Everest Re Group Reports First Quarter 2018 Results; Annualized Return on Equity of 10%

Everest Re Group, Ltd. (NYSE: RE) today reported first quarter 2018 net income of $210.3 million, or $5.11 per diluted common share, compared to net income of $291.6 million, or $7.07 per diluted common share for the first quarter of 2017. After-tax operating income1 was $219.7 million, or $5.34 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2018, compared to after-tax operating income¹ of $267.1 million, or $6.48 per diluted common share, for the same period last year.

Commenting on the Company’s results, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dominic J. Addesso said, “Everest continues to deliver a solid performance with double digit returns on equity. Our diversified growth strategies, with premium up 21%, continue to provide balance and stability to the overall portfolio. In fact, excluding catastrophe losses, our net operating income was up 5% and underwriting income was above $200 million. We are pleased with our overall results and believe they once again demonstrate the strength of the Everest franchise.”

Effective this quarter, the Company changed its reporting of operating income, a non-GAAP financial measure. Historically operating income represented net income, excluding realized capital gains and losses and the tax impact related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. Starting in first quarter 2018, the Company further adjusted operating income to exclude foreign exchange gains and losses as it believes the impact of foreign currency movements on income is not indicative of the performance of the underlying business in a particular period.

Operating highlights for the first quarter of 2018 included the following:

• Gross written premiums for the quarter were $1.9 billion, an increase of 21% compared to the first quarter of 2017. On a constant dollar basis, premium was up 19%, quarter over quarter. Worldwide reinsurance premiums were up 22% to $1.4 billion, with growth across each segment primarily driven by increased pro-rata premium. Direct insurance premiums were up 16%, from first quarter 2017, to $505 million, consistent with the growth trends noted through 2017.
• The combined ratio was 93.3% for the quarter compared to 86.0% in the first quarter of 2017. Excluding the previously announced catastrophe losses arising from the 2017 Northern and Southern California wildfires, the attritional combined ratio was 87.1% compared to 84.5% in the same period last year. The higher attritional loss ratio is driven by changes in mix of business as well as higher retrocessional costs in the quarter.
• Net investment income increased 13% for the quarter to $138.3 million.
• Net after-tax realized and unrealized capital losses amounted to $19.4 million and $199.4 million, respectively.
• Cash flow from operations was $195.6 million compared to $381.8 million for the same period in 2017.
• For the quarter, the annualized after-tax operating income¹ return on average adjusted shareholders’ equity² was 10.5%.
• Shareholders’ equity ended the quarter at $8.3 billion, relatively flat compared to year end 2017. Book value per share was modestly down from $204.95 at December 31, 2017 to $203.62 at March 31, 2018.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in the U.S. Federal securities laws. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements made on behalf of the Company. These risks and uncertainties include the impact of general economic conditions and conditions affecting the insurance and reinsurance industry, the adequacy of our reserves, our ability to assess underwriting risk, trends in rates for property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, competition, investment market fluctuations, trends in insured and paid losses, catastrophes, regulatory and legal uncertainties and other factors described in our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Everest Re Group, Ltd. is a Bermuda holding company that operates through the following subsidiaries: Everest Reinsurance Company provides reinsurance to property and casualty insurers in both the U.S. and international markets. Everest Reinsurance (Bermuda), Ltd., including through its branch in the United Kingdom, provides reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets and reinsurance to life insurers. Everest Reinsurance Company (Ireland), dac. provides reinsurance to non-life insurers in Europe. Everest Insurance® refers to the primary insurance operations of Everest Re Group, Ltd., and its affiliated companies which offer property, casualty and specialty lines insurance on both an admitted and non-admitted basis in the U.S. and internationally. The Company also operates within the Lloyd's insurance market through Syndicate 2786. In addition, through Mt. Logan Re, Ltd., the Company manages segregated accounts, capitalized by the Company and third party investors that provide reinsurance for property catastrophe risks. Additional information on Everest Re Group companies can be found at the Group’s web site at www.everestregroup.com.

A conference call discussing the first quarter results will be held at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on April 26, 2018. The call will be available on the Internet through the Company’s web site or at www.streetevents.com.

Recipients are encouraged to visit the Company’s web site to view supplemental financial information on the Company’s results. The supplemental information is located at www.everestregroup.com in the “Financial Reports” section of the “Investor Center”. The supplemental financial information may also be obtained by contacting the Company directly.
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1The Company generally uses after-tax operating income (loss), a non-GAAP financial measure, to evaluate its performance. After-tax operating income (loss) consists of net income (loss) excluding after-tax net realized capital gains (losses), after-tax net foreign exchange income (expense), and the tax charge related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), as the following reconciliation displays:

Although net realized capital gains (losses) and net foreign exchange income (expense) are an integral part of the Company’s insurance operations, the determination of net realized capital gains (losses) and foreign exchange income (expense) is independent of the insurance underwriting process. The Company believes that the level of net realized capital gains (losses) and net foreign exchange income (expense) for any particular period is not indicative of the performance of the underlying business in that particular period. Providing only a GAAP presentation of net income (loss) makes it more difficult for users of the financial information to evaluate the Company’s success or failure in its basic business, and may lead to incorrect or misleading assumptions and conclusions. The Company understands that the equity analysts who follow the Company focus on after-tax operating income (loss) in their analyses for the reasons discussed above. The Company provides after-tax operating income (loss) to investors so that they have what management believes to be a useful supplement to GAAP information concerning the Company’s performance.

2Adjusted shareholders’ equity excludes net after-tax unrealized (appreciation) depreciation of investments

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