Genworth MI (TSX: MIC) reported their 1st quarter earnings results yesterday. The report can be summed up as a relatively boring, “steady as she goes” type quarter, which is somewhat surprising considering the general predictions that the degradation in the Alberta real estate market would cause considerable stress in the sector.
The bottom line earnings took the book value to $36/share.
While the market is signalling there is going to be further losses later this year, the first quarter result had a loss ratio of 22%, which is generally on-level with prior quarters – the company projects 20% to 30% for the year.
Despite the winter quarter being the slowest quarter of the year, year-over-year statistics show a marked increase in unit volume (23,951 in 2014 vs. 32,760 in 2015) and also the net premiums written ($84 million to $130 million). The Q1-2015 net premiums written was also goosed up by the recent CMHC mortgage insurance premium increases. On June 1, 2015, there is another CMHC premium increase on higher ratio mortgages which will also result in a $25-30 million increase in net written premiums.
The company’s insurance in force exposure is 18% in Alberta for “transactional” type mortgages, which are mostly those with 20% or less down-payment. Delinquency rates continue to be very low (0.11% nationally) without any pronounced increases other than a mild rise in Quebec. Ontario has a 0.05% delinquency rate.
On the balance sheet, the company’s investment portfolio yielded 3.4%, but they had some interesting commentary, stating “At this time, the Company believes that the capital adjusted return profile of common shares is less favorable than in the prior year”. As a result of this and also minimum capital test guidelines, they have increased their allocation to preferred shares. Similar to last quarter, they also went out of their way to specify that 75% their energy company investments (in bonds and debentures) were in pipelines and distribution, and the other 25% were in “integrated oil and gas companies with large capitalizations”. The bond portfolio has a mean duration of 3.8 years.
The company has capital that is 233% of the minimum capital test (currently $1.52 billion required) and the internal target with buffer is 220%. This leaves $200 million available for the company to either repurchase shares or distribute in a special dividend. They announced their regular quarterly dividend of CAD$0.39/share with the quarterly release but did not give any indications as to what else they will do with the excess capital.
At a current market price of (roughly) CAD$35/share, I generally believe the company’s valuation is slightly on the low side of my fair value range estimate. I would not start to think of divesting until CAD$40, but an actual sale decision would likely be at higher prices.
I still hold shares from MIC, purchased back in the middle of 2012. Seeing the recent price drop to CAD$28/share would have been a decent opportunity to add more shares and I doubt we will see that again unless if there is a profound economic malaise that hits Canada. If we can survive US$50 oil, our economy is more robust than most think (noting that the rest of the commodity markets have also plummeted). MIC also continues to be a stealthy way to purchase Canadian real estate and also a proxy for a bond fund at a very low management expense ratio. The yield in today’s income starved market is a bonus.
I am a bit more reserve on this one. Alberta unemployment rate was 4.5 in Jan, 5.3 in Feb, 5.5 in Mar and probably go up again. I’m no expert on mortgage delinquency or mortgage insurance. But I don’t think a claim is made on the first missed payment – and I’m not sure if mortgage payment is the first thing people skip if they become unemployed.
Delinquent in this case means the amount of three months’ payment are missed, so you are correct there is a lagging effect and we will see the majority of impact in 2015. But looking at the history books, in June 2008 (when oil was US$150/barrel) you had Alberta’s delinquency at 0.18%, and a year later (June 2009) it went up to 0.47%. It peaked at 0.62% at December 2010.
Obviously this will increase in 2015 for Alberta but the question is by how much?