INVESTORS TITLE CO - Quarter Report: 2006 June (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 June 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. YesX
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 July
27, 2006, there were 2,824,878 common shares of the registrant
outstanding.
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX
|
|||
|
|||
|
|||
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
|||||||
As
of June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005
|
|||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
June
30, 2006
|
December
31, 2005
|
||||||
Assets
|
|||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
3,691,551
|
$
|
14,608,481
|
|||
Investments
in securities:
|
|||||||
Fixed
maturities:
|
|||||||
Held-to-maturity,
at amortized cost (fair value: 2006: $1,242,990;
2005: $1,719,190)
|
1,199,924
|
1,648,708
|
|||||
Available-for-sale,
at fair value
|
91,429,904
|
75,472,342
|
|||||
Equity
securities, available-for-sale, at fair value
|
11,872,205
|
9,437,678
|
|||||
Short-term
investments
|
4,386,825
|
7,257,734
|
|||||
Other
investments
|
1,662,557
|
1,336,111
|
|||||
Total
investments
|
110,551,415
|
95,152,573
|
|||||
Premiums
receivable,
less
allowance for doubtful accounts of
$2,603,000
and $2,444,000 for
2006 and 2005, respectively
|
7,680,380
|
7,818,558
|
|||||
Accrued
interest and dividends
|
1,102,015
|
1,010,198
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses and other assets
|
2,021,482
|
1,592,326
|
|||||
Property
acquired in settlement of claims
|
413,480
|
359,980
|
|||||
Property,
net
|
5,907,523
|
5,466,765
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes, net
|
2,917,684
|
2,462,647
|
|||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
134,285,530
|
$
|
128,471,528
|
|||
Liabilities
and Stockholders' Equity
|
|||||||
Liabilities:
|
|||||||
Reserves
for claims (Note 2)
|
$
|
35,866,000
|
$
|
34,857,000
|
|||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
8,579,869
|
7,928,384
|
|||||
Commissions
and reinsurance payable
|
358,385
|
442,098
|
|||||
Current
income taxes payable
|
279,123
|
946,790
|
|||||
Total
liabilities
|
45,083,377
|
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;
|
|||||||
2,534,036
and 2,549,434 shares issued and outstanding 2006 and 2005,
|
|||||||
respectively,
excluding 291,792 and 297,783 shares 2006 and 2005,
|
|||||||
respectively,
of common stock held by the Company's subsidiary)
|
1
|
1
|
|||||
Retained
earnings
|
87,591,774
|
81,477,022
|
|||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
(net unrealized gain on investments) (Note 3)
|
1,610,378
|
2,820,233
|
|||||
Total
stockholders' equity
|
89,202,153
|
84,297,256
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
|
$
|
134,285,530
|
$
|
128,471,528
|
|||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
1
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
|||||||||||||
For
the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2006 and
2005
|
|||||||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||||||||
|
Three
Months Ended
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|||||||||||
|
June
30
|
June
30
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|||||||||||||
Underwriting
income:
|
|||||||||||||
Premiums
written
|
$
|
19,222,175
|
$
|
20,052,131
|
$
|
35,968,444
|
$
|
37,298,168
|
|||||
Less
- premiums for reinsurance ceded
|
98,584
|
45,736
|
213,227
|
184,815
|
|||||||||
Net
premiums written
|
19,123,591
|
20,006,395
|
35,755,217
|
37,113,353
|
|||||||||
Investment
income - interest and dividends
|
1,034,696
|
808,559
|
2,028,750
|
1,561,324
|
|||||||||
Net
realized gain (loss) on sales of investments
|
(17,190
|
)
|
30,801
|
544,457
|
19,907
|
||||||||
Exchange
services revenue (Note 5)
|
1,908,357
|
1,239,793
|
2,936,089
|
2,049,432
|
|||||||||
Other
|
1,077,167
|
768,514
|
2,040,956
|
1,439,625
|
|||||||||
Total
|
23,126,621
|
22,854,062
|
43,305,469
|
42,183,641
|
|||||||||
Operating
Expenses:
|
|||||||||||||
Commissions
to agents
|
7,289,322
|
7,848,781
|
13,572,718
|
14,840,530
|
|||||||||
Provision
for claims (Note 2)
|
2,030,412
|
2,172,108
|
3,885,691
|
4,071,113
|
|||||||||
Salaries,
employee benefits and payroll taxes (Notes 4 and 6)
|
4,917,022
|
4,413,567
|
9,922,869
|
9,780,879
|
|||||||||
Office
occupancy and operations
|
1,266,042
|
1,239,870
|
2,731,355
|
2,589,076
|
|||||||||
Business
development
|
547,505
|
464,388
|
1,053,163
|
891,861
|
|||||||||
Taxes,
other than payroll and income
|
146,007
|
209,230
|
296,892
|
319,984
|
|||||||||
Premium
and retaliatory taxes
|
328,542
|
393,770
|
670,610
|
793,315
|
|||||||||
Professional
fees
|
737,534
|
653,251
|
1,325,156
|
1,091,181
|
|||||||||
Other
|
219,728
|
66,099
|
438,567
|
111,210
|
|||||||||
Total
|
17,482,114
|
17,461,064
|
33,897,021
|
34,489,149
|
|||||||||
Income
Before Income Taxes
|
5,644,507
|
5,392,998
|
9,408,448
|
7,694,492
|
|||||||||
Provision
For Income Taxes
|
1,328,970
|
1,531,000
|
2,217,970
|
2,252,000
|
|||||||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
4,315,537
|
$
|
3,861,998
|
$
|
7,190,478
|
$
|
5,442,492
|
|||||
Basic
Earnings Per Common Share (Note 4)
|
$
|
1.70
|
$
|
1.51
|
$
|
2.83
|
$
|
2.12
|
|||||
Weighted
Average Shares Outstanding - Basic (Note 4)
|
2,537,883
|
2,563,094
|
2,543,475
|
2,563,793
|
|||||||||
Diluted
Earnings Per Common Share (Note 4)
|
$
|
1.68
|
$
|
1.48
|
$
|
2.79
|
$
|
2.08
|
|||||
Weighted
Average Shares Outstanding - Diluted (Note 4)
|
2,572,062
|
2,607,611
|
2,578,743
|
2,616,418
|
|||||||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
2
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
||||||||||||||||
For
the Six Months Ended June 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
|
5,442,492
|
5,442,492
|
||||||||||||||
Dividends
($.08 per share)
|
(205,294
|
)
|
(205,294
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Shares
of common stock repurchased
|
(68,730
|
)
|
(2,111,772
|
)
|
(2,111,772
|
)
|
||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment
of
bonuses and fees
|
169
|
6,595
|
6,595
|
|||||||||||||
Stock
options exercised
|
151,995
|
2,240,537
|
2,240,537
|
|||||||||||||
Net
unrealized loss on investments
|
(48,763
|
)
|
(48,763
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Balance,
June 30, 2005
|
2,564,458
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
74,644,650
|
$
|
3,186,415
|
$
|
77,831,066
|
|||||||
Balance,
December 31, 2005
|
2,549,434
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
81,477,022
|
$
|
2,820,233
|
$
|
84,297,256
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
7,190,478
|
7,190,478
|
||||||||||||||
Dividends
($.12 per share)
|
(305,220
|
)
|
(305,220
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Shares
of common stock repurchased
|
(500
|
)
|
(22,445
|
)
|
(22,445
|
)
|
||||||||||
Shares
of common stock repurchased and retired
|
(21,389
|
)
|
(925,990
|
)
|
(925,990
|
)
|
||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment
of
bonuses and fees
|
236
|
10,085
|
10,085
|
|||||||||||||
Stock
options exercised
|
6,255
|
107,169
|
107,169
|
|||||||||||||
Share
based compensation expense
|
36,297
|
36,297
|
||||||||||||||
Change
in investment accounting method
|
24,378
|
24,378
|
||||||||||||||
Net
unrealized loss on investments
|
(1,209,855
|
)
|
(1,209,855
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Balance,
June 30, 2006
|
2,534,036
|
$
|
1
|
$
|
87,591,774
|
$
|
1,610,378
|
$
|
89,202,153
|
|||||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
3
Investors
Title Company and Subsidiaries
|
|||||||
For
the Six Months Ended June 30, 2006 and
2005
|
|||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
2006
|
2005
|
||||||
Operating
Activities:
|
|
||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
7,190,478
|
$
|
5,442,492
|
|||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash
|
|||||||
provided
by operating activities:
|
|||||||
Depreciation
|
528,423
|
519,052
|
|||||
Amortization,
net
|
78,756
|
36,125
|
|||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment of bonuses and fees
|
10,085
|
6,595
|
|||||
Share
based compensation expense related to stock options
|
36,297
|
-
|
|||||
Provision
for losses on premiums receivable
|
159,000
|
121,000
|
|||||
Net
gain on disposals of property
|
(2,149
|
)
|
(25,849
|
)
|
|||
Net
realized gain on sales of investments
|
(544,457
|
)
|
(19,907
|
)
|
|||
Provision
for claims
|
3,885,691
|
4,071,113
|
|||||
Provision
for deferred income taxes
|
170,970
|
155,000
|
|||||
Changes
in assets and liabilities:
|
|||||||
Increase
in receivables and other assets
|
(595,295
|
)
|
(2,162,690
|
)
|
|||
Increase
(decrease) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
1,876,185
|
(15,148
|
)
|
||||
Decrease
in commissions and reinsurance payables
|
(83,713
|
)
|
(74,829
|
)
|
|||
Decrease
in current income taxes payable
|
(667,667
|
)
|
(10,138
|
)
|
|||
Payments
of claims, net of recoveries
|
(2,876,691
|
)
|
(2,764,113
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
9,165,913
|
5,278,703
|
|||||
Investing
Activities:
|
|||||||
Purchases
of available-for-sale securities
|
(27,667,588
|
)
|
(21,568,875
|
)
|
|||
Purchases
of short-term securities
|
(1,947,399
|
)
|
(10,473,089
|
)
|
|||
Purchases
of and net earnings (losses) from other investments
|
(528,019
|
)
|
(318,421
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities
|
7,898,120
|
28,841,837
|
|||||
Proceeds
from maturities of held-to-maturity securities
|
456,000
|
452,000
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sales and maturities of short-term securities
|
4,818,308
|
938,862
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sales and distributions of other investments
|
244,258
|
76,461
|
|||||
Other
investment transactions
|
(18,305
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Purchases
of property
|
(1,007,892
|
)
|
(320,452
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from disposals of property
|
17,175
|
31,607
|
|||||
Other
property transactions
|
23,685
|
-
|
|||||
Net
change in pending trades
|
(1,224,700
|
)
|
(1,928,148
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash used
in investing
activities
|
(18,936,357
|
)
|
(4,268,218
|
)
|
|||
Financing
Activities:
|
|||||||
Repurchases
of common stock, net
|
(948,435
|
)
|
(2,111,772
|
)
|
|||
Exercise
of options
|
107,169
|
2,240,537
|
|||||
Dividends
paid
|
(305,220
|
)
|
(205,294
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash used in financing activities
|
(1,146,486
|
)
|
(76,529
|
)
|
|||
Net
Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents
|
(10,916,930
|
)
|
933,956
|
||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period
|
14,608,481
|
4,726,443
|
|||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, End of Period
|
$
|
3,691,551
|
$
|
5,660,399
|
|||
Supplemental
Disclosures:
|
|||||||
Cash
Paid During the Period for:
|
|||||||
Income
Taxes, net of refunds
|
$
|
2,707,000
|
$
|
2,114,000
|
|||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
4
INVESTORS
TITLE COMPANY
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
June
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 states have been included.
All
such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for the
quarter and the six months ended June 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 revenues
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.
5
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.
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 six months ended June 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.
A
comparison of reported net earnings for 2006 and 2005, and proforma net earnings
for 2005, including effects of expensing stock options is as
follows:
6
Three
Months Ended
June
30, 2006
|
Three
Months Ended
June
30, 2005
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30, 2006
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30, 2005
|
||||||||||
Net
income as reported
|
$
|
4,315,537
|
$
|
3,861,998
|
$
|
7,190,478
|
$
|
5,442,492
|
|||||
Add
back issuance of common stock in payment of bonuses and fees, net
of
tax
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4,352
|
|||||||||
Deduct
total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under
fair
value based method for all awards, net of tax
|
-
|
(36,564
|
)
|
-
|
(77,197
|
)
|
|||||||
Actual
or pro forma net income
|
$
|
4,315,537
|
$
|
3,825,434
|
$
|
7,190,478
|
$
|
5,369,647
|
|||||
Net
income per share:
|
|||||||||||||
Basic
- as reported
|
$
|
1.70
|
$
|
1.51
|
$
|
2.83
|
$
|
2.12
|
|||||
Basic
- pro forma
|
$
|
1.49
|
$
|
2.09
|
|||||||||
Diluted
- as reported
|
$
|
1.68
|
$
|
1.48
|
$
|
2.79
|
$
|
2.08
|
|||||
Diluted
- pro forma
|
$
|
1.47
|
$
|
2.05
|
|||||||||
Stock
option expense included in
net
income
|
$
|
10,217
|
-
|
$
|
36,297
|
-
|
As
a
result of adopting SFAS 123R, the Company’s income before income taxes for the
three and six months ended June 30, 2006, were lower by $10,217 and $36,297,
respectively, than if it had continued to account for share-based compensation
under APB 25. The net income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2006,
were lower by $7,052 and $33,132, 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 June 30, 2006 would have remained the
same,
while the earnings per share for the six months ended June 30, 2006 would have
increased to $2.84 per share basic and $2.80 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 six months ended June 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 opening retained earnings. The Company is currently evaluating
the
impact of adopting FIN 48 on its consolidated financial statements.
7
Note
2
- Reserves for Claims
Transactions
in the reserves for claims for the six months ended June 30, 2006 and the year
ended December 31, 2005 were as follows:
Six
Months Ended
|
Year
Ended
|
||||||
June
30, 2006
|
December
31, 2005
|
||||||
Balance,
beginning of year
|
$
|
34,857,000
|
$
|
31,842,000
|
|||
Provision,
charged to operations
|
3,885,691
|
8,164,783
|
|||||
Payments
of claims, net of recoveries
|
(2,876,691
|
)
|
(5,149,783
|
)
|
|||
Ending
balance
|
$
|
35,866,000
|
$
|
34,857,000
|
The
total
reserve for all reported and unreported losses the Company incurred through
June
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 June 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 June 30, 2006 and 2005 was
$3,569,700 and $4,326,094, respectively. Comprehensive income for the six months
ended June 30, 2006 and 2005 was $5,980,623 and $5,393,729, 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 34,179 and 44,517 for the three
months ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively and 35,268 and 52,625 for
the
six months ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
8
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
|
(6,215
|
)
|
$
|
16.96
|
|||||||||
Options
cancelled/forfeited/expired
|
(1,610
|
)
|
$
|
22.12
|
|||||||||
Outstanding
as of June 30, 2006
|
77,176
|
$
|
21.66
|
4.79
|
$
|
1,742,144
|
|||||||
Exercisable
as of June 30, 2006
|
42,611
|
$
|
22.29
|
4.54
|
$
|
934,719
|
|||||||
Unvested
as of June 30, 2006
|
34,565
|
$
|
20.87
|
5.10
|
$
|
807,425
|
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 June 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 six months ended June 31, 2006 was approximately $163,000.
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:
9
2006
|
||||
Expected
Life in Years
|
5.0
|
|||
Volatility
|
27.16
|
%
|
||
Interest
Rate
|
4.97
|
%
|
||
Yield
Rate
|
0.55
|
%
|
||
There
was
approximately $36,000 of compensation expense relating to shares vesting on
or
before June 30, 2006 included in salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes
of the consolidated statement of income for the six months ended June 30, 2006.
As of June 30, 2006 there was approximately $313,000 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 4.79 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
June
30, 2006
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
19,489,246
|
$
|
1,908,357
|
$
|
887,455
|
$
|
(175,943
|
)
|
$
|
22,109,115
|
|||||
Investment
income
|
910,548
|
3,716
|
138,042
|
(17,610
|
)
|
1,034,696
|
||||||||||
Net
realized loss on
sales
of investments
|
(17,190
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(17,190
|
)
|
|||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
20,382,604
|
$
|
1,912,073
|
$
|
1,025,497
|
$
|
(193,553
|
)
|
$
|
23,126,621
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
16,477,592
|
267,671
|
912,794
|
(175,943
|
)
|
17,482,114
|
||||||||||
Income
(loss) before
income
taxes
|
$
|
3,905,012
|
$
|
1,644,402
|
$
|
112,703
|
$
|
(17,610
|
)
|
$
|
5,644,507
|
|||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
110,626,511
|
$
|
1,210,531
|
$
|
22,448,488
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
134,285,530
|
10
Three
Months Ended
June
30, 2005
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
20,420,945
|
$
|
1,239,793
|
$
|
529,332
|
$
|
(175,368
|
)
|
$
|
22,014,702
|
|||||
Investment
income (loss)
|
750,575
|
(809
|
)
|
70,446
|
(11,653
|
)
|
808,559
|
|||||||||
Net
realized gain on
sales
of investments
|
30,801
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
30,801
|
|||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
21,202,321
|
$
|
1,238,984
|
$
|
599,778
|
$
|
(187,021
|
)
|
$
|
22,854,062
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
16,826,461
|
178,954
|
631,018
|
(175,369
|
)
|
17,461,064
|
||||||||||
Income
(loss) before
income
taxes
|
$
|
4,375,860
|
$
|
1,060,030
|
$
|
(31,240
|
)
|
$
|
(11,652
|
)
|
$
|
5,392,998
|
||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
99,133,057
|
$
|
1,775,538
|
$
|
16,880,689
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
117,789,284
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30, 2006
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
36,650,655
|
$
|
2,936,089
|
$
|
1,569,124
|
$
|
(423,606
|
)
|
$
|
40,732,262
|
|||||
Investment
income
|
1,803,428
|
11,413
|
249,309
|
(35,400
|
)
|
2,028,750
|
||||||||||
Net
realized gain on
sales
of investments
|
544,457
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
544,457
|
|||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
38,998,540
|
$
|
2,947,502
|
$
|
1,818,433
|
$
|
(459,006
|
)
|
$
|
43,305,469
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
32,107,520
|
548,828
|
1,664,279
|
(423,606
|
)
|
33,897,021
|
||||||||||
Income
(loss) before
income
taxes
|
$
|
6,891,020
|
$
|
2,398,674
|
$
|
154,154
|
$
|
(35,400
|
)
|
$
|
9,408,448
|
|||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
110,626,511
|
$
|
1,210,531
|
$
|
22,448,488
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
134,285,530
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30, 2005
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$
|
37,826,893
|
$
|
2,049,432
|
$
|
1,063,514
|
$
|
(337,429
|
)
|
$
|
40,602,410
|
|||||
Investment
income
|
1,448,981
|
2,643
|
132,866
|
(23,166
|
)
|
1,561,324
|
||||||||||
Net
realized gain on
sales
of investments
|
19,907
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
19,907
|
|||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$
|
39,295,781
|
$
|
2,052,075
|
$
|
1,196,380
|
$
|
(360,595
|
)
|
$
|
42,183,641
|
|||||
Operating
expenses
|
33,227,868
|
369,343
|
1,229,367
|
(337,429
|
)
|
34,489,149
|
||||||||||
Income
(loss) before
income
taxes
|
$
|
6,067,913
|
$
|
1,682,732
|
$
|
(32,987
|
)
|
$
|
(23,166
|
)
|
$
|
7,694,492
|
||||
Assets,
net
|
$
|
99,133,057
|
$
|
1,775,538
|
$
|
16,880,689
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
117,789,284
|
Operating
revenues represent net premiums written and other revenues.
11
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 six months ended June 30, 2006 and
2005:
For
the Three
Months
Ended
June
30,
|
For
the Six
Months
Ended
June
30,
|
||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$
|
3,557
|
$
|
3,591
|
$
|
7,114
|
$
|
7,183
|
|||||
Interest
cost
|
3,515
|
3,419
|
7,030
|
6,838
|
|||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized prior service cost
|
4,681
|
4,802
|
9,362
|
9,898
|
|||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized gains or losses
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||
Net
periodic benefits costs
|
$
|
11,753
|
$
|
11,812
|
$
|
23,506
|
$
|
23,919
|
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, results of
operations or liquidity.
12
The
Company's 2005 Annual
Report on 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
90%
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.
13
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.
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 of 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 six months ended June 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 §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.
14
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 regulation 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:
In 2003,
the Company formed Investors Capital Management Company (“ICMC”) to supplement
its traditional lines of business. Investors Trust Company ("INTC"),
wholly
owned by the Company, was chartered in 2004 by the North Carolina Commissioner
of Banks. INTC and ICMC provides investment management and trust services to
individuals, companies, banks and trusts.
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
quarter and six months ended June 30, 2006, the Company made no material changes
in its critical accounting policies as previously disclosed in 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
second quarter ended June 30, 2006, net premiums written decreased 4.4% to
$19,123,591, investment income increased 28.0% to $1,034,696, revenues increased
1.2% to $23,126,621 and net income increased 11.7% to $4,315,537, all compared
with the second quarter of 2005. Net income per basic and diluted common share
increased 12.6% and 13.5%, respectively, to $1.70 and $1.68 compared with the
prior year quarter. For the second quarter of 2006, the title insurance
segment's operating revenues decreased 4.1% compared with the second quarter
of
2005, while the exchange services segment's operating revenues increased 53.9%
for the second quarter of 2006, compared with the same quarter in
2005.
For
the
six-month period ended June 30, 2006, net premiums written decreased 3.7% to
$35,755,217, investment
income increased 29.9% to $2,028,750, revenues increased 2.7% to $43,305,469
and
net income increased 32.1% to $7,190,478, all compared with the same six-month
period in 2005. Net income per basic and diluted common share increased 33.5%
and 34.1%, respectively, to $2.83 and $2.79 compared with the same six-month
period ended June 30, 2005. For the six months ended June 30, 2006, the title
insurance segment's operating revenues decreased 2.9% compared with the same
period in 2005, while the exchange services segment's operating revenues
increased 43.3% for the six months ended June 30, 2006 compared with the same
six-month period in 2005.
15
Total
revenues exceeded the prior year period primarily due to growth in the fee
income generated in the Company’s exchange services segment due to higher levels
of interest earned on exchange funds, an increase in fee income generated by
the
Trust division, an increase in investment income and a net gain on the sale
of
several investment securities. Partially offsetting these increases was a
decline in the Company’s net premiums written, resulting predominantly from
lower levels of real estate activity and continued softening in the residential
housing market. Profit margins improved as overall operating expenses remained
relatively flat and the Company’s effective income tax rate decreased to 23.6%
from 29.3% for the six month periods.
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.
According
to data published by Freddie Mac, the monthly average 30-year fixed mortgage
interest rates increased to an average of 6.42% for the six months ended June
30, 2006, compared with 5.74% for the six months ended June 30, 2005. Net
premiums declined primarily as a result of an overall higher interest rate
environment. Ongoing high interest rates continued to slow purchase transactions
in the residential housing market. The total number of policies and commitments
issued declined in the six months ended June 30, 2006 to 127,258, a decrease
of
5.7% compared with 134,950 policies and commitments issued in the first six
months of 2005.
Following
is a schedule of premiums written for the three and six months ended June 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 June 30,
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||
State
|
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
|||||||||
Alabama
|
$
|
330,545
|
$
|
379,273
|
$
|
574,181
|
$
|
730,003
|
|||||
Florida
|
327,956
|
462,331
|
606,291
|
771,940
|
|||||||||
Illinois
|
280,013
|
278,550
|
527,908
|
491,330
|
|||||||||
Kentucky
|
583,539
|
545,873
|
1,157,037
|
984,840
|
|||||||||
Maryland
|
407,905
|
487,882
|
781,674
|
860,528
|
|||||||||
Michigan
|
881,521
|
1,273,971
|
1,758,830
|
2,385,378
|
|||||||||
Minnesota
|
304,900
|
259,992
|
642,069
|
528,792
|
|||||||||
Mississippi
|
167,225
|
298,242
|
301,677
|
561,593
|
|||||||||
Nebraska
|
197,136
|
180,377
|
331,446
|
385,695
|
16
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||
State
|
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
|||||||||
New
York
|
709,195
|
774,372
|
1,212,791
|
1,360,377
|
|||||||||
North
Carolina
|
9,773,452
|
9,606,689
|
18,214,934
|
17,365,468
|
|||||||||
Pennsylvania
|
410,595
|
448,823
|
726,507
|
827,648
|
|||||||||
South
Carolina
|
1,536,781
|
1,340,095
|
2,938,854
|
3,387,988
|
|||||||||
Tennessee
|
614,769
|
722,736
|
1,281,092
|
1,290,584
|
|||||||||
Virginia
|
1,897,939
|
2,211,161
|
3,572,042
|
3,954,013
|
|||||||||
West
Virginia
|
640,423
|
582,511
|
1,095,841
|
1,012,065
|
|||||||||
Other
|
158,281
|
199,253
|
238,844
|
385,880
|
|||||||||
Direct
Premiums
|
19,222,175
|
20,052,131
|
35,962,018
|
37,284,122
|
|||||||||
Reinsurance
Assumed
|
-
|
-
|
6,426
|
14,046
|
|||||||||
Reinsurance
Ceded
|
(98,584
|
)
|
(45,736
|
)
|
(213,227
|
)
|
(184,815
|
)
|
|||||
Net
Premiums
|
$
|
19,123,591
|
$
|
20,006,395
|
$
|
35,755,217
|
$
|
37,113,353
|
Following is
a
breakdown of branch and agency premiums for the three and six months ended
June
30, 2006 and 2005:
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
||||||||||||||||||
Branch
|
$
|
9,004,581
|
47
|
$
|
9,131,282
|
46
|
$
|
16,730,965
|
47
|
$
|
16,381,111
|
44
|
|||||||||||||
Agency
|
10,119,010
|
53
|
10,875,113
|
54
|
19,024,252
|
53
|
20,732,242
|
56
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
|
$
|
19,123,591
|
100
|
$
|
20,006,395
|
100
|
$
|
35,755,217
|
100
|
$
|
37,113,353
|
100
|
Net
premiums written from branch operations decreased 1.4% for the three months
ended June 30, 2006 compared with the same period in the prior year. Net
premiums written from branch operations increased 2.1% for the six months ended
June 30, 2006, compared with the same period in the prior year. 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 7.0% for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 compared with the
same period in the prior year. Agency net premiums decreased 8.2% for the six
months ended June 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 53.9% compared with the second quarter of
2005. For the first six months ended June 30, 2006, operating revenues from
ITEC
and ITAC increased 43.3% compared with the first six months of 2005. The
increases in 2006 were primarily due to higher levels of interest income earned
on exchange fund deposits held by the Company, resulting from higher current
interest rates. See overview for discussion of proposed IRS rules.
17
Other
revenues include agency management fees and investment management fee income,
as
well as search fee and other ancillary fee income. Other revenues increased
40.2% in the second quarter of 2006 compared with the second quarter of the
prior year and 41.8% in the six months ended June 30, 2006 compared with
the
first six months of 2005, primarily due to increases in investment management
fee income generated by the Company’s Trust division and increases in search
fees.
Non-operating
revenues:
Investment income and realized gains and losses are included in non-operating
revenues.
Investment
income increased 29.9% for the six months ended June 30, 2006 compared with
the
same period in 2005 and 28.0% for the three months ended June 30, 2006 compared
with the same period in 2005. The increase was primarily attributable to
increases in the average investment portfolio balance and to higher rates
of
interest earned on short-term investments.
Net
realized gains on the sale of investment securities totaled $544,457 for
the six
months ended June 30, 2006, compared with net realized gains of $19,907 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.
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 increased 0.1% and decreased
1.7% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2006, respectively, compared
with the same periods in 2005. The year to date decrease was due primarily
to a
decrease in commissions to agents and provision for claims, partially offset
by
an increase in other expenses, professional fees and business development.
A
summary by segment of the Company’s operating expenses is as follows for the
quarter and the six months ended June 30:
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
2005
|
%
|
||||||||||||||||||
Title
insurance
|
$
|
16,358,539
|
94
|
$
|
16,661,084
|
95
|
$
|
31,766,899
|
94
|
$
|
32,908,728
|
95
|
|||||||||||||
Exchange
services
|
247,245
|
1
|
169,980
|
1
|
510,004
|
1
|
353,085
|
1
|
|||||||||||||||||
All
other
|
876,330
|
5
|
630,000
|
4
|
1,620,118
|
5
|
1,227,336
|
4
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
|
$
|
17,482,114
|
100
|
$
|
17,461,064
|
100
|
$
|
33,897,021
|
100
|
$
|
34,489,149
|
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 second quarter of 2006 when compared with the second quarter
of
the previous year.
The
provision for claims as a percentage of net premiums written was 10.6%
for the
second quarter of 2006, versus 10.9% for the same period in 2005. For the
first
six months of 2006 and 2005, the provision for claims as a percentage of
net
premiums written was 10.9% and 11.0%, respectively. 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 determined
based on historical claims experience. At June 30, 2006, the total reserves
for
claims were $35,866,000. Of that total, $4,607,881 was reserved for specific
claims and $31,258,119 was reserved for claims for which the Company had
no
notice.
18
On
a
consolidated basis, salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes as a
percentage of total revenues were 21.3% and 19.3% for the second quarter
of 2006
and 2005, respectively. For the first six months of the year, salaries, employee
benefits and payroll taxes as a percentage of total revenues were 22.9% and
23.2% for 2006 and 2005, respectively. Personnel
costs increased compared with the second quarter of last year due to growth
in
staff levels, increases in salaries and related compensation
expenses.
The
title
insurance segment’s total salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes
accounted for 85.1% and 88.8% of the consolidated total amount for the second
quarter of 2006 and 2005, respectively and 86.2% and 89.7% for the six months
ended June 30, 2006, and 2005, respectively.
Overall
office occupancy and operations as a percentage of total revenues was 5.5%
and
5.4% for the second quarter of 2006 and 2005, respectively and 6.3% and 6.1%
for
the first six months of 2006 and 2005, respectively. The three and six month
increases in office occupancy and operations expense were due to an increase
in
various items, including computer hardware expenses and maintenance
services.
Professional
fees increased for the three and six months ended June 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.
Other
expenses primarily include miscellaneous operating expenses of the Trust
division and other miscellaneous expenses of the title segment and increased
due
to the related growth in other revenues, as noted previously.
Income
Taxes:
The
provision for income taxes was 23.5% and 28.4% of income before income taxes
for
the three months ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively. For the six
months
ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, the provision for income taxes was 23.6% and
29.3%, respectively, of income before income taxes. The declines in the
effective tax rates for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2006
resulted primarily from higher interest rates and higher balances invested
in
tax-exempt securities.
19
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Cash
flows:
Net cash
provided by operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2006,
amounted to $9,165,913 compared with $5,278,703 for the six months ended
June,
30, 2005. 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. The net increase in net cash provided
by
operating activities is primarily the result of the deceleration of accounts
payable and accrued liabilities, the increase in net income and a smaller
increase in receivables and other assets.
The
principal non-operating uses of cash and cash equivalents for the three
and six
month periods ended June 30, 2006 and 2005 were additions to the investment
portfolio.
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.
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. 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 June 30, 2006, the Company held cash and cash
equivalents of $3,691,551, short-term investments of $4,386,825 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 $1,300,000 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
June
30, 2006 is represented by the reserves for claims. Information regarding
the
claims reserve can be found in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements
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.
20
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.
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.
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.
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 for it 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 Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005. 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.
21
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 June 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 June 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 June 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.
(a)
|
None
|
(b)
|
None
|
(c)
|
The
following table provides information about purchases by the
Company (and
all affiliated purchasers) during the quarter ended June 30,
2006 of
equity securities that are registered by the Company pursuant
to Section
12 of the Exchange Act:
|
22
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
|
394,981
|
||||||||||||
04/01/06
-
04/30/06
|
8,204
|
$
|
42.29
|
8,204
|
386,777
|
||||||||
05/01/06
-
05/31/06
|
3,844
|
$
|
44.86
|
3,844
|
382,933
|
||||||||
06/01/06
-
06/30/06
|
6,100
|
$
|
44.14
|
6,100
|
376,833
|
||||||||
Total:
|
18,148
|
$
|
43.46
|
18,148
|
376,833
|
(1)
|
For
the quarter ended June 30, 2006, ITIC and ITC purchased an aggregate
of
18,148 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 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 ITIC or ITC has purchased all shares authorized for
purchase
thereunder.
|
(3)
|
ITIC
amd ITC intend to make further purchases under this
Plan.
|
(a)
|
Investors
Title Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders was held on May
17, 2006.
|
(c)
|
The
voting results for the proposal to elect three Directors to the
Company's
Board of Directors, each for a three-year term, are as follows:
|
Director
|
For
|
Against
|
Abstentions
|
Withheld
|
Broker
Non-votes
|
|||||||||||
James
A. Fine, Jr.
|
2,193,827
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
68,792
|
N/A
|
|||||||||||
H.
Joe King, Jr.
|
2,164,949
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
97,670
|
N/A
|
|||||||||||
James
R. Morton
|
2,169,432
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
93,187
|
N/A
|
23
(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
|
24
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on
its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
INVESTORS
TITLE COMPANY
|
|
|
By:
/s/
James A. Fine, Jr.
|
James
A. Fine, Jr.
|
|
President,
Principal Financial Officer and
|
|
Principal
Accounting Officer
|
Dated:
August 7, 2006
25