
|
(234,234
|
)
|
|||||
Net
Premiums
|
$
|
18,242,676
|
$
|
20,986,100
|
$
|
53,997,893
|
$
|
58,099,453
|
Net
premiums written were
negatively impacted during the latest reporting period primarily as a result
of
a softening real estate market and
overall higher interest rate environment. According to data published by Freddie
Mac, the monthly average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rates increased to
an
average of 6.47% for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, compared with
5.75% for the nine months ended September 30, 2005. Mortgage originations and
real estate activity continued to slow from 2005 record levels as a result
of higher
interest rates, inventory imbalances and other market factors. The total number
of policies and commitments issued declined in the nine months ended September
30, 2006 to 192,382, a decrease of 8.1% compared with 209,317 policies and
commitments issued in the same period of 2005.
17
Following
is a breakdown of branch and agency premiums for the three and the nine
months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005:
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
||||||||||||
Branch
|
$ |
8,602,081
|
47
|
$ |
9,636,878
|
46
|
$ |
25,333,046
|
47
|
$ |
26,017,989
|
45
|
|||||||
Agency
|
9,640,595
|
53
|
11,349,222
|
54
|
28,664,847
|
53
|
32,081,464
|
55
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
$ |
18,242,676
|
100
|
$ |
20,986,100
|
100
|
$ |
53,997,893
|
100
|
$ |
58,099,453
|
100
|
Net
premiums written from branch operations decreased 10.7% for the third quarter
ended September 30, 2006, compared with the same period in the prior year.
Net
premiums written from branch operations decreased 2.6% for the nine months
ended
September 30, 2006, compared with the same period in 2005. Of the Company’s 29
branch locations that underwrite title insurance policies, 27 are located
in
North Carolina and, as a result, branch net premiums written primarily represent
North Carolina business.
Agency
net
premiums decreased 15.1% for the quarter ended September 30, 2006, compared
with
the same period in the prior year. Agency net premiums decreased 10.6% for
the
nine months ended September 30, 2006, compared with the same period in the
prior
year.
Operating
revenues from the Company’s two subsidiaries that provide tax-deferred exchange
services (ITEC and ITAC) increased 31.3% for the current quarter compared
with
the third quarter of 2005. For the nine month period ended September 30,
2006,
operating revenues from ITEC and ITAC increased 38.8% compared with the same
period in 2005. The increase in year to date 2006 was due to higher levels
of
interest income earned on exchange fund deposits held by the Company and,
to a
lesser extent, an increase in the average balances of deposits held. Slowing
real estate sales, however, led to a decline in transaction volume and average
balances in the latest period. Also, see overview for discussion of proposed
IRS
rules.
Other
revenues include agency management fees and investment management fee income,
as
well as search fee and other ancillary fee income and income related to the
Company’s other equity method investments. Other revenues increased 23.2% for
the nine months ended September 30, 2006 compared with the same period in
the
prior year, primarily due to increases in investment management fee income
generated by the Company’s Trust division and increases in ancillary income.
Non-operating
revenues:
Investment income and realized gains and losses are included in non-operating
revenues.
For
the
nine months ended September 30, 2006, total revenues were favorably impacted
by
a 29.1% increase in investment income, resulting primarily from higher
investment balances and higher rates of interest earned on short-term
investments.
Net
realized gains on the sale of investment securities totaled $488,527 for
the
nine months ended September 30, 2006, compared with net realized gains of
$89,504 for the corresponding period in 2005. The increase was the result
of
capital gains realized on several equity securities sold during the first
quarter 2006 primarily due to repositioning of the Company's investment
portfolio and in response to market changes.
18
Operating
Expenses: The
Company’s operating expenses consist primarily of commissions to agents,
salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes, provision for claims and office
occupancy and operations. Total operating expenses decreased 5.9% and 3.1%
for
the three and nine months ended September 2006, respectively, compared with
the
same periods in 2005. These decreases were due primarily to decreases in
commissions to agents and the provision for possible claims, partially offset
by
increases in salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes and professional
fees. A summary by segment of the Company’s operating expenses is as follows for
the quarter and the nine months ended September 30:
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
||||||||||||
Title
insurance
|
$ |
15,725,740
|
94
|
$ |
17,108,943
|
96
|
$ |
47,492,639
|
94
|
$ |
50,017,671
|
96
|
|||||||
Exchange
services
|
378,574
|
2
|
264,527
|
2
|
888,578
|
2
|
617,612
|
1
|
|||||||||||
All
other
|
642,921
|
4
|
420,324
|
2
|
2,263,039
|
4
|
1,647,660
|
3
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
$ |
16,747,235
|
100
|
$ |
17,793,794
|
100
|
$ |
50,644,256
|
100
|
$ |
52,282,943
|
100
|
Agent
commissions represent the portion of premiums retained by agents pursuant to
the
terms of their respective agency contracts. Although commissions paid to agents
declined, the commissions as a percentage of agency premiums remained relatively
stable in the third quarter of 2006 when compared with the third quarter of
last
year and in the nine months ended September 30, 2006 compared with the same
period in the previous year.
The
provision for claims as a percentage of net premiums written was 10.9% for
the
third quarter of 2006 and 2005. For the nine months ended September 30, 2006
and
2005, the provision for claims as a percentage of net premiums written was
also
10.9%. Loss provision rates are subject to variability and are reviewed and
adjusted as experience develops. Declining economic conditions and/or
substantial declines in transaction volumes have historically been factors
in
increased claim expenses due to increased mechanics liens, defalcations and
other matters which may be discovered during property foreclosures. Title claims
are typically reported and paid within the first several years of policy
issuance. The provision reflects actual payments of claims, net of recovery
amounts, plus adjustments to the specific and incurred but not reported claims
reserves, the latter of which are actuarially reviewed based on historical
claims experience. At September 30, 2006, the total reserves for claims were
$36,477,000. Of that total, $4,334,305 was reserved for specific claims, and
$32,142,695 was reserved for claims for which the Company had no notice.
On
a
consolidated basis, salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes as a
percentage of revenues were 22.6% and 18.9% for the third quarter of 2006 and
2005, respectively. For the first nine months, salaries, employee benefits
and
payroll taxes as a percentage of revenues were 22.8% and 21.6% for 2006 and
2005, respectively. Personnel costs increased compared with the nine months
ending September 30, 2005 due to increases in certain
employee benefits
and stock based compensation related
to
the adoption of SFAS 123R.
The
title
insurance segment’s total salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes
accounted for 86.4% and 91.1% of the consolidated total for the third quarter
of
2006 and 2005, respectively and 86.2% and 90.1% for the nine months ended
September 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
19
Overall
office occupancy and operations as a percentage of total revenues was 5.7%
and
4.7% for the third quarter of 2006 and 2005, respectively, and 6.1% and 5.6%
for
the nine months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The increases
in office occupancy and operations expense were due to increases in various
items, including depreciation expense, maintenance services and computer
hardware expenses.
Professional
fees increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006 compared
with the same periods in 2005 primarily due to additional contract labor and
consulting fees incurred, mostly related to various information system projects
which have occurred during 2006.
Other
expenses primarily include miscellaneous operating expenses of the Trust
division and other miscellaneous expenses of the title segment.
Income
Taxes:
The
provision for income taxes was approximately 26.2% and 30.6% of income before
income taxes for the three months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005,
respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, the
provision for income taxes was approximately 24.5% and 29.9%, respectively,
of
income before income taxes. The declines in the effective tax rates for the
quarter and the nine months ended September 30, 2006 resulted primarily from
higher interest rates and higher balances invested in tax-exempt securities.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Cash
flows:
Total
cash and cash equivalents decreased $10,651,383 for the nine months ended
September 30, 2006 to $3,957,098 as a result of investing available cash and
cash equivalents in securities and other investments. Net cash provided by
operating activities was $13,276,891 and $11,229,012 for the first nine months
of 2006 and 2005, respectively. Cash flow from operations has been the primary
source of financing for expanding operations, additions to property and
equipment, dividends to shareholders and other requirements. This net increase
is primarily the result of a decrease in receivables and other assets and the
increase in net income, partially offset by the decrease in current income
taxes
payable, a smaller increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and
the
decrease in the provision for claims as a result of the decrease in premiums
written.
The
principal non-operating uses of cash and cash equivalents for the three and
nine
month periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005 were additions to the investment
portfolio and repurchases of common stock. The Company used cash for the
purchases of investments in the amounts of approximately $42 million in the
first nine months of both 2006 and 2005.
As
of
September 30, 2006, prepaid expenses and other assets on the consolidated
balance sheet includes $5,000,000 of pending receivables related to investment
sales, while accounts payable and accrued liabilities includes $4,236,753 of
pending payables related to investment purchases.
Payment
of dividends:
The
Company’s significant sources of funds are dividends and distributions from its
insurance subsidiaries, which are subject to regulation in the states in which
they do business. These regulations, among other things, require prior
regulatory approval of the payment of dividends and other intercompany
transfers. The Company believes that amounts available for transfer from the
insurance subsidiaries are adequate to meet the Company’s operating
needs.
20
Subsequent
to September 30, 2006, the Company retired 291,676 shares of its common stock
that it received as a dividend from one of its subsidiaries. As this was an
intercompany transaction, it will have no effect to the consolidated financial
statements except that issued shares will be reduced by 291,676.
Liquidity:
Due
to the
Company’s historical ability to generate positive cash flows from its
operations, management believes that funds generated from operations will enable
the Company to adequately meet its anticipated cash needs and is unaware of
any
trend or occurrence that is likely to result in material adverse liquidity
changes. The Company’s cash requirements include operating expenses, taxes,
capital expenditures and dividends on its common stock declared by the Board.
In
addition to operational liquidity, the Company maintains a high degree of
liquidity within its investment portfolio in the form of short-term investments
and other readily marketable securities. As of September 30, 2006, the Company
held cash and cash equivalents of $3,957,098, short-term investments of
$3,000,463 and various other readily marketable securities.
Capital
Expenditures:
During
2006, the Company has plans for various capital improvement projects, including
several software development projects. The Company anticipates additional
capital expenditures of approximately $135,000 during the remainder of 2006
in
connection with these capital improvement projects.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations:
It is not
the general practice of the Company to enter into off-balance sheet arrangements
nor is it the policy of the Company to issue guarantees to third parties.
Off-balance sheet arrangements are generally limited to the future payments
under noncancelable operating leases, payments due under various agreements
with
third-party service providers, and unaccrued obligations pursuant to certain
executive employment agreements.
The
total
reserve for all reported and unreported losses the Company incurred through
September 30, 2006 is represented by the reserves for claims. Information
regarding the claims reserves can be found in Note 2 to the consolidated
financial statements of this Form 10-Q. Further information on contractual
obligations related to the reserves for claims can be found in the Company’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 as filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Equity
Investments:
The
Company’s equity investments are in public companies whose security prices are
subject to volatility. Should the fair value of these investments fall below
the
Company’s cost bases and the financial condition or prospects of these companies
deteriorate, the Company may determine in a future period that this decline
in
fair value is other than temporary, requiring that an impairment loss be
recognized.
21
New
Accounting Standards
Refer
to
Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements for a discussion of Statement
of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 123R, “Share-Based Payment,” which was
adopted in the first quarter of 2006.
In
July
2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in
Income Taxes - an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109” (“FIN 48”), which
clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in tax positions. This Interpretation
requires that the Company recognize in its financial statements the impact
of a
tax position if that position is more likely than not of being sustained on
audit, based on the technical merits of the position. The provisions of FIN
48
are effective as of the beginning of the Company’s 2007 fiscal year, with the
cumulative effect, if any, of the change in accounting principle recorded as
an
adjustment to beginning retained earnings. The Company is currently
evaluating the impact of adopting FIN 48 on its consolidated financial
position and results of operations.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“SFAS
No. 157”). SFAS No. 157 establishes a common definition for fair value to be
applied to US GAAP guidance requiring use of fair value, establishes a framework
for measuring fair value, and expands disclosure about such fair value
measurements. SFAS No. 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007. The Company is currently assessing the impact of SFAS No.
157
on its consolidated financial position and results of
operations.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined
Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans” (“SFAS No. 158”). SFAS No. 158
requires that employers recognize on a prospective basis the funded status
of
their defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans on their
consolidated balance sheet and recognize as a component of other comprehensive
income, net of tax, the gains or losses and prior service costs or credits
that
arise during the period but are not recognized as components of net periodic
benefit cost. SFAS No. 158 also requires additional disclosures in the notes
to
financial statements. SFAS No. 158 is effective as of the end of fiscal years
ending after December 15, 2006. The Company is currently assessing the impact
of
adopting SFAS No. 158, but it does not expect that it will have a material
effect on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In
September 2006, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin 108 “Considering
the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in
Current Year Financial Statements” (“SAB 108”). SAB 108 requires that public
companies utilize a “dual-approach” to assessing the quantitative effects of
financial misstatements. This dual approach includes both an income statement
focused assessment and a balance sheet focused assessment. The guidance in
SAB
108 must be applied to annual financial statements for fiscal years ending
after
November 15, 2006. The Company is currently assessing the impact of adopting
SAB
108, but it does not expect that it will have a material effect on its
consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Safe
Harbor Statement
This
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as information included in future filings
by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission and information
contained in written material, press releases and oral statements issued by
or
on behalf of the Company, contains, or may contain, forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
that
reflect management’s current outlook for future periods. These statements may be
identified by the use of words such as "plan," "expect," "aim," "believe,"
"project," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "should," "could" and other
expressions that indicate future events and trends. All statements that address
expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the
Company's strategy for growth, product and service development, market share
position, claims, expenditures, financial results and cash requirements, are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain
assumptions and expectations of future events that are subject to risks and
uncertainties.
22
Actual
future results and trends may differ materially from historical results or
those
projected in any such forward-looking statements depending on a variety of
factors, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) the Company’s results
of operations and financial condition are susceptible to housing markets and
changes in mortgage interest rates and general economic conditions; (2)
insurance regulations limit the ability of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries
to pay dividends to it without prior regulatory approval; (3) losses from claims
may be greater than anticipated such that reserves for possible claims are
inadequate; (4) adverse changes in government and IRS regulations could prohibit
or limit the Company’s operations or make it more burdensome to conduct
operations; (5) the performance of the Company’s investments depends on
conditions that are outside its control; (6) the Company may encounter
difficulties managing growth, which could adversely affect its results; (7)
competition in the Company’s business affects its revenues; and (8) the
Company’s success depends on its ability to attract and retain key personnel and
agents. These and other risks and uncertainties may be described from time
to
time in the Company's other reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. For more details on factors that could affect expectations, see
the
Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2005.
No
material changes in the Company’s market risk or market strategy occurred during
the current period. A detailed discussion of market risk is provided in the
Company’s 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2005.
The
Company's disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it
files
or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") was recorded,
processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the
Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms. An evaluation was
performed by the Company's management, including its Chief Executive Officer
and
Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of
the
Company's disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under
the Act as of September 30, 2006. Based on that evaluation, the Company's Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company's
disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of September 30, 2006.
In
reaching this conclusion, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer determined that the Company's disclosure controls and
procedures were effective in ensuring that such information was accumulated
and
communicated to the Company's management as appropriate to allow timely
decisions regarding required disclosure.
During
the
quarter ended September 30, 2006, there was no change in the Company's internal
control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably
likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial
reporting.
23
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
(a)
|
None
|
(b)
|
None
|
(c)
|
The
following table provides information about purchases by the Company
(and
all affiliated purchasers) during the quarter ended September 30,
2006 of
equity securities that are registered by the Company pursuant to
Section
12 of the Exchange Act:
|
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Period
|
Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
|
Average
Price
Paid
per Share
|
Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased as
Part
of Publicly
Announced
Plan
|
Maximum
Number
of Shares
that
May Yet Be
Purchased
Under
the
Plan
|
|||||||||
Beginning
of
period
|
376,833
|
||||||||||||
07/01/06
- 07/31/06
|
950
|
$
|
44.03
|
950
|
375,883
|
||||||||
08/01/06
- 08/31/06
|
20,118
|
$
|
43.20
|
20,118
|
355,765
|
||||||||
09/01/06
- 09/30/06
|
6,650
|
$
|
44.20
|
6,650
|
349,115
|
||||||||
Total:
|
27,718
|
$
|
43.47
|
27,718
|
349,115
|
(1) |
For
the quarter ended September 30, 2006, ITC purchased an aggregate
of 27,718
shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the purchase plan (the
“Plan”) that was publicly announced on June 5,
2000.
|
(2) |
In
2000, 2004 and 2005, the Board of Directors of ITIC and ITC approved
the
purchase by ITIC or ITC of up to an aggregate of 500,000 and 125,000
shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Plan.
Unless terminated earlier by resolution of the Board of Directors,
the
Plan will expire when ITC has purchased all shares authorized for
purchase
thereunder.
|
(3) |
ITC
intends to make further purchases under this
Plan.
|
24
(a)
|
Exhibits
|
|
|
31(i)
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002
|
|
31(ii)
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002
|
|
32
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to
Section
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
25
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed in its behalf by the undersigned
hereunto duly authorized.
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY | ||
|
|
|
Dated: November 2, 2006 | By: | /s/ James A. Fine, Jr. |
James A. Fine, Jr. |
||
President,
Principal Financial Officer and
Principal
Accounting Officer
|
26