Slump Hits Hartford, Pru And MetLife

October 30, 2008 at 10:55 PM
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The economic crisis led to a report of negative revenue at Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. for the third quarter and also hurt results at Prudential Financial Inc. and MetLife Inc.

Hartford Financial, Hartford, is reporting a $2.6 billion loss for the third quarter on $393 million in negative revenue.

"This was an extremely difficult quarter for the company," Hartford Chairman Ramani Ayer says in a statement.

Ayer says Hartford remains strong, and he notes that Hartford had to cope with the effects of Hurricane Ike on property-casualty operations during the third quarter as well as volatility in the credit and stock markets.

Prudential, Newark, N.J., is reporting a consolidated net loss of $166 million for all operations, including its closed block of business, and MetLife, New York, says its net income fell to $600 million, from $985 million.

Here is a look at the companies' earnings releases:

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., Hartford

3 Q 2008 Results

NET INCOME: $2.6 billion loss

NET REALIZED CAPITAL CHANGE: $3.4 billion loss

REVENUE: negative $393 million

PREMIUMS AND FEES: $5.2 billion

3 Q 2007 Results

NET INCOME: $851 million

NET REALIZED CAPITAL CHANGE: $363 million loss

REVENUE: $5.8 billion

PREMIUMS AND FEES: $5.4 billion

- The company is reporting a $422 million loss for "core earnings." That figure includes catastrophe costs, a drop in investment income and $923 million in unlocking of deferred acquisition charges.

- Individual annuity net outflows were $1.3 billion, with a variable annuity surrender ratio of 12 %.

- Life insurance in force increased to $191 billion, up 9% from the total recorded in the third quarter of 2007, with universal life sales increasing 32% and term life sales increasing 20%.

- Retirement plan deposits grew 67%, to $2.3 billion, and retirement plan net flows increased 61%, to $626 million.

- Group benefits sales increased 26%, and core group benefits increased 9%, to $100 million.

- The company hopes to expand sales of absence management and productivity-increasing services to large employers.

Prudential Financial Inc., Newark, N.J.

3 Q 2008 Results

CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME: $166 million loss

NET FINANCIAL SERVICES BUSINESS REALIZED CAPITAL CHANGE: $547 million loss

FINANCIAL SERVICES BUSINESS INVESTMENT CHANGE ON TRADING ACCOUNT ASSETS: $534 million loss

CONSOLIDATED REVENUE: $7 billion

3 Q 2007 Results

CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME: $867 million

NET FINANCIAL SERVICES BUSINESS REALIZED CAPITAL CHANGE: $180 million loss

FINANCIAL SERVICES BUSINESS INVESTMENT CHANGE ON TRADING ACCOUNT ASSETS: $36 million gain

CONSOLIDATED REVENUE: $8.4 billion

- Individual life operating income fell to $238 million, from $251 million.

- The individual annuities unit is reporting a $307 million operating loss, in part because of a $380 million charge "representing a net increase in costs associated with guaranteed minimum death benefits and amortization of deferred policy acquisition and other costs based on an annual review, reflecting an updated estimate of profitability for this business that was largely driven by declines in customer account values through September 30, 2008 and included revised assumptions as to costs associated with death benefit guarantees."

- Group insurance operating income increased to $101 million, from $100 million.

- Securities analysts at UBS Investment Research, New York, note in a comment on the earnings release that third-quarter individual death benefit payments fell to $2.51 per $1,000 in in-force coverage, from $2.97, and that group life and group disability ratios of claims to premiums also were favorable.

MetLife Inc., New York

3 Q 2008 Results

NET INCOME: $630 million

NET REALIZED INVESTMENT CHANGE: $408 million loss

RESULTS FOR DERIVATIVES THAT DO NOT QUALIFY FOR HEDGE ACCOUNTING: $1.1 billion gain

REVENUE: $13 billion

3 Q 2007 Results

NET INCOME: $1.1 billion

NET REALIZED INVESTMENT CHANGE: $242 million loss

RESULTS FOR DERIVATIVES THAT DO NOT QUALIFY FOR HEDGE ACCOUNTING: $37 million loss

REVENUE: $12 billion

- Institutional operating income fell to $396 million, from $467 million, because of a drop in investment income and less favorable underwriting results in non-medical health lines.

- Non-medical health premiums and fees increased 16%, in part because of strong growth in dental revenue, but unfavorable underwriting results caused operating income to fall to $56 million, from $107 million.

- Annualized institutions general account spreads – the difference between what MetLife pays policyholders and earns on its own investments – increased to 2.27%, from 2% a year earlier, for group life, but fell to 0.96%, from 1.19% for retirement and savings products, and to 0.49%, from 1.68%, for non-medical health products.

- Variable annuity deposits fell to $3.8 billion, from $4 billion, and fixed annuity deposits rose to $499 million, from $320 million.

- The average annualized general account spread fell to 2.01%, from 2.7%, for individual annuities.

- MetLife will maintain its annual common stock dividend of 74 cents per share.

- Securities analysts at Sterne, Agee & Leach Inc., New York, write in a comment on the earnings release that they expect MetLife to make a "financially and strategically motivated acquisition."

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