W. R. Berkley Corporation (WRB-PE) is a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance provider, known for its disciplined underwriting approach and prudent risk management. The company has demonstrated its ability to navigate challenging market conditions, delivering consistent financial performance and generating strong returns for its shareholders.
In the latest quarter, W. R. Berkley reported impressive results, with net income reaching $442 million, up from $294 million in the prior-year period. This strong performance was driven by a combination of robust underwriting results and a significant increase in net investment income. For the full year 2023, the company reported net income of $1.38 billion on revenues of $12.11 billion, with operating cash flow of $2.98 billion and free cash flow of $2.93 billion.
Business Overview
W. R. Berkley operates through two primary business segments: Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess. The Insurance segment predominantly focuses on commercial insurance, including excess and surplus lines, admitted lines, and specialty personal lines, across the United States and in various international markets. The Reinsurance & Monoline Excess segment provides reinsurance on a facultative and treaty basis, primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia, the Asia-Pacific region, and South Africa.The company's decentralized structure allows it to respond quickly to local or specific market conditions, enabling it to capitalize on specialty business niches. This agility, combined with a strong focus on risk management and disciplined underwriting, has been a key driver of W. R. Berkley's consistent performance.
Financials
In the second quarter of 2024, W. R. Berkley reported net premiums written of $3.1 billion, representing an 11.2% increase from the prior-year period, excluding the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. This growth was driven by both the Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess segments, with the Insurance segment leading the way with a 12.2% increase in net premiums written.The company's underwriting performance remained strong, with a consolidated GAAP combined ratio of 88.8% in the second quarter, compared to 90.6% in the prior-year period. This improvement was driven by factors other than catastrophe losses, which were $90 million in the quarter, or 3.2 loss ratio points, compared to $78 million, or 2.1 loss ratio points, in the prior-year period.
Net investment income was a standout, increasing by 52% to $372 million in the second quarter, primarily due to higher yields on the company's fixed maturity securities portfolio and improved performance from its investment funds. The fixed maturity portfolio had an average duration of 2.5 years and a credit quality of AA- at the end of the quarter.
Liquidity
W. R. Berkley maintains a strong balance sheet, with stockholders' equity of $7.8 billion as of June 30, 2024. The company's capital management strategy focuses on prudent deployment of capital to support organic growth, strategic acquisitions, and shareholder returns.During the second quarter, the company returned $381 million to shareholders, including $224 million in share repurchases and $157 million in dividends (regular and special). The company's book value per share grew 5.4% from the beginning of the year to $20.42, reflecting the strength of its operations and capital position.