LANCASHIRE HOLDINGS LIMITED
30 April 2015
London, UK
Results of AGM
Lancashire Holdings Limited (the "Company") is pleased to announce the voting results for the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of shareholders held at its London offices on Wednesday 29 April 2015. The meeting considered the fifteen resolutions as set out in the AGM Notice dated 18 March 2015; all resolutions considered were duly passed and approved by shareholders casting their votes.
The Board was especially pleased that, once again by an overwhelming majority of 95.96%, shareholders have given the Company approval to issue up to 15% of its share capital on a non pre-emptive basis.
The Board has noted the level of abstentions and the significant number of votes against the remuneration report at the AGM. Resolution 2 received 70.28% of votes for and 29.71% of votes against the resolution, with 8,472,313 of shares abstaining. Lancashire consulted with its major shareholders particularly on the topic of its remuneration policy and practice in advance of the 2015 AGM. The Board understands that the principal concern of shareholders was in relation to the exercise by the Board of discretion when settling the retirement remuneration package for Richard Brindle. The Board considered that the retirement arrangements for Richard Brindle were an appropriate reward for Mr Brindle's unique contribution to Lancashire as a founder and chief executive and were also appropriate to secure an orderly and successful transition. These were necessarily unique circumstances and we will continue to engage with shareholders.
Copies of the resolutions passed as Special Business will be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and available for inspection at www.hemscott.com/nsm.do
Further details of the AGM results will be available shortly on the Company's website www.lancashiregroup.com.
For further information, please contact:
Lancashire Holdings Limited Christopher Head |
+44 20 7264 4145 chris.head@lancashiregroup.com
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Jonny Creagh-Coen
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+44 20 7264 4066 |
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Haggie Partners |
+44 20 7562 4444 |
Peter Rigby |
(Peter Rigby mobile +44 7803851426) |
About Lancashire
Lancashire, through its UK and Bermuda-based operating subsidiaries, is a global provider of specialty insurance and reinsurance products. The Group companies carry the following ratings:
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Financial Strength Rating (1) |
Financial Strength Outlook(1) |
Long Term Issuer Rating (2) |
|
A.M. Best |
A (Excellent) |
Stable |
bbb |
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Standard & Poor's |
A- |
Stable |
BBB |
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Moody's |
A3 |
Stable |
Baa2 |
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(1)Financial Strength Rating and Financial Strength Outlook apply to Lancashire Insurance Company Limited and Lancashire Insurance Company (UK) Limited.
(2) Long Term Issuer Rating applies to Lancashire Holdings Limited.
Cathedral benefits from Lloyd's ratings: A.M. Best: A (Excellent); Standard & Poor's: A+ (Strong); and Fitch: AA- (Very Strong).
Lancashire has capital in excess of $1.5 billion and its common shares trade on the premium segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LRE. Lancashire has its corporate headquarters and mailing address at 29th Floor, 20 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 3BY, United Kingdom and its registered office at Power House, 7 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda.
For more information on Lancashire and Lancashire's subsidiary and Lloyd's segment, Cathedral Capital Limited ("Cathedral"), visit the Company's website at www.lancashiregroup.com
Lancashire Insurance Company Limited is regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority in Bermuda.
Lancashire Insurance Company (UK) Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the UK.
Kinesis Capital Management Limited is regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority in Bermuda.
Cathedral Underwriting Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the UK. It is also authorised and regulated by Lloyd's.
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
CERTAIN STATEMENTS AND INDICATIVE PROJECTIONS (WHICH MAY INCLUDE MODELED LOSS SCENARIOS) MADE IN THIS RELEASE OR OTHERWISE THAT ARE NOT BASED ON CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACTS ARE FORWARD-LOOKING IN NATURE INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, STATEMENTS CONTAINING THE WORDS "BELIEVES", "ANTICIPATES", "PLANS", "PROJECTS", "FORECASTS", "GUIDANCE", "INTENDS", "EXPECTS", "ESTIMATES", "PREDICTS", "MAY", "CAN", "LIKELY", "WILL", "SEEKS", "SHOULD", OR, IN EACH CASE, THEIR NEGATIVE OR COMPARABLE TERMINOLOGY. ALL SUCH STATEMENTS OTHER THAN STATEMENTS OF HISTORICAL FACTS INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE GROUP'S FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY, RESULTS OF OPERATIONS, PROSPECTS, GROWTH, CAPITAL MANAGEMENT PLANS AND EFFICIENCIES, ABILITY TO CREATE VALUE, DIVIDEND POLICY, OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY, COMPOSITION OF MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS STRATEGY, PLANS AND OBJECTIVES OF MANAGEMENT FOR FUTURE OPERATIONS (INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND OBJECTIVES RELATING TO THE GROUP'S INSURANCE BUSINESS) ARE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE THE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GROUP TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.
THESE FACTORS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: THE GROUP'S ABILITY TO INTEGRATE ITS BUSINESSES AND PERSONNEL; THE SUCCESSFUL RETENTION AND MOTIVATION OF THE GROUP'S KEY MANAGEMENT; THE INCREASED REGULATORY BURDEN FACING THE GROUP, THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE CONTRACTS THAT THE GROUP WRITES OR MAY WRITE; THE GROUP'S ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT SUCCESSFULLY ITS BUSINESS STRATEGY DURING 'SOFT' AS WELL AS 'HARD' MARKETS; THE PREMIUM RATES WHICH MAY BE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF SUCH RENEWALS WITHIN THE GROUP'S TARGETED BUSINESS LINES; THE POSSIBLE LOW FREQUENCY OF LARGE EVENTS; POTENTIALLY UNUSUAL LOSS FREQUENCY; THE IMPACT THAT THE GROUP'S FUTURE OPERATING RESULTS, CAPITAL POSITION AND RATING AGENCY AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS MAY HAVE ON THE EXECUTION OF ANY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES OR DIVIDENDS; THE POSSIBILITY OF GREATER FREQUENCY OR SEVERITY OF CLAIMS AND LOSS ACTIVITY THAN THE GROUP'S UNDERWRITING, RESERVING OR INVESTMENT PRACTICES HAVE ANTICIPATED; THE RELIABILITY OF, AND CHANGES IN ASSUMPTIONS TO, CATASTROPHE PRICING, ACCUMULATION AND ESTIMATED LOSS MODELS; INCREASED COMPETITION FROM EXISTING ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PROVIDERS, INSURANCE LINKED FUNDS AND COLLATERALISED SPECIAL PURPOSE INSURERS AND THE RELATED DEMAND AND SUPPLY DYNAMICS AS CONTRACTS COME UP FOR RENEWAL; THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GROUP'S LOSS LIMITATION METHODS; THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF KEY PERSONNEL; A DECLINE IN THE GROUP'S OPERATING SUBSIDIARIES' RATING WITH A.M. BEST, STANDARD & POOR'S, MOODY'S OR OTHER RATING AGENCIES; INCREASED COMPETITION ON THE BASIS OF PRICING, CAPACITY, COVERAGE TERMS OR OTHER FACTORS; A CYCLICAL DOWNTURN OF THE INDUSTRY; THE IMPACT OF A DETERIORATING CREDIT ENVIRONMENT FOR ISSUERS OF FIXED INCOME INVESTMENTS; THE IMPACT OF SWINGS IN MARKET INTEREST RATES AND SECURITIES PRICES; A RATING DOWNGRADE OF, OR A MARKET DECLINE IN, SECURITIES IN ITS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO; CHANGES IN GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS OR TAX LAWS IN JURISDICTIONS WHERE THE GROUP CONDUCTS BUSINESS; ANY OF THE GROUP'S BERMUDIAN SUBSIDIARIES BECOMING SUBJECT TO INCOME TAXES IN THE UNITED STATES OR THE UNITED KINGDOM; THE INAPPLICABILITY TO THE GROUP OF SUITABLE EXCLUSIONS FROM THE UK CFC REGIME; AND ANY CHANGE IN THE UK GOVERNMENT OR UK GOVERNMENT POLICY WHICH IMPACTS THE CFC REGIME.
ALL FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS IN THIS RELEASE SPEAK ONLY AS AT THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. LANCASHIRE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY OBLIGATION OR UNDERTAKING (SAVE AS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH ANY LEGAL OR REGULATORY OBLIGATIONS INCLUDING THE RULES OF THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE) TO DISSEMINATE ANY UPDATES OR REVISIONS TO ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS TO REFLECT ANY CHANGES IN THE GROUP'S EXPECTATIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES ON WHICH ANY SUCH STATEMENT IS BASED.