Investment
Fairfax’s fourth-quarter profit offsets investment losses from rising rates
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Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. FFH-T finished last year with strong fourth-quarter profit and underwriting results, helping prop up full-year earnings that sagged as soaring interest rates compelled the company to mark down the value of its bond portfolio.
The Toronto-based insurer and asset manager reported quarterly profit of US$1.98-billion, or US$78.33 per share, compared with US$931-million, or US$33.64 per share, in the prior year. Results were better than analysts expected, and boosted by an anticipated US$1.2-billion gain on the sale of its pet insurance business to the German private investment company JAB Holding last October.
Fairfax’s core insurance and reinsurance business showed good gains, with fourth-quarter profit of US$496-million up 5.4 per cent from a year earlier. Fairfax is able to charge higher premiums with the insurance industry in what is known as a “hard market” – a period of high demand for insurance but weaker supply of affordable coverage because of outside factors that put pressure on insurers such as low investment returns or high claims.
After Fairfax increased prices by about 7 per cent on average last year, the company’s leaders expect those hard-market conditions could continue through 2023 or longer, with interest rates still running high and risks for insurers elevated.
“Broadly speaking, rate increases will exceed loss costs,” said Prem Watsa, Fairfax’s chairman and chief executive officer, on a Friday conference call.
The company’s full-year profit from underwriting was its best ever at US$1.1-billion, despite recording high losses from catastrophes of US$1.3-billion, a large share of which was from Hurricane Ian, which battered Florida.
Gross premiums written rose 15.8 per cent to US$27.6-billion, and the company’s book value per basic share increased, ending the year at US$657.68, compared with US$630.60 a year earlier.
In 2022, however, Fairfax’s profit fell by two thirds to US$1.15-billion, from US$3.4-billion in 2021, as it marked down the value of its bonds. Surging interest rates drove net losses on investments of US$1.7-billion, most of which were the result mark-to-market changes in the value of the company’s bond portfolio. But those losses are largely unrealized.
“We expect much of this will reverse over the short term,” Mr. Watsa said.
Mark Dwelle, an analyst at RBC Dominion Securities Inc., said Fairfax “delivered a strong fourth quarter to cap off a fairly lumpy 2022,” in a note to clients. “Overall a decidedly good result and the company heads into 2023 with a very strong financial position and a nice investment tailwind on top of favorable insurance underwriting conditions.”
Mr. Watsa said Fairfax, which controls an Indian subsidiary, Fairfax India Holdings Corp., has no exposure to the Adani Group, the empire controlled by billionaire Gautam Adani that saw its stock price plunge after a short-seller alleged it had engaged in stock-price manipulation and fraud.
“I think India will continue to do extremely well,” Mr. Watsa said, “notwithstanding the Adani events that took place recently.”
After Fairfax repurchased about US$348-million of shares in 2022, on top of nearly US$1.2-billion in 2021, Mr. Watsa said he expects further stock buybacks will be “the right way to go forward for our shareholders,” he said on Friday’s conference call. With the company’s stock trading at about 6.5 times earnings, be believes “the intrinsic value’s much, much higher than where the book value is.”
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A new committee of Greater Sudbury city council is being set up to find the “best way of streamlining and of encouraging investment in Sudbury.”
So described Mayor Paul Lefebvre, who used Thursday’s Fireside Chat event with the Northeastern Ontario Construction Association to announce the new five-member committee.
“It’s a big exercise, but I think it’s a positive way of affecting change,” he told Sudbury.com after delivering his address at Verdicchio Ristorante, adding that his goal is for the committee to present recommended changes to municipal bylaws by the end of the year.
The committee would host five to seven meetings this year to learn from local industry leaders, with priority given to those with experience working for other municipalities.
“What is going on elsewhere?” Lefebvre asked. “How are they doing things different from what’s going on here, and why is that the case, so we have a better understanding.”
Lefebvre said that with many regulations provincially mandated, he wants the committee to narrow in on what the municipality can actually accomplish.
In concert with the committee’s work, Lefebvre said an internal team at city hall will work with their counterparts in other municipalities to dig out best practices for Greater Sudbury to adopt.
Reflecting on Lefebvre’s address, Northeastern Ontario Construction Association executive director Mark Kivinen told Sudbury.com he is “very optimistic,” and that Lefebvre has “hit the ground running” since he was elected to head city council on Oct. 24, 2022.
“He is so engaged with the community and understands what the community wants and needs, and also has the ability to not stay stagnant, to open up and don’t be just locked in your little bubble,” Kivinen said, adding that the upcoming committee should aid in this effort.
“There are other municipalities that are doing things better than us, and we are doing some things better than them,” he said. “I think we understand now that if we’re going to promote growth, we’ve got to open up the city a little more.”
Thursday night’s speech and subsequent question and answer period highlighted an ongoing concern within the local construction industry of so-called “red tape” at city hall, which Lefebvre said city council’s upcoming committee will strive to suss out.
Ward 5 Coun. Mike Parent has also addressed “red tape” in a motion greenlit by city council in February, which will see the city partner with the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce to investigate ways of streamlining processes for businesses.
During his speech, Lefebvre cited recent progress on the Employment Land Strategy and a $1.25-million interim fix approved for Fielding Road, which services one of the city’s industrial hubs, as recent signs of city council support for tackling economic growth.
“We’re serious about this,” Lefebvre said, adding that the work on Fielding Road is a solid investment that will help ensure clients and those working in the area won’t have to wear a mouthguard while navigating the pothole-filled road.
Earlier this week, city council approved a public consultation plan for a new tax incentive called the Employment Land Community Improvement Plan, which Lefebvre cited as another recent move toward spurring economic activity. Sudbury.com will be publishing an in-depth report on the proposal soon.
Tapping into the value-added market when it comes to battery-electric vehicles, the city’s infrastructure deficit, its collection of aging facilities, a need for housing across the continuum, and a need for employees in a local economy in which there are approximately 3,500 unfilled jobs right now, were also hot topics during tonight’s speaking engagement.
Lefebvre said all of these issues and more will need to be dealt with to help meet his ultimate goal of increasing Greater Sudbury’s population to 200,000 within 20 years.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
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The Canadian Press
Gold breaking above 2000 is likely a 2023 event: CEO
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The precious metals sector could stand to benefit from renewed exploration, particularly at a time when investors are undervaluing several companies within the space, one financial expert says.
In a Thursday interview with BNN Bloomberg’s Amber Kanwar, David McAlvany, chief executive officer of McAlvany Financial Companies, said precious metals companies that specialize in mining commodities such as gold and silver are well-positioned to capture new growth through exploration, and are showing sustainable cost production.
He recommended Orla Mining Ltd. (ORLA), I-80 Gold Corp. (IAU) and MAG Silver Corp. (MAG) as his top picks in the precious metals sector.
McAlvany, his family and his firm own shares of all three companies mentioned above, however his investment banking clients do not.
Check out the full video at the top of the article to learn more.
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MONTREAL, Québec — BRAVO READY, creator of BR1: INFINITE, the world’s first pay to spawn, kill to earn shooting game, today announced a new strategic investment from Magic Eden, adding to its expanding list of investors, which includes Krafton (owners of PUBG), 6th Man Ventures, and Solana Ventures. The funding provided by this investment will be directed towards the further development and mass adoption of BR1: INFINITE.
“With the support of Magic Eden, BRAVO READY is now better positioned to provide liquidity to gamers,” said CEO and Co-Founder, Evan Ryer. “Delivering innovative and exciting gameplay experiences that leverage a risk-based model is what keeps players coming back – we are excited to keep onboarding strategic partners like Magic Eden.”
“We are excited to support BRAVO READY and their vision to bring intense competitive gameplay to Web3.” said Chris Akhavan, Chief Gaming Officer, Magic Eden. “We believe the combination of Web3 technology and skill-based player economics will create thrilling experiences for gamers.”
About BRAVO READY
BRAVO READY is a Montreal-based game publisher. In addition to producing AAA and WebGL titles like BR1:INFINITE & Mini Arena, BRAVO READY offers a range of products & services to help align games and game companies for success.
About Magic Eden
Magic Eden is the leading cross-chain NFT platform driving the next billion users to web3. Led by former crypto, tech, and hospitality leaders, Magic Eden is building a user-friendly platform powered by market-leading minting and trading solutions. Magic Eden brings dynamic cultural moments onto the blockchain, empowering users across thousands of digital communities to create, discover and collect unique NFTs. For more information, please visit www.magiceden.io
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230330005710/en/
Contacts
Corey Herscu for BRAVO READY
corey@herscu.ca
+14163003030
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