Midwest Holding Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2022 Results

LINCOLN, Neb., Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Midwest Holding Inc. ("Midwest") (NASDAQ: MDWT), today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2022.

Second Quarter 2022 Highlights:

• GAAP net income was $9.3 million compared to a $(5.0) million GAAP net loss incurred in the second quarter of 2021. GAAP earnings were $2.47 per share (diluted) versus the $(1.34) per-share loss in Q1 2021.
• GAAP total revenue was slightly negative at $(122,000) compared to total revenue of $8.9 million in the second quarter of 2021. Total revenue was increased by net investment income of $10.5 million compared to $3.2 million in second quarter of 2021, as invested assets grew to $1.2 billion as of June 30, 2022, compared with $834.5 million as of June 30, 2021. This increase was offset by a decline in the market value of derivatives.
• Annuity direct written premium under statutory accounting principles ("SAP"), a non-GAAP measure, was $156.0 million, up 59% compared to $98.1 million in first quarter of 2022 and up from $125.9 million in 2021's second quarter. The mix of our new business was 45% Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities (MYGA) and 55% Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIA).
• Ceded premiums (SAP) were $59.9 million compared with $86.1 million in the year-earlier quarter. The cession rate, or that portion of our written premiums that we reinsured, was 38.4% compared with 68.4%.
• Total expenses benefited from negative interest credited due to the fall in value of the options embedded in our liabilities and the gain on mark-to-market value of the options allowance classified in other operating expenses.

Georgette Nicholas, CEO of Midwest noted, "We are seeing strong results from the actions we took in the first quarter to position the Company for growth relating to distribution, pricing, products, investment management, and reinsurance.  We are investing in technology and foundational capabilities to strengthen the business.  We saw strong trends in premiums written in the second quarter.  We are benefiting from movements in interest rates, as consumers seek stable returns, and from the performance of our investment portfolio.  Overall, the second quarter showed very positive trends and positioned us for a strong start to the third quarter."

Ms. Nicholas concluded: "Our opportunities are substantial to build on the value of our platform.  The focus of the team continues to be on the key drivers of growth and profitability: Deepening distribution relationships, state expansion to achieve sales growth, reinsurance, investment management, and operational readiness and efficiency. With these five keys to our strategy, we will deliver on our commitment to shareholders to produce strong growth paired with a high return on capital."

Q2 2022 versus Q2 2021 on a GAAP basis

Midwest reported GAAP net income of $9.3 million in the second quarter of 2022 compared to a $(5.0) million GAAP net loss incurred in the second quarter of 2021. On a diluted, per-share basis, this year's quarterly net income was 2.47 cents compared with the (1.34)-cent per-share loss reported in the second quarter of 2021.  

Investment income in 2022's second quarter was $10.5 million compared with $3.2 million in the prior- year's second quarter.  Driving the change was an increase in invested assets as well as performance on those assets, benefiting from core capabilities developed around sourcing assets with a higher yield – generating approximately a 5.5% return on the investment portfolio. 

Amortization of deferred gain on reinsurance reached $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2022 compared with $588,000 in the second quarter of 2021 primarily due to growth in the deferred gain on co-insurance on our balance sheet, which reflects ceding commissions received on reinsurance of business to third parties.

Service fee revenue was $416,000 versus $672,000 in the prior year second quarter.   Service fee revenue consists of fee revenue generated for our asset-management services provided to third-party clients. Assets under management for third parties was $471.1 million on June 30, 2022, compared to $455.4 million on March 31, 2022.

Other revenue finished at $514,000 compared with $358,000 in the prior-year quarter.   Other revenue consists primarily of revenue we generate by providing ancillary services, such as policy administration, to third parties and policy surrender charges. 

Our total expenses on a GAAP basis were a negative $(1.4) million versus $13.1 million in the prior year second quarter.   Total expenses were helped by negative interest credited due to the decrease in value of the options embedded in our liabilities of $2.0 million and an increase in mark-to-market value of our options allowance of $5.3 million. Salaries and benefits were $4.2 million in Q2 2022 compared to $4.5 million in Q2 2021 as we continue to seek operational improvement and work on technology initiatives.

Guidance

We continue to see intense competition in the fixed annuity market around pricing and new competitors.  We have taken actions to maintain a competitive position and have seen positive results from these actions and improved sales momentum in the second quarter.  With these positive trends and the premium written so far along with the backlog in process, we have had a strong start to the third quarter.

State expansion efforts remain a key priority. We have active applications in process and will provide updates as they progress.

Given these dynamics, we are confident in anticipated premiums written being in the range of $500 million to $600 million (SAP) for the year.   We expect the mix in product sales to be 60% towards MYGA this year, given increasing interest rates and market volatility and 40% FIA. We would expect that to move back towards 75% FIA and 25% MYGA in future years. 

The goal is to cede, on average, approximately 70-90% of our premium in the year to generate ceded commission fees and manage capital, although currently we are running at approximately 40%. Timing of closing additional reinsurance deals can be delayed due to various factors and will vary quarter to quarter as new agreements are reached.   Demand from our existing reinsurance partners is strong and we have capacity in place to cover anticipated written premium through them with the potential to grow along with additional potential reinsurance transactions in the pipeline.

We are making progress towards bringing general and administrative expenses on a management basis, a non-GAAP measure, within approximately $27 to $28 million for the full year 2022.

Q2 2022 Key Performance Indicators and Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to GAAP measures, Midwest's management utilizes a series of key performance indicators (KPIs) and non-GAAP measures to, among other things:

1)      monitor and evaluate the performance of our business operations and financial performance;
2)      facilitate internal comparisons of the historical operating performance of our business operations;
3)      review and assess the operating performance of our management team;
4)      analyze and evaluate financial and strategic planning decisions regarding future operations;
5)      plan for and prepare future annual operating budgets and determine appropriate levels of operating investments; and
6)      facilitate comparison of results between periods and to better understand the underlying historical trends in our business and prospects. 

These non-GAAP measures are not a substitute for GAAP measures; however, management believes that when used in conjunction with the GAAP measures, the non-GAAP measures can contribute to investors' understanding of our business. Non-GAAP financial measures used by us may be calculated differently from, and therefore may not be comparable to, similarly titled measures used by other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered along with, but not as alternatives to, our operating performance measures as prescribed by GAAP.

Annuity Premiums (a KPI)

For the second quarter of 2022, annuity direct written premiums were $156.0 million compared with $98.1 million at first quarter of 2022 and up from $125.9 million in the second quarter of 2021.    Ceded premiums were $59.9 million in second quarter of 2022 compared to $40.1 million in 2022's first quarter. whereas ceded premiums were $86.1 million in the second quarter of 2021.  Of the second quarter 2022 sales, approximately 45% was in the MYGA category and the remaining 55% consisted of sales of FIAs.

Fees Received for Reinsurance (a KPI)

We use this non-GAAP figure to measure our efforts to secure third-party capital to back our reinsurance programs.   Fees Received for Reinsurance sums two components: Amortization of deferred gain on reinsurance, which is a line item in our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss), and deferred coinsurance ceding commission, which is a line item in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

For the second quarter of 2022, fees received for reinsurance totaled $3.2 million compared with $4.9 million in the second quarter of 2021.

General and Administrative Expenses (a non-GAAP measure)

We monitor this figure to track our overhead.   It includes salary and benefits and other operating expenses; however, it excludes non-cash stock-based compensation and the non-cash mark-to-market-adjustment of our option budget allowance.

G&A expense in the second quarter of 2022 was $7.0 million, down from $8.9 million at first quarter 2022 and compared with $5.9 million in the prior year second quarter.   We continue to build foundational capabilities to support potential growth in the business and work on technology initiatives.

Management Expenses (a non-GAAP measure)

We use this metric to monitor the expenses of our business on a cash basis.   Importantly, we exclude from the calculation of management expenses the index interest credited related to our FIAs because this expense is hedged.   Instead, we add back to Management Expenses the period's amortization of options previously purchased to provide this hedge. We view this amortized cost as our true cost of funds.   Management Expenses also excludes the mark-to-market adjustment of our option budget allowance.

Management Expenses and non-cash stock-based compensation

SPECIAL CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained or incorporated by reference in this release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology including "could," "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "intend," or "continue," the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology used in connection with any discussion of future operating results or financial performance. These statements are only predictions and reflect our management's good faith present expectation of future events and are subject to a number of important factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

Factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or projected, forecast, estimated or budgeted in such forward-looking statements include among others, the following possibilities:

• intense competition, including pricing, competitive pressures from established insurers with greater financial resources, the entry of new competitors, and the introduction of new products by new and existing competitors;
• our business plan, particularly including our reinsurance strategy, may not prove to be successful;
• our reliance on third-party insurance marketing organizations to market and sell our annuity insurance products through a network of independent agents;
• adverse changes in our ratings obtained from independent rating agencies;
• failure to maintain adequate reinsurance;
• our inability to expand our insurance operations outside the 22 states and District of Columbia in which we are currently licensed;
• our annuity insurance products may not achieve significant market acceptance;
• we may continue to experience operating losses in the foreseeable future;
• the possible loss or retirement of one or more of our key executive personnel;
• adverse state and federal legislation or regulation, including decreases in rates, limitations on premium levels, increases in minimum capital and reserve requirements, benefit mandates and tax treatment of insurance products;
• fluctuations in interest rates causing a reduction of investment income or increase in interest expense and in the market value of interest-rate sensitive investment;
• failure to obtain new customers, retain existing customers, or reductions in policies in force by existing customers;
• higher service, administrative, or general expense due to the need for additional advertising, marketing, administrative or management information systems expenditures;
• changes in our liquidity due to changes in asset and liability matching;
• possible claims relating to sales practices for insurance products; and
• lawsuits in the ordinary course of business.

Earnings Teleconference information and Details

Midwest Holding has announced plans to host a conference call to discuss financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2022 on August 16, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The Company also posted those results on the investor relations section of its website at https://ir.midwestholding.com after the close of the financial markets on August 15, 2022.  

To register for this conference call, please use the following link: https://ige.netroadshow.com/registration/q4inc/11308/midwest-holding-inc-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with dial-in details.

The call may also be accessed via webcast at this link: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/619100939

A replay of the webcast will be made available after the call on the Investor Relations page of the Company's website at https://ir.midwestholding.com

About Midwest Holding Inc.

Midwest Holding Inc. is a growing, technology-enabled, services-oriented annuity platform. Midwest designs and develops annuity products that are distributed through independent distribution channels, to a large and growing demographic of U.S. retirees. Midwest originates, manages and typically transfers these annuities through reinsurance arrangements to asset managers and other third-party investors. Midwest also provides the operational and regulatory infrastructure and expertise to enable asset managers and third-party investors to form and manage their own reinsurance capital vehicles.

For more information, please visit www.midwestholding.com

Investor contact: ir@midwestholding.com

Media inquiries: press@midwestholding.com

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SOURCE Midwest Holding Inc.