TAMPA, Fla., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HRTG) (“Heritage” or the “Company”), a super-regional property and casualty insurance holding company, today reported fourth quarter of 2024 financial results.
Fourth Quarter 2024 Result Highlights
“The year 2024 was marked by numerous destructive hurricanes affecting communities across the Southeastern United States and in 2025, we’ve seen devastating wildfires affect residents of California,” remarked Ernie Garateix, Heritage CEO. “I am very proud of the support that our employees have provided to our policyholders as they work to recover from these catastrophic events. We have had employees in the impacted communities working with our customers to ensure their claims were processed timely to provide our insureds with the resources they need during such a challenging time.”
Mr. Garateix continued, “Our financial foundation continues to strengthen and provides our customers with the confidence that we will stand behind them during the most difficult times. Our fourth quarter results clearly demonstrate our efforts over the last several years to attain rate adequacy, manage exposure, and enhance our underwriting discipline. One of our strategic goals is to achieve consistent long-term earnings and drive shareholder value and our 2024 results clearly demonstrate the successful achievement of this goal. Despite the impact of catastrophic weather resulting in retention events in each of the third and fourth quarters as well as reinstatement premium related to Hurricane Milton losses, we maintained our profitability due to the diversity of our book of business, our disciplined underwriting and exposure management, and the strides that we have made toward rate adequacy.”
Mr. Garateix added, “As a result of our focused efforts, we are now positioned to strategically re-open territories for new personal lines business. We plan to continue to allocate capital to profitable geographies and products and apply our underwriting and pricing discipline as we strive to deliver profitable growth in 2025. We are beginning to see positive impacts from legislative actions taken in Florida to reduce abusive claims practices as well as stabilization of reinsurance pricing. These positive factors, coupled with our strategic initiatives, provides me with optimism that Heritage can deliver consistent long-term profitability. Additionally, I would like to thank our dedicated reinsurance partners who have supported our business throughout multiple catastrophic events over the last several years and look forward to their continued partnership as we work to expand the Company.”
Strategic Profitability Initiatives
Over the past three years the Company has focused on three main strategic initiatives aimed at achieving consistent long-term quarterly earnings and driving shareholder value, including:
Notable Achievements of Our Strategic Profitability Initiatives Since Launch in 2022
Strategic Initiatives for 2025
Capital Management
Heritage’s Board of Directors has decided to continue its suspension of the quarterly shareholder dividend to prioritize strategic growth and achieve robust return on equity with the business generated. The Board of Directors will continue to evaluate dividend distribution and stock repurchases on a quarterly basis. No shares of common stock were repurchased during the quarter.
Results of Operations
The following table summarizes results of operations for the three-months and year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 (amounts in thousands, except percentages and per share amounts):
Three Months Ended December 31,
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
Change
2024
2023
Change
Total revenue
$ 210,264
$ 186,967
12.5 %
$ 816,985
$ 735,498
11.1 %
Net income
$ 20,293
$ 30,943
(34.4) %
$ 61,539
$ 45,307
35.8 %
Earnings Per Diluted Share
$ 0.66
$ 1.15
(42.6) %
$ 2.01
$ 1.73
16.2 %
Book value per share
$ 9.50
$ 7.29
30.3 %
$ 9.50
$ 7.29
30.3 %
Return on equity*
28.5 %
66.6 %
(38.1)
pts
24.1 %
25.8 %
(1.7)
pts
Underwriting summary
Gross premiums written
$ 338,742
$ 326,723
3.7 %
$ 1,432,942
$ 1,343,101
6.7 %
Gross premiums earned
$ 360,448
$ 339,631
6.1 %
$ 1,406,106
$ 1,323,643
6.2 %
Ceded premiums
$ (161,170)
$ (161,919)
(0.5) %
$ (638,246)
$ (626,458)
1.9 %
Net premiums earned
$ 199,278
$ 177,713
12.2 %
$ 767,860
$ 697,185
10.1 %
Ceded premium ratio
44.7 %
47.7 %
$ (3.0)
pts
45.4 %
47.3 %
$ (1.9)
pts
Ratios to Net Premiums Earned:
Loss ratio
54.7 %
51.0 %
3.7
pts
58.2 %
61.1 %
(2.9)
pts
Expense ratio
35.0 %
33.9 %
1.1
pts
36.0 %
35.2 %
0.8
pts
Combined ratio
89.7 %
84.9 %
4.8
pts
94.2 %
96.3 %
(2.1)
pts
* Return on equity represents annualized net income for the period divided by average stockholders’ equity during the period.
Note: Percentages and sums in the table may not recalculate precisely due to rounding.
Ratios
Ceded premium ratio represents ceded premiums as a percentage of gross premiums earned.
Net loss ratio represents net losses and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”) as a percentage of net premiums earned.
Net expense ratio represents policy acquisition costs (“PAC”) and general and administrative (“G&A”) expenses as a percentage of net premiums earned. Ceding commission income is reported as a reduction of PAC and G&A expenses.
Net combined ratio represents the sum of net losses and LAE, PAC, and G&A expenses as a percentage of net premiums earned. The net combined ratio is a key measure of underwriting performance traditionally used in the property and casualty industry. A combined ratio under 100% generally reflects profitable underwriting results.
Fourth Quarter 2024 Results:
Fourth quarter 2024 net income was $20.3 million or $0.66 per diluted share, despite the financial impact from Hurricane Milton of $57.0 million in the quarter. This compares to net income of $30.9 million or $1.15 per diluted share in the prior year quarter, which did not have any major weather events. Additionally, a higher effective tax rate caused the provision for income taxes in the current year quarter to be proportionately higher compared to the prior year quarter.
Premiums-in-force were $1.43 billion as of fourth quarter 2024, an increase of 5.7% compared to $1.36 billion as of fourth quarter 2023. The fourth quarter of 2024 represents our twelfth consecutive quarter of driving higher in-force premium despite reductions in policy count.
Gross premiums written of $338.7 million were up 3.7% from $326.7 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting organic growth of our commercial residential and surplus lines business and rate actions throughout the book of business. The use of inflation guard, which ensures appropriate property values, also contributed to higher gross premiums written over the prior year quarter. Our intentional targeted exposure management actions taken over the last several years are expected to level out in 2025 as the Company continues its controlled growth strategy, which includes growing our personal lines policy count.
Gross premiums earned were $360.5 million, up 6.1% from $339.6 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting higher gross premiums written over the last twelve months as described above.
Net premiums earned were $199.3 million, up 12.2% from $177.7 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting higher gross premiums earned, coupled with flat ceded premiums from the prior year quarter.
Ceded premium ratio was 44.7%, down 3.0 points from 47.7% in the prior year quarter driven by growth in gross premiums earned and flat ceded premium, resultant from a reduction in reinsurance ceded on the Northeast net quota share program, which was offset by higher catastrophe excess of loss ceded premium and reinstatement premium associated with Hurricane Milton.
Net loss ratio was 54.7%, a 3.7 point increase from 51.0% in the same quarter last year reflecting higher net losses and LAE driven by Hurricane Milton in the current year quarter. The increase in net losses and LAE from Hurricane Milton was partly offset by lower attritional losses. Net weather losses for the current accident quarter were $45.6 million, an increase of $34.6 million from $11.0 million in the prior year quarter. Catastrophe losses in the current quarter were $40.0 million compared to $3.1 million in the prior year quarter. Other weather losses totaled $5.6 million, a decrease from the prior year quarter amount of $7.9 million. Additionally, the net loss ratio was impacted by net unfavorable loss development of $3.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to net unfavorable loss development of $1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The net expense ratio was 35.0%, a 1.1 point increase from the prior year quarter amount of 33.9%, driven primarily by the increase in higher policy acquisition costs and general and administrative expenses outpacing the increase in net premiums earned.
Net combined ratio of 89.7% increased 4.8 points from 84.9% in the prior year quarter, driven by a higher net loss ratio and higher net expense ratio as described above.
Net investment income, inclusive of realized gains (losses), was $7.8 million, up $2.0 million, or 34.4%, from $5.8 million in the prior year quarter reflecting larger investment balances coupled with actions to align the investments with the yield curve, while maintaining a high-quality portfolio of short duration.
The effective tax rate was 29.9% compared to 6.7% in the prior year quarter. The effective tax rate for the current year quarter was slightly higher than the statutory rate, caused by updated estimates used in the quarterly tax provision which drove an increase in income tax expense for the quarter. The effective tax rate for the prior year quarter was significantly lower than the statutory rate, driven by the tax benefit of a decrease in the valuation allowance for Osprey Re, our captive reinsurer. The impact of permanent tax differences on projected results of operations for the calendar year impacts the effective tax rate, which can also fluctuate throughout the year as estimates used in the quarterly tax provision are updated with additional information.
Supplemental Information:
At December 31,
Policies in force:
2024
2023
% Change
Florida
133,775
153,387
(12.8) %
Other States
255,700
297,288
(14.0) %
Total
389,475
450,675
(13.6) %
Premiums in force:
Florida
$ 707,196,956
$ 695,010,638
1.8 %
Other States
726,047,974
661,392,787
9.8 %
Total
$ 1,433,244,930
$ 1,356,403,425
5.7 %
Total Insured Value:
Florida
$ 102,661,095,301
$ 103,535,162,876
(0.8) %
Other States
264,950,913,861
286,860,809,967
(7.6) %
Total
$ 367,612,009,162
$ 390,395,972,843
(5.8) %
Book Value Analysis:
As Of
Book Value Per Share
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2023
December 31, 2022
Numerator:
Common stockholders’ equity
$ 290,799
$ 220,280
$ 131,039
Denominator:
Total Shares Outstanding
30,607,039
30,218,938
25,539,433
Book Value Per Common Share
$ 9.50
$ 7.29
$ 5.13
Book value per share of $9.50 at December 31, 2024, was up 30.3% from fourth quarter 2023 and up 85.2% from fourth quarter 2022. The increase from December 31, 2023 is primarily attributable to net income as well as a $8.7 million reduction in unrealized losses on the Company’s fixed income securities portfolio. The unrealized losses are unrelated to credit risk but are instead attributable to rising interest rates, with the reduction in unrealized losses driven by lower interest rates during 2024. Heritage does not anticipate a need to sell investments in advance of maturity. As such, the Company expects unrealized losses to continue to roll off the portfolio as investments mature. The average duration of the fixed income portfolio is 3.1 years as the Company has extended duration to take advantage of higher yields further out on the yield curve, while still maintaining a short duration high credit quality portfolio.
Conference Call Details:
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. ET
Participant Dial-in Numbers Toll Free: 1-888-346-3095
Participant International Dial In: 1-412-902-4258
Canada Toll Free: 1-855-669-9657
Webcast:
To listen to the live webcast, please go to http://investors.heritagepci.com. This webcast will be archived and accessible on the Company’s website.
HERITAGE INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Amounts in thousands)
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2023
ASSETS
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale, at fair value
$ 655,555
$ 560,682
Equity securities, at fair value
1,936
1,666
Other investments, net
5,952
7,067
Total investments
663,443
569,415
Cash and cash equivalents
452,666
463,640
Restricted cash
10,979
9,699
Accrued investment income
