Atlantic American Corporation (NASDAQ:AAME) is a diversified insurance holding company that operates primarily through its two subsidiaries, American Southern Insurance Company and Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company. The company has faced a challenging environment in recent years, as it navigates the complexities of the insurance industry.
Business Overview
American Southern operates in the property and casualty insurance market, offering a range of products including automobile liability, automobile physical damage, general liability, and surety coverage. Bankers Fidelity, on the other hand, focuses on the life and health insurance segment, with a strong presence in the Medicare supplement and individual life insurance markets.Financial Performance
For the full year 2023, Atlantic American reported annual revenue of $186,793,000, a decrease from the previous year. Net income for the year was a loss of $171,000, reflecting the challenges faced by the company. Operating cash flow for the year was $2,622,000, while free cash flow stood at $2,542,000.Quarterly Results
In the first quarter of 2024, Atlantic American reported a net loss of $1,998,000, or $0.10 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $1,446,000, or $0.08 per diluted share, in the same period of the prior year. The increase in net loss was primarily due to a decrease in premium revenue in the life and health operations, coupled with unfavorable loss experience in the life and health segment.Revenue for the first quarter of 2024 was $46,997,000, compared to $46,269,000 in the same period of 2023, a slight increase of 1.6%. The company's property and casualty segment, American Southern, saw a 3.9% increase in net earned premiums, while the life and health segment, Bankers Fidelity, experienced a 7.7% decrease in net earned premium revenue.
Segment Performance
American Southern's underwriting income increased to $527,000 in the first quarter of 2024, compared to $362,000 in the same period of 2023. The segment's loss ratio improved to 71.7% from 73.6% in the prior-year quarter, primarily due to favorable reserve development in the general liability line of business and a decline in loss adjustment expenses.Bankers Fidelity, on the other hand, reported an underwriting loss of $2,784,000 in the first quarter of 2024, compared to an underwriting income of $369,000 in the same period of 2023. The deterioration in underwriting performance was mainly attributable to an increase in incurred losses in the group life and Medicare supplement lines of business.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2024, Atlantic American had cash and cash equivalents of $21,189,000, a decrease from $28,301,000 at the end of 2023. The company's insurance subsidiaries reported statutory net loss of $1,600,000 for the first quarter of 2024, compared to statutory net income of $1,100,000 in the same period of the prior year.The company's primary sources of cash are written premiums, investment income, and proceeds from the sale and maturity of its invested assets. Atlantic American believes that its total invested assets will be sufficient to satisfy all policy liabilities and that cash inflows from investment earnings, future premium receipts, and reinsurance collections will be adequate to fund the payment of claims and operating expenses.
Risks and Challenges
Atlantic American faces several risks and challenges in its operations, including regulatory changes, competition in the insurance industry, and the impact of economic conditions on its investment portfolio and underwriting performance. The company's life and health segment, in particular, has been impacted by unfavorable loss experience in the group life and Medicare supplement lines of business.Guidance and Outlook
The company has not provided any specific guidance or outlook for the remainder of 2024. However, management has indicated that it is focused on addressing the challenges in the life and health segment, including implementing enhanced controls and analytical processes to improve the review of insurance reserves and deferred acquisition costs.