INVESTORS TITLE CO - Quarter Report: 2007 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, 2007
|
|
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 or
15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for
such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports),
and
(2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90
days. Yes __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
__X_ Non-accelerated filer _____
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
25, 2007, there were 2,775,431 common shares of the registrant
outstanding.
INVESTORS
TITLE COMPANY
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX
PART
I.
|
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
|
|
Item
1. Financial
Statements
|
||||||||
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
|
||||||||
As
of June 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006
|
||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||
June
30, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||||||
Assets
|
||||||||
Investments
in securities:
|
||||||||
Fixed
maturities:
|
||||||||
Held-to-maturity,
at amortized cost (fair value: 2007: $1,227,945; 2006:
$1,237,613)
|
$ |
1,194,304
|
$ |
1,195,617
|
||||
Available-for-sale,
at fair value (amortized cost: 2007: $105,665,463; 2006:
$100,979,825)
|
105,281,130
|
101,954,292
|
||||||
Equity
securities, available-for-sale, at fair value
|
13,492,236
|
12,495,923
|
||||||
Short-term
investments
|
1,733,603
|
4,460,911
|
||||||
Other
investments
|
1,736,647
|
1,473,303
|
||||||
Total
investments
|
123,437,920
|
121,580,046
|
||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
3,169,702
|
3,458,432
|
||||||
Premiums
and fees receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of
|
||||||||
$2,251,000
and $2,128,000 for 2007 and 2006, respectively
|
7,901,074
|
6,693,706
|
||||||
Accrued
interest and dividends
|
1,303,050
|
1,336,790
|
||||||
Prepaid
expenses and other assets
|
1,554,422
|
1,479,366
|
||||||
Property
acquired in settlement of claims
|
312,038
|
303,538
|
||||||
Property,
net
|
5,650,209
|
6,134,304
|
||||||
Deferred
income taxes, net (Note 7)
|
3,388,953
|
2,530,196
|
||||||
Total
Assets
|
$ |
146,717,368
|
$ |
143,516,378
|
||||
Liabilities
and Stockholders' Equity
|
||||||||
Liabilities:
|
||||||||
Reserves
for claims (Note 2)
|
$ |
40,560,000
|
$ |
36,906,000
|
||||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
9,062,960
|
10,537,992
|
||||||
Commissions
and reinsurance payables
|
277,052
|
470,468
|
||||||
Current
income taxes payable (Note 7)
|
185,879
|
326,255
|
||||||
Total
liabilities
|
50,085,891
|
48,240,715
|
||||||
Commitments
and Contingencies (Note 8)
|
||||||||
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;
|
||||||||
2,483,415
and 2,507,325 shares issued and outstanding 2007 and 2006,
|
||||||||
respectively,
excluding 291,676 shares for 2007 and 2006
|
||||||||
of
common stock held by the Company's subsidiary)
|
1
|
1
|
||||||
Retained
earnings
|
93,960,059
|
92,134,608
|
||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income (Note 3)
|
2,671,417
|
3,141,054
|
||||||
Total
stockholders' equity
|
96,631,477
|
95,275,663
|
||||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
|
$ |
146,717,368
|
$ |
143,516,378
|
||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
1
Consolidated
Statements of Income
|
||||||||||||||||
For
the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2007 and
2006
|
||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
June
30
|
June
30
|
|||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
income:
|
||||||||||||||||
Premiums
written
|
$ |
18,715,760
|
$ |
19,222,175
|
$ |
35,590,737
|
$ |
35,968,444
|
||||||||
Less-premiums
for reinsurance ceded
|
89,581
|
98,584
|
172,016
|
213,227
|
||||||||||||
Net
premiums written
|
18,626,179
|
19,123,591
|
35,418,721
|
35,755,217
|
||||||||||||
Investment
income - interest and dividends
|
1,271,755
|
1,034,696
|
2,481,362
|
2,028,750
|
||||||||||||
Net
realized gain (loss) on sales of investments
|
200,023
|
(17,190 | ) |
366,203
|
544,457
|
|||||||||||
Exchange
services revenue (Note 5)
|
870,083
|
1,908,357
|
2,115,562
|
2,936,089
|
||||||||||||
Other
|
1,139,493
|
1,077,167
|
2,059,454
|
2,040,956
|
||||||||||||
Total
|
22,107,533
|
23,126,621
|
42,441,302
|
43,305,469
|
||||||||||||
Operating
Expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Commissions
to agents
|
7,733,004
|
7,289,322
|
14,578,292
|
13,572,718
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for claims (Note 2)
|
4,352,005
|
2,030,412
|
6,161,438
|
3,885,691
|
||||||||||||
Salaries,
employee benefits and payroll taxes (Note 6)
|
5,091,139
|
4,917,022
|
10,365,514
|
9,922,869
|
||||||||||||
Office
occupancy and operations
|
1,452,901
|
1,266,042
|
2,889,024
|
2,731,355
|
||||||||||||
Business
development
|
556,734
|
547,505
|
1,079,916
|
1,053,163
|
||||||||||||
Filing
fees and taxes, other than payroll and income
|
126,455
|
142,850
|
291,668
|
293,708
|
||||||||||||
Premium
and retaliatory taxes
|
395,262
|
328,542
|
837,182
|
670,610
|
||||||||||||
Professional
and contract labor fees
|
826,140
|
737,534
|
1,471,150
|
1,325,156
|
||||||||||||
Other
|
278,744
|
222,885
|
500,755
|
441,751
|
||||||||||||
Total
|
20,812,384
|
17,482,114
|
38,174,939
|
33,897,021
|
||||||||||||
Income
Before Income Taxes
|
1,295,149
|
5,644,507
|
4,266,363
|
9,408,448
|
||||||||||||
Provision
For Income Taxes (Note 7)
|
141,000
|
1,328,970
|
790,000
|
2,217,970
|
||||||||||||
Net
Income
|
$ |
1,154,149
|
$ |
4,315,537
|
$ |
3,476,363
|
$ |
7,190,478
|
||||||||
Basic
Earnings Per Common Share (Note 4)
|
$ |
0.46
|
$ |
1.70
|
$ |
1.40
|
$ |
2.83
|
||||||||
Weighted
Average Shares Outstanding - Basic (Note 4)
|
2,484,874
|
2,537,883
|
2,491,955
|
2,543,475
|
||||||||||||
Diluted
Earnings Per Common Share (Note 4)
|
$ |
0.46
|
$ |
1.68
|
$ |
1.38
|
$ |
2.79
|
||||||||
Weighted
Average Shares Outstanding - Diluted (Note 4)
|
2,518,206
|
2,572,062
|
2,526,844
|
2,578,743
|
||||||||||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
2
Consolidated
Statements of Stockholders' Equity
|
||||||||||||||||||||
For
the Six Months Ended June 30, 2007 and 2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Accumulated
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Common
Stock
|
Retained
|
Other
Comprehensive
|
Stockholders'
|
|||||||||||||||||
Shares
|
Amount
|
Earnings
|
Income
|
Equity
|
||||||||||||||||
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
|
|||||||||||
Balance,
December 31, 2006
|
2,507,325
|
$ |
1
|
$ |
92,134,608
|
$ |
3,141,054
|
$ |
95,275,663
|
|||||||||||
Net
income
|
3,476,363
|
3,476,363
|
||||||||||||||||||
Dividends
($.12 per share)
|
(298,851 | ) | (298,851 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Shares
of common stock repurchased and retired
|
(29,285 | ) | (1,485,379 | ) | (1,485,379 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment of
|
||||||||||||||||||||
bonuses
and fees
|
40
|
1,999
|
1,999
|
|||||||||||||||||
Stock
options exercised
|
5,335
|
88,665
|
88,665
|
|||||||||||||||||
Share-based
compensation expense
|
42,654
|
42,654
|
||||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
loss on investments and retirement benefits, net of taxes
|
(469,637 | ) | (469,637 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Balance,
June 30, 2007
|
2,483,415
|
$ |
1
|
$ |
93,960,059
|
$ |
2,671,417
|
$ |
96,631,477
|
|||||||||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
3
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
|
||||||||
For
the Six Months Ended June 30, 2007 and 2006
|
||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||
Operating
Activities:
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$ |
3,476,363
|
$ |
7,190,478
|
||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash
|
||||||||
provided
by operating activities:
|
||||||||
Depreciation
|
645,599
|
528,423
|
||||||
Amortization
on investments, net
|
139,091
|
78,756
|
||||||
Amortization
of prior service cost
|
8,893
|
-
|
||||||
Issuance
of common stock in payment of bonuses and fees
|
1,999
|
10,085
|
||||||
Share-based
compensation expense related to stock options
|
42,654
|
36,297
|
||||||
Provision
for losses on premiums receivable
|
123,000
|
159,000
|
||||||
Net
gain on disposals of property
|
(2,673 | ) | (2,149 | ) | ||||
Net
realized gain on sales of investments
|
(366,203 | ) | (544,457 | ) | ||||
Provision
for claims
|
6,161,438
|
3,885,691
|
||||||
Provision
(benefit) for deferred income taxes
|
(616,000 | ) |
170,970
|
|||||
Changes
in assets and liabilities:
|
||||||||
Increase
in receivables and other assets
|
(1,380,184 | ) | (595,295 | ) | ||||
Increase
(decrease) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
(477,012 | ) |
1,876,185
|
|||||
Decrease
in commissions and reinsurance payables
|
(193,416 | ) | (83,713 | ) | ||||
Decrease
in current income taxes payable
|
(140,376 | ) | (667,667 | ) | ||||
Payments
of claims, net of recoveries
|
(2,507,438 | ) | (2,876,691 | ) | ||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
4,915,735
|
9,165,913
|
||||||
Investing
Activities:
|
||||||||
Purchases
of available-for-sale securities
|
(28,812,517 | ) | (27,667,588 | ) | ||||
Purchases
of short-term securities
|
(162,520 | ) | (1,947,399 | ) | ||||
Purchases
of and net earnings (losses) from other investments
|
(534,343 | ) | (528,019 | ) | ||||
Proceeds
from sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities
|
23,960,070
|
7,898,120
|
||||||
Proceeds
from maturities of held-to-maturity securities
|
2,000
|
456,000
|
||||||
Proceeds
from sales and maturities of short-term securities
|
2,889,828
|
4,818,308
|
||||||
Proceeds
from sales and distributions of other investments
|
305,433
|
244,258
|
||||||
Other
investment transactions
|
-
|
(18,305 | ) | |||||
Purchases
of property
|
(277,264 | ) | (1,007,892 | ) | ||||
Proceeds
from disposals of property
|
118,433
|
17,175
|
||||||
Other
property transactions
|
-
|
23,685
|
||||||
Net
change in pending trades
|
(998,020 | ) | (1,224,700 | ) | ||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(3,508,900 | ) | (18,936,357 | ) | ||||
Financing
Activities:
|
||||||||
Repurchases
of common stock, net
|
(1,485,379 | ) | (948,435 | ) | ||||
Exercise
of options
|
88,665
|
107,169
|
||||||
Dividends
paid
|
(298,851 | ) | (305,220 | ) | ||||
Net
cash used in financing activities
|
(1,695,565 | ) | (1,146,486 | ) | ||||
Net Decrease
in Cash and Cash Equivalents
|
(288,730 | ) | (10,916,930 | ) | ||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period
|
3,458,432
|
14,608,481
|
||||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, End of Period
|
$ |
3,169,702
|
$ |
3,691,551
|
||||
Supplemental
Disclosures:
|
||||||||
Cash
Paid During the Period for:
|
||||||||
Income
Taxes, net of refunds
|
$ |
1,543,000
|
$ |
2,707,000
|
||||
Non
cash net unrealized loss on investments, net of
deferred
|
||||||||
tax
benefit of $245,782 and $626,007 for 2007 and 2006,
respectively
|
$ |
475,505
|
$ |
1,209,855
|
||||
See
notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
4
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
June
30,
2007
(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 on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 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 three and the six months ended June
30, 2007 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected
for
the year ended December 31, 2007.
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, 2006.
Use
of
Estimates and Assumptions– The preparation of financial statements in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of
America (“GAAP”) 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 2006 amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2007
classifications. These reclassifications had no effect on net income
or stockholders’ equity as previously reported.
5
Recently
Issued Accounting Standards –In September 2006, the Financial Accounting
Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
(“SFAS”) No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“SFAS No. 157”). SFAS No. 157
establishes a common definition for fair value to be applied to 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
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for
Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“SFAS 159”). This statement, which
is expected to expand fair value measurement, permits entities to choose
to
measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value.
SFAS
No. 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007.
The
Company is currently assessing the impact of SFAS No. 159 on its consolidated
financial position and results of operations.
Note
2
- Reserves for Claims
Transactions
in the reserves for claims
for the six months ended June 2007 and the year ended December 31, 2006 are
summarized as follows:
June
30, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||||||
Balance,
beginning of period
|
$ |
36,906,000
|
$ |
34,857,000
|
||||
Provision,
charged to operations
|
6,161,438
|
7,405,211
|
||||||
Payments
of claims, net of recoveries
|
(2,507,438 | ) | (5,356,211 | ) | ||||
Ending
balance
|
$ |
40,560,000
|
$ |
36,906,000
|
The
total
reserve for all reported and unreported losses the Company incurred through
June
30, 2007 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, 2007. 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.
6
Note
3
- Comprehensive Income
Total
comprehensive income for the three months ended June 30, 2007 and 2006 was
$789,180 and $3,569,700, respectively. Comprehensive income for the
six months ended June 30, 2007 and 2006 was $3,006,726 and $5,980,623,
respectively. Other comprehensive income is comprised of unrealized
gains or losses on the Company’s available-for-sale securities and unrealized
gains or losses related to postretirement benefit liabilities, net of
taxes.
Note
4
- Earnings Per Common Share
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 stock options and stock appreciation rights (“SARS”), 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 stock option or SAR, 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
stock option or SAR 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 33,332 and 34,179
for the three months ended June 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively, and 34,889
and
35,268 for the six months ended June 30, 2007 and 2006
respectively.
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, 2007
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$ |
19,112,832
|
$ |
870,083
|
$ |
855,171
|
$ | (202,331 | ) | $ |
20,635,755
|
|||||||||
Investment
income
|
1,021,389
|
6,501
|
261,366
|
(17,501 | ) |
1,271,755
|
||||||||||||||
Net
realized gain on sales
of investments
|
165,589
|
-
|
34,434
|
-
|
200,023
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ |
20,299,810
|
$ |
876,584
|
$ |
1,150,971
|
$ | (219,832 | ) | $ |
22,107,533
|
|||||||||
Operating
expenses
|
19,860,205
|
349,246
|
805,264
|
(202,331 | ) |
20,812,384
|
||||||||||||||
Income
before income
taxes
|
$ |
439,605
|
$ |
527,338
|
$ |
345,707
|
$ | (17,501 | ) | $ |
1,295,149
|
|||||||||
Assets,
net
|
$ |
118,239,859
|
$ |
788,769
|
$ |
27,688,740
|
$ |
-
|
$ |
146,717,368
|
7
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
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
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30, 2007
|
Title
Insurance
|
Exchange
Services
|
All
Other
|
Intersegment
Eliminations
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||
Operating
revenues
|
$ |
36,279,878
|
$ |
2,115,562
|
$ |
1,602,949
|
$ | (404,652 | ) | $ |
39,593,737
|
|||||||||
Investment
income
|
2,024,719
|
15,714
|
475,931
|
(35,002 | ) |
2,481,362
|
||||||||||||||
Net
realized gain on sales
of investments
|
331,769
|
-
|
34,434
|
-
|
366,203
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ |
38,636,366
|
$ |
2,131,276
|
$ |
2,113,314
|
$ | (439,654 | ) | $ |
42,441,302
|
|||||||||
Operating
expenses
|
36,113,238
|
764,749
|
1,701,604
|
(404,652 | ) |
38,174,939
|
||||||||||||||
Income
before income
taxes
|
$ |
2,523,128
|
$ |
1,366,527
|
$ |
411,710
|
$ | (35,002 | ) | $ |
4,266,363
|
|||||||||
Assets,
net
|
$ |
118,239,859
|
$ |
788,769
|
$ |
27,688,740
|
$ |
-
|
$ |
146,717,368
|
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
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
|
Operating
revenues represent net premiums written and other revenues.
8
Note
6
– Retirement and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
On
November 17, 2003, ITIC 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, 2007 and
2006:
For
the Three
Months
Ended
June
30,
|
For
the Six
Months
Ended
June
30,
|
||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$ |
3,494
|
$ |
3,557
|
$ |
6,988
|
$ |
7,114
|
|||||||
Interest
cost
|
3,662
|
3,515
|
7,324
|
7,030
|
|||||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized prior service cost
|
5,097
|
5,097
|
10,194
|
10,194
|
|||||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized gains
|
(651 | ) | (416 | ) | (1,302 | ) | (832 | ) | |||||||
Net
periodic benefits costs
|
$ |
11,602
|
$ |
11,753
|
$ |
23,204
|
$ |
23,506
|
Note
7
– Income Taxes
The
Company adopted the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for
Uncertainty in Income Taxes – an interpretation of FASB Statement
No. 109,” (“FIN 48”) on January 1, 2007. 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 an
audit, based on the technical merits of the position. As a result of
the implementation of FIN 48, the Company made a comprehensive review of
its portfolio of uncertain tax positions in accordance with recognition
standards established by FIN 48. In this regard, an uncertain tax position
represents the Company’s expected treatment of a tax position taken in a filed
tax return, or planned to be taken in a future tax return, that has not been
reflected in measuring income tax expense for financial reporting purposes.
As a
result of this review, the Company did not recognize any increase in the
liability for unrecognized tax benefits, nor did it reduce the January 1,
2007
balance in retained earnings for any additional liability.
The
amount
of unrecognized tax benefit or liability may increase or decrease in the
future
for various reasons, including adding amounts for current tax year positions,
expiration of open income tax returns due to the statute of limitation, changes
in management’s judgment about the level of uncertainty, status of examinations,
litigation and legislative activity and the additions or eliminations of
uncertain tax positions.
The
Company’s policy is to report interest and penalties, if any, related to
unrecognized tax benefits or liabilities in income tax expense in the
Consolidated Statements of Income.
The
Company, or one of its subsidiaries, files income tax returns in the U.S.
federal jurisdiction and various states. With few exceptions, the
Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal or state and local examinations
by
taxing authorities for years before 2004.
9
Note
8
– 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.
10
Item
2. Management's Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The
Company's 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K 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 91.6% of the Company’s operating revenues in
the six months ended June 30, 2007. Through ITIC and NE-ITIC, the Company
underwrites land title insurance for owners and mortgagees as a primary
insurer.
Title insurance protects against loss or damage resulting from title defects
that affect real property.
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 indemnification against insured defects. The title insurer
has the option to retain counsel and pay the legal expenses to eliminate
or
defend against any title defects, pay any third party claims arising from
errors
in title examination and recording or pay the insured’s actual losses, up to
policy limits, arising from errors in title as defined in the
policy.
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. ITIC also has branch
offices in South Carolina and Nebraska. In other states, title
policies are issued primarily through issuing agents. 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 real estate activity. In turn, real estate activity 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 refinancing, 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. This segment also experiences seasonality in addition to
cyclicality.
11
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, 2007, 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 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.
While
timing and content are uncertain, the United States Department of Housing
and
Urban Development (“HUD”) continues to indicate that it would like to make
modifications to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and associated
regulations. In April 2007, the Government Accountability Office
(“GAO”) released a report on the title insurance industry in which it
recommended that HUD and state insurance regulators take actions to improve
consumers’ ability to comparison shop for title insurance and strengthen the
regulation and oversight of the title insurance market, among other
measures. Based on the information known to management at this time,
it is not possible to predict the outcome of any of the GAO recommendations
for
the title insurance industry’s market and other matters, or the market’s
response to them. However, any material change in the Company’s
regulatory environment may have an adverse effect on its business.
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 like-kind exchanges of real or personal property
under
Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. 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.
12
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 Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) proposed new regulations
which, if adopted, may negatively affect the ability of qualified intermediaries
to retain a portion of the interest earned on exchange funds held during
exchange transactions. If passed as proposed, these regulations would
materially and adversely affect the exchange services segment and the Company’s
net income, since a significant portion of the exchange segment’s revenues are
based on retaining a portion of the interest income earned on deposits held
by
the Company. A public hearing on the proposed regulations was held on
June 6, 2006, and as a result the IRS agreed to revise its initial regulatory
flexibility analysis on the impact of the proposed regulations to small
businesses. In March 2007, the IRS issued a revised regulatory
flexibility analysis and requested more specific information to help in
determining the impact the rules would have on small businesses.
Other
Services: Other services include those offered by Investors
Trust Company ("Investors Trust"), Investors Capital Management Company
(“ICMC”), and Investors Title Management Services, Inc. (“ITMS”), wholly owned
subsidiaries of the Company. In conjunction with Investors Trust,
ICMC provides investment management and trust services to individuals,
companies, banks and trusts. ITMS offers various consulting services
to provide partners with the technical expertise to start and successfully
operate a title insurance agency.
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. During the quarter and six months ended June 30,
2007, 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, 2006 as filed
with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ
from these estimates.
Results
of Operations
For
the
second quarter ended June 30, 2007, net premiums written decreased 2.6% to
$18,626,179, investment income increased 22.9% to $1,271,755, total revenues
decreased 4.4% to $22,107,533 and net income decreased 73.3% to $1,154,149,
all
compared with the second quarter of 2006. Net income per basic and
diluted common share decreased 72.9% and 72.6%, respectively, to $0.46 and
$0.46
compared with the prior year quarter. For the second quarter of 2007,
the title insurance segment's operating revenues decreased 2.2% compared
with
the second quarter of 2006, while the exchange services segment's operating
revenues decreased 54.4% for the second quarter of 2007, compared with the
same
quarter in 2006.
13
For
the
six-month period ended June 30, 2007, net premiums written decreased 0.9%
to
$35,418,721, investment income increased 22.3% to $2,481,362, total revenues
decreased 2.0% to $42,441,302 and net income decreased 51.7% to $3,476,363,
all
compared with the first six months of 2006. Net income per basic and
diluted common share decreased 50.5% to $1.40 and $1.38, respectively, compared
with the same six-month period ended June 30, 2006. For the six
months ended June 30, 2007, the title insurance segment's operating revenues
decreased 1.0% compared with the same period in 2006, while the exchange
services segment's operating revenues decreased 27.9% for the six months
ended
June 30, 2007 compared with the first six months of 2006.
Total
revenues declined from the prior year period primarily due to less fee income
generated in the Company’s exchange services segment and 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.
The exchange services segment experienced a steeper decline in revenue related
to a decrease in demand and interest income earned on exchange
funds. Partially offsetting these decreases was an increase in
investment income. Net income was significantly impacted by an increase in
the
provision for claims resulting from the occurrence of two large
claims. The Company’s effective income tax rate decreased to 18.5%
from 23.6% of income before income taxes for the respective six month
periods. The declines in the effective tax rates for the quarter and
the six months ended June 30, 2007 resulted primarily from a higher mix of
tax-exempt investment income relative to taxable income. The reduction in
taxable income primarily resulted from the increase in the provision for
claims and commissions.
Operating
revenues: Operating revenues include premiums written plus other
fee income, exchange segment 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.
Following
is a breakdown of branch
and agency premiums written for the three and six months ended June 30,
2007 and 2006:
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2007
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
2007
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Branch
|
$ |
7,907,600
|
42
|
$ |
9,004,581
|
47
|
$ |
15,040,911
|
42
|
$ |
16,730,965
|
47
|
||||||||||||||||
Agency
|
10,718,579
|
58
|
10,119,010
|
53
|
20,377,810
|
58
|
19,024,252
|
53
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Total
|
$ |
18,626,179
|
100
|
$ |
19,123,591
|
100
|
$ |
35,418,721
|
100
|
$ |
35,755,217
|
100
|
Net
premiums written from branch operations decreased 12.2% for the three months
ended June 30, 2007 compared with the same period in the prior
year. Net premiums written from branch operations decreased 10.1% for
the six months ended June 30, 2007 from 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
premiums written primarily represent North Carolina business.
Agency
net
premiums increased 5.9% for the quarter ended June 30, 2007 compared with
the
same period in the prior year. Agency net premiums increased 7.1% for
the six months ended June 30, 2007 compared with the same period in the prior
year. Although total premiums written in North Carolina decreased,
premiums written by North Carolina agents increased approximately $700,000
for
the six months ended June 30, 2007 compared with the same period in the prior
year.
14
Following
is a schedule of premiums written for the three and six months ended June
30,
2007 and 2006 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
|
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Alabama
|
$ |
151,318
|
$ |
330,545
|
$ |
290,678
|
$ |
574,181
|
||||||||
Florida
|
461,498
|
327,956
|
1,290,045
|
606,291
|
||||||||||||
Illinois
|
460,531
|
280,013
|
849,488
|
527,908
|
||||||||||||
Kentucky
|
675,454
|
583,539
|
1,225,144
|
1,157,037
|
||||||||||||
Maryland
|
310,321
|
407,905
|
597,192
|
781,674
|
||||||||||||
Michigan
|
798,861
|
881,521
|
1,578,186
|
1,758,830
|
||||||||||||
Minnesota
|
150,535
|
304,900
|
269,217
|
642,069
|
||||||||||||
Mississippi
|
271,235
|
167,225
|
535,077
|
301,677
|
||||||||||||
Nebraska
|
203,768
|
197,136
|
377,092
|
331,446
|
||||||||||||
New
York
|
658,675
|
709,195
|
1,165,434
|
1,212,791
|
||||||||||||
North
Carolina
|
9,218,284
|
9,773,452
|
17,131,757
|
18,214,934
|
||||||||||||
Pennsylvania
|
406,236
|
410,595
|
732,890
|
726,507
|
||||||||||||
South
Carolina
|
1,857,204
|
1,536,781
|
3,573,604
|
2,938,854
|
||||||||||||
Tennessee
|
732,461
|
614,769
|
1,381,851
|
1,281,092
|
||||||||||||
Virginia
|
1,572,652
|
1,897,939
|
3,133,156
|
3,572,042
|
||||||||||||
West
Virginia
|
545,827
|
640,423
|
1,013,752
|
1,095,841
|
||||||||||||
Other
|
236,163
|
158,281
|
434,507
|
238,844
|
||||||||||||
Direct
Premiums
|
18,711,023
|
19,222,175
|
35,579,070
|
35,962,018
|
||||||||||||
Reinsurance
Assumed
|
4,737
|
-
|
11,667
|
6,426
|
||||||||||||
Reinsurance
Ceded
|
(89,581 | ) | (98,584 | ) | (172,016 | ) | (213,227 | ) | ||||||||
Net
Premiums
|
$ |
18,626,179
|
$ |
19,123,591
|
$ |
35,418,721
|
$ |
35,755,217
|
According
to data published by Freddie Mac, the quarterly average 30-year fixed mortgage
interest rates in the United States decreased to 6.30% for the six months
ended
June 30, 2007, compared with 6.42% for the six months ended June 30,
2006. Both net premiums written and the total number of policies and
commitments issued in the six months ended June 30, 2007 declined. In
the six months ended June 30, 2007 total policies and commitments issued
decreased to 121,011, which is a decrease of 4.9% compared with 127,258
policies
and commitments issued in the same period in 2006. Title insurance
volumes fluctuate based on the effect that changes in interest rates have
on the
level of real estate activity. The continued slowdown in the
residential housing and mortgage markets was the primary reason for the
decline in volume. In addition, premium rates vary by the state in
which the policies are written.
15
Operating
revenues from the Company’s two subsidiaries that provide tax-deferred exchange
services (ITEC and ITAC) decreased 54.4% compared with the second quarter
of
2006. For the first six months ended June 30, 2007, operating revenues
from ITEC
and ITAC decreased 27.9% compared with the first six months of
2006. The decreases in 2007 were primarily due to lower levels of
interest income earned on exchange fund deposits held by the Company
due to a
decrease in the average balances of deposits held and to a lesser extent,
a
decline in transaction volume. See overview for discussion of proposed
IRS
rules.
Other
revenues primarily include investment management fee income and agency service
fees, as well as search fee and other ancillary fees and income related to
the
Company’s other equity method investments. Other revenues increased
5.8% in the second quarter of 2007 compared with the second quarter of the
prior
year and 0.9% in the six months ended June 30, 2007 compared with the first
six
months of 2006, primarily due to increases in investment management fee income
generated by the Company’s Trust division and in the Company’s equity method
investments.
Non-operating
revenues: Investment income and realized gains and losses from
sales of investments are included in non-operating revenues.
Investment
income increased 22.3% for the six months ended June 30, 2007 compared with
the
same period in 2006 and 22.9% for the three months ended June 30, 2007 compared
with the same period in 2006. The increase was primarily attributable
to increases in the average investment portfolio balance and to a lesser
extent,
to an increase in investments in taxable securities and higher rates of interest
earned on short-term investments and cash balances.
Net
realized gains on the sale of investment securities totaled $366,203 for
the six
months ended June 30, 2007, compared with net realized gains of $544,457
for the
corresponding period in 2006. The decrease 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 19.0% and 12.6% for the three and six months
ended
June 30, 2007, respectively, compared with the same periods in
2006. The year-to-date increase was due primarily to increases in the
provision for claims and commissions to agents. A summary by segment of the
Company’s operating expenses is as follows for the three and the six months
ended June 30:
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2007
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
2007
|
%
|
2006
|
%
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Title
insurance
|
$ |
19,680,273
|
94
|
$ |
16,358,539
|
94
|
$ |
35,756,301
|
94
|
$ |
31,766,899
|
94
|
||||||||||||||||
Exchange
services
|
335,748
|
2
|
247,245
|
1
|
735,437
|
2
|
510,004
|
1
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
All
other
|
796,363
|
4
|
876,330
|
5
|
1,683,201
|
4
|
1,620,118
|
5
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Total
|
$ |
20,812,384
|
100
|
$ |
17,482,114
|
100
|
$ |
38,174,939
|
100
|
$ |
33,897,021
|
100
|
16
Agent
commissions represent the portion of premiums retained by agents pursuant
to the
terms of their respective agency contracts. Commissions to agents
increased 7.4% from the prior six month period primarily due to an increasing
percentage of premiums originating from agency operations in 2007 as noted
previously. Although commissions paid to agents increased, the commissions
as a percentage of agency premiums remained relatively stable in the second
quarter and first six months of 2007 when compared with the respective previous
year periods.
The
provision for claims as a percentage of net premiums written was 23.4% for
the
second quarter of 2007, versus 10.6% for the same period in 2006. For
the first six months of 2007 and 2006, the provision for claims as a percentage
of net premiums written was 17.4% and 10.9%, respectively. The
respective increases in the loss percentages in 2007 compared with 2006 reflect
the negative impact of two large claims resulting from mortgage fraud and
theft. The additional provision as a result of these two claims, in
addition to the Company’s expected provision, was approximately $2.34
million. Currently, it is unknown to the Company if there will be any
recovery related to these claims. If material occurrences of
mortgage-related fraud and other similar types of claims continue, the Company’s
ultimate loss estimates for recent policy years could increase. Loss
provision rates are subject to variability and are reviewed and adjusted
as
claims experience develops.
Declining
economic conditions and/or 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, 2007, the total reserves for claims were $40,560,000. Of that
total, $8,250,362 was reserved for specific claims and $32,309,638 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 total revenues were
23.0%
and 21.3% for the second quarter of 2007 and 2006, respectively. For
the first six months of the year, salaries, employee benefits and payroll
taxes
as a percentage of total revenues were 24.4% and 22.9% for 2007 and 2006,
respectively. Personnel costs increased compared with the first six
months of last year due to increases in salaries and related compensation
expenses. The
title insurance segment’s total salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes
accounted for 86.3% and 85.1% of the consolidated total amount for the second
quarter of 2007 and 2006, respectively and 85.4% and 86.2% for the six months
ended June 30, 2007, and 2006, respectively.
Overall
office occupancy and operations
as a percentage of total revenues was 6.6% and 5.5% for the second quarter
of
2007 and 2006, respectively and 6.8% and 6.3% for the first six months of
2007
and 2006, respectively. The three and six month increases in office
occupancy and operations expense were due to an increase in various items,
including depreciation expense.
Title
insurance companies are generally
not subject to state income or franchise taxes. However, in most
states they are subject to premium and retaliatory taxes. Premium and
retaliatory taxes as a percentage of premiums written were 2.4% and 1.9%
for the
six months ended June 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
17
Professional
and contract labor fees for the three and six months ended June 30, 2007
compared with the same periods in 2006 increased primarily due to an increase
in
contract labor fees incurred, mostly related to investments in infrastructure
and technology.
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 10.9% and 23.5% of income before income
taxes
for the three months ended June 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively. For the
six
months ended June 30, 2007 and 2006, the provision for income taxes was 18.5%
and 23.6%, respectively, of income before income taxes. The declines
in the effective tax rates for the quarter and the six months ended June
30,
2007 resulted primarily from a higher mix of tax-exempt investment income
relative to taxable income. The reduction in taxable income primarily
resulted from the increase in the provision for claims.
Net
Income: On a
consolidated basis, the Company reported a decrease in net income of 51.7%
for
the six months ended June 30, 2006 compared with the prior year
period. Operating expenses increased compared with the 2006 period
primarily due to the increase in provision for claims and
commissions.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Cash
flows: Net cash provided by operating activities for the six
months ended June 30, 2007, amounted to $4,915,735 compared with $9,165,913
for
the six months ended June, 30, 2006. 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 decrease in net cash provided by operating
activities is primarily the result of the decrease in net income and the
decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, partially offset by
the
increase in the provision for claims. The principal non-operating
uses of cash and cash equivalents for the three and six month periods ended
June
30, 2007 and 2006 were additions to the investment portfolio.
Payment
of
dividends: The Company’s significant sources of funds are
dividends and distributions from its 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 adverse liquidity
changes. The Company’s cash requirements include operating expenses,
taxes, capital expenditures and dividends on its common stock declared by
the
Board of Directors.
18
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, 2007, the
Company held cash and cash equivalents of $3,169,702, short-term investments
of
$1,733,603 and various other readily marketable securities.
Capital
expenditures: During 2007, the Company has plans for various
capital improvement projects, including software development projects. The
Company anticipates capital expenditures of approximately $900,000 during
the
remainder of 2007 in connection with these 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, 2007 is represented
by
the reserves for claims. Information regarding the claims reserve 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, 2006 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.
New
Accounting Standards
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS
No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“SFAS No. 157”). SFAS 157
establishes a common definition for fair value to be applied to GAAP guidance
requiring use of fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value,
and expands disclosure about such fair value measurements. SFAS 157
is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. The
Company is currently assessing the impact of SFAS 157 on its consolidated
financial position and results of operations.
In
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS
No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities”
(“SFAS 159”). This statement, which is expected to expand fair value
measurement, permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments
and certain other items at fair value. SFAS 159 is effective for
fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. The Company is
currently assessing the impact of SFAS 159 on its consolidated financial
position and results of operations.
19
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: varying demand for title insurance due to factors
such as interest rate fluctuations, the availability of mortgage funds, the
level of real estate transactions, mortgage refinance activity, the cost
of real
estate, consumer confidence, employment levels, family income levels and
general
economic conditions; changes to the insurance requirements of the participants
in the secondary mortgage market; losses from claims may be greater than
anticipated such that reserves for possible claims are inadequate; unanticipated
adverse changes in securities markets including interest rates, resulting
in
material losses on the Company’s investments; the Company’s dependence on key
management personnel, the loss of whom could have a material adverse affect
on
the Company’s business; the Company’s ability to develop and offer products and
services that meet changing industry standards in a timely and cost-effective
manner; significant changes to applicable government regulations; state statutes
requiring the Company’s insurance subsidiaries to maintain minimum levels of
capital, surplus and reserves and restricting the amount of dividends that
the
insurance subsidiaries may pay to the Company without prior regulatory approval;
and the concentration of key accounting and information systems in a few
locations. 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, 2006. 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.
20
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures
About Market Risk
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 2006 Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Item
4. Controls and
Procedures
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. Pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the
Act, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the
participation of 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. 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, 2007. 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, 2007,
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.
21
PART
II. OTHER
INFORMATION
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity
Securities and Use of Proceeds
(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, 2007
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
|
323,330
|
|||||||||||||||
04/01/07–
04/30/07
|
-
|
-
|
323,330
|
|||||||||||||
05/01/07–
05/31/07
|
3,933
|
$ |
48.51
|
3,933
|
319,397
|
|||||||||||
06/01/07–
06/30/07
|
1,909
|
$ |
49.62
|
1,909
|
317,488
|
|||||||||||
Total:
|
5,842
|
$ |
48.87
|
5,842
|
317,488
|
For
the
quarter ended June 30, 2007, ITC purchased an aggregate of 5,842 shares of
the
Company’s common stock pursuant to the purchase plan (the “Plan”) that was
publicly announced on June 5, 2000. In 2000, 2004 and 2005, the Board
of Directors of ITIC and ITC approved the purchase by 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 ITC has purchased all shares authorized
for
purchase thereunder. ITC intends
to make
further purchases under this Plan.
22
Item
4. Submission of Matters to a
Vote of Security Holders
(a)
|
Investors
Title Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders was held on May
16,
2007.
|
(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
|
J.
Allen Fine
|
2,110,330
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
68,941
|
N/A
|
David
L. Francis
|
2,109,650
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
69,621
|
N/A
|
A.
Scott Parker III
|
2,110,230
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
69,041
|
N/A
|
Item
6.
Exhibits
(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
|
23
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, 2007
|
24