1st Quarter Results
Chesnara plc Interim Management Statement
Chesnara plc
Interim Management Statement for the period from 1 January 2011 to 18 May 2011
19 May 2011
This statement relates primarily to the financial position of Chesnara plc (the
`Group') as at 31 March 2011 and to its financial performance during the first
quarter of the year. Where events and transactions have occurred since the end
of the first quarter, which are estimated to have a material impact on
management's core expectation of the financial position and/or financial
performance of the Group, then these are identified, together with a broad
indication of their impact.
EEV
Detail on the increase in Group European Embedded Value (`EEV'), since the
position last reported in the financial statements for the year ended 31
December 2010, is set out in the following table:
Quarter ended Quarter ended Year ended
31 March 2011 31 March 2010 31 December 2010
GBP GBP GBP
EEV at beginning of period 354.6 262.6 262.6
Modelling improvements in
Swedish Business - - 13.2
Profit arising on
acquisition of Save &
Prosper - - 40.7
Earnings for the period,
net of tax
UK Businesses
Countrywide Assured (`CA') 2.3 4.8 18.8
Save & Prosper (`S&P') 3.0 - (0.9)
Swedish Business
Movestic 1.3 5.2 3.5
Other Group Activities (0.4) 0.1 (2.3)
Foreign exchange reserve
movement 4.9 5.2 9.5
Dividends paid - - (16.3)
Issue of new shares - - 22.6
Sale of treasury shares - - 3.2
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EEV at end of period 365.7 277.9 354.6
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EEV of GBP365.7m as at 31 March 2011 is stated before appropriation of a dividend
of GBP12.2m which will be paid on 20 May 2011.
Overall, the net of tax EEV result for the first quarter of 2011 was ahead of
expectations in spite of negligible growth in UK equity markets and modest
falls in the Swedish equity markets over the quarter. By comparison, investment
market improvements over the first quarter of 2010 had a significant positive
impact on earnings for CA and Movestic. The EEV results for all businesses
benefited from a gently rising interest rate environment in both swap and gilt
markets: CA benefited to the extent of GBP2.0m (GBP1.4m net of tax), S&P
to the extent of GBP0.8m (£0.6m net of tax) and Movestic to the extent of
GBP2.1m (GBP2.1m also net of tax).
Other significant influences underlying earnings for the first quarter were:
UK Businesses
CA
i. GBP1.1m (GBP0.8m net of tax) expected return from the unwind of the risk
discount rate;
ii. GBP0.4m (GBP0.3m net of tax) favourable mortality and morbidity experience; and
iii. GBP0.9m (GBP0.6m net of tax) favourable persistency experience
offset by net adverse net of tax effects of GBP0.8m, arising from a number of
market and fiscal influences.
S & P
i. GBP0.8m (GBP0.6m net of tax) from favourable lapse and investment mix
experience, together; and
ii. GBP0.6m (GBP0.5m net of tax) expected return
enhanced by a release of GBP1.0m in respect of deferred tax, to reflect lower
rates of UK corporation tax, following from the Chancellor's Budget in March
2011.
Swedish Business
Movestic
(all amounts stated are pre-tax, tax effects for the period being immaterial)
i. GBP1.5m expected return from the unwind of the risk discount rate; and
ii. GBP1.2m value added by new business
offset by
i. adverse persistency experience and assumption changes, together £2.8m; and
ii. adverse investment market effects of GBP0.5m, arising principally from dull
equity markets.
The foreign exchange gain of GBP4.9m, set out in the EEV table above, arises from
the effect of translating the SEK-denominated EEV of the Swedish Business into
pounds sterling, which depreciated some 4% against the Swedish Krona over the
first quarter of 2011.
IFRS
The IFRS result arising in the quarter ended 31 March 2011 is set out in the
following table:
Quarter ended Quarter ended Year ended
31 March 2011 31 March 2010 31 December 2010
GBP GBP GBP
Pre-tax earnings
Profit arising on business
combinations
Save & Prosper - - 15.5
Aspis - - 0.4
UK Businesses
Countrywide Assured (`CA') 4.4 8.9 25.7
Save & Prosper (`S&P') 0.7 - 0.2
Swedish Business
Movestic (1.0) (1.1) (3.6)
Other Group Activities (0.6) (0.4) (3.9)
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Total pre-tax earnings 3.5 7.4 34.3
Tax (1.4) (2.3) (4.5)
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Post-tax earnings 2.1 5.1 29.8
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The total IFRS pre-tax result for the quarter ended 31 March 2011 continues to
be significantly influenced by the surplus arising within CA's life and
pensions business, which is in run off. The shortfall over the corresponding
quarter in 2010 arises from (i) the fact that the business is in run off, so
that the level of earnings arising from this source will decline over time, and
from (ii) more muted investment market influences.
The S&P result, which also had a significant impact on the overall result, was
below expectations as a result of a GBP1.8m strain, which is not expected to
replicate, on the with profits business. This arose from the fact that, in a
rising interest rate environment, the effect of adjustment to the valuation
interest rate has, for this quarter, been outstripped by the corresponding fall
in the capital value of fixed-interest securities.
The Movestic loss was influenced by a significant IFRS-based adjustment in
connection with an option to settle early on financial reinsurance borrowings:
the adverse impact of some GBP0.8m arose from the fact that the gap between the
actual rate of interest on financial reinsurance borrowings and prevailing
market rates of interest narrowed during the quarter. Adjusting for this item,
Movestic continues to make progress in moving towards an overall profitable
position on core trading.
The following are the key performance indicators relating to Movestic:
Quarter Ended Quarter Ended Year Ended
31 March 2011 31 March 2010 31 December 2010
GBP GBP GBP
Total premium income*
Pensions and savings 62.8 65.8 260.5
Risk insurance 9.9 9.0 38.0
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Total 72.7 74.8 298.5
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Overall premium is marginally down as we have exited some low or
non-profitable lines of business to concentrate on higher margin
products.
New business premium
income*
Pensions and savings 13.9 15.2 52.4
Risk insurance** 0.6 6.2 8.1
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Total 14.5 21.4 60.5
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*Translated into £ at constant rate of SEK10.4 = GBP (Quarter 1 2011
average rate)
** New Business risk insurance premium statistics for 2010 include
Aspis renewal premiums: they are excluded from New Business statistics
in 2011.
Market share of unit-linked Q1 10 Q2 10 Q3 10 Q4 10
pensions business
% % % %
Total business 3.9 5.1 3.1 5.8
Company-paid contribution 12.3 12.3 10.1 11.3
business
Market share figures are not yet available for Q1. However we expect that
modest positive progress has been made.
31 March 2011 31 March 2010 31 December 2010
Assets under management* GBP1,360.8 GBP1,187.5 GBP1,354.3
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*Translated at a constant rate of SEK10.1 = GBP (31 March 2011 closing rate).
Policy attrition Quarter Ended Quarter Ended Year Ended
31 March 2011 31 March 10 31 December 2010
% % %
Surrenders 13.8 8.7 13.4
Transfers 5.3 3.2 4.6
Lapses 17.5 16.7 19.8
Fund performance Quarter Ended Quarter Ended Year Ended
31 March 2011 31 March 2010 31 December 2010
No of Funds No of Funds No of Funds
Outperformed against 22 18 18
relevant index
Underperformed against 11 9 12
relevant index
No relevant index 3 4 6
Whilst policy attrition has not yet fully recovered, lapses have improved
compared to the experience over the whole of 2010, and other elements of the
result are generally positive. Risk and Health total premiums have advanced
whilst Pensions and Savings are being focused on more profitable contracts at
the expense of a little volume. That said we are expecting market share to hold
up if not increase marginally. Fund performance, a key driver of Movestic's
appeal to distributors and end clients, has shown further improvement and has
built on the positive reaction to Movestic's rebranding in Q4 2010.
Solvency
The underlying emergence of surplus in the UK businesses, and hence the
capacity of the Group to continue to pursue its dividend policy, remains
strong. This is reflected in the ratio of regulatory capital resources to
regulatory capital requirements in CA, which has improved from 213% as at 31
December 2010 to 238% as at the end of the first quarter and in S&P, which has
correspondingly improved from 268% to 272%. The Swedish life business solvency
ratio as at 31 March 2011 is estimated to be 174%, compared with 188% as at 31
December 2010. As at the quarter end, the corresponding Group (IGD) position
remains strong at an estimated 206% compared with 200% as at 31 December 2010.
Market Opportunity
We continue to see a good flow of potential acquisition opportunities and, as
demonstrated by the Save & Prosper acquisition, we will readily progress these
where we see value and a clear strategic fit. As regards other opportunities,
while we remain open-minded as to location in the UK and Western Europe, we
will continue to apply strict financial and risk criteria in assessing them.
Enquiries
Graham Kettleborough, Chief Executive, Chesnara plc 07799 407519
Michael Henman, Cubitt Consulting 0207 367 5100
Notes to Editors
Chesnara plc, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in May 2004, is the
owner of Countrywide Assured plc ("CA"), Save & Prosper Insurance (Save &
Prosper') and Movestic Livförsäkringar AB (`Movestic'). CA is a UK life
assurance subsidiary that is substantially closed to new business. In June 2005
Chesnara acquired a further closed life insurance company - City of Westminster
Assurance ("CWA") - for GBP47.8m. With effect from 30 June 2006, CWA's policies
and assets were transferred into CA plc.
Movestic, a Swedish life assurance company which originally focused on pensions
and savings, was acquired on 23 July 2009 for GBP20m. The company is open to new
business and seeks to grow its position in the Swedish unit-linked market. Its
proposition was strengthened in February 2010 with the acquisition of the
operations of Aspis Försäkringar Liv AB which has a risk and health product
bias.
Save & Prosper Insurance Limited, and its subsidiary, Save & Prosper Pensions
Limited were acquired on 20th December 2010 for GBP63.5m in cash. This was funded
by raising a new lending facility of GBP40m and the sale of new and treasury
shares which raised GBP26.7m. The companies are closed to new business and
operate an outsourced business model which is complementary to Chesnara's
existing UK operations.