e10vk
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
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(Mark One) |
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ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (No Fee Required) |
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For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2005 |
or |
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TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (No Fee Required) |
Commission File No. 1-32630
Fidelity National Title Group, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization) |
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16-1725106
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.) |
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601 Riverside Avenue
Jacksonville, Florida 32204
(Address of principal executive offices,
including zip code) |
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(904) 854-8100
(Registrants telephone number,
including area code) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the
Act:
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Title of each class |
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Name of each exchange on which registered |
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Common Stock, Class A, $.0001 par value |
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New York Stock Exchange |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the
Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known
seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities
Act. Yes o No þ
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file
reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Act. Yes o No þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed
all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding
12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to file such reports), and (2) has been
subject to such filing requirements for the past
90 days. Yes þ No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers
pursuant to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K is
not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of
registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information
statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this
Form 10-K, or any
amendment to this
Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated
filer (See definitions of accelerated filer and large
accelerated filer in
Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act.)
Large accelerated
filer o Accelerated
filer o Non-accelerated
filer þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company
(as defined in
Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange
Act). Yes o No þ
The aggregate market value of the shares of the Common Stock
held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of December 31,
2005 was $696,787,961.
As of March 1, 2006, there were 31,147,357 shares of
Class A common stock and 143,176,041 shares of
Class B common stock outstanding.
The information in Part III hereof is incorporated herein
by reference to the registrants Proxy Statement on
Schedule 14A for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2005, to be filed within 120 days after the close of the
fiscal year that is the subject of this Report.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORM 10-K
i
PART I
Fidelity National Title Group, Inc. (FNT or the
Company) is the largest title insurance company in
the United States. Our title insurance underwriters
Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Ticor Title, Security
Union Title and Alamo Title together issued
approximately 30.5% of all title insurance policies issued
nationally during 2004, as measured by premiums. Our title
business consists of providing title insurance and escrow and
other title-related products and services arising from the real
estate closing process. Our operations are conducted on a direct
basis through our own employees who act as title and escrow
agents and through independent agents. In addition to our
independent agents, our customers are lenders, mortgage brokers,
attorneys, real estate agents, home builders and commercial real
estate developers. We do not focus our marketing efforts on the
homeowner.
History
The predecessors to FNT have primarily been title insurance
companies, some of which have been in operation since the late
1800s. Many of these title insurance companies have been
acquired in the last two decades. In 1984, our parent company,
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (FNF) acquired a
controlling interest in Fidelity National Title Insurance
Company. During the 1990s, FNF acquired Alamo Title, Nations
Title Inc., Western Title Company of Washington and
First Title Corp. In 2000, FNF completed the acquisition of
Chicago Title Corp., creating the largest title insurance
organization in the world. In 2004, FNF acquired American
Pioneer Title Insurance Company, which now operates under
our Ticor Title brand. Chicago Title had previously acquired
Security Union Title in 1987 and Ticor Title Insurance
Company in 1991. Our businesses have historically been operated
as wholly-owned subsidiaries of FNF until October 2005, when FNF
distributed to its shareholders a minority interest in FNT. (See
Recent Developments below.)
Competitive Strengths
We believe that our competitive strengths include the following:
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Leading title insurance company. We are the largest title
insurance company in the United States and a leading provider of
escrow and other closing services for real estate transactions.
We currently have the leading market share for title insurance
in California, New York, Texas and Florida, which are the four
largest markets for title insurance in the United States and
account for approximately 48% of all title insurance business in
the United States. We have approximately 1,500 locations
throughout the United States providing our title insurance
services. |
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Established relationships with our customers. We have
strong relationships with the customers who use our title
services. Our agent distribution network, which includes over
10,000 agents, is among the largest in the United States. We
also benefit from strong brand recognition in our five FNT title
brands that allows us to access a broader client base than if we
operated under a single consolidated brand and provides our
customers with a choice among FNT brands. |
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Strong value proposition for our customers. We provide
our customers with title insurance and escrow and other closing
services that support their ability to effectively close real
estate transactions. We help make the real estate closing more
efficient for our customers by offering a single point of access
to a broad platform of title-related products and resources
necessary to close real estate transactions. |
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Proven management team. The managers of our operating
businesses have successfully built our title business over an
extended period of time, resulting in our business attaining the
size, scope and presence in the industry that it has today. Our
managers have demonstrated their leadership ability during
numerous acquisitions through which we have grown and throughout
a number of business cycles and significant periods of industry
change. |
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Competitive cost structure. We have been able to maintain
competitive operating margins in part by monitoring our
businesses in a disciplined manner through continual evaluation
and management of |
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our cost structure. When compared to other industry competitors,
we also believe that our management structure has fewer layers
of managers which allows us to operate with lower overhead costs. |
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Commercial title insurance. While residential title
insurance comprises the majority of our business, we believe we
are the largest provider of commercial real estate title
insurance in the United States. Our network of agents,
attorneys, underwriters and closers that service the commercial
real estate markets is one of the largest in the industry. Our
commercial network combined with our financial strength makes
our title insurance operations attractive to large national
lenders who require the underwriting and issuing of larger
commercial title policies. |
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Corporate principles. A cornerstone of our management
philosophy and operating success is the five fundamental
precepts upon which FNF was founded: |
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Bias for action |
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Autonomy and entrepreneurship |
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Employee ownership |
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Minimal bureaucracy |
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Close customer relationships |
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These five precepts are emphasized to our employees from the
first day of employment and are integral to many of our
strategies described below. |
Strategy
Our strategy in the title insurance business is to maximize
operating profits by increasing our market share and managing
operating expenses throughout the real estate business cycle. To
accomplish our goals, we intend to:
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Continue to operate each of our five title brands
independently. We believe that in order to maintain and
strengthen our title insurance customer base, we must leave the
Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Ticor Title, Security
Union Title and Alamo Title brands intact and operate these
brands independently. In most of our largest markets, we operate
two, and in a few cases, three brands. This approach allows us
to continue to attract customers who identify with one brand
over another and allows us to utilize a broader base of local
agents and local operations than we would have with a single
consolidated brand. |
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Consistently deliver superior customer service. We
believe customer service and consistent product delivery are the
most important factors in attracting and retaining customers.
Our ability to provide superior customer service and provide
consistent product delivery requires continued focus on
providing high quality service and products at competitive
prices. Our goal is to continue to improve the experience of our
customers in all aspects of our business. |
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Manage our operations successfully through business
cycles. We operate in a cyclical business and our ability to
diversify our revenue base within our core title insurance
business and manage the duration of our investments may allow us
to better operate in this cyclical business. Maintaining a broad
geographic revenue base, utilizing both direct and independent
agency operations and pursuing both residential and commercial
title insurance business help diversify our title insurance
revenues. Maintaining shorter durations on our investment
portfolio allows us to increase our investment revenue in a
rising interest rate environment, which may offset some of the
decline in premiums and service revenues we would expect in such
an environment. For a more detailed discussion of our investment
strategies, see Investment Policies and
Investment Portfolio. |
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Continue to improve our products and technology. As a
national provider of real estate transaction products and
services, we participate in an industry that is subject to
significant change, frequent new product and service
introductions and evolving industry standards. We believe that
our future success will |
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depend in part on our ability to anticipate industry changes and
offer products and services that meet evolving industry
standards. In connection with our service offerings, we are
currently upgrading our operating system to improve the process
of ordering title services and improve the delivery of our
products to our customers. |
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Maintain values supporting our strategy. We believe that
continuing to focus on and support our long-established
corporate culture will reinforce and support our business
strategy. Our goal is to foster and support a corporate culture
where our agents and employees seek to operate independently and
profitably at the local level while forming close customer
relationships by meeting customer needs and improving customer
service. Utilizing a relatively flat managerial structure and
providing our employees with a sense of individual ownership
supports this goal. |
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Effectively manage costs based on economic factors. We
believe that our focus on our operating margins is essential to
our continued success in the title insurance business.
Regardless of the business cycle in which we may be operating,
we seek to continue to evaluate and manage our cost structure
and make appropriate adjustments where economic conditions
dictate. This continual focus on our cost structure helps us to
better maintain our operating margins. |
Recent Developments
On September 26, 2005, FNF received all regulatory
approvals required to contribute to FNT all of the legal
entities that are reflected in our financial statements
presented in Item 8. On that date, FNF declared a dividend
to its stockholders of record as of October 6, 2005 which
resulted in a distribution on October 17, 2005, of 17.5% of
its interest in FNT, which represents the title insurance
segment of FNF. Prior to October 17, 2005, FNT was a
wholly-owned subsidiary of FNF. On October 17, 2005, FNF
distributed to its stockholders 0.175 shares of FNT
Class A common stock for each share of FNF common stock
held on the record date (the Distribution). FNF
beneficially owns 100% of the FNT Class B common stock
representing an 82.5% ownership interest. As of
December 31, 2005, there were 31.1 million shares
outstanding of Class A common stock, which has one vote per
share, and 143.2 million shares outstanding of Class B
common stock, which has ten votes per share. As of
December 31, 2005, FNF controls 97.9% of the voting rights
of FNT.
In connection with the Distribution, we issued two
$250 million intercompany notes payable to FNF (the
Mirror Notes), with terms that mirrored FNFs
existing $250 million 7.30% public notes due in August 2011
and $250 million 5.25% public notes due in March 2013.
Proceeds from the issuance of the 7.30% FNF notes due 2011 were
used by FNF to repay debt incurred in connection with the
acquisition of our subsidiary, Chicago Title, and the proceeds
from the 5.25% FNF notes due 2013 were used for general
corporate purposes. Following the issuance of the Mirror Notes,
we filed a Registration Statement on
Form S-4, pursuant
to which we offered to accept the outstanding FNF notes in
exchange for FNT notes we issued having substantially the same
terms. On January 18, 2006, we completed these exchange
offers and received $241,347,000 in aggregate principal amount
of FNFs 7.30% Notes due August 15, 2011, and the
entire $250,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of FNFs
5.25% Notes due March 15, 2013. The FNF notes received
by us in the exchange were subsequently delivered to FNF in
partial redemption of the 7.30% Mirror Note due August 15,
2011, and in full redemption of the 5.25% Mirror Note due
March 15, 2013. In order to reflect the partial
redemption of the 7.30% Mirror Note due August 15, 2011,
the original note has been replaced with an identical Mirror
Note with a principal balance of $8,653,000, which reflects the
unredeemed portion of the original Mirror Note.
On October 17, 2005, we also entered into a credit
agreement in the amount of $400 million. On
October 24, 2005, we borrowed $150 million under this
facility and paid it to FNF in satisfaction of a
$150 million intercompany note issued by one of the
Companys subsidiaries to FNF in August 2005. Later in the
fourth quarter, we repaid $50 million of this amount.
3
Our Recent Acquisitions
On August 1, 2005, we acquired Service Link, L.P.
(Service Link), a national provider of centralized
mortgage and residential real estate title and closing services
to major financial institutions and institutional lenders. The
acquisition price was approximately $110.2 million in cash.
On March 22, 2004, we acquired American Pioneer
Title Insurance Company (APTIC) for
$115.2 million in cash. APTIC is a title insurance
underwriter licensed in 45 states with significant agency
operations and computerized title plant assets in the state of
Florida. APTIC now operates under our Ticor Title brand.
Title Insurance
Market for title insurance. The title insurance market in
the United States is large and has grown in the last
10 years. According to Demotech, Inc
(Demotech), total operating income for the entire
U.S. title insurance industry grew from $4.8 billion
in 1995 to $15.5 billion in 2004. Growth in the industry is
closely tied to various macroeconomic factors, including, but
not limited to, growth in the gross national product, inflation,
interest rates and sales of and prices for new and existing
homes, as well as the refinancing of previously issued mortgages.
Most real estate transactions consummated in the
U.S. require the use of title insurance by a lending
institution before a transaction can be completed. Generally,
revenues from title insurance policies are directly correlated
with the value of the property underlying the title policy, and
appreciation in the overall value of the real estate market
helps drive growth in total industry revenues. Industry revenues
are also driven by changes in interest rates, which affect
demand for new mortgage loans and refinancing transactions.
The U.S. title insurance industry is concentrated among a
handful of industry participants. According to Demotech, the top
five title insurance companies accounted for 90.2% of net
premiums collected in 2004. Over 40 independent title insurance
companies accounted for the remaining 9.8% of net premiums
collected in 2004. Over the years, the title insurance industry
has been consolidating, beginning with the merger of Lawyers
Title Insurance and Commonwealth Land Title Insurance
in 1998 to create LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc., followed by
FNFs acquisition of Chicago Title in March 2000.
Consolidation has created opportunities for increased financial
and operating efficiencies for the industrys largest
participants and should continue to drive profitability and
market share in the industry.
Title Insurance Policies. Generally, real estate
buyers and mortgage lenders purchase title insurance to insure
good and marketable title to real estate and priority of the
lien. A brief generalized description of the process of issuing
a title insurance policy is as follows:
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The customer, typically a real estate salesperson or broker,
escrow agent, attorney or lender, places an order for a title
policy. |
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Company personnel note the specifics of the title policy order
and place a request with the title company or its agents for a
preliminary report or commitment. |
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After the relevant historical data on the property is compiled,
the title officer prepares a preliminary report that documents
the current status of title to the property, any exclusions,
exceptions and/or limitations that the title company might
include in the policy, and specific issues that need to be
addressed and resolved by the parties to the transaction before
the title policy will be issued. |
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The preliminary report is circulated to all the parties for
satisfaction of any specific issues. |
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After the specific issues identified in the preliminary report
are satisfied, an escrow agent closes the transaction in
accordance with the instructions of the parties and the title
companys conditions. |
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Once the transaction is closed and all monies have been
released, the title company issues a title insurance policy. |
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In a real estate transaction financed with a mortgage, virtually
all real property mortgage lenders require their borrowers to
obtain a title insurance policy at the time a mortgage loan is
made. This lenders policy insures the lender against any
defect affecting the priority of the mortgage in an amount equal
to the outstanding balance of the related mortgage loan. An
owners policy is typically also issued, insuring the buyer
against defects in title in an amount equal to the purchase
price. In a refinancing transaction, only a lenders policy
is generally purchased because ownership of the property has not
changed. In the case of an all-cash real estate purchase, no
lenders policy is issued but typically an owners
title policy is issued.
Title insurance premiums paid in connection with a title
insurance policy are based on (and typically a percentage of)
either the amount of the mortgage loan or the purchase price of
the property insured. Title insurance premiums are due in full
at the closing of the real estate transaction. The lenders
policy generally terminates upon the refinancing or resale of
the property.
The amount of the insured risk or face amount of
insurance under a title insurance policy is generally equal to
either the amount of the loan secured by the property or the
purchase price of the property (subject to adjustment if the
policy includes inflation adjustment provisions). The title
insurer is also responsible for the cost of defending the
insured title against covered claims. The insurers actual
exposure at any given time, however, generally is less than the
total face amount of policies outstanding because the coverage
of a lenders policy is reduced and eventually terminated
as a result of payment of the mortgage loan. Because of these
factors, the total liability of a title underwriter on
outstanding policies cannot be precisely determined.
Title insurance companies typically issue title insurance
policies directly through branch offices or through title
agencies which are subsidiaries of the title insurance company,
and indirectly through independent third party agencies
unaffiliated with the title insurance company. Where the policy
is issued through a branch or wholly-owned subsidiary agency
operation, the title company typically performs or directs the
search, and the premiums collected are retained by the title
company. Where the policy is issued through an independent
agent, the agent generally performs the search (in some areas
searches are performed by approved attorneys), examines the
title, collects the premium and retains a majority of the
premium. The remainder of the premium is remitted to the title
company as compensation, part of which is for bearing the risk
of loss in the event a claim is made under the policy. The
percentage of the premium retained by an agent varies from
region to region and is sometimes regulated by the states. The
title company is obligated to pay title claims in accordance
with the terms of its policies, regardless of whether the title
company issues policies through its direct operations or through
independent agents.
Prior to issuing policies, title insurers and their agents
attempt to reduce the risk of future claim losses by accurately
performing searches and examinations. A title companys
predominant expense relates to such searches and examinations,
the preparation of preliminary title reports, policies or
commitments and the maintenance of title plants,
which are indexed compilations of public records, maps and other
relevant historical documents. Claim losses generally result
from errors made in the title search and examination process and
from hidden defects such as fraud, forgery, incapacity, or
missing heirs of the property.
Residential real estate business results from the construction,
sale, resale and refinancing of residential properties, while
commercial real estate business results from similar activities
with respect to properties with a business or commercial use.
Commercial real estate title insurance policies insure title to
commercial real property, and generally involve higher coverage
amounts and yield higher premiums. Residential real estate
transaction volume is primarily affected by macroeconomic and
seasonal factors while commercial real estate transaction volume
is affected primarily by fluctuations in local supply and demand
conditions for commercial space.
Direct and Agency Operations. We provide title insurance
services through our direct operations and through independent
title insurance agents who issue title policies on behalf of our
title insurance companies. Our title insurance companies
determine the terms and conditions upon which they will insure
title to the real property according to their underwriting
standards, policies and procedures.
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Direct Operations. In our direct operations, the title
insurer issues the title insurance policy and retains the entire
premium paid in connection with the transaction. Our direct
operations provide the following benefits:
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higher margins because we retain the entire premium from each
transaction instead of paying a commission to an independent
agent; |
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continuity of service levels to a broad range of
customers; and |
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additional sources of income through escrow and closing services. |
We have approximately 1,500 offices throughout the
U.S. primarily providing residential real estate title
insurance. Our commercial real estate title insurance business
is operated almost exclusively through our direct operations. We
maintain direct operations for our commercial title insurance
business in all the major real estate markets including New
York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Philadelphia,
Phoenix, Seattle and Houston.
Agency Operations. In our agency operations, the search
and examination function is performed by an independent agent or
the agent may purchase the search and examination from us. In
either case, the agent is responsible to ensure that the search
and examination is completed. The agent thus retains the
majority of the title premium collected, with the balance
remitted to the title underwriter for bearing the risk of loss
in the event that a claim is made under the title insurance
policy. Independent agents may select among several title
underwriters based upon their relationship with the underwriter,
the amount of the premium split offered by the
underwriter, the overall terms and conditions of the agency
agreement and the scope of services offered to the agent.
Premium splits vary by geographic region. Our relationship with
each agent is governed by an agency agreement defining how the
agent issues a title insurance policy on our behalf. The agency
agreement also sets forth the agents liability to us for
policy losses attributable to the agents errors. An agency
agreement is usually terminable without cause upon
30 days notice or immediately for cause. In
determining whether to engage or retain an independent agent, we
consider the agents experience, financial condition and
loss history. For each agent with whom we enter into an agency
agreement we maintain financial and loss experience records. We
also conduct periodic audits of our agents.
Fees and Premiums. One method of analyzing our business
is to examine the level of premiums generated by direct and
agency operations. The following table presents the percentages
of our title insurance premiums generated by direct and agency
operations:
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Year Ended December 31, | |
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2005 | |
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2004 | |
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2003 | |
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Amount | |
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Amount | |
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Amount | |
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(Dollars in thousands) | |
Direct
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$ |
2,184,993 |
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44.2 |
% |
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$ |
2,003,447 |
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42.5 |
% |
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$ |
2,105,317 |
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44.8 |
% |
Agency
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2,763,973 |
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55.8 |
% |
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2,714,770 |
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57.5 |
% |
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2,595,433 |
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55.2 |
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Total title insurance Premiums
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$ |
4,948,966 |
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100.0 |
% |
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$ |
4,718,217 |
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100.0 |
% |
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$ |
4,700,750 |
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100.0 |
% |
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The premium for title insurance is due in full when the real
estate transaction is closed. We recognize title insurance
premium revenues from direct operations upon the closing of the
transaction, whereas premium revenues from agency operations
include an accrual based on estimates of the volume of
transactions that have closed in a particular period for which
premiums have not yet been reported to us. The accrual for
agency premiums is necessary because of the lag between the
closing of these transactions and the reporting of these
policies to us by the agent, and is based on estimates utilizing
historical information.
Geographic Operations. Our direct operations are divided
into approximately 244 profit centers consisting of more than
1,500 direct offices. Each profit center processes title
insurance transactions within its geographical area, which is
usually identified by a county, a group of counties forming a
region, or a state, depending on the management structure in
that part of the country. We also transact title insurance
business
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through a network of over 10,000 agents, primarily in those
areas in which agents are the more prevalent title insurance
provider.
The following table sets forth the approximate dollar and
percentage volumes of our title insurance premium revenue by
state.
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Year Ended December 31, | |
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2005 | |
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2004 | |
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2003 | |
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Amount | |
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% | |
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Amount | |
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Amount | |
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% | |
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(Dollars in thousands) | |
California
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$ |
1,034,467 |
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20.9 |
% |
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$ |
1,055,296 |
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22.4 |
% |
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$ |
1,183,643 |
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25.2 |
% |
Florida
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699,492 |
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14.1 |
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483,860 |
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10.3 |
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310,545 |
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6.6 |
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Texas
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476,432 |
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9.6 |
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514,417 |
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10.9 |
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527,583 |
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11.2 |
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New York
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402,768 |
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8.1 |
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|
|
400,827 |
|
|
|
8.5 |
|
|
|
378,341 |
|
|
|
8.0 |
|
Arizona
|
|
|
206,242 |
|
|
|
4.2 |
|
|
|
164,225 |
|
|
|
3.5 |
|
|
|
175,229 |
|
|
|
3.7 |
|
All others
|
|
|
2,129,565 |
|
|
|
43.1 |
|
|
|
2,099,592 |
|
|
|
44.4 |
|
|
|
2,125,409 |
|
|
|
45.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Totals
|
|
$ |
4,948,966 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
4,718,217 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
4,700,750 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Escrow and Other Title Related Fees. In addition to
fees for underwriting title insurance policies, we derive a
significant amount of our revenues from escrow and other
title-related services, including closing services. The escrow
and other services provided by us include all of those typically
required in connection with residential and commercial real
estate purchase and refinance activities. Escrow and other
title-related fees represented approximately 18.4% and 17.7% of
our revenues for 2005 and 2004, respectively. Escrow and other
title-related fees are primarily generated by our direct title
operations and increases or decreases in the amount of revenue
we receive from these services are closely related to increases
or decreases in revenues from our direct title operations.
Reinsurance and Coinsurance. In a limited number of
situations we limit our maximum loss exposure by reinsuring
certain risks with other title insurers under agent fidelity,
excess of loss and case-by-case reinsurance agreements. We also
earn a small amount of additional income, which is reflected in
our direct premiums, by assuming reinsurance for certain risks
of other title insurers. Reinsurance agreements provide
generally that the reinsurer is liable for loss and loss
adjustment expense payments exceeding the amount retained by the
ceding company. However, the ceding company remains primarily
liable in the event the reinsurer does not meet its contractual
obligations.
We also use coinsurance in our commercial title business to
provide coverage in amounts greater than we would be willing or
able to provide individually. In coinsurance transactions, each
individual underwriting company issues a separate policy and
assumes a portion of the overall total risk. As a coinsurer we
are only liable for the portion of the risk we assumed.
Sales and Marketing
We market and distribute our title and escrow products and
services to customers in the residential and commercial market
sectors of the real estate industry through customer
solicitation by sales personnel. Although in many instances the
individual homeowner is the beneficiary of a title insurance
policy, we do not focus our marketing efforts on the homeowner.
We actively encourage our sales personnel to develop new
business relationships with persons in the real estate
community, such as real estate sales agents and brokers,
financial institutions, independent escrow companies and title
agents, real estate developers, mortgage brokers and attorneys
who order title insurance policies for their clients. While our
smaller, local clients remain important, large customers, such
as national residential mortgage lenders, real estate investment
trusts and developers have become an increasingly important part
of our business. The buying criteria of locally based clients
differ from those of large, geographically diverse customers in
that the former tend to emphasize personal relationships and
ease of transaction execution, while the latter generally place
more emphasis on
7
consistent product delivery across diverse geographical regions
and ability of service providers to meet their information
systems requirements for electronic product delivery.
Losses and Reserves
While most other forms of insurance provide for the assumption
of risk of loss arising out of unforeseen events, title
insurance serves to protect the policyholder from risk of loss
from events that predate the issuance of the policy. As a
result, claim losses associated with issuing title policies are
less expensive when compared to many other types of insurance.
The maximum amount of liability under a title insurance policy
is generally the face amount of the policy plus the cost of
defending the insureds title against an adverse claim.
Reserves for claim losses are established based upon known
claims, as well as losses incurred but not yet reported to us
based upon historical experience and other factors, including
industry trends, claim loss history, legal environment,
geographic considerations, expected recoupments and the types of
policies written. We also reserve for losses arising from
escrow, closing and disbursement functions due to fraud or
operational error.
Although most claims against title insurance policies are
reported relatively soon after the policy has been issued,
claims may be reported many years later. By their nature, claims
are often complex, vary greatly in dollar amounts and are
affected by economic and market conditions and the legal
environment existing at the time of settlement of the claims.
Estimating future title loss payments is difficult because of
the complex nature of title claims, the long periods of time
over which claims are paid, significantly varying dollar amounts
of individual claims and other factors.
A title insurance company can minimize its losses by having
strict quality control systems and underwriting standards in
place. These controls increase the likelihood that the
appropriate level of diligence is conducted in completing a
title search so that the possibility of potential claims is
significantly mitigated. In the case of independent agents who
conduct their own title searches, the agency agreement between
the agent and the title insurance underwriter gives the
underwriter the ability to proceed against the agent when a loss
arises from a flawed title search. We take an aggressive stance
in pursuing claims against independent agents for losses that
arise from fraud, misrepresentation, deceptive trade practices
or other wrongful acts commonly referred to as bad
faith.
Courts and juries sometimes award damages against insurance
companies, including title insurance companies, in excess of
policy limits. Such awards are typically based on allegations of
fraud, misrepresentation, deceptive trade practices or other
wrongful acts. The possibility of such bad faith damage awards
may cause us to experience increased costs and difficulty in
settling title claims.
The maximum insurable amount under any single title insurance
policy is determined by statutorily calculated net worth. The
highest self-imposed single policy maximum insurable amount for
any of our title insurance subsidiaries is $475.0 million.
Investment Policies and Investment Portfolio
Our investment policy is designed to maintain a high quality
portfolio, maximize income and minimize interest rate risk. We
also make investments in certain equity securities in order to
take advantage of perceived value and for strategic purposes.
Various states regulate what types of assets qualify for
purposes of capital and surplus and statutory unearned premium
reserves. We manage our investment portfolio and do not utilize
third party investment managers.
As of December 31, 2005 and 2004, the carrying amount,
which approximates the fair value, of total investments was
$3.3 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively.
We purchase investment grade fixed maturity securities, selected
non-investment grade fixed maturity securities and equity
securities. The securities in our portfolio are subject to
economic conditions and normal market risks and uncertainties.
8
The following table presents certain information regarding the
investment ratings of our fixed maturity portfolio at
December 31, 2005 and 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Amortized | |
|
% of | |
|
|
|
% of | |
|
Amortized | |
|
% of | |
|
|
|
% of | |
Rating(1) |
|
Cost | |
|
Total | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Total | |
|
Cost | |
|
Total | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) | |
AAA
|
|
$ |
1,501,178 |
|
|
|
60.2 |
% |
|
$ |
1,480,165 |
|
|
|
60.2 |
% |
|
$ |
1,421,948 |
|
|
|
65.5 |
% |
|
$ |
1,424,800 |
|
|
|
65.5 |
% |
AA
|
|
|
460,469 |
|
|
|
18.4 |
|
|
|
454,535 |
|
|
|
18.5 |
|
|
|
407,671 |
|
|
|
18.7 |
|
|
|
411,298 |
|
|
|
18.9 |
|
A
|
|
|
436,974 |
|
|
|
17.5 |
|
|
|
428,908 |
|
|
|
17.5 |
|
|
|
280,004 |
|
|
|
12.9 |
|
|
|
277,556 |
|
|
|
12.8 |
|
BBB
|
|
|
94,123 |
|
|
|
3.8 |
|
|
|
92,176 |
|
|
|
3.7 |
|
|
|
60,067 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
59,252 |
|
|
|
2.7 |
|
BB
|
|
|
1,944 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
1,848 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
1,996 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
1,911 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,494,688 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
2,457,632 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
2,171,686 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
2,174,817 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Ratings as assigned by Standard & Poors Ratings
Group and Moodys Investors Service. |
The following table presents certain information regarding
contractual maturities of our fixed maturity securities at
December 31, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
Amortized | |
|
% of | |
|
|
|
% of | |
Maturity |
|
Cost | |
|
Total | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) | |
|
|
One year or less
|
|
$ |
347,745 |
|
|
|
13.9 |
% |
|
$ |
345,246 |
|
|
|
14.0 |
% |
After one year through five years
|
|
|
1,190,201 |
|
|
|
47.7 |
|
|
|
1,168,915 |
|
|
|
47.6 |
|
After five years through ten years
|
|
|
736,030 |
|
|
|
29.6 |
|
|
|
723,827 |
|
|
|
29.5 |
|
After ten years
|
|
|
220,671 |
|
|
|
8.8 |
|
|
|
219,601 |
|
|
|
8.9 |
|
Mortgage-backed securities
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,494,687 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
2,457,632 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subject to call
|
|
$ |
322,319 |
|
|
|
12.9 |
% |
|
$ |
318,929 |
|
|
|
13.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities
because certain borrowers have the right to call or prepay
obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
Our equity securities at December 31, 2005 and 2004
consisted of investments in various industrial and miscellaneous
other industry groups. At December 31, 2005, the Company
held equity securities with a total cost of $185,651 and an
aggregate fair value of $176,987. At December 31, 2004, the
Company held equity securities with a total cost of $108,574 and
an aggregate fair value of $115,070. There are no significant
investments in banks, trusts and insurance companies at
December 31, 2005 or 2004.
Other long-term investments as of December 31, 2005
amounted to $21.0 million and consisted primarily of equity
investments.
Short-term investments, which consist primarily of securities
purchased under agreements to resell, commercial paper and money
market instruments, which have an original maturity of one year
or less, are carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair
value. As of December 31, 2005, short-term investments
amounted to $645.1 million.
9
Our investment results for the years ended December 31,
2005, 2004 and 2003 were as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) | |
Net investment income(1)
|
|
$ |
142,319 |
|
|
$ |
86,120 |
|
|
$ |
70,940 |
|
Average invested assets
|
|
$ |
3,732,630 |
|
|
$ |
3,226,243 |
|
|
$ |
2,811,408 |
|
Effective return on average invested assets
|
|
|
3.8 |
% |
|
|
2.7 |
% |
|
|
2.5 |
% |
|
|
(1) |
Net investment income as reported in our Combined Statements of
Earnings has been adjusted in the presentation above to provide
the tax equivalent yield on tax exempt investments. |
Technology
To meet the changing business and technology needs of our
customers, we continually invest in our applications and
services. This investment includes maintenance and enhancement
of existing software applications and the development of new and
innovative software applications
Competition
The title insurance industry is highly competitive, with the top
five insurance companies accounting for 90.2% of net premiums
collected in 2004 according to Demotech. The number and size of
competing companies varies in the different geographic areas in
which we conduct our business. In our principal markets,
competitors include other major title underwriters such as The
First American Corporation, LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc.,
Old Republic International Corporation and Stewart Information
Services Corporation, as well as numerous smaller title
insurance companies and independent agency operations at the
regional and local level. These smaller companies may expand
into other markets in which we compete. Also, the removal of
regulatory barriers might result in new competitors entering the
title insurance business, and those new competitors may include
diversified financial services companies that have greater
financial resources than we do and possess other competitive
advantages. Competition among the major title insurance
companies, expansion by smaller regional companies and any new
entrants with alternative products could affect our business
operations and financial condition.
Competition in the title insurance industry is based primarily
on expertise, service and price. In addition, the financial
strength of the insurer has become an increasingly important
factor in decisions relating to the purchase of title insurance,
particularly in multi-state transactions and in situations
involving real
estate-related
investment vehicles such as real estate investment trusts and
real estate mortgage investment conduits.
The title insurance industry has also experienced periods of
consolidation. We expect that, from time to time, we may
evaluate opportunities for the acquisition of books of business
or of title insurance companies or other complementary
businesses as a going concern, for business combinations with
other concerns and for the provision of insurance related
advisory services to third parties. There can be no assurance,
however, that any suitable business opportunity will arise.
Regulation
Our insurance subsidiaries, including title insurers,
underwritten title companies and insurance agencies, are subject
to extensive regulation under applicable state laws. Each of the
insurance underwriters is subject to a holding company act in
its state of domicile, which regulates, among other matters, the
ability to pay dividends and enter into transactions with
affiliates. The laws of most states in which we transact
business establish supervisory agencies with broad
administrative powers relating to issuing and revoking licenses
to transact business, regulating trade practices, licensing
agents, approving policy forms, accounting practices, financial
practices, establishing reserve and capital and surplus as
regards policyholders (capital and surplus)
requirements, defining suitable investments for reserves and
capital and surplus and approving rate schedules.
10
Pursuant to statutory accounting requirements of the various
states in which our title insurers are domiciled, these insurers
must defer a portion of premiums earned as an unearned premium
reserve for the protection of policyholders and must maintain
qualified assets in an amount equal to the statutory
requirements. The level of unearned premium reserve required to
be maintained at any time is determined by statutory formula
based upon either the age, number of policies, and dollar amount
of policy liabilities underwritten, or the age and dollar amount
of statutory premiums written. As of December 31, 2005, the
combined statutory unearned premium reserve required and
reported for our title insurers was $1,303.8 million. In
addition to statutory unearned premium reserves, each of our
insurers maintains surplus funds for policyholder protection and
business operations.
Our title insurers are regulated by the insurance regulatory
authority in their respective state of domicile, as well as that
of each state in which it is licensed. The insurance
commissioners of their respective states of domicile regulate
our title insurance subsidiaries. Regulatory financial
examinations are conducted generally by regulatory authorities
at three-year intervals, and certain of these examinations are
currently ongoing.
Under the statutes governing insurance holding companies in most
states, insurers may not enter into various transactions,
including certain sales, reinsurance agreements and service or
management contracts with their affiliates unless the regulatory
authority of the insurers state of domicile has received
notice at least 30 days prior to the intended effective
date of such transaction and has not objected to or has
approved, the transaction within the 30 day period.
As a holding company with no significant business operations of
our own, we depend on dividends or other distributions from our
subsidiaries as the principal source of cash to meet our
obligations, including the payment of interest on, and repayment
of, principal of any debt obligations. The payment of dividends
or other distributions to us by our title insurers is regulated
by the insurance laws and regulations of their respective states
of domicile. In general, an insurance company subsidiary may not
pay an extraordinary dividend or distribution unless
the applicable insurance regulator has received notice of the
intended payment at least 30 days prior to payment, and has
not objected to or has approved, the payment within the
30-day period. In
general, an extraordinary dividend or distribution
is statutorily defined as a dividend or distribution that,
together with other dividends and distributions made within the
preceding 12 months, exceeds the greater of:
|
|
|
|
|
10% of the insurers statutory surplus as of the
immediately prior year end; or |
|
|
|
the statutory net investment income or the statutory net income
of the insurer during the prior calendar year. |
The laws and regulations of some jurisdictions also prohibit an
insurer from declaring or paying a dividend except out of its
earned surplus or require the insurer to obtain prior regulatory
approval. During 2006, our directly owned title insurers can pay
dividends or make distributions to us of approximately
$289.9 million without prior regulatory approval; however,
insurance regulators have the authority to prohibit the payment
of ordinary dividends or other payments by our title insurers to
us (such as a payment under a tax sharing agreement or for
employee or other services) if they determine that such payment
could be adverse to our policyholders.
The combined statutory capital and surplus of the Companys
title insurers was $852.2 million and $887.2 million
as of December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The
combined statutory earnings of the Companys title insurers
were $400.4 million, $371.0 million and
$477.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2005,
2004, and 2003, respectively.
As a condition to continued authority to underwrite policies in
the states in which our title insurers conduct their business,
they are required to pay certain fees and file information
regarding their officers, directors and financial condition.
Pursuant to statutory requirements of the various states in
which our title insurers are domiciled, they must maintain
certain levels of minimum capital and surplus. Each of our title
insurers complied with the minimum statutory requirements as of
December 31, 2005.
11
Our underwritten title companies are also subject to certain
regulation by insurance regulatory or banking authorities,
primarily relating to minimum net worth. Minimum net worth of
$7.5 million, $2.5 million, $3.0 million and
$0.4 million is required for Fidelity National
Title Company, Fidelity National Title Company of
California, Chicago Title Company and Ticor
Title Company of California, respectively. All of our
companies were in compliance with their respective minimum net
worth requirements at December 31, 2005.
We receive inquiries and requests for information from state
insurance departments, attorneys general and other regulatory
agencies from time to time about various matters relating to our
business. Sometimes these take the form of civil investigative
subpoenas. We attempt to cooperate with all such inquiries. From
time to time, we are assessed fines for violations of
regulations or other matters or enter into settlements with such
authorities which require us to pay money or take other actions.
For a discussion of certain pending matters, see Legal
Proceedings.
Before a person can acquire control of a U.S. insurance
company, prior written approval must be obtained from the
insurance commissioner of the state in which the insurer is
domiciled. Prior to granting approval of an application to
acquire control of a domestic insurer, the state insurance
commissioner will consider such factors as the financial
strength of the applicant, the integrity and management of the
applicants board of directors and executive officers, the
acquirers plans for the insurers board of directors
and executive officers, the acquirers plans for the future
operations of the domestic insurer and any anti-competitive
results that may arise from the consummation of the acquisition
of control. Generally, state statutes provide that control over
a domestic insurer is presumed to exist if any person, directly
or indirectly, owns, controls, holds with the power to vote, or
holds proxies representing, 10% or more of the voting securities
of the domestic insurer (in the state of Florida, where one of
our subsidiaries is domiciled, control may be presumed to exist
upon acquisition of 5% or more of the insurers voting
securities). Because a person acquiring 10% or more of our
common shares would indirectly control the same percentage of
the stock of our title insurers, the insurance change of control
laws would likely apply to such a transaction (and any
acquisition of 5% or more would require filing a disclaimer of
control with, or obtaining a change of control approval from,
the State of Florida).
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners
(NAIC) has adopted an instruction requiring an
annual certification of reserve adequacy by a qualified actuary.
Because all of the states in which our title insurers are
domiciled require adherence to NAIC filing procedures, each such
insurer, unless it qualifies for an exemption, must file an
actuarial opinion with respect to the adequacy of its reserves.
Since we are governed by both state and federal governments and
the applicable insurance laws are constantly subject to change,
it is not possible to predict the potential effects of any laws
or regulations that may become more restrictive in the future or
if new restrictive laws will be enacted.
Ratings
Our title insurance subsidiaries are regularly assigned ratings
by independent agencies designed to indicate their financial
condition and/or claims paying ability. The ratings agencies
determine ratings by quantitatively and qualitatively analyzing
financial data and other information. Our title subsidiaries
include Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Ticor Title,
Security Union Title and Alamo Title. The insurer financial
strength/stability ratings of our principal title insurance
subsidiaries are listed below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S&P | |
|
Moodys | |
|
Fitch | |
|
A.M Best | |
|
Demotech | |
|
LACE | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Alamo Title Insurance
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A3 |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A |
|
Chicago Title Insurance Co.
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A3 |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A+ |
|
Chicago Title Insurance Co. of Oregon
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A3 |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
N/A |
|
Fidelity National Title Insurance Co.
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A3 |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
B+ |
|
Ticor Title Insurance Co.
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A3 |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A- |
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A |
|
Security Union Title Insurance Co.
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A3 |
|
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A- |
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A- |
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A |
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B |
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The ratings of Standard & Poors
(S&P), Moodys Investors Services
(Moodys), A.M. Best Company (A.M.
Best), Fitch Ratings, Ltd. (Fitch), Demotech,
and LACE Financial Corporation
12
(LACE) described above are not designed to be, and
do not serve as, measures of protection or valuation offered to
investors. These financial strength ratings should not be relied
on with respect to making an investment in our securities. In
connection with the announcement of the distribution of our
common stock to stockholders of FNF and the increased financial
leverage that would result therefrom, S&P placed the
A- financial strength rating on CreditWatch
negative, Moodys affirmed the A3 financial
strength rating although the rating outlook was changed to
negative and Fitch placed the financial strength rating on
Rating Watch Negative. In addition, A.M. Best downgraded the
financial strength ratings of our principal insurance
subsidiaries to A-. After the announcement of the
merger between FNFs subsidiary, Fidelity National
Information Services, Inc. (FIS) and Certegy Inc.,
S&P revised its CreditWatch to positive from negative,
Moodys changed its rating outlook to stable from negative
and Fitch revised its rating watch to stable from negative. Our
ratings are likely to continue to be affected in the future by
credit events that may occur with respect to FNF and its other
operations.
Employees
As of December 31, 2005, we had approximately
19,500 full-time equivalent employees. We believe our
employee relations are generally satisfactory. None of our
employees are subject to collective bargaining agreements.
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
The information contained in this
Form 10-K contains
forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Statements that are not historical facts,
including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based
on managements beliefs, as well as assumptions made by,
and information currently available to, management. Because such
statements are based on expectations as to future economic
performance and are not statements of fact, actual results may
differ materially from those projected. We undertake no
obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Important factors that may affect these projections or
expectations include, but are not limited to:
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general political, economic and business conditions, including
the possibility of intensified international hostilities, acts
of terrorism, and general volatility in the capital markets; |
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a decrease in the volume of real estate transactions such as
real estate sales and mortgage refinancings, which can be caused
by high or increasing interest rates, a shortage of mortgage
funding, or a weak United States economy; |
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consolidation in the mortgage lending or banking industry; |
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security breaches of our systems and computer viruses affecting
our software; |
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the impact of competitive products and pricing; |
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the ability to identify suitable acquisition candidates and the
ability to finance such acquisitions, which depends upon the
availability of adequate cash reserves from operations or of
acceptable financing terms and the variability of our stock
price; |
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our ability to integrate any acquired business operations,
products, clients and personnel; |
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changes in, or the failure to comply with, government
regulations, including privacy regulations and the extensive
regulations imposed by state insurance authorities in each state
in which our insurance subsidiaries conduct operations; and |
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other risks detailed elsewhere in this document (including in
the Risk Factors section which follows this section) and in our
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
All of these factors are difficult to predict and many are
beyond our control. Accordingly, while we believe these
forward-looking statements to be reasonable, there can be no
assurance that they will
13
approximate actual experience or that expectations derived from
them will be realized. When used in our documents or oral
presentations, the words anticipate,
believe, estimate,
objective, projection,
forecast, goal, or similar words are
intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Additional Information
Our website address is www.fntg.com. We make available free of
charge on or through our website our Annual Report on
Form 10-K,
Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q, Current
Reports on
Form 8-K and all
amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after such
material is electronically filed with or furnished to the
Securities and Exchange Commission. However, the information
found on our website is not part of this or any other report.
In addition to the normal risks of business, we are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties, including those listed
below and others described elsewhere in this Annual Report on
Form 10-K or
incorporated herein. Any of the risks described herein could
result in a significant or material adverse effect on our
results of operations or financial condition.
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If adverse changes in the levels of real estate activity
occur, our revenues may decline. |
Title insurance revenue is closely related to the level of real
estate activity which includes sales, mortgage financing and
mortgage refinancing. The levels of real estate activity are
primarily affected by the average price of real estate sales,
the availability of funds to finance purchases and mortgage
interest rates. While both the volume and the average price of
residential real estate transactions have recently experienced
record highs, we do not expect these trends to continue.
Further, interest rates have risen from record low levels in
2003, resulting in reductions in the level of mortgage
refinancings and total mortgage originations in 2004 and again
in 2005.
We have found that residential real estate activity generally
decreases in the following situations:
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when mortgage interest rates are high or increasing; |
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when the mortgage funding supply is limited; and |
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when the United States economy is weak. |
If either the level of real estate activity or the average price
of real estate sales declines, it could adversely affect our
title insurance revenues. The Mortgage Bankers Association
currently projects residential mortgage production in 2006 to be
$2.24 trillion, which would represent a 19.2% decline relative
to 2005. The MBA further projects that the 19.2% decrease will
result from purchase transactions declining from
$1.49 billion in 2005 to $1.43 billion in 2006, or
3.6%, and refinancing transactions dropping from
$1.29 billion to $0.81 billion, or 37.1%.
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Our subsidiaries must comply with extensive regulations.
These regulations may increase our costs or impede, or impose
burdensome conditions on, actions that we might seek to take to
increase the revenues of our subsidiaries. |
Our insurance businesses are subject to extensive regulation by
state insurance authorities in each state in which we operate.
These agencies have broad administrative and supervisory power
relating to the following, among other matters:
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licensing requirements; |
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trade and marketing practices; |
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accounting and financing practices; |
14
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capital and surplus requirements; |
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the amount of dividends and other payments made by insurance
subsidiaries; |
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investment practices; |
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rate schedules; |
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deposits of securities for the benefit of policyholders; |
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establishing reserves; and |
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regulation of reinsurance. |
Most states also regulate insurance holding companies like us
with respect to acquisitions, changes of control and the terms
of transactions with our affiliates. State regulations may
impede or impose burdensome conditions on our ability to
increase or maintain rate levels or on other actions that we may
want to take to enhance our operating results. In addition, we
may incur significant costs in the course of complying with
regulatory requirements. We cannot assure you that future
legislative or regulatory changes will not adversely affect our
business operations. See Business
Regulation.
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Regulatory investigations of the insurance industry may
lead to fines, settlements, new regulation or legal uncertainty,
which could negatively affect our results of operations. |
We get inquiries and requests for information from state
insurance departments, attorneys general and other regulatory
agencies from time to time about various matters relating to our
business. Sometimes these take the form of civil investigative
subpoenas. We attempt to cooperate with all such inquiries. From
time to time, we are assessed fines for violations of
regulations or other matters or enter into settlements with such
authorities which require us to pay money or take other actions.
These fines may be significant and actions we are required to
take may adversely affect our business. For a discussion of
certain pending or potential matters, see Item 3 -
Legal Proceedings.
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Because we are dependent upon California for over
20 percent of our title insurance premiums, our business
may be adversely affected by regulatory conditions in
California. |
California is the largest source of revenue for the title
insurance industry and, in 2005, California-based premiums
accounted for 45.1% of premiums earned by our direct operations
and 1.8% of our agency premium revenues. In the aggregate,
California accounted for approximately 21% of our total title
insurance premiums for 2005. A significant part of our revenues
and profitability are therefore subject to our operations in
California and to the prevailing regulatory conditions in
California. Adverse regulatory developments in California, which
could include reductions in the maximum rates permitted to be
charged, inadequate rate increases or more fundamental changes
in the design or implementation of the California title
insurance regulatory framework, could have a material adverse
effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
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State regulation of the rates we charge for title
insurance could adversely affect our results of
operations. |
Our subsidiaries are subject to extensive rate regulation by the
applicable state agencies in the jurisdictions in which they
operate. Title insurance rates are regulated differently in the
various states, with some states requiring our subsidiaries to
file rates before such rates become effective and some states
promulgating the rates that can be charged. In almost all states
in which our subsidiaries operate, our rates must not be
excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory.
The California Department of Insurance (CDI) has
recently undertaken an examination of the levels of pricing and
competition in the title insurance industry in California, with
a view to determining whether prices are too high and, if so,
implementing rate reductions. The CDI commissioned an analysis
of the title insurance and escrow industry in California, and a
report was prepared by an economist at the request of the
California Insurance Commissioner. The report concluded that a
reasonable degree of competition does not exist in the markets
for title insurance and escrow services in California, and the
CDI began holding hearings
15
in January 2006 to address the reports findings. The
Company is unable to predict the outcome of the CDIs
examination or whether it will result in new legislation,
regulation or restrictions on its title insurance operations in
California.
California is the largest source of revenue for the title
insurance industry, including for us.
Insurance regulators in New York, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and
Texas have also announced similar inquiries (or other reviews of
title insurance rates) and other states could follow. State
regulators may use their rate-regulation oversight authority to
take steps to cause us to reduce our rates, or block our
attempts to increase our rates. Such actions by regulators could
adversely affect our operating results.
Further, U.S. Representative Oxley, the Chairman of the
House Financial Services Committee, recently asked the
Government Accountability Office (the GAO) to investigate the
title insurance industry. Representative Oxley stated that the
Committee is concerned about payments that certain title
insurers have made to developers, lenders and real estate agents
for referrals of title insurance business. See
Item 3 Legal Proceedings.
Representative Oxley asked the GAO to examine, among other
things, the foregoing relationships and the levels of pricing
and competition in the title insurance industry. We are unable
to predict the outcome of this inquiry or whether it will
adversely affect our business or results of operations.
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If the rating agencies further downgrade our company our
results of operations and competitive position in the industry
may suffer. |
Ratings have always been an important factor in establishing the
competitive position of insurance companies. Our insurance
companies are rated by S&P, Moodys, Fitch, A.M. Best,
Demotech, and LACE. Ratings reflect the opinion of a rating
agency with regard to an insurance companys or insurance
holding companys financial strength, operating
performance, and ability to meet its obligations to
policyholders and are not evaluations directed to investors. In
connection with the announcement of the Distribution, S&P
placed our A-financial strength rating on CreditWatch negative,
Moodys affirmed its A3 financial strength rating although
the rating outlook was changed to negative and Fitch placed its
financial strength rating on Rating Watch Negative. In addition,
A.M. Best downgraded the financial strength ratings of our
principal insurance subsidiaries to A-. After the announcement
of a merger between Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.
(FIS) and Certegy Inc. (Certegy),
S&P revised its CreditWatch to positive from negative,
Moodys changed its rating outlook to stable from negative
and Fitch revised its rating watch to stable from negative.
S&P later upgraded our financial strength rating to A and
revised its rating watch to stable. Our ratings are likely to
continue to be affected in the future by credit events that may
occur with respect to FNF and its other operations, including
non-title insurance operations. Our ratings are subject to
continued periodic review by those entities and the continued
retention of those ratings cannot be assured. If our ratings are
reduced from their current levels by those entities, our results
of operations could be adversely affected.
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As a holding company, we depend on distributions from our
subsidiaries, and if distributions from our subsidiaries are
materially impaired, our ability to declare and pay dividends
may be adversely affected. |
We are a holding company whose primary assets are the securities
of our operating subsidiaries. Our ability to pay dividends is
dependent on the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or
make other payments to us. If our operating subsidiaries are not
able to pay dividends or other funds to us, we may not be able
to declare and pay dividends to our stockholders.
Our title insurance subsidiaries must comply with state and
federal laws which require them to maintain minimum amounts of
working capital, surplus and reserves and place restrictions on
the amount of dividends that they can distribute to us.
Compliance with these laws will limit the amounts our regulated
subsidiaries can dividend to us. During 2006, our directly owned
title insurers can pay dividends or make distributions to us of
approximately $289.9 million without prior regulatory
approval.
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We face competition in our title business from traditional
title insurers and from new entrants with alternative
products. |
The title insurance industry is highly competitive. According to
Demotech, the top five title insurance companies accounted for
90.2% of net premiums collected in 2004. Over 40 independent
title insurance companies accounted for the remaining 9.8% of
the market. The number and size of competing companies varies in
the different geographic areas in which we conduct our business.
In our principal markets, competitors include other major title
underwriters such as The First American Corporation, LandAmerica
Financial Group, Inc., Old Republic International Corporation
and Stewart Information Services Corporation, as well as
numerous smaller title insurance companies and independent
agency operations at the regional and local level. These smaller
companies may expand into other markets in which we compete.
Also, the removal of regulatory barriers might result in new
competitors entering the title insurance business, and those new
competitors may include companies that have greater financial
resources than we do and possess other competitive advantages.
Competition among the major title insurance companies, expansion
by smaller regional companies and any new entrants with
alternative products could affect our business operations and
financial condition.
From time to time, we adjust the rates we charge in a particular
state as a result of competitive conditions in that state. For
example, in response to recent rate reductions by certain of our
competitors, we recently adjusted our rate structure in
California for refinancings. This change could have an adverse
impact on our results of operations, although its ultimate
impact will depend, among other things, on the volume and mix of
our future refinancing business in that state.
We expect the title insurance industry to remain highly
competitive. Our failure to remain competitive may have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
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Our historical financial information may not be
representative of our results as a consolidated, stand-alone
company and may not be a reliable indicator of our future
results. |
Our historical financial statements may not be indicative of our
future performance as a consolidated, stand-alone company. We
were incorporated on May 24, 2005 in anticipation of
the distribution of shares of our Class A Common Stock to
FNF stockholders. On September 26, 2005, FNF contributed to
us the various FNF subsidiaries that conduct our business. Our
historical financial statements reflect assets, liabilities,
revenues and expenses directly attributable to our operations,
which include transactions between us and FNF and other
affiliated entities. They exclude certain of our expenses that
have been allocated to other operations of FNF and of FIS, and
they reflect an allocation to us of a portion of the
compensation of certain senior officers and other personnel of
FNF who, following the Distribution, are no longer our employees
but who have historically provided services to us. These
allocations are expected to in general continue under the
corporate services agreements we entered into in connection with
the Distribution. Further, our financial statements reflect
transactions with related parties, which were not negotiated on
an arms-length basis. Our historical financial statements do not
reflect the debt or interest expense we might have incurred if
we had been a stand-alone entity. In addition, we will incur
other expenses, not reflected in our historical financial
statements, as a result of being a separate publicly traded
company. As a result of these and other factors, our historical
financial statements do not necessarily reflect what our
financial position and results of operations would have been if
we had been operated as a stand-alone public entity during the
periods covered, and may not be indicative of future results of
operations or financial position.
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We will be controlled by FNF as long as it owns a majority
of the voting power of our common stock, which could make it
more difficult for us to raise capital. |
As long as FNF continues to hold a majority of the voting power
of our outstanding stock, FNF will be able to elect all of our
directors and determine the outcome of all corporate actions
requiring stockholder approval. FNF currently owns 100% of our
Class B Common Stock, representing approximately 82.5% of
our outstanding common stock, and 97.9% of all voting power of
our outstanding common stock. In order to consolidate the
results of our operations for tax purposes and to get favorable
tax treatment of dividends paid
17
by us, FNF is required to own at least 80% of our outstanding
common stock and as a result FNF may be unlikely to decrease its
ownership below 80%. The Class B Common Stock entitles FNF
to ten votes per share on all matters submitted to stockholders
until converted to Class A Common Stock.
While it controls us, FNF will control decisions with respect to:
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our business direction and policies, including the election and
removal of our directors; |
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mergers or other business combinations involving us; |
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the acquisition or disposition of assets by us; |
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our issuance of stock; |
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our payment of dividends; |
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our financing; and |
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amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws. |
We have agreed that, without FNFs consent, we will not
issue any shares of our stock if as a result FNF would no longer
be able to consolidate our results for tax purposes, receive
favorable treatment with respect to dividends paid by us or, if
it so desired, distribute the remainder of its FNT stock to its
stockholders in a tax-free distribution. These limits will
generally enable FNF to continue to own at least 80% of our
outstanding common stock. Among other things, this control could
make it more difficult for us to raise capital by selling stock
or to use our stock as currency in acquisitions.
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We could have conflicts with the entities remaining with
FNF, and the chairman of our board of directors is also the
chairman of the board of directors of FNF and FIS. |
Conflicts may arise between entities remaining with FNF and us
as a result of our ongoing agreements and the nature of our
respective businesses. We will seek to manage any potential
conflicts through our agreements with FNF and other FNF entities
and through oversight by independent members of our board of
directors. However, there can be no assurances that such
measures will be effective or that we will be able to resolve
all potential conflicts.
Mr. Foley is the chairman of our board of directors, the
chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors
of FNF, and the chairman of the board of directors of FIS. As an
officer and director of multiple companies, he has obligations
to us and to such other companies and may have conflicts of
interest with respect to matters potentially or actually
involving or affecting our and their respective businesses. As
an officer and director of multiple companies, he may also have
conflicts of time with respect to his multiple responsibilities.
If his duties to any of these companies require more time than
Mr. Foley is able to allot, then his oversight of that
companys activities could be diminished.
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Some of our executive officers and directors own
substantial amounts of FNF and FIS stock and options. Such
ownership could create or appear to create potential conflicts
of interest when directors and officers are faced with decisions
that could have different implications for our company and FNF
or FIS. |
Some of our executive officers and directors own substantial
amounts of FNF and FIS stock and stock options because of their
relationships with FNF and FIS. Such ownership could create or
appear to create potential conflicts of interest when our
directors and officers are faced with decisions that involve
FNF, FIS or any of their respective subsidiaries. Substantially
all members of our board of directors beneficially own shares of
FNF common stock. Further, our senior officers hold interests in
FNF and in some cases FIS that were obtained through various
employee benefit and compensation plans while at FNF. In
addition, officers of FNF will provide services from time to
time to us. These persons also hold equity interests in FNF and
FIS.
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Provisions of our certificate of incorporation may prevent
us from receiving the benefit of certain corporate
opportunities. |
Because FNF and FIS may engage in some of the same activities in
which we engage, there is a risk that we may be in direct
competition with FNF and FIS over business activities and
corporate opportunities. To address these potential conflicts,
we have adopted a corporate opportunity policy that has been
incorporated into our certificate of incorporation. Among other
things, this policy provides that FNF has no duty not to compete
with us or to provide us with corporate opportunities of which
it becomes aware. The policy also limits the situations in which
one of our directors or officers, if also a director or officer
of FNF, must offer corporate opportunities to us of which such
individual becomes aware. These provisions may limit the
corporate opportunities of which we are made aware or which are
offered to us. Moreover, our ability to take advantage of
certain corporate opportunities may be limited by FNFs
voting control over us.
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Item 1B. |
Unresolved Staff Comments |
None.
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The majority of our offices are leased from third parties. We
own the remaining offices. As of December 31, 2005, we
leased office space and related facilities as follows:
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Number of | |
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Locations | |
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California
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575 |
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Arizona
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159 |
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Texas
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146 |
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Illinois
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100 |
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Florida
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96 |
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Oregon
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80 |
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Washington
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75 |
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Michigan
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45 |
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Nevada
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40 |
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New York
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36 |
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Indiana and Ohio(1)
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31 |
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North Carolina
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28 |
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Colorado
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23 |
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Kansas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania(1)
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22 |
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Hawaii
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16 |
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Virginia
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15 |
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Minnesota
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13 |
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Tennessee and Wisconsin(1)
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12 |
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Missouri
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11 |
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Connecticut, Louisiana, and New Mexico(1)
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8 |
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Maryland and Massachusetts(1)
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7 |
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Georgia
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6 |
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Montana
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5 |
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Alabama
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4 |
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South Carolina
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3 |
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Maine, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island(1)
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2 |
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Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Utah, and
Washington D.C.(1)
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1 |
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(1) |
Represents the number of locations in each state listed. |
In addition, six locations are leased in Canada. We believe our
properties are adequate for our business as presently conducted.
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Item 3. |
Legal Proceedings |
In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in various
pending and threatened litigation matters related to our
operations, some of which include claims for punitive or
exemplary damages. We believe that no actions, other than those
listed below, depart from customary litigation incidental to our
business. As background to the disclosure below, please note the
following:
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These matters raise difficult and complicated factual and legal
issues and are subject to many uncertainties and complexities,
including but not limited to the underlying facts of each
matter, novel legal issues, variations between jurisdictions in
which matters are being litigated, differences in |
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applicable laws and judicial interpretations, the length of time
before many of these matters might be resolved by settlement or
through litigation and, in some cases, the timing of their
resolutions relative to other similar cases brought against
other companies, the fact that many of these matters are
putative class actions in which a class has not been certified
and in which the purported class may not be clearly defined, the
fact that many of these matters involve multi-state class
actions in which the applicable law for the claims at issue is
in dispute and therefore unclear, and the current challenging
legal environment faced by large corporations and insurance
companies. |
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In these matters, plaintiffs seek a variety of remedies
including equitable relief in the form of injunctive and other
remedies and monetary relief in the form of compensatory
damages. In most cases, the monetary damages sought include
punitive or treble damages. Often more specific information
beyond the type of relief sought is not available because
plaintiffs have not requested more specific relief in their
court pleadings. In general, the dollar amount of damages sought
is not specified. In those cases where plaintiffs have made a
specific statement with regard to monetary damages, they often
specify damages just below a jurisdictional limit regardless of
the facts of the case. This represents the maximum they can seek
without risking removal from state court to federal court. In
our experience, monetary demands in plaintiffs court
pleadings bear little relation to the ultimate loss, if any, we
may experience. |
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For the reasons specified above, it is not possible to make
meaningful estimates of the amount or range of loss that could
result from these matters at this time. We review these matters
on an on-going basis and follow the provisions of Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 5,
Accounting for Contingencies when making accrual and
disclosure decisions. When assessing reasonably possible and
probable outcomes, we base our decision on our assessment of the
ultimate outcome following all appeals. |
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In the opinion of our management, while some of these matters
may be material to our operating results for any particular
period if an unfavorable outcome results, none will have a
material adverse effect on our overall financial condition. |
Several class actions are pending in Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Florida alleging improper premiums were charged for title
insurance. The cases allege that the named defendant companies
failed to provide notice of premium discounts to consumers
refinancing their mortgages, and failed to give discounts in
refinancing transactions in violation of the filed rates. The
actions seek refunds of the premiums charged and punitive
damages. Recently the courts order denying class
certification in one of the Ohio actions was reversed and the
case was remanded to the trial court for further proceedings.
The Company petitioned the Supreme Court of Ohio for review, but
the court declined to accept jurisdiction over the matter. The
Company intends to vigorously defend the actions.
A class action in California alleges that the Company violated
state law by giving favorable discounts or rates to builders and
developers for escrow fees and requiring purchasers to use
Chicago Title Insurance Company for escrow services. The
action seeks refunds of the premiums charged and additional
damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend this action.
A class action in Missouri alleges that the Company has engaged
in the unauthorized practice of law by preparing documents in
conjunction with its business of insuring title and closing real
estate transactions. The action seeks refunds of the payments
and treble damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend
this action.
A shareholder derivative action was filed in Florida on
February 11, 2005 alleging that FNF directors and certain
executive officers breached their fiduciary and other duties,
and exposed FNF to potential fines, penalties and suits in the
future, by permitting so called contingent commissions to obtain
business. FNF and the directors and executive officers named as
defendants filed motions to dismiss the action on June 3,
2005. The plaintiff abandoned his original complaint and
responded to the motions by filing an amended complaint on
July 13, 2005, and FNF, along with the directors and
executive officers named as defendants, has responded to the
amended complaint. Recently, the magistrate judge granted the
defendants motion to stay
21
discovery. The amended complaint repeats the allegations of the
original complaint and adds allegations about captive
reinsurance programs, which FNF continues to believe were
lawful. These captive reinsurance programs have been
the subject of investigations by several state departments of
insurance and attorneys general. FNT is obligated to indemnify
FNF in connection with this matter under the separation
agreement that was entered into in connection with the
distribution of FNT common stock and the Company intends to
vigorously defend this action.
None of the cases described above includes a statement as to the
dollar amount of damages demanded. Instead, each of the cases
includes a demand in an amount to be proved at trial. Two of the
Ohio cases state that the damages per class member are less than
the jurisdictional limit for removal to federal court.
The Company receives inquiries and requests for information from
state insurance departments, attorneys general and other
regulatory agencies from time to time about various matters
relating to its business. Sometimes these take the form of civil
investigative subpoenas. The Company attempts to cooperate with
all such inquiries. From time to time, the Company is assessed
fines for violations of regulations or other matters or enters
into settlements with such authorities which require the Company
to pay money or take other actions.
In the Fall of 2004, the California Department of Insurance
began an investigation into reinsurance practices in the title
insurance industry. In February 2005 FNF was issued a subpoena
to provide information to the California Department of Insurance
as part of its investigation. This investigation paralleled
similar inquiries of the NAIC, which began earlier in 2004. The
investigations have focused on arrangements in which title
insurers would write title insurance generated by realtors,
developers and lenders and cede a portion of the premiums to a
reinsurance company affiliate of the entity that generated the
business.
The Company recently negotiated a settlement with the California
Department of Insurance in 2005 with respect to that
departments inquiry into these arrangements, which the
Company refers to as captive reinsurance arrangements. Under the
terms of the settlement, the Company will refund approximately
$7.7 million to those consumers whose California property
was subject to a captive reinsurance arrangement and paid a
penalty of $5.6 million. The Company also recently entered
into similar settlements with 26 other states, in which the
Company agreed to refund a total of approximately
$1.2 million to policyholders. Other state insurance
departments and attorneys general and HUD also have made formal
or informal inquiries of the Company regarding these matters.
The Company has been cooperating and intends to continue to
cooperate with the other ongoing investigations. The Company has
discontinued all captive reinsurance arrangements. The total
amount of premiums the Company ceded to reinsurers was
approximately $10 million over the existence of these
agreements. The remaining investigations are continuing and the
Company currently is unable to give any assurance regarding
their consequences for the industry or for FNT.
Additionally, the Company has received inquiries from regulators
about its business involvement with title insurance agencies
affiliated with builders, realtors and other traditional sources
of title insurance business, some of which the Company
participated in forming as joint ventures with its subsidiaries.
These inquiries have focused on whether the placement of title
insurance with the Company through these affiliated agencies is
proper or an improper form of referral payment. Like most other
title insurers, the Company participates in these affiliated
business arrangements in a number of states. The Company
recently entered into a settlement with the Florida Department
of Financial Services under which it agreed to refund
approximately $3 million in premiums received though these
types of agencies in Florida and paid a fine of $1 million.
The other pending inquiries are at an early stage and as a
result the Company can give no assurance as to their likely
outcome.
Since 2004, the Companys subsidiaries have received civil
subpoenas and other inquiries from the New York State Attorney
General (the NYAG), requesting information about
their arrangements with agents and customers and other matters
relating to, among other things, rates, rate calculation
practices, use of blended rates in multi-state transactions,
rebates, entertainment expenses, and referral fees. Title
insurance rates in New York are set by regulation and generally
title insurers may not charge less than the established
22
rate. Among other things, the NYAG has asked for information
about an industry practice (called blended rates and
delayed blends) in which discounts on title
insurance on properties outside New York are sometimes given in
connection with multi-state commercial transactions in which one
or more of the properties is located in New York or when a
credit is given subsequent to the transaction. The NYAG is also
reviewing the possibility that our Chicago Title subsidiary may
have provided incorrect data in connection with rate-setting
proceedings in New York and in connection with reaching a
settlement of a class action suit over charges for title
insurance issued in 1996 through 2002. The New York State
Insurance Department has also joined the NYAG in the
latters wide-ranging review of the title insurance
industry and the Company. The Company can give no assurance as
to the likely outcome of these investigations, including but not
limited to whether they may result in fines, monetary
settlements, reductions in title insurance rates or other
actions, any of which could adversely affect us. The Company is
cooperating fully with the NYAG and New York State Insurance
Department inquiries into these matters.
Further, U.S. Representative Oxley, the Chairman of the
House Financial Services Committee, recently asked the
Government Accountability Office (the GAO) to
investigate the title insurance industry. Representative Oxley
stated that the Committee is concerned about payments that
certain title insurers have made to developers, lenders and real
estate agents for referrals of title insurance business.
Representative Oxley asked the GAO to examine, among other
things, the foregoing relationships and the levels of pricing
and competition in the title insurance industry. The Company is
unable to predict the outcome of this inquiry or whether it will
adversely affect the Companys business or results of
operations.
Finally, the California Department of Insurance has recently
begun to examine levels of pricing and competition in the title
insurance industry in California, with a view to determining
whether prices are too high and if so, implementing rate
reductions. New York, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and Texas
insurance regulators have also announced similar inquiries (or
other reviews of title insurance rates) and other states could
follow. At this stage, the Company is unable to predict what the
outcome will be of this or any similar review. See Risk
Factors State regulation of the rates we charge for
title insurance could adversely affect our results of
operations.
|
|
Item 4. |
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders |
None.
PART II
|
|
Item 5. |
Market for Registrants Common Equity, Related
Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity
Securities |
Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol FNT. The following table shows, for the
periods indicated, the high and low sales prices of our common
stock, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange, and the
amounts of dividends per share declared on our common stock.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends | |
|
|
High |
|
Low |
|
Declared | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Year ended December 31, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fourth quarter
|
|
$24.35 |
|
$20.30 |
|
$ |
0.25 |
|
On March 1, 2006, the last reported sale price of our
common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $23.51 per
share. As of March 1, 2006, we had approximately 354
stockholders of record.
Our current dividend policy anticipates the payment of quarterly
dividends in the future. The declaration and payment of
dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors
and will be dependent upon our future earnings, financial
condition and capital requirements. Our ability to declare and
pay dividends is also subject to our compliance with the
financial covenants contained in our credit agreement and
further described below. On February 8, 2006, our Board of
Directors declared an increase in our quarterly cash dividend to
$0.29 per share, a 16% increase over the previous cash
dividend of $0.25 per share.
23
Since we are a holding company, our ability to pay dividends
will depend largely on the ability of our subsidiaries to pay
dividends to us, and the ability of our title insurance
subsidiaries to do so is subject to, among other factors, their
compliance with applicable insurance regulations. As of
December 31, 2005, $1.9 billion of our net assets are
restricted from dividend payments without prior approval from
the Departments of Insurance in the states where our title
insurance subsidiaries are domiciled. During 2006, our directly
owned title insurance subsidiaries can pay dividends or make
distributions to us of approximately $289.9 million without
prior approval. In addition, our ability to declare dividends is
subject to restrictions under our credit agreement. We do not
believe the restrictions contained in our credit agreement will,
in the foreseeable future, adversely affect our ability to pay
cash dividends at the current dividend rate.
|
|
Item 6. |
Selected Financial Data |
The selected financial data as of December 31, 2005, 2004,
and 2003 and for each of the years in the four-year period ended
December 31, 2005 has been derived from our consolidated
and combined financial statements and related notes, which have
been audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public
accounting firm. The selected financial data as of
December 31, 2002 and as of and for the year ended
December 31, 2001 has been derived from our unaudited
combined financial statements. The information set forth below
should be read in conjunction with the consolidated and combined
financial statements and related notes and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations included elsewhere in
this Form 10-K.
Our selected financial data has been prepared from the results
of the operations transferred to us and gives effect to
allocations of certain corporate expenses to and from FNF. Our
selected financial data may not be indicative of our future
performance and does not necessarily reflect what our financial
position and results of operations would have been had we
operated as a stand-alone entity during the periods presented.
Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year
amounts to conform with the 2005 presentation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005(1) | |
|
2004(1) | |
|
2003(1) | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001(2)(3) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data) | |
Statement of Earnings Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct title insurance premium
|
|
$ |
2,184,993 |
|
|
$ |
2,003,447 |
|
|
$ |
2,105,317 |
|
|
$ |
1,557,769 |
|
|
$ |
1,252,656 |
|
Agency title insurance premiums
|
|
|
2,763,973 |
|
|
|
2,714,770 |
|
|
|
2,595,433 |
|
|
|
1,989,958 |
|
|
|
1,441,416 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total title premiums
|
|
|
4,948,966 |
|
|
|
4,718,217 |
|
|
|
4,700,750 |
|
|
|
3,547,727 |
|
|
|
2,694,072 |
|
Escrow and other title related fees
|
|
|
1,162,344 |
|
|
|
1,039,835 |
|
|
|
1,058,729 |
|
|
|
790,787 |
|
|
|
656,739 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total title and escrow
|
|
|
6,111,310 |
|
|
|
5,758,052 |
|
|
|
5,759,479 |
|
|
|
4,338,514 |
|
|
|
3,350,811 |
|
Interest and investment income
|
|
|
118,084 |
|
|
|
64,885 |
|
|
|
56,708 |
|
|
|
72,305 |
|
|
|
88,232 |
|
Realized gains and losses, net
|
|
|
44,684 |
|
|
|
22,948 |
|
|
|
101,839 |
|
|
|
584 |
|
|
|
946 |
|
Other income
|
|
|
41,783 |
|
|
|
43,528 |
|
|
|
52,689 |
|
|
|
55,927 |
|
|
|
50,476 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,315,861 |
|
|
|
5,889,413 |
|
|
|
5,970,715 |
|
|
|
4,467,330 |
|
|
|
3,490,465 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Personnel costs
|
|
|
1,897,904 |
|
|
|
1,680,805 |
|
|
|
1,692,895 |
|
|
|
1,260,070 |
|
|
|
1,036,236 |
|
Other operating expenses
|
|
|
935,263 |
|
|
|
849,554 |
|
|
|
817,597 |
|
|
|
633,193 |
|
|
|
558,263 |
|
Agent commissions
|
|
|
2,140,912 |
|
|
|
2,117,122 |
|
|
|
2,035,810 |
|
|
|
1,567,112 |
|
|
|
1,131,892 |
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
102,105 |
|
|
|
95,718 |
|
|
|
79,077 |
|
|
|
53,042 |
|
|
|
100,225 |
|
Provision for claim losses
|
|
|
354,710 |
|
|
|
259,402 |
|
|
|
248,834 |
|
|
|
175,963 |
|
|
|
134,527 |
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
16,663 |
|
|
|
3,885 |
|
|
|
4,582 |
|
|
|
8,586 |
|
|
|
15,695 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,447,557 |
|
|
|
5,006,486 |
|
|
|
4,878,795 |
|
|
|
3,697,966 |
|
|
|
2,976,838 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005(1) | |
|
2004(1) | |
|
2003(1) | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001(2)(3) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data) | |
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest
|
|
|
868,304 |
|
|
|
882,927 |
|
|
|
1,091,920 |
|
|
|
769,364 |
|
|
|
513,627 |
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
327,351 |
|
|
|
323,598 |
|
|
|
407,736 |
|
|
|
276,970 |
|
|
|
205,965 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings before minority interest
|
|
|
540,953 |
|
|
|
559,329 |
|
|
|
684,184 |
|
|
|
492,394 |
|
|
|
307,662 |
|
Minority interest
|
|
|
1,972 |
|
|
|
1,165 |
|
|
|
859 |
|
|
|
624 |
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative effect of accounting change
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,709 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
$ |
558,164 |
|
|
$ |
683,325 |
|
|
$ |
491,770 |
|
|
$ |
301,953 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per share amounts:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic earnings per share
|
|
|
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic basis(4)
|
|
|
173,463 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted earnings per share
|
|
|
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted basis(4)
|
|
|
173,575 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unaudited proforma net earnings per share
basic and diluted
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3.22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unaudited proforma weighted average shares
outstanding basic and diluted(5)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
172,951 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends declared per share
|
|
$ |
0.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Effective January 1, 2003, we adopted the fair value
recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123,
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, using the
prospective method of adoption in accordance with
SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation Transition and Disclosure, and as
a result recorded stock compensation expense of
$7.8 million, $3.4 million and $3.0 million for
the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003,
respectively. |
|
(2) |
Effective January 1, 2002, we adopted
SFAS No. 142 Goodwill and Other Intangible
Assets and as a result, have ceased to amortize goodwill.
Goodwill amortization in 2001 was $33.2 million. |
|
(3) |
During 2001, we recorded a $5.7 million, after-tax charge,
reflected as a cumulative effect of a change in accounting
principle, as a result of adopting Emerging Issues Task Force
No. 99-20, Recognition of Interest Income and
Impairment on Purchased and Retained Beneficial Interests in
Securitized Financial Assets (EITF 99-20). |
|
(4) |
Because there were no outstanding shares prior to the
Distribution, basic and diluted weighted average shares
outstanding for 2005 have been calculated using activity from
October 18, 2005 to December 31, 2005 as if shares
outstanding and common stock equivalents at October 18,
2005 had been outstanding for the entire year. |
|
(5) |
Unaudited proforma net earnings per share is calculated using
the number of outstanding shares of FNF on a date prior to the
distribution of FNT shares to FNF shareholders. |
25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of or for the Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(Dollars in thousands except fee per closed file) | |
Balance sheet data (at end of period)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investments
|
|
$ |
3,300,738 |
|
|
$ |
2,819,489 |
|
|
$ |
2,510,182 |
|
|
$ |
2,337,472 |
|
|
$ |
1,705,267 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
462,157 |
|
|
|
268,414 |
|
|
|
395,857 |
|
|
|
433,379 |
|
|
|
491,709 |
|
Total assets
|
|
|
5,900,533 |
|
|
|
5,074,091 |
|
|
|
4,782,664 |
|
|
|
4,494,716 |
|
|
|
3,848,300 |
|
Notes payable
|
|
|
603,262 |
|
|
|
22,390 |
|
|
|
54,259 |
|
|
|
107,874 |
|
|
|
176,116 |
|
Reserve for claim losses
|
|
|
1,063,857 |
|
|
|
980,746 |
|
|
|
932,439 |
|
|
|
887,973 |
|
|
|
881,053 |
|
Minority interests
|
|
|
4,338 |
|
|
|
3,951 |
|
|
|
2,488 |
|
|
|
1,098 |
|
|
|
239 |
|
Equity
|
|
|
2,480,037 |
|
|
|
2,676,756 |
|
|
|
2,469,186 |
|
|
|
2,234,484 |
|
|
|
1,741,387 |
|
Other non-financial data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct operations orders opened(1)
|
|
|
3,052,805 |
|
|
|
3,142,945 |
|
|
|
3,771,393 |
|
|
|
2,953,797 |
|
|
|
2,496,597 |
|
Direct operations orders closed(1)
|
|
|
2,169,656 |
|
|
|
2,249,792 |
|
|
|
2,916,201 |
|
|
|
2,141,680 |
|
|
|
1,685,147 |
|
Fee per closed file(1)
|
|
$ |
1,487 |
|
|
$ |
1,324 |
|
|
$ |
1,081 |
|
|
$ |
1,099 |
|
|
$ |
1,120 |
|
|
|
(1) |
These measures are used by management to judge productivity and
are a measure of transaction volume for our direct title
businesses. An order is opened when we receive a customer order
and is closed when the related real estate transaction closes,
which typically takes 45-60 days from the opening of an
order. |
Selected Quarterly Financial Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended | |
|
|
| |
|
|
March 31, | |
|
June 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$ |
1,265,220 |
|
|
$ |
1,687,213 |
|
|
$ |
1,776,885 |
|
|
$ |
1,592,512 |
|
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest
|
|
|
131,529 |
|
|
|
259,297 |
|
|
|
272,571 |
|
|
|
204,907 |
|
Net earnings
|
|
|
82,319 |
|
|
|
160,578 |
|
|
|
169,734 |
|
|
|
126,350 |
|
2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$ |
1,314,932 |
|
|
$ |
1,601,316 |
|
|
$ |
1,562,630 |
|
|
$ |
1,410,535 |
|
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest
|
|
|
171,740 |
|
|
|
266,272 |
|
|
|
214,948 |
|
|
|
229,967 |
|
Net earnings
|
|
|
108,958 |
|
|
|
168,288 |
|
|
|
135,923 |
|
|
|
144,995 |
|
|
|
Item 7. |
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations |
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the
Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements and the Notes
thereto and Selected Financial Data included elsewhere in this
Form 10-K.
Overview
We are the largest title insurance company in the United States.
Our title insurance underwriters Fidelity National
Title, Chicago Title, Ticor Title, Security Union Title and
Alamo Title together issue all of the Companys
title insurance policies in 49 states, the District of
Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
Canada, and Mexico. Our title business consists of providing
title insurance and escrow
26
and other title-related products and services arising from the
real estate closing process. Our operations are conducted on a
direct basis through our own employees who act as title and
escrow agents and through independent agents. In addition to our
independent agents, our customers are lenders, mortgage brokers,
attorneys, real estate agents, home builders and commercial real
estate developers. We do not focus our marketing efforts on the
homeowner. We operate our business through a single segment,
title and escrow, and do not generate significant revenue
outside the United States.
Prior to October 17, 2005, we were a wholly-owned
subsidiary of FNF. On that date, FNF distributed shares of our
Class A Common Stock representing 17.5% of our outstanding
shares to its stockholders as a dividend (the
Distribution). FNF continues to hold shares of our
Class B Common Stock representing 82.5% of all shares and
97.9% of all voting rights of our outstanding common stock.
Our historical financial statements include assets, liabilities,
revenues and expenses directly attributable to our operations as
well as transactions between us and FNF and other affiliated
entities and allocations of certain of our corporate expenses to
FNF and FIS, allocated on a basis that management considers to
reflect most fairly or reasonably the utilization of the
services provided to or the benefit obtained by those
businesses. These expense allocations to FNF and FIS reflect an
allocation to us of a portion of the compensation of certain
senior officers and other personnel of FNF who are not our
employees after the Distribution but who have historically
provided services to us. Our historical financial statements do
not reflect the debt or interest expense we might have incurred
if we had been a stand-alone entity. In addition, we incur other
expenses, not reflected in our historical financial statements,
as a result of being a separate publicly traded company. As a
result, our historical financial statements do not necessarily
reflect what our financial position or results of operations
would have been if we had been operated as a stand-alone public
entity during the periods covered, and may not be indicative of
our future results of operations or financial position.
Related Party Transactions
Our historical financial statements reflect transactions with
other businesses and operations of FNF including those being
conducted by another FNF subsidiary, FIS.
A detail of related party items included in revenues and
expenses is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In millions) | |
Agency title premiums earned
|
|
$ |
91.9 |
|
|
$ |
106.3 |
|
|
$ |
284.9 |
|
Rental income earned
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
|
8.4 |
|
|
|
7.3 |
|
Interest revenue
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
|
|
0.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenue
|
|
$ |
97.9 |
|
|
$ |
115.7 |
|
|
$ |
292.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A detail of related party items included in operating expenses
is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agency title commissions
|
|
$ |
80.9 |
|
|
$ |
93.6 |
|
|
$ |
250.7 |
|
Data processing costs
|
|
|
56.9 |
|
|
|
56.6 |
|
|
|
12.4 |
|
Data processing costs allocated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5.4 |
) |
Corporate services allocated
|
|
|
(30.3 |
) |
|
|
(84.5 |
) |
|
|
(48.7 |
) |
Title insurance information expense
|
|
|
28.1 |
|
|
|
28.6 |
|
|
|
28.2 |
|
Other real-estate related information
|
|
|
10.9 |
|
|
|
9.9 |
|
|
|
11.4 |
|
Software expense
|
|
|
7.7 |
|
|
|
5.8 |
|
|
|
2.6 |
|
Rental expense
|
|
|
3.8 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
License and cost sharing
|
|
|
11.9 |
|
|
|
12.8 |
|
|
|
17.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total expenses
|
|
$ |
169.9 |
|
|
$ |
125.6 |
|
|
$ |
269.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total pretax impact of related party activity
|
|
$ |
(72.0 |
) |
|
$ |
(9.9 |
) |
|
$ |
23.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
An FIS subsidiary acts as the title agent in the issuance of
title insurance policies by a title insurance underwriter owned
by us and in connection with certain trustee sales guarantees, a
form of title insurance issued as part of the foreclosure
process. As a result, our title insurance subsidiaries pay
commissions on title insurance policies sold through FIS. For
2005, 2004, and 2003, these FIS operations generated
$91.9 million, $106.3 million, and
$284.9 million, respectively, of revenues for us, which we
record as agency title premium. The amounts generated have
declined significantly since 2003, in part due to a decline in
the volume of refinancing transactions in the mortgage industry
as a whole. We paid FIS commissions at the rate of 88% of
premiums generated, equal to $80.9 million,
$93.6 million, and $250.7 million for 2005, 2004, and
2003, respectively.
Through June 30, 2005, we have leased equipment to a
subsidiary of FIS. Revenue relating to these leases was
$5.0 million, $8.4 million, and $7.3 million in
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Beginning in September 2003, our expenses included amounts paid
to a subsidiary of FIS for the provision by FIS to us of IT
infrastructure support, data center management and related IT
support services. For 2005, 2004, and 2003, expenses incurred
related to such FIS services totaled $56.9 million,
$56.6 million, and $12.4 million, respectively. Prior
to September 2003, we performed these services ourselves and
provided them to FIS. During 2003, we received payments from FIS
of $5.4 million relating to these services that offset our
other operating expenses. Subsequent to FNFs acquisition
of Alltel Information Services, Inc. in 2003, we performed these
services ourselves. In addition, we incurred software expenses
relating to an agreement with a subsidiary of FIS that
approximated $7.7 million, $5.8 million, and
$2.6 million in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Included as a reduction of our expenses for all periods are
payments from FNF and FIS relating to the provision by us of
corporate services to FNF and to FIS and its subsidiaries. These
corporate services include accounting, internal audit, treasury,
payroll, human resources, tax, legal, purchasing, risk
management, mergers and acquisitions, and general management.
For the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, our
expenses were reduced by $7.0 million, $9.4 million,
and $9.2 million, respectively, related to the provision of
these corporate services by us to FNF and its subsidiaries other
than FIS and its subsidiaries. For the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, our expenses were
reduced by $23.3 million, $75.1 million, and
$39.5 million, respectively, related to the provision of
corporate services by us to FIS and its subsidiaries.
The title plant assets of several of our title insurance
subsidiaries are managed or maintained by a subsidiary of FIS.
The underlying title plant information and software continues to
be owned by each of our title insurance underwriters, but FIS
manages and updates the information in return for either
(i) a cash management fee or (ii) the right to sell
that information to title insurers, including title insurance
underwriters that we own and other third party customers. In
most cases, FIS is responsible for keeping the title plant
assets current and fully functioning, for which we pay a fee to
FIS based on our use of, or access to, the title plant. For
2005, 2004, and 2003, our expenses to FIS under these
arrangements were $29.9 million, $28.9 million, and
$28.2 million, respectively. In addition, since November
2004, each applicable title insurance underwriter in turn
receives a royalty on sales of access to its title plant assets.
For the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, the
revenues from these title plant royalties were $3.0 million
and $0.3 million, respectively. We have entered into
agreements with FIS that permit FIS and certain of its
subsidiaries to access and use (but not to re-sell) the starters
databases and back plant databases of our title insurance
subsidiaries. Starters databases are our databases of previously
issued title policies and back plant databases contain
historical records relating to title that are not regularly
updated. Each of our applicable title insurance subsidiaries
receives a fee for any access to or use of its starters and back
plant databases by FIS. We also do business with additional
entities within FIS that provide real estate information to our
operations, for which we recorded expenses of
$10.9 million, $9.9 million, and $11.4 million in
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
We also have certain license and cost sharing agreements with
FIS. We recorded expense of $11.9 million,
$12.8 million and $17.9 million relating to these
agreements in 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively.
Also, we capitalized software costs of $11.2 million paid
to FIS relating to a development agreement.
28
Our financial statements reflect allocations for a lease of
office space to us for our corporate headquarters and business
operations in the amounts of $3.8 million,
$2.8 million, and $0.5 million in 2005, 2004, and
2003, respectively.
We believe the amounts earned by us or charged to us under each
of the foregoing arrangements are fair and reasonable. Although
the commission rate paid on the title insurance premiums written
by the FIS title agencies was set without negotiation, we
believe the commissions earned are consistent with the average
rate that would be available to a third party title agent given
the amount and the geographic distribution of the business
produced and the low risk of loss profile of the business
placed. In connection with the title plant management and
maintenance services provided by FIS, we believe that the fees
charged to us by FIS are at approximately the same rates that
FIS and other similar vendors charge unaffiliated title
insurers. The IT infrastructure support and data center
management services provided to us by FIS are priced within the
range of prices that FIS offers to its unaffiliated third party
customers for the same types of services. However, the amounts
we earned or were charged under these arrangements were not
negotiated at arms length, and may not represent the terms
that we might have obtained from an unrelated third party.
Notes receivable from FNF, due from FNF and notes payable to FNF
as of December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004 were as
follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In millions) | |
Notes receivable from FNF
|
|
$ |
19.0 |
|
|
$ |
22.8 |
|
Due from FNF
|
|
|
32.7 |
|
|
|
63.7 |
|
Notes payable to FNF
|
|
|
497.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
We have notes receivable from FNF relating to agreements between
our title underwriters and FNF. These notes amounted to
$19.0 million and $22.8 million at December 31,
2005 and 2004, respectively. As of December 31, 2005, these
notes bear interest at 5.1%. We earned interest revenue of
$1.0 million, $1.0 million, and $0.7 million
relating to these notes during 2005, 2004, and 2003,
respectively.
We are included in FNFs consolidated tax returns and thus
any income tax liability or receivable is due to/from FNF. Due
from FNF at December 31, 2005 and 2004, includes a
receivable from FNF relating to overpayment of taxes of
$11.5 million and $63.6 million, respectively.
On September 30, 2005, we issued two $250 million
intercompany notes payable to FNF (the Mirror
Notes), with terms that mirrored FNFs existing
$250 million 7.30% public debentures due in August 2011 and
$250 million 5.25% public debentures due in March 2013.
Following the issuance of the Mirror Notes, we filed a
Registration Statement on
Form S-4, pursuant
to which we offered to accept the outstanding FNF notes in
exchange for FNT notes we issued having substantially the same
terms. On January 18, 2006, we completed these exchange
offers and received $241,347,000 in aggregate principal amount
of FNFs 7.30% Notes due August 15, 2011, and the
entire $250,000,000 in aggregate principal of FNFs
5.25% Notes due March 15, 2013. The FNF notes received
by us in the exchange were subsequently delivered to FNF in
partial redemption of the 7.30% Mirror Note due August 15,
2011, and in full redemption of the 5.25% Mirror Note due
March 15, 2013. In order to reflect the partial
redemption of the 7.30% Mirror Note due August 15, 2011,
the original note has been replaced with an identical Mirror
Note with a principal balance of $8,653,000, which reflects the
unredeemed portion of the original Mirror Note. Interest on each
mirror note has been accrued from the last date on which
interest on the corresponding FNF notes was paid and at the same
rate. We may seek to acquire some or all of the 7.30% FNF Notes
remaining outstanding, through purchases in the open market,
privately negotiated purchases or otherwise. In the event that
any such notes are acquired by us, we anticipate that we would
deliver them to FNF in further redemption of the remaining 7.30%
Mirror Note due August 15, 2011.
On October 24, 2005, we borrowed $150 million under
our revolving credit facility and paid it to FNF in satisfaction
of a $150 million intercompany note issued by one of our
subsidiaries to FNF in August 2005.
29
Business Trends and Conditions
Title insurance revenue is closely related to the level of real
estate activity and the average price of real estate sales. Real
estate sales are directly affected by the availability of funds
to finance purchases, predominantly mortgage interest rates.
Other factors affecting real estate activity include, but are
not limited to, demand for housing, employment levels, family
income levels and general economic conditions. In addition to
real estate sales, mortgage refinancing is an important source
of title insurance revenue. We have found that residential real
estate activity generally decreases in the following situations:
|
|
|
|
|
when mortgage interest rates are high or increasing; |
|
|
|
when the mortgage funding supply is limited; and |
|
|
|
when the United States economy is weak. |
Because commercial real estate transactions tend to be driven
more by supply and demand for commercial space and occupancy
rates in a particular area rather than by macroeconomic events,
our commercial real estate title insurance business can generate
revenues which are not dependent on the industry cycles
discussed above.
Because these factors can change dramatically, revenue levels in
the title insurance industry can also change dramatically. For
example, beginning in the second half of 1999 and through 2000,
steady interest rate increases caused by actions taken by the
Federal Reserve Board resulted in a significant decline in
refinancing transactions. As a result, the market shifted from a
refinance-driven market in 1998 to a more traditional market
driven by new home purchases and resales in 1999 and 2000.
However, beginning in January 2001 and continuing through June
of 2003, the Federal Reserve Board reduced interest rates by
550 basis points, bringing interest rates down to their
lowest level in recent history, which again significantly
increased the volume of refinance activity. In 2004 and 2005,
mortgage rates increased as the Federal Reserve Board increased
interest rates by 325 basis points since June 2004,
resulting in decreases in refinance activity. Notwithstanding
the increase in interest rates, home prices appreciated strongly
in many markets in 2004, benefiting our revenues. In 2005,
refinance activity has been lower than in 2004, but purchase
loan originations have continued to increase and home prices
have continued to appreciate. The decreased refinance activity
is evidenced by the Mortgage Bankers Associations
(MBA) statistics showing that approximately 46.5% of
new loan originations in 2005 were refinance transactions as
compared with approximately 52.8% in 2004. The ten-year treasury
rate has increased from 3.0% in June 2003 to 4.5% at the end of
2005. According to the MBA, U.S. mortgage originations
(including refinancings) were approximately $2.4 trillion,
$2.8 trillion, and $3.8 trillion in 2005, 2004, and
2003, respectively. The MBAs Mortgage Finance Forecast
estimates a $2.24 trillion mortgage origination market for
2006, which would be a 19.2% decrease from 2005. The MBA further
predicts that the 19.2% decrease will result from purchase
transactions declining from $1.49 billion in 2005 to
$1.43 billion in 2006, or 3.6%, and refinancing
transactions dropping from $1.29 billion to
$0.81 billion, or 37.1%. We expect that current interest
rate levels and any future increase in interest rates will most
likely result in lower levels of mortgage originations in 2006
than in 2005 or 2004.
Historically, real estate transactions have produced seasonal
revenue levels for title insurers. The first calendar quarter is
typically the weakest quarter in terms of revenue due to the
generally low volume of home sales during January and February.
The third calendar quarter is typically the strongest in terms
of revenue due to a higher volume of home sales in the summer
months and the fourth quarter is also strong due to commercial
customers desiring to complete transactions by year end.
Significant changes in interest rates may alter these
traditional seasonal patterns due to the effect the cost of
financing has on the volume of real estate transactions.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The accounting estimates described below are those we consider
critical in preparing our Consolidated and Combined Financial
Statements. Management is required to make estimates and
assumptions that can affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and disclosures with respect to contingent assets
and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated and Combined
Financial Statements and the reported amounts of
30
revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
amounts could differ from those estimates. See Note A of
Notes to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements for
a more detailed description of the significant accounting
policies that have been followed in preparing our financial
statements.
Reserve for Claim Losses. Title companies issue two types
of policies since both the buyer and lender in real estate
transactions want to know that their interest in the property is
insured against certain title defects outlined in the policy. An
owners policy insures the buyer against such defects for
as long as he or she owns the property (as well as against
warranty claims arising out of the sale of the property by such
owner). A lenders policy insures the priority of the
lenders security interest over the claims that other
parties may have in the property. The maximum amount of
liability under a title insurance policy is generally the face
amount of the policy plus the cost of defending the
insureds title against an adverse claim. While most
non-title forms of insurance, including property and casualty,
provide for the assumption of risk of loss arising out of
unforeseen future events, title insurance serves to protect the
policyholder from risk of loss from events that predated the
issuance of the policy.
Unlike many other forms of insurance, title insurance requires
only a one-time premium for continuous coverage until another
policy is warranted due to changes in property circumstances
arising from refinance, resale, additional liens, or other
events. Unless we issue the subsequent policy, we receive no
notice that our exposure under our policy has ended and as a
result we are unable to track the actual terminations of our
exposures.
Our reserve for claim losses includes reserves for known claims
(PLR) as well as for losses that have been incurred
but not yet reported to us (IBNR), net of
recoupments. We reserve for each known claim based on our review
of the estimated amount of the claim and the costs required to
settle the claim. Reserves for IBNR claims are estimates that
are established at the time the premium revenue is recognized
and are based upon historical experience and other factors,
including industry trends, claim loss history, legal
environment, geographic considerations, and the types of
policies written. We also reserve for losses arising from
escrow, closing and disbursement functions due to fraud or
operational error.
The table below summarizes our reserves for known claims and
incurred but not reported claims.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31, | |
|
As of December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
% | |
|
2004 | |
|
% | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
PLR
|
|
$ |
231,007 |
|
|
|
21.7 |
% |
|
$ |
223,202 |
|
|
|
22.8 |
% |
IBNR
|
|
|
832,850 |
|
|
|
78.3 |
% |
|
|
757,544 |
|
|
|
77.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Reserve
|
|
$ |
1,063,857 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
980,746 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Although most claims against title insurance policies are
reported relatively soon after the policy has been issued,
claims may be reported many years later. By their nature, claims
are often complex, vary greatly in dollar amounts and are
affected by economic and market conditions and the legal
environment existing at the time of settlement of the claims.
Estimating future title loss payments is difficult because of
the complex nature of title claims, the long periods of time
over which claims are paid, significantly varying dollar amounts
of individual claims, and other factors.
We continually update loss reserve estimates by utilizing both
internal and external resources. Management performs a detailed
study of loss reserves based upon the latest available
information at the end of each quarter and year. In addition, an
independent actuarial consulting firm assists us in analyzing
our historic loss experience and developing statistical models
to project ultimate loss expectancy. The actuaries prepare a
formal analysis of our reserves at December 31 each year.
Management examines both the quantitative and qualitative data
provided by both the independent actuaries and internal sources
such as our legal, claims, and underwriting departments to
ultimately arrive at our best reserve estimate. Regardless of
technique, all methods involve significant judgment and
assumptions. Management strives to improve its loss reserve
estimation process by enhancing its ability to analyze loss
development patterns and we continually look for ways to
identify new trends to reduce the uncertainty of our loss
exposure. However, adjustments may be
31
required as experience develops unexpectedly, new information
becomes known, new loss patterns emerge, or as other
contributing factors are considered and incorporated into the
analysis.
Predicting ultimate loss exposure is predicated on evaluating
past experience and adjusting for changes in current development
and trends. Our independent actuaries work includes two
principal steps. First, they use an actuarial technique known as
the loss development method to calculate loss development
factors for the Company. The loss development factors forecast
ultimate losses for each policy year based on historic emergence
patterns of the Company. Older policy year experience is applied
to newer policy years to project future development. When new
trends surface, the loss development factors are adjusted to
incorporate the more recent development phenomena. Changes in
homeownership patterns, increased property turnover rates, and a
boom in refinance transactions all are examples of current
events that reduce the tail exposure of the loss pattern and
warrant these adjustments.
In the second step, the loss development factors calculated in
the first step are used to determine the portion of ultimate
loss already reported. The percentage of ultimate losses not yet
reported is then applied to the expected losses, which are
estimated as the product of written premium and an expected loss
ratio. The expected loss ratios are derived from an econometric
model of the title insurance industry incorporating various
economic variables including interest rates as well as industry
related developments such as title plant automation and
defalcations, which are misappropriations of funds from escrow
accounts, to arrive at an expected loss ratio for each policy
year.
Using the above approach, our external actuaries develop a
single point estimate rather than a range of reserves or a set
of point estimates. The point estimate provided by our
independent actuaries, combined with our known claim reserves,
aggregated $1,147.5 million at December 31, 2005, as
compared with our carried reserve of $1,063.9 million, a
difference of $83.6 million, or 7.3%. Different
professional judgment in three critical assumptions was the
primary driver of the difference between the independent
actuarys point estimate and our carried reserve level:
different weight given to a separate projection of individually
significant losses (losses greater than $500,000); adjustments
based on recent experience to realize emerging changes in
refinance versus home sale activity; and cost reduction
expectations with respect to of unallocated loss adjustment
expense (ULAE) reserves. In the independent
actuarys estimate approximately one half of the effect of
projecting significant losses separately was taken into
consideration; whereas, our management applied full weight to
such analysis. Additionally, the independent actuarys
estimate placed less weight on the effects of refinancings in
the 2001-2002 policy years, some of the largest refinance years
in history; whereas our management placed moderately greater
weights on the effects of refinancing assumptions in such years.
Finally, adjustments to the ULAE reserves were supported by
managements analysis of the true costs expected to be
incurred in a claims run-off scenario.
In our reserve setting process, our independent actuaries
fulfill a function, which is to provide information that is
utilized as part of the overall mix of information that our
management uses to set our reserves, but this is only one
component of managements evaluation process. While there
can be no assurance as to the precision of loss reserve
estimates, as shown in the table below, our development on prior
years loss reserves over the past three years has
generally been within a narrow range using the reserve setting
processes described above.
Our analysis of our reserves as of December 31, 2005
demonstrates managements continued efforts to improve its
loss reserve estimate. In 2004, we incorporated into our
methodology a separate analysis of mega claims (defined as
claims with incurred amounts greater than $500,000). Prior to
the separate analysis of mega claims, such claims influenced the
loss development factors used in the actuarial methods by
creating a multiplicative effect for newer policy years
loss projections. The adjudication of mega claims is handled by
specific attorneys and may have different emergence patterns
than non-mega title claims.
In addition, adjustments were made to reflect the reduced
ultimate exposure of recent policy years due to unprecedented
refinancing activity and property turnover rates. Our
hypothesis, which is supported by recent data, is that a lower
percentage of policies from prior years remain in force due to
the substantial turnover in property mortgages. Furthermore, it
is our belief that refinance transactions develop differently
than resale
32
transactions in that there appears to be an acceleration of
claim activity as claims are reported more quickly. As a result,
we have incorporated the effect of these assumptions into our
loss projections.
The table below presents our loss development experience for the
past three years. As can be seen in the table, the variability
in loss estimates over the past three years has ranged from
favorable development in an amount equal to 0.3% of title
premiums to adverse development of 0.7% of title premiums with
the average being unfavorable development of 0.4% over the three
year period. Assuming that variability of potential reserve
estimates is + or - 0.4%, the effect on pretax earnings would be
as presented in the last line of the table.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Beginning Balance
|
|
$ |
980,746 |
|
|
$ |
932,439 |
|
|
$ |
887,973 |
|
|
Reserve Assumed
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
|
|
38,597 |
|
|
|
4,203 |
|
|
Claims Loss provision related to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current year
|
|
|
319,730 |
|
|
|
275,982 |
|
|
|
237,919 |
|
|
|
Prior years
|
|
|
34,980 |
|
|
|
(16,580 |
) |
|
|
10,915 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total claims loss provision
|
|
|
354,710 |
|
|
|
259,402 |
|
|
|
248,834 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Claims paid, net of recoupments related to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current year
|
|
|
(14,479 |
) |
|
|
(19,095 |
) |
|
|
(11,591 |
) |
|
|
Prior years
|
|
|
(258,120 |
) |
|
|
(230,597 |
) |
|
|
(196,980 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total claims paid, net of recoupments
|
|
|
(272,599 |
) |
|
|
(249,692 |
) |
|
|
(208,571 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending Balance
|
|
$ |
1,063,857 |
|
|
$ |
980,746 |
|
|
$ |
932,439 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Title Premiums
|
|
$ |
4,948,613 |
|
|
$ |
4,718,217 |
|
|
$ |
4,700,750 |
|
Provision for claim losses as a percentage of title insurance
premiums:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current year
|
|
|
6.5 |
% |
|
|
5.8 |
% |
|
|
5.1 |
% |
|
|
Prior years
|
|
|
0.7 |
% |
|
|
(0.3 |
)% |
|
|
0.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Provision
|
|
|
7.2 |
% |
|
|
5.5 |
% |
|
|
5.3 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sensitivity Analysis (effect on pretax earnings of a 0.4% loss
ratio change)(1):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ultimate Reserve Estimate +/-
|
|
$ |
19,794 |
|
|
$ |
18,873 |
|
|
$ |
18,803 |
|
|
|
(1) |
0.4% has been selected as an example; actual variability could
be greater or less. |
Valuation of Investments. We regularly review our
investment portfolio for factors that may indicate that a
decline in fair value of an investment is other-than-temporary.
Some factors considered in evaluating whether or not a decline
in fair value is other-than-temporary include: (i) our
ability and intent to retain the investment for a period of time
sufficient to allow for a recovery in value; (ii) the
duration and extent to which the fair value has been less than
cost; and (iii) the financial condition and prospects of
the issuer. Such reviews are inherently uncertain and the value
of the investment may not fully recover or may decline in future
periods resulting in a realized loss. Investments are selected
for analysis whenever an unrealized loss is greater than a
certain threshold that we determine based on the size of our
portfolio. Fixed maturity investments that have unrealized
losses caused by interest rate movements are not at risk as we
have the ability and intent to hold them to maturity. Unrealized
losses on investments in equity securities and fixed maturity
instruments that are susceptible to credit related declines are
evaluated based on the aforementioned factors. Currently
available market data is considered and estimates are made as to
the duration and prospects for recovery, and the ability to
retain the investment until such recovery takes place. These
estimates are revisited quarterly and any material degradation
in the prospect for recovery will be considered in the other
than temporary impairment analysis. We believe that continuous
monitoring and analysis has allowed for the proper recognition
of other than temporary impairments over the past three year
period. Any change in estimate in
33
this area will have an impact on the results of operations of
the period in which a charge is taken. During 2005 and 2004, we
recorded other than temporary impairments totaling
$6.9 million and $6.6 million, respectively. During
2003, we recorded no other than temporary impairments.
Goodwill. We have made acquisitions in the past that have
resulted in a significant amount of goodwill. As of
December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004, goodwill was
$1,051.6 million and $959.6 million, respectively. The
majority of our goodwill as of December 31, 2005 and 2004
relates to our Chicago Title acquisition. The process of
determining whether or not an asset, such as goodwill, is
impaired or recoverable relies on projections of future cash
flows, operating results and market conditions. While we believe
that our estimates of future cash flows are reasonable, these
estimates are not guarantees of future performance and are
subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results
to differ from what is assumed in our impairment tests. In
evaluating the recoverability of goodwill, we perform an annual
goodwill impairment test based on an analysis of the discounted
future cash flows generated by the underlying assets. We have
completed our annual goodwill impairment tests in each of the
past three years and have determined that we have a fair value
in excess of our carrying value. Such analyses are particularly
sensitive to changes in estimates of future cash flows and
discount rates. Changes to these estimates might result in
material changes in fair value and determination of the
recoverability of goodwill, which may result in charges against
earnings and a reduction in the carrying value of our goodwill.
Long-Lived Assets. We review long-lived assets, primarily
computer software, property and equipment and other intangibles,
for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be
recoverable. If indicators of impairment are present, we
estimate the future net cash flows expected to be generated from
the use of those assets and their eventual disposal. We would
recognize an impairment loss if the aggregate future net cash
flows were less than the carrying amount. We have not recorded
any material impairment charges in the past three years. As a
result, the carrying values of these assets could be
significantly affected by the accuracy of our estimates of
future net cash flows, which, similar to our goodwill analysis,
cannot be estimated with certainty.
Revenue Recognition. Our direct title insurance premiums
and escrow and other title-related fees are recognized as
revenue at the time of closing of the related transaction as the
earnings process is then considered complete, whereas premium
revenues from agency operations and agency commissions include
an accrual based on estimates using historical information of
the volume of transactions that have closed in a particular
period for which premiums have not yet been reported to us. The
accrual for agency premiums is necessary because of the lag
between the closing of these transactions and the reporting of
these policies to us by the agent. During the second quarter of
2005, we re-evaluated our method of estimation for accruing
agency title revenues and commissions and refined the method,
which resulted in our recording approximately $50.0 million
in additional agency revenue in the second quarter of 2005 than
we would have under our prior method. The impact on net earnings
of this adjustment was approximately $2.0 million. We are
likely to continue to have changes to our accrual for agency
revenue in the future, but as demonstrated by this second
quarter adjustment, the impact on net earnings of changes in
these accruals is very small.
34
Results of Operations
The following table presents certain financial data for the
years indicated:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) | |
Direct title insurance premiums
|
|
$ |
2,184,993 |
|
|
$ |
2,003,447 |
|
|
$ |
2,105,317 |
|
Agency title insurance premiums
|
|
|
2,763,973 |
|
|
|
2,714,770 |
|
|
|
2,595,433 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total title premiums
|
|
|
4,948,966 |
|
|
|
4,718,217 |
|
|
|
4,700,750 |
|
Escrow and other title-related fees
|
|
|
1,162,344 |
|
|
|
1,039,835 |
|
|
|
1,058,729 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total title and escrow
|
|
|
6,111,310 |
|
|
|
5,758,052 |
|
|
|
5,759,479 |
|
Interest and investment income
|
|
|
118,084 |
|
|
|
64,885 |
|
|
|
56,708 |
|
Realized gains and losses, net
|
|
|
44,684 |
|
|
|
22,948 |
|
|
|
101,839 |
|
Other income
|
|
|
41,783 |
|
|
|
43,528 |
|
|
|
52,689 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenue
|
|
|
6,315,861 |
|
|
|
5,889,413 |
|
|
|
5,970,715 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Personnel costs
|
|
|
1,897,904 |
|
|
|
1,680,805 |
|
|
|
1,692,895 |
|
Other operating expenses
|
|
|
935,263 |
|
|
|
849,554 |
|
|
|
817,597 |
|
Agent commissions
|
|
|
2,140,912 |
|
|
|
2,117,122 |
|
|
|
2,035,810 |
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
102,105 |
|
|
|
95,718 |
|
|
|
79,077 |
|
Provision for claim losses
|
|
|
354,710 |
|
|
|
259,402 |
|
|
|
248,834 |
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
16,663 |
|
|
|
3,885 |
|
|
|
4,582 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total expenses
|
|
|
5,447,557 |
|
|
|
5,006,486 |
|
|
|
4,878,795 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest
|
|
|
868,304 |
|
|
|
882,927 |
|
|
|
1,091,920 |
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
327,351 |
|
|
|
323,598 |
|
|
|
407,736 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings before minority interest
|
|
|
540,953 |
|
|
|
559,329 |
|
|
|
684,184 |
|
Minority interest
|
|
|
1,972 |
|
|
|
1,165 |
|
|
|
859 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
$ |
558,164 |
|
|
$ |
683,325 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Orders opened by direct title operations
|
|
|
3,052,805 |
|
|
|
3,142,945 |
|
|
|
3,771,393 |
|
Orders closed by direct title operations
|
|
|
2,169,656 |
|
|
|
2,249,792 |
|
|
|
2,916,201 |
|
Total revenue in 2005 increased $432.4 million to
$6,321.8 million, an increase of 7.3% compared to 2004 with
increases in direct and agency title premiums and escrow and
other title-related fees. Total revenue in 2004 decreased
$81.3 million, or 1.4%, to $5,889.4 million from
$5,970.7 million in 2003. Although the mix of direct and
agency title premiums changed from 2003 to 2004, total title
premiums and escrow and other title-related fees remained fairly
consistent in 2004 as compared with 2003.
Title insurance premiums were $4,949.0 million in 2005,
$4,718.2 million in 2004, and $4,700.8 million in
2003. The following table presents the percentages of title
insurance premiums generated by our direct and agency operations:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Amount | |
|
% | |
|
Amount | |
|
% | |
|
Amount | |
|
% | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands) | |
|
|
|
|
Direct
|
|
$ |
2,184,993 |
|
|
|
44.2 |
% |
|
$ |
2,003,447 |
|
|
|
42.5 |
% |
|
$ |
2,105,317 |
|
|
|
44.8 |
% |
Agency
|
|
|
2,763,973 |
|
|
|
55.8 |
|
|
|
2,714,770 |
|
|
|
57.5 |
|
|
|
2,595,433 |
|
|
|
55.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total title insurance premiums
|
|
$ |
4,948,966 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
4,718,217 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
4,700,750 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35
Direct title premiums increased from 2004 to 2005 and decreased
from 2003 to 2004. From 2004 to 2005, an increase in average fee
per file was partially offset by a decrease in closed order
levels. From 2003 to 2004, a decrease in closed order levels was
partially offset by an increase in average fee per file. The
average fee per file in our direct operations was $1,487,
$1,324, and $1,081 in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. The
increases in the average fee per file in 2005 and 2004 were
consistent with the decline in the overall level of refinance
activity experienced during those years. The fee per file tends
to increase as mortgage interest rates rise, and the mix of
business changes from a predominantly refinance-driven market to
more of a resale-driven market because resale transactions
generally involve the issuance of both a lenders policy
and an owners policy whereas refinance transactions
typically only require a lenders policy. The increases in
average fee per file also reflect substantial appreciation in
home prices during both periods and the strong levels of
commercial activity in 2005 as compared to 2004. The decrease in
closed order levels in each period reflects a weaker refinance
market, partially offset by a strong, stable purchase market.
Agency premiums increased $49.2 million in 2005 and
$119.3 million in 2004. During the second quarter of 2005,
we re-evaluated our method of estimation for accruing agency
title revenues and commissions and refined the method which
resulted in our recording approximately $50.0 million in
additional agency revenue in the second quarter of 2005 than we
would have under our prior method. The impact on net earnings of
this adjustment was approximately $2.0 million. A change in
agency premiums has a much smaller effect on profitability than
the same change in direct premiums would have because our
margins as a percentage of gross premiums for agency business
are significantly lower than the margins realized from our
direct operations due to commissions paid to our agents and
other costs related to the agency business. The increase in
agency title premiums in 2004 was primarily attributed to an
increase in agency premiums of $193.5 million due to our
acquisition of APTIC in March 2004 that was offset by a decrease
in the amount of agency revenue provided by FISs title
agency operations. Margins on agency revenues are generally
lower than margins on direct title insurance revenues. Agency
revenues from FIS title agency businesses were
$91.9 million, $106.3 million, and $284.9 million
in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Trends in escrow and other title-related fees are primarily
related to title insurance activity generated by our direct
operations. Escrow and other title-related fees during the
three-year period ended December 31, 2005, fluctuated in a
pattern generally consistent with the fluctuation in direct
title insurance premiums and order counts. Escrow and other
title-related fees were $1,162.3 million,
$1,039.8 million, and $1,058.7 million during 2005,
2004, and 2003, respectively.
Interest and investment income levels are primarily a function
of securities markets, interest rates and the amount of cash
available for investment. Interest and investment income in 2005
was $118.1 million, compared with $64.9 million in
2004 and $56.7 million in 2003. The increase in interest
and investment income in 2005 is primarily due to an increase in
the short-term investment and fixed income asset base and an
increase in interest rates. Average invested assets were
$3,732.6 million, $3,226.2 million and
$2,811.5 million in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. The
tax equivalent yield in 2005, excluding realized gains and
losses, was 3.8%, as compared with 2.7% in 2004 and 2.5% in 2003.
Net realized gains and losses for 2005, 2004, and 2003 were
$44.7 million, $22.9 million, and $101.8 million,
respectively. Net realized gains in 2003 included a
$51.7 million realized gain resulting from IAC InterActive
Corp.s acquisition of Lending Tree Inc. and the subsequent
sale of our IAC Interactive Corp. common stock and a realized
gain of $21.8 million on the sale of New Century Financial
Corporation common stock.
Other income represents revenue generated by other smaller
real-estate related businesses that are not directly
title-related. Other income was $41.8 million,
$43.5 million, and $52.7 million in 2005, 2004, and
2003, respectively.
Our operating expenses consist primarily of personnel costs and
other operating expenses, which are incurred as orders are
received and processed and agent commissions which are incurred
as revenue is recognized. Title insurance premiums, escrow and
other title-related fees are generally recognized as income at
the time the underlying transaction closes. As a result, direct
operations revenue lags approximately
45-60 days behind
expenses and therefore gross margins may fluctuate. The changes
in the market
36
environment, mix of business between direct and agency
operations and the contributions from our various business units
have impacted margins and net earnings. We have implemented
programs and have taken necessary actions to maintain expense
levels consistent with revenue streams. However, a short time
lag exists in reducing variable costs and certain fixed costs
are incurred regardless of revenue levels. We have taken
significant measures to maintain appropriate personnel levels
and costs relative to the volume and mix of business while
maintaining customer service standards and quality controls.
Beginning during the second half of 2003, as open orders on
refinance transactions declined with the increase in mortgage
interest rates, we began reducing personnel costs with the
reduction of approximately 22% of the title and escrow workforce
from July to December of 2003. Considering the normal lag time
between workforce reductions and the related reductions in
personnel expense, we maintained personnel at appropriate levels
during 2005 and 2004, including a reduction of approximately 8%
of the title and escrow workforce in the fourth quarter of 2005,
and will continue to monitor prevailing market conditions and
adjust personnel costs in accordance with activity.
Personnel costs include base salaries, commissions, benefits and
bonuses paid to employees, and are one of our most significant
operating expenses. Personnel costs totaled
$1,897.9 million, $1,680.8 million, and
$1,692.9 million for the years ended December 31,
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. Personnel costs, as a
percentage of direct title insurance premiums and escrow and
other title-related fees, were 56.6% in 2005, compared with
55.2% in 2004 and 53.5% in 2003. The increase in personnel costs
as a percentage of related revenue in 2005 is primarily due to a
recent trend in salary increases relating to increased
competition for top employees and the strong real estate
environment. The increase in personnel costs as a percentage of
related revenue in 2004 as compared to 2003 is attributable to
the lag in reducing personnel to the appropriate level based on
activity.
Other operating expenses consist primarily of facilities
expenses, title plant maintenance, premium taxes (which
insurance underwriters are required to pay on title premiums in
lieu of franchise and other state taxes), postage and courier
services, computer services, professional services, advertising
expenses, general insurance, and trade and notes receivable
allowances. Other operating expenses totaled
$935.3 million, $849.6 million, and
$817.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2005,
2004, and 2003, respectively. Other operating expenses as a
percentage of direct title insurance premiums and escrow and
other title-related fees were 27.9% in both 2005 and 2004, and
25.8% in 2003. The increase in other operating expenses as a
percentage of total direct title premiums and escrow and other
fees in 2004 is consistent with the increase in personnel costs
as a percentage of total direct title premiums and escrow and
other fees.
Agent commissions represent the portion of premiums retained by
agents pursuant to the terms of their respective agency
contracts. Agent commissions and the resulting percentage of
agent premiums we retain vary according to regional differences
in real estate closing practices and state regulations.
The following table illustrates the relationship of agent title
premiums and agent commissions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Amount | |
|
% | |
|
Amount | |
|
% | |
|
Amount | |
|
% | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Agent title premiums
|
|
$ |
2,763,973 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
2,714,770 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
2,595,433 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
Agent commissions
|
|
|
2,140,912 |
|
|
|
77.5 |
|
|
|
2,117,122 |
|
|
|
78.0 |
|
|
|
2,035,810 |
|
|
|
78.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net margin
|
|
$ |
623,061 |
|
|
|
22.5 |
% |
|
$ |
597,648 |
|
|
|
22.0 |
% |
|
$ |
559,623 |
|
|
|
21.6 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The provision for claim losses includes an estimate of
anticipated title and title-related claims and escrow losses.
The estimate of anticipated title and title-related claims is
accrued as a percentage of title premium revenue based on our
historical loss experience and other relevant factors. We
monitor our claims loss experience on a continual basis and
adjust the provision for claim losses accordingly.
37
A summary of the reserve for claim losses is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Beginning balance
|
|
$ |
980,746 |
|
|
$ |
932,439 |
|
|
$ |
887,973 |
|
|
Reserve assumed
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
|
|
38,597 |
|
|
|
4,203 |
|
|
Claims loss provision related to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current year
|
|
|
319,730 |
|
|
|
275,982 |
|
|
|
237,919 |
|
|
|
Prior years
|
|
|
34,980 |
|
|
|
(16,580 |
) |
|
|
10,915 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total claims loss provision
|
|
|
354,710 |
|
|
|
259,402 |
|
|
|
248,834 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Claims paid, net of recoupments related to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current year
|
|
|
(14,479 |
) |
|
|
(19,095 |
) |
|
|
(11,591 |
) |
|
|
Prior years
|
|
|
(258,120 |
) |
|
|
(230,597 |
) |
|
|
(196,980 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total claims paid, net of recoupments
|
|
|
(272,599 |
) |
|
|
(249,692 |
) |
|
|
(208,571 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending balance
|
|
$ |
1,063,857 |
|
|
$ |
980,746 |
|
|
$ |
932,439 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Provision for claim losses as a percentage of title insurance
premiums only
|
|
|
7.2 |
% |
|
|
5.5 |
% |
|
|
5.3 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
We assumed the outstanding reserve for claim losses of Service
Link, APTIC, and ANFI in connection with their acquisitions in
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. |
Management continually updates loss reserve estimates as new
information becomes known, new loss patterns emerge, or as other
contributing factors are considered and incorporated into the
analysis of reserve for claim losses. The unfavorable title loss
provision amounts in 2005 reflect a higher estimated loss for
the 2005 policy year as well as higher than expected incurred
losses and payment levels on previously issued policies. The
title loss provision in 2004 reflects a higher estimated loss
for the 2004 policy year offset in part by a favorable
adjustment from previous policy years. The unfavorable
development during 2003 reflects higher than expected payment
levels on previously issued policies.
Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2005,
2004, and 2003 was $16.7 million, $3.9 million, and
$4.6 million, respectively. The increase in 2005 relates
primarily to an increase in average borrowings as compared to
the prior year including the $500 million in notes due to
FNF and borrowings on the Credit Facility in 2005.
Income tax expense as a percentage of earnings before income
taxes for 2005, 2004, and 2003 was 37.7%, 36.6%, and 37.3%,
respectively. The fluctuation in income tax expense as a
percentage of earnings before income taxes is attributable to
our estimate of ultimate income tax liability, and changes in
the characteristics of net earnings year to year, such as
underwriting income versus investment income.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our cash requirements include operating expenses, taxes,
payments of interest and principal on our debt, capital
expenditures, business acquisitions and dividends on our common
stock. We intend to pay an annual dividend of $1.16 on each
share of our common stock, payable quarterly, or an aggregate of
approximately $202.2 million per year, based on the number
of shares we had outstanding as of the Distribution. We believe
that all anticipated cash requirements for current operations
will be met from internally generated funds, through cash
dividends from subsidiaries, cash generated by investment
securities and borrowings on existing credit facilities. Our
short-term and long-term liquidity requirements are monitored
regularly to ensure that we can meet our cash requirements. We
forecast the needs of all of our subsidiaries and periodically
review
38
their short-term and long-term projected sources and uses of
funds, as well as the asset, liability, investment and cash flow
assumptions underlying these projections.
Our insurance subsidiaries generate cash from premiums earned
and their respective investment portfolios and these funds are
adequate to satisfy the payments of claims and other
liabilities. Due to the magnitude of our investment portfolio in
relation to our claim loss reserves, we do not specifically
match durations of our investments to the cash outflows required
to pay claims, but do manage outflows on a shorter time frame.
Our two significant sources of internally generated funds are
dividends and other payments from our subsidiaries. As a holding
company, we receive cash from our subsidiaries in the form of
dividends and as reimbursement for operating and other
administrative expenses we incur. The reimbursements are paid
within the guidelines of management agreements among us and our
subsidiaries. Our insurance subsidiaries are restricted by state
regulation in their ability to pay dividends and make
distributions. Each state of domicile regulates the extent to
which our title underwriters can pay dividends or make other
distributions to us. See Item 1
Business Regulation. As of December 31,
2005, $1.9 billion of our net assets were restricted from
dividend payments without prior approval from the relevant
departments of insurance. During 2006, our first-tier title
subsidiaries can pay or make distributions to us of
approximately $289.9 million without prior regulatory
approval. Our underwritten title companies collect revenue and
pay operating expenses. However, they are not regulated to the
same extent as our insurance subsidiaries.
In July 2005, we paid a cash dividend to FNF in the amount of
$145 million. This dividend required prior regulatory
approval, which was obtained. In August 2005, one of our
subsidiaries that is not subject to regulatory limitations on
dividend payments paid a dividend to FNF in the form of a
promissory note having a principal amount of $150 million
which was paid off in October 2005, using proceeds from the
Companys new credit agreement. On December 14, 2005,
we paid a cash dividend of $0.25 per share for an aggregate
amount of $43.6 million, made up of $35.8 million that
we paid to FNF on shares of Class B common stock and
$7.8 million that we paid to public shareholders on shares
of Class A common stock. On February 8, 2006, our
Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of
$0.29 per share, payable March 28, 2006, to
stockholders of record as of March 15, 2006, a 16% increase
over the previous dividend.
Our cash flows from operations were $697.5 million,
$645.8 million, and $852.6 million in 2005, 2004, and
2003, respectively.
Our capital expenditures related to fixed assets were
$85.4 million, $70.6 million, and $80.4 million
in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. Capital expenditures
related to title plants were $6.8 million,
$6.5 million, and $1.1 million in 2005, 2004, and
2003, respectively. Capital expenditures related to capitalized
software were $8.1 million, $0.4 million, and
$16.1 million in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. We do
not expect future capital expenditures to increase significantly.
In connection with the Distribution, we issued two
$250 million intercompany notes payable to FNF (the
Mirror Notes), with terms that mirrored FNFs
existing $250 million 7.30% public notes due in August 2011
and $250 million 5.25% public notes due in March 2013.
Proceeds from the issuance of the FNF notes due 2011 were used
by FNF to repay debt incurred in connection with the acquisition
of our subsidiary, Chicago Title, and the proceeds from the FNF
notes due 2013 were used for general corporate purposes.
Following the issuance of the Mirror Notes, we filed a
Registration Statement on
Form S-4, pursuant
to which we offered to accept the outstanding FNF notes in
exchange for FNT notes we issued having substantially the same
terms. On January 18, 2006, we completed these exchange
offers and received $241.3 million in aggregate principal
amount of FNFs 7.30% Notes due August 15, 2011,
and the entire $250.0 million in aggregate principal of
FNFs 5.25% Notes due March 15, 2013. The FNF
notes received by us in the exchange were subsequently delivered
to FNF in partial redemption of the 7.30% Mirror Note due
August 15, 2011, and in full redemption of the 5.25% Mirror
Note due March 15, 2013. In order to reflect the partial
redemption of
39
the 7.30% Mirror Note due August 15, 2011, the original
note has been replaced with an identical Mirror Note with a
principal balance of $8.7 million, which reflects the
unredeemed portion of the original Mirror Note. Interest on each
mirror note has been accrued from the last date on which
interest on the corresponding FNF notes was paid and at the same
rate. The remaining mirror notes mature on the maturity dates of
the corresponding FNF notes. Upon any acceleration of maturity
of the FNF notes, whether upon redemption or an event of default
of the FNF notes, we must repay the corresponding amount of the
mirror note. We may seek to acquire some or all of the 7.30% FNF
Notes remaining outstanding, through purchases in the open
market, privately negotiated purchases or otherwise. In the
event that any such notes are acquired by us, we anticipate that
we would deliver them to FNF in further redemption of the
remaining 7.30% Mirror Note due August 15, 2011.
On October 17, 2005, the Company entered into a credit
agreement (the Credit Agreement), dated as of
October 17, 2005, with Bank of America, N.A. as
Administrative Agent and Swing Line Lender, and the other
financial institutions party thereto. The Credit Agreement
provides for a $400 million unsecured revolving credit
facility (the Credit Facility) maturing on the fifth
anniversary of the closing date. Amounts under the revolving
Credit Facility may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed by the
borrowers thereunder from time to time until the maturity of the
Credit Facility. Voluntary prepayment of the Credit Facility
under the Credit Agreement is permitted at any time without fee
upon proper notice and subject to a minimum dollar requirement.
Revolving loans under the Credit Facility bear interest at a
variable rate based on either (i) the higher of (a) a
rate per annum equal to one-half of one percent in excess of the
Federal Reserves Federal Funds rate, or (b) Bank of
Americas prime rate; or (ii) a rate per
annum equal to the British Bankers Association London Interbank
Offered Rate (LIBOR) rate plus a margin of between
0.35%-1.25%, depending on the Companys then current public
debt credit rating from the rating agencies.
The Credit Agreement contains affirmative, negative and
financial covenants customary for financings of this type,
including, among other things, limits on the creation of liens
and on the sale of assets, limits on the incurrence of
indebtedness, restrictions on investments, and limitations on
restricted payments and transactions with affiliates and certain
amendments. The Credit Agreement requires the Company to
maintain investment grade debt ratings, certain financial ratios
related to liquidity and statutory surplus and certain levels of
capitalization. The Credit Agreement also includes customary
events of default for facilities of this type (with customary
grace periods, as applicable) and provides that, upon the
occurrence of an event of default, the interest rate on all
outstanding obligations will be increased and payments of all
outstanding loans may be accelerated and/or the lenders
commitments may be terminated. In addition, upon the occurrence
of certain insolvency or bankruptcy related events of default,
all amounts payable under the Credit Agreement shall
automatically become immediately due and payable, and the
lenders commitments will automatically terminate. We
believe that we are in compliance with all covenants related to
the Credit Agreement at December 31, 2005.
On October 24, 2005, we borrowed $150 million under
the Credit Facility and paid it to FNF in satisfaction of a
$150 million intercompany note issued by one of our
subsidiaries to FNF in August 2005. During the fourth quarter of
2005, we repaid $50 million. At December 31, 2005, the
outstanding balance was $100 million.
We have agreed that, without FNFs consent, we will not
issue any shares of our capital stock or any rights, warrants or
options to acquire our capital stock, if after giving effect to
the issuances and considering all of the shares of our capital
stock which may be acquired under the rights, warrants and
options outstanding on the date of the issuance, FNF would not
be eligible to consolidate our results of operations for tax
purposes, would not receive favorable tax treatment of dividends
paid by us or would not be able, if it so desired, to distribute
the rest of our stock it holds to its stockholders in a tax-free
distribution. These limits will generally enable FNF to continue
to own at least 80% of our outstanding common stock. See
Item 13 Certain Relationships and Related
Transactions.
40
Our long-term contractual obligations generally include our loss
reserves, our long-term debt and operating lease payments on
certain of our property and equipment. As of December 31,
2005, our required payments relating to our long-term
contractual obligations are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006 | |
|
2007 | |
|
2008 | |
|
2009 | |
|
2010 | |
|
Thereafter | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Notes payable
|
|
$ |
5,462 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
100,000 |
|
|
$ |
497,800 |
|
|
$ |
603,262 |
|
Operating lease payments
|
|
|
115,854 |
|
|
|
94,742 |
|
|
|
67,273 |
|
|
|
42,563 |
|
|
|
20,930 |
|
|
|
12,576 |
|
|
|
353,938 |
|
Reserve for claim losses
|
|
|
206,734 |
|
|
|
171,112 |
|
|
|
137,247 |
|
|
|
106,564 |
|
|
|
79,572 |
|
|
|
362,628 |
|
|
|
1,063,857 |
|
Pension and postretirement obligations
|
|
|
12,906 |
|
|
|
12,140 |
|
|
|
16,544 |
|
|
|
14,169 |
|
|
|
14,634 |
|
|
|
110,717 |
|
|
|
181,110 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
340,956 |
|
|
$ |
277,994 |
|
|
$ |
221,064 |
|
|
$ |
163,296 |
|
|
$ |
215,136 |
|
|
$ |
983,721 |
|
|
$ |
2,202,167 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31, 2005 we had reserves for claim losses of
$1,063.9 million. The amounts and timing of these
obligations are estimated and are not set contractually.
Nonetheless, based on historical title insurance claim
experience, we anticipate the above payment patterns. While we
believe that historical loss payments are a reasonable source
for projecting future claim payments, there is significant
inherent uncertainty in this payment pattern estimate because of
the potential impact of changes in:
|
|
|
|
|
future mortgage interest rates, which will affect the number of
real estate and refinancing transactions and, therefore, the
rate at which title insurance claims will emerge; |
|
|
|
the legal environment whereby court decisions and
reinterpretations of title insurance policy language to broaden
coverage could increase total obligations and influence claim
payout patterns; |
|
|
|
events such as fraud, defalcation, and multiple property title
defects, that can substantially and unexpectedly cause increases
in both the amount and timing of estimated title insurance loss
payments; |
|
|
|
loss cost trends whereby increases or decreases in inflationary
factors (including the value of real estate) will influence the
ultimate amount of title insurance loss payments; and |
|
|
|
claims staffing levels whereby claims may be settled at a
different rate based on the future staffing levels of the claims
department. |
Minimum Pension Liability Adjustment
Discount rates that are used in determining our
December 31, 2005 projected benefit obligation and
2005 net periodic pension costs were based on prevailing
interest rates as of December 31, 2005. Similar to prior
years, we considered investment grade corporate bond yields at
that date as an appropriate basis in determining the discount
rate. A decrease in the discount rate used at December 31,
2005 resulted in an additional minimum pension liability
adjustment. As such, we recorded a
net-of-tax charge of
$2.0 million to accumulated other comprehensive loss in
2005 in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 87, Employers Accounting for
Pensions.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
In conducting our operations, we routinely hold customers
assets in escrow, pending completion of real estate
transactions. Certain of these amounts are maintained in
segregated bank accounts and have not been included in the
Consolidated and Combined Balance Sheets. As a result of holding
these customers assets in escrow, we have ongoing programs
for realizing economic benefits during the year through
favorable borrowing and vendor arrangements with various banks.
There were no investments or loans outstanding as of
December 31, 2005 related to these arrangements.
41
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2004, the FASB issued FASB Statement No. 123R
(SFAS No. 123R), Share-Based
Payment, which requires that compensation cost relating to
share-based payments be recognized in FNTs financial
statements. During 2003, we adopted the fair value recognition
provision of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation (SFAS No. 123), for
stock-based employee compensation, effective as of the beginning
of 2003. We had elected to use the prospective method of
transition, as permitted by Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation Transition and Disclosure
(SFAS No. 148). Under this method,
stock-based employee compensation cost is recognized from the
beginning of 2003 as if the fair value method of accounting had
been used to account for all employee awards granted, modified,
or settled in years beginning after December 31, 2002.
SFAS No. 123R does not allow for the prospective
method, but requires the recording of expense relating to the
vesting of all unvested options beginning in the first quarter
of 2006. Since we adopted SFAS No. 123 in 2003, the
impact of recording additional expense in 2006 under
SFAS No. 123R relating to options granted prior to
January 1, 2003 will not be significant.
|
|
Item 7A. |
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market
Risk |
Our Consolidated and Combined Balance Sheets include a
substantial amount of assets and liabilities whose fair values
are subject to market risks. See Business
Investment Policies and Investment Portfolio and
Note C of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The
following sections address the significant market risks
associated with our financial activities for the year ended
December 31, 2005.
Interest Rate Risk
Our fixed maturity investments and borrowings are subject to
interest rate risk. Increases and decreases in prevailing
interest rates generally translate into decreases and increases
in fair values of those instruments. Additionally, fair values
of interest rate sensitive instruments may be affected by the
creditworthiness of the issuer, prepayment options, relative
values of alternative investments, the liquidity of the
instrument and other general market conditions.
Equity Price Risk
The carrying values of investments subject to equity price risks
are based on quoted market prices as of the balance sheet date.
Market prices are subject to fluctuation and, consequently, the
amount realized in the subsequent sale of an investment may
significantly differ from the reported market value. Fluctuation
in the market price of a security may result from perceived
changes in the underlying economic characteristics of the
investee, the relative price of alternative investments and
general market conditions. Furthermore, amounts realized in the
sale of a particular security may be affected by the relative
quantity of the security being sold.
Caution should be used in evaluating our overall market risk
from the information below, since actual results could differ
materially because the information was developed using estimates
and assumptions as described below, and because our reserve for
claim losses (representing 31.4% of total liabilities) is not
included in the hypothetical effects.
The hypothetical effects of changes in market rates or prices on
the fair values of financial instruments would have been as
follows as of or for the year ended December 31, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
An approximate $80.8 million net increase (decrease) in the
fair value of fixed maturity securities would have occurred if
interest rates were 100 basis points (lower) higher as
of December 31, 2005. The change in fair values was
determined by estimating the present value of future cash flows
using various models, primarily duration modeling. |
|
|
|
An approximate $37.1 million net increase (decrease) in the
fair value of equity securities would have occurred if there was
a 20% price increase (decrease) in market prices. |
42
|
|
|
|
|
It is not anticipated that there would be a significant change
in the fair value of other long-term investments or short-term
investments if there was a change in market conditions, based on
the nature and duration of the financial instruments involved. |
|
|
|
Interest expense on average variable rate debt outstanding would
have been approximately $0.7 million higher (lower) if
weighted average interest rates had been 100 basis points
higher (lower) for the year ended December 31, 2005. |
43
|
|
Item 8. |
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data |
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX TO FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page | |
|
|
Number | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
45 |
|
|
|
|
46 |
|
|
|
|
47 |
|
|
|
|
48 |
|
|
|
|
49 |
|
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
|
|
51 |
|
44
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Fidelity National Title Group, Inc.:
We have audited the accompanying Consolidated and Combined
Balance Sheets of Fidelity National Title Group, Inc. and
subsidiaries as of December 31, 2005 and 2004 and the
related Consolidated and Combined Statements of Earnings,
Comprehensive Earnings, Stockholders Equity and Cash Flows
for each of the years in the three-year period ended
December 31, 2005. These Consolidated and Combined
Financial Statements are the responsibility of the
Companys management. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements
based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those
standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are
free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in
the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial
statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the Consolidated and Combined Financial
Statements referred to above present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of Fidelity National
Title Group, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31,
2005 and 2004, and the results of their operations and their
cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended
December 31, 2005, in conformity with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles.
/s/ KPMG LLP
March 13, 2006
Jacksonville, Florida
Certified Public Accountants
45
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except | |
|
|
share data) | |
ASSETS |
Investments:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed maturities available for sale, at fair value, at
December 31, 2005 includes $305,717 and $116,781 of pledged
fixed maturity securities related to secured trust deposits and
the securities lending program, respectively, and at
December 31, 2004 includes $265,639 of pledged fixed
maturity securities related to secured trust deposits
|
|
$ |
2,457,632 |
|
|
$ |
2,174,817 |
|
|
Equity securities, at fair value, at December 31, 2005
includes $3,401 of pledged equity securities related to the
securities lending program
|
|
|
176,987 |
|
|
|
115,070 |
|
|
Other long-term investments
|
|
|
21,037 |
|
|
|
21,219 |
|
|
Short-term investments, at December 31, 2005 and 2004
includes $350,256 and $280,351, respectively, of pledged
short-term investments related to secured trust deposits
|
|
|
645,082 |
|
|
|
508,383 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total investments
|
|
|
3,300,738 |
|
|
|
2,819,489 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2005 includes
$234,709 and $124,339 of pledged cash related to secured trust
deposits and the securities lending program, respectively, and
at December 31, 2004 includes $195,200 of pledged cash
related to secured trust deposits
|
|
|
462,157 |
|
|
|
268,414 |
|
Trade receivables, net of allowance of $13,583 in 2005 and
$11,792 in 2004
|
|
|
178,998 |
|
|
|
145,447 |
|
Notes receivable, net of allowance of $1,466 in 2005 and $1,740
in 2004 and includes notes from related parties of $19,000 in
2005 and $22,800 in 2004
|
|
|
31,749 |
|
|
|
39,196 |
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
1,051,526 |
|
|
|
959,600 |
|
Prepaid expenses and other assets
|
|
|
377,049 |
|
|
|
311,730 |
|
Title plants
|
|
|
308,675 |
|
|
|
301,610 |
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
156,952 |
|
|
|
164,916 |
|
Due from FNF
|
|
|
32,689 |
|
|
|
63,689 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
5,900,533 |
|
|
$ |
5,074,091 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
Liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities, at December 31,
2005 includes $120,182 of security loans related to the
securities lending program
|
|
$ |
790,598 |
|
|
$ |
603,705 |
|
|
Notes payable, including $497.8 million of notes payable to
FNF at December 31, 2005
|
|
|
603,262 |
|
|
|
22,390 |
|
|
Reserve for claim losses
|
|
|
1,063,857 |
|
|
|
980,746 |
|
|
Secured trust deposits
|
|
|
882,602 |
|
|
|
735,295 |
|
|
Deferred tax liabilities
|
|
|
75,839 |
|
|
|
51,248 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,416,158 |
|
|
|
2,393,384 |
|
|
Minority interests
|
|
|
4,338 |
|
|
|
3,951 |
|
Stockholders equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock, Class A, $0.0001 par value; authorized,
300,000,000 shares as of December 31, 2005; issued,
31,147,357 shares as of December 31, 2005
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock, Class B, $0.0001 par value; authorized,
300,000,000 shares as of December 31, 2005; issued,
143,172,183 shares as of December 31, 2005
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
2,492,312 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retained earnings
|
|
|
82,771 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment by FNF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,719,056 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,575,100 |
|
|
|
2,719,056 |
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
|
|
|
(78,892 |
) |
|
|
(42,300 |
) |
|
Unearned compensation
|
|
|
(16,171 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,480,037 |
|
|
|
2,676,756 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
5,900,533 |
|
|
$ |
5,074,091 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See Notes to Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements.
46
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data) | |
Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct title insurance premiums
|
|
$ |
2,184,993 |
|
|
$ |
2,003,447 |
|
|
$ |
2,105,317 |
|
|
Agency title insurance premiums, includes $91.9 million,
$106.3 million, and $284.9 million of premiums from
related parties in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively (See
Note A)
|
|
|
2,763,973 |
|
|
|
2,714,770 |
|
|
|
2,595,433 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total title premiums
|
|
|
4,948,966 |
|
|
|
4,718,217 |
|
|
|
4,700,750 |
|
|
Escrow and other title related fees, includes $5.0 million,
$8.4 million, and $7.3 million of revenue from related
parties in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively (See Note A)
|
|
|
1,162,344 |
|
|
|
1,039,835 |
|
|
|
1,058,729 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total title and escrow
|
|
|
6,111,310 |
|
|
|
5,758,052 |
|
|
|
5,759,479 |
|
|
Interest and investment income, includes $1.0 million,
$1.0 million, and $0.7 million of interest revenue
from related parties in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively (See
Note A)
|
|
|
118,084 |
|
|
|
64,885 |
|
|
|
56,708 |
|
|
Realized gains and losses, net
|
|
|
44,684 |
|
|
|
22,948 |
|
|
|
101,839 |
|
|
Other income
|
|
|
41,783 |
|
|
|
43,528 |
|
|
|
52,689 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,315,861 |
|
|
|
5,889,413 |
|
|
|
5,970,715 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Personnel costs, excludes $27.2 million,
$34.5 million, and $14.8 million of personnel costs
allocated to related parties in 2005, 2004, and 2003,
respectively (See Note A)
|
|
|
1,897,904 |
|
|
|
1,680,805 |
|
|
|
1,692,895 |
|
|
Other operating expenses, includes $14.3 million,
$53.8 million, and $15.8 million of other operating
expenses from related parties net of amounts allocated to
related parties in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively (See
Note A)
|
|
|
935,263 |
|
|
|
849,554 |
|
|
|
817,597 |
|
|
Agent commissions, includes agent commissions of
$80.9 million, $93.6 million, and $250.7 million
paid to related parties in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively
(See Note A)
|
|
|
2,140,912 |
|
|
|
2,117,122 |
|
|
|
2,035,810 |
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
102,105 |
|
|
|
95,718 |
|
|
|
79,077 |
|
|
Provision for claim losses
|
|
|
354,710 |
|
|
|
259,402 |
|
|
|
248,834 |
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
16,663 |
|
|
|
3,885 |
|
|
|
4,582 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,447,557 |
|
|
|
5,006,486 |
|
|
|
4,878,795 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest
|
|
|
868,304 |
|
|
|
882,927 |
|
|
|
1,091,920 |
|
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
327,351 |
|
|
|
323,598 |
|
|
|
407,736 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings before minority interest
|
|
|
540,953 |
|
|
|
559,329 |
|
|
|
684,184 |
|
|
Minority interest
|
|
|
1,972 |
|
|
|
1,165 |
|
|
|
859 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
$ |
558,164 |
|
|
$ |
683,325 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic net earnings per share
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic basis
|
|
|
173,463 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted net earnings per share
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted basis
|
|
|
173,575 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unaudited proforma net earnings per share basic and
diluted
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3.22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unaudited proforma weighted average shares
outstanding basic and diluted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
172,951 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See Notes to Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements.
47
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE
EARNINGS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
$ |
558,164 |
|
|
$ |
683,325 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive earnings (loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unrealized losses on investments, net(1)
|
|
|
(34,612 |
) |
|
|
(18,684 |
) |
|
|
(13,345 |
) |
Minimum pension liability adjustment(2)
|
|
|
(1,980 |
) |
|
|
(11,764 |
) |
|
|
(9,988 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive earnings (loss)
|
|
|
(36,592 |
) |
|
|
(30,448 |
) |
|
|
(23,333 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comprehensive earnings
|
|
$ |
502,389 |
|
|
$ |
527,716 |
|
|
$ |
659,992 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Net of income tax benefit of $20.8 million,
$10.7 million and $7.9 million for 2005, 2004 and
2003, respectively. |
|
(2) |
Net of income tax benefit of $1.2 million,
$6.9 million and $6.4 million in 2005, 2004 and 2003,
respectively. |
See Notes to Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements.
48
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS
EQUITY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A | |
|
Class B | |
|
Additional | |
|
|
|
|
|
Other | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Paid-In | |
|
Retained | |
|
Investment | |
|
Comprehensive | |
|
Unearned | |
|
|
|
|
Shares | |
|
Amount | |
|
Shares | |
|
Amount | |
|
Capital | |
|
Earnings | |
|
by FNF | |
|
Earnings(Loss) | |
|
Compensation | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data) | |
Balance, December 31, 2002
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
2,223,003 |
|
|
$ |
11,481 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
2,234,484 |
|
|
Other comprehensive loss minimum pension liability
adjustment net of tax
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(9,988 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(9,988 |
) |
|
Other comprehensive loss unrealized loss on
investments net of tax
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,345 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,345 |
) |
|
Net distribution of capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(16,390 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(16,390 |
) |
|
Dividend to FNF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(408,900 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(408,900 |
) |
|
Net earnings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
683,325 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
683,325 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, December 31, 2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,481,038 |
|
|
|
(11,852 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,469,186 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive loss minimum pension liability
adjustment net of tax
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(11,764 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(11,764 |
) |
|
Other comprehensive loss unrealized loss on
investments net of tax
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(18,684 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(18,684 |
) |
|
Net contribution of capital by FNF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
117,854 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
117,854 |
|
|
Dividend to FNF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(438,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(438,000 |
) |
|
Net earnings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
558,164 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
558,164 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, December 31, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,719,056 |
|
|
|
(42,300 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,676,756 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transactions prior to the stock distribution:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net contributions of capital by FNF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,526 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
134,664 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
141,190 |
|
|
Dividends paid to FNF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(797,575 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(797,575 |
) |
|
Net earnings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
412,631 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
412,631 |
|
|
Distribution of common stock
|
|
|
30,370 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
143,176 |
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
2,468,759 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,468,776 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transactions subsequent to the stock distribution:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance of restricted stock
|
|
|
777 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17,027 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(17,027 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive loss minimum pension liability
adjustment net of tax
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,980 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,980 |
) |
|
Other comprehensive loss unrealized loss on
investments net of tax
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(34,612 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(34,612 |
) |
|
Amortization of unearned compensation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
856 |
|
|
|
856 |
|
|
Dividends paid to Class A shareholders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(7,787 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(7,787 |
) |
|
Dividends paid to FNF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(35,792 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(35,792 |
) |
|
Net earnings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
126,350 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
126,350 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, December 31, 2005
|
|
|
31,147 |
|
|
$ |
3 |
|
|
|
143,176 |
|
|
$ |
14 |
|
|
$ |
2,492,312 |
|
|
$ |
82,771 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(78,892 |
) |
|
$ |
(16,171 |
) |
|
$ |
2,480,037 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See Notes to Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements.
49
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
$ |
558,164 |
|
|
$ |
683,325 |
|
|
Adjustment to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by
operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
102,105 |
|
|
|
95,718 |
|
|
|
79,077 |
|
|
|
Net increase in reserve for claim losses
|
|
|
82,064 |
|
|
|
6,088 |
|
|
|
38,158 |
|
|
|
Gain on sales of investments and other assets
|
|
|
(44,684 |
) |
|
|
(22,948 |
) |
|
|
(101,839 |
) |
|
|
Stock-based compensation cost
|
|
|
12,440 |
|
|
|
5,418 |
|
|
|
4,864 |
|
|
|
Minority interest
|
|
|
1,972 |
|
|
|
1,165 |
|
|
|
859 |
|
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects from
acquisitions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net (increase) decrease in secured trust deposits
|
|
|
(2,705 |
) |
|
|
1,514 |
|
|
|
11,647 |
|
|
|
Net increase in trade receivables
|
|
|
(31,147 |
) |
|
|
(11,241 |
) |
|
|
(7,630 |
) |
|
|
Net decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets
|
|
|
277 |
|
|
|
18,295 |
|
|
|
58,829 |
|
|
|
Net (decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued
liabilities
|
|
|
(61,737 |
) |
|
|
(13,474 |
) |
|
|
61,876 |
|
|
|
Net increase in income taxes
|
|
|
99,905 |
|
|
|
7,099 |
|
|
|
23,462 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by operating activities
|
|
|
697,471 |
|
|
|
645,798 |
|
|
|
852,628 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from sales of investment securities available for sale
|
|
|
2,289,798 |
|
|
|
2,579,401 |
|
|
|
1,849,862 |
|
|
Proceeds from maturities of investment securities available for
sale
|
|
|
380,836 |
|
|
|
204,783 |
|
|
|
318,302 |
|
|
Proceeds from sales of real estate, property and equipment
|
|
|
40,690 |
|
|
|
5,620 |
|
|
|
5,141 |
|
|
Collections of notes receivable
|
|
|
15,769 |
|
|
|
7,788 |
|
|
|
15,480 |
|
|
Additions to title plants
|
|
|
(6,754 |
) |
|
|
(6,533 |
) |
|
|
(1,105 |
) |
|
Additions to property and equipment
|
|
|
(85,384 |
) |
|
|
(70,636 |
) |
|
|
(80,418 |
) |
|
Additions to capitalized software
|
|
|
(8,058 |
) |
|
|
(415 |
) |
|
|
(16,133 |
) |
|
Additions to notes receivable
|
|
|
(8,471 |
) |
|
|
(5,414 |
) |
|
|
(3,665 |
) |
|
Purchases of investment securities available for sale
|
|
|
(2,761,803 |
) |
|
|
(3,244,321 |
) |
|
|
(2,184,319 |
) |
|
Net (purchases) proceeds of short-term investment activities
|
|
|
(137,853 |
) |
|
|
277,736 |
|
|
|
(76,192 |
) |
|
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired
|
|
|
(137,242 |
) |
|
|
(115, 712 |
) |
|
|
(8,352 |
) |
|
Cash received as collateral on loaned securities, net
|
|
|
3,544 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities
|
|
|
(414,928 |
) |
|
|
(367,703 |
) |
|
|
(181,399 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowings
|
|
|
800,449 |
|
|
|
132 |
|
|
|
238 |
|
|
Debt service payments
|
|
|
(222,268 |
) |
|
|
(33,367 |
) |
|
|
(56,062 |
) |
|
Net contribution from (distribution to) FNF
|
|
|
134,664 |
|
|
|
101,639 |
|
|
|
(180,118 |
) |
|
Dividends paid to FNF
|
|
|
(833,367 |
) |
|
|
(438,000 |
) |
|
|
(408,900 |
) |
|
Dividends paid to Class A shareholders
|
|
|
(7,787 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in financing activities
|
|
|
(128,309 |
) |
|
|
(369,596 |
) |
|
|
(644,842 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, excluding
pledged cash related to secured trust deposits
|
|
|
154,234 |
|
|
|
(91,501 |
) |
|
|
26,387 |
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, excluding pledged cash related to
secured trust deposits, at beginning of year
|
|
|
73,214 |
|
|
|
164,715 |
|
|
|
138,328 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, excluding pledged cash related to
secured trust deposits, at end of year
|
|
$ |
227,448 |
|
|
$ |
73,214 |
|
|
$ |
164,715 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See Notes to Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements.
50
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
|
A. |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
The following describes the significant accounting policies of
Fidelity National Title Group, Inc. (FNT) and
its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company) which
have been followed in preparing the accompanying Consolidated
and Combined Financial Statements.
Fidelity National Title Group, Inc., through its principal
subsidiaries, is the largest title insurance company in the
United States. The Companys title insurance
underwriters Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title,
Ticor Title, Security Union Title and Alamo Title
together issue all of the Companys title insurance
policies in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and in Canada and
Mexico. The Company operates its business through a single
segment, title and escrow, and does not generate significant
revenue from outside the United States. Although the Company
earns title premiums on residential and commercial sale and
refinance real estate transactions, the Company does not
separately track its revenues from these various types of
transactions.
On September 26, 2005, Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
(FNF) received all regulatory approvals required to
contribute to FNT all of the legal entities that are
consolidated and combined for presentation in these financial
statements. On that date, FNF declared a dividend to its
stockholders of record as of October 6, 2005 which resulted
in a distribution of 17.5% of its interest in FNT, which
represents the title insurance segment of FNF. Prior to
October 17, 2005, FNT was a wholly-owned subsidiary of FNF.
On October 17, 2005, FNF distributed to its stockholders
0.175 shares of FNT Class A common stock for each
share of FNF common stock held on the record date (the
Distribution). FNF beneficially owns 100% of the FNT
Class B common stock representing 82.5% of the
Companys outstanding common stock. FNT Class B common
stock has ten votes per share while FNT Class A common
stock has one vote per share. Immediately following the
Distribution and as of December 31, 2005, FNF controlled
97.9% of the voting rights of FNT. At December 31, 2005,
the numbers of shares of Class A and Class B common
stock were 31,147,357 and 143,172,183, respectively.
In connection with the Distribution, the Company issued two
$250 million intercompany notes payable to FNF (the
Mirror Notes), with terms that mirrored FNFs
existing $250 million 7.30% public notes due in August 2011
and $250 million 5.25% public notes due in March 2013.
Original proceeds from the issuance of the 7.30% FNF notes due
2011 were used by FNF to repay debt incurred in connection with
the acquisition of our subsidiary, Chicago Title, and the
proceeds from the 5.25% FNF notes due 2013 were used for general
corporate purposes. Following the issuance of the Mirror Notes,
the Company filed a Registration Statement on
Form S-4, pursuant
to which the Company offered to exchange for the outstanding FNF
notes for notes FNT would issue having substantially the
same terms and deliver the FNF notes received to FNF to reduce
debt under the intercompany notes. On January 17, 2006, the
offers expired. As of that time, $241,347,000 in aggregate
principal amount of FNFs 7.30% Notes due
August 15, 2011, and the entire $250,000,000 in aggregate
principal of FNFs 5.25% Notes due March 15, 2013
had been validly tendered and not withdrawn in the exchange
offers. The FNF notes received by FNT in the exchange were
subsequently delivered to FNF in partial redemption of the 7.30%
Mirror Note due August 15, 2011, and in full redemption of
the 5.25% Mirror Note due March 15, 2013. In order to
reflect the partial redemption of the 7.30% Mirror Note due
August 15, 2011, the original note has been replaced with
an identical Mirror Note with a principal balance of $8,653,000,
which reflects the unredeemed portion of the original Mirror
Note. See Liquidity and Capital Resources.
On October 17, 2005, the Company also entered into a credit
agreement in the amount of $400 million. On
October 24, 2005, the Company borrowed $150 million
under this facility and paid it to FNF in satisfaction of a
$150 million intercompany note issued by one of the
Companys subsidiaries to FNF in August 2005.
51
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
|
|
|
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of
Presentation |
Prior to the Distribution on October 17, 2005, the
accompanying Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements
include those assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses
directly attributable to the Companys operations and
allocations of certain FNF corporate assets, liabilities and
expenses to the Company. These amounts have been allocated to
the Company on the basis that is considered by management to
reflect most fairly or reasonably the utilization of the
services provided to, or the benefit obtained by, the Company.
Management believes the methods used to allocate these amounts
are reasonable. Beginning on October 17, 2005, the entities
that currently make up the Company were consolidated under a
holding company structure and the accompanying Consolidated and
Combined Financial Statements reflect activity subsequent to
that date. All significant intercompany profits, transactions
and balances have been eliminated in consolidation and
combination. The financial information included herein does not
necessarily reflect what the financial position and results of
operations of the Company would have been had it operated as a
stand-alone entity during the periods covered. The
Companys investments in non-majority-owned partnerships
and affiliates are accounted for using the equity method. The
Company records minority interest liabilities related to
minority shareholders interest in consolidated affiliates.
All dollars presented herein are in thousands of dollars unless
otherwise noted.
|
|
|
Earnings per Share and Unaudited Proforma Net Earnings per
Share |
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings
available to common stockholders by the weighted average number
of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings
per share is calculated by dividing net earnings available to
common stockholders plus the impact of assumed conversions of
dilutive securities. The Company has granted certain shares of
restricted stock, which have been treated as common share
equivalents for purposes of calculating diluted earnings per
share. Because there were no outstanding shares prior to the
Distribution, basic and diluted weighted average shares
outstanding for 2005 have been calculated as if shares
outstanding and common stock equivalents at October 18,
2005 had been outstanding for the entire year.
The following table presents the computation of basic and
diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31,
2005 (in thousands except per share data). Prior to
October 18, 2005, the historical financials of the Company
were combined and thus presentation of earnings per share for
2004 was computed on a pro forma basis as presented in our
Form S-1.
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding during the year, basic basis
|
|
|
173,463 |
|
Plus: Common stock equivalent shares
|
|
|
111 |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding during the year, diluted
basis
|
|
|
173,574 |
|
Basic earnings per share
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted earnings per share
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Company granted options to
purchase 2,206,500 shares of the Companys common
stock in October 2005, all of which were excluded from the
computation of diluted earnings per share because they were
anti-dilutive.
Unaudited proforma net earnings per share for the year ended
December 31, 2004, has been calculated using the number of
outstanding shares of FNF common stock as of a date prior to the
Distribution.
52
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
|
|
|
Transactions with Related Parties |
The Companys financial statements reflect transactions
with other businesses and operations of FNF, including those
being conducted by another FNF subsidiary, Fidelity National
Information Services, Inc. (FIS).
A detail of related party items included in revenues and
expenses is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In millions) | |
Agency title premiums earned
|
|
$ |
91.9 |
|
|
$ |
106.3 |
|
|
$ |
284.9 |
|
Rental income earned
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
|
8.4 |
|
|
|
7.3 |
|
Interest revenue
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
|
|
0.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenue
|
|
$ |
97.9 |
|
|
$ |
115.7 |
|
|
$ |
292.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agency title commissions
|
|
$ |
80.9 |
|
|
$ |
93.6 |
|
|
$ |
250.7 |
|
Data processing costs
|
|
|
56.9 |
|
|
|
56.6 |
|
|
|
12.4 |
|
Data processing costs allocated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5.4 |
) |
Corporate services allocated
|
|
|
(30.3 |
) |
|
|
(84.5 |
) |
|
|
(48.7 |
) |
Title insurance information expense
|
|
|
28.1 |
|
|
|
28.6 |
|
|
|
28.2 |
|
Other real-estate related information
|
|
|
10.9 |
|
|
|
9.9 |
|
|
|
11.4 |
|
Software expense
|
|
|
7.7 |
|
|
|
5.8 |
|
|
|
2.6 |
|
Rental expense
|
|
|
3.8 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
License and cost sharing
|
|
|
11.9 |
|
|
|
12.8 |
|
|
|
17.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total expenses
|
|
$ |
169.9 |
|
|
$ |
125.6 |
|
|
$ |
269.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total pretax impact of related party activity
|
|
$ |
(72.0 |
) |
|
$ |
(9.9 |
) |
|
$ |
23.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
An FIS subsidiary acts as the title agent in the issuance of
title insurance policies by a title insurance underwriter owned
by the Company and in connection with certain trustee sales
guarantees, a form of title insurance issued as part of the
foreclosure process. As a result, the Companys title
insurance subsidiaries pay commissions on title insurance
policies sold through FIS. For 2005, 2004, and 2003, these FIS
operations generated $91.9 million, $106.3 million,
and $284.9 million, respectively, of revenues for the
Company, which the Company records as agency title premiums. The
Company paid FIS commissions at the rate of 88% of premiums
generated, equal to $80.9 million, $93.6 million, and
$250.7 million for 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Through June 30, 2005, the Company leased equipment to a
subsidiary of FIS. Revenue relating to these leases was
$5.0 million, $8.4 million, and $7.3 million in
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Beginning in September 2003, the Companys expenses
included amounts paid to a subsidiary of FIS for the provision
by FIS to FNT of information technology infrastructure support,
data center management and related IT support services. For
2005, 2004, and 2003, the amounts included in the Companys
expenses to FIS for these services were $56.9 million,
$56.6 million, and $12.4 million, respectively. Prior
to September 2003, the Company performed these services itself
and provided them to FIS. During 2003, FNT received payments
from FIS of $5.4 million relating to these services that
offset the Companys other operating expenses. In addition,
the Company incurred software expenses relating to an agreement
with a subsidiary of FIS that amounted to expense of
$7.7 million, $5.8 million, and $2.6 million in
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Included as a reduction of expenses for all periods are payments
from FNF and FIS relating to the provision by FNT of corporate
services to FNF and to FIS and its subsidiaries. These corporate
services
53
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
include accounting, internal audit and treasury, payroll, human
resources, tax, legal, purchasing, risk management, mergers and
acquisitions and general management. For the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, our expenses were
reduced by $7.0 million, $9.4 million, and
$9.2 million, respectively, related to the provision of
corporate services by the Company to FNF and its subsidiaries
(other than FIS and its subsidiaries). For the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, our expenses were
reduced by $23.3 million, $75.1 million, and
$39.5 million, respectively, related to the provision of
corporate services by us to FIS and its subsidiaries.
The title plant assets of several of the Companys title
insurance subsidiaries are managed or maintained by a subsidiary
of FIS. The underlying title plant information and software
continues to be owned by each of the Companys title
insurance underwriters, but FIS manages and updates the
information in return for either (i) a cash management fee
or (ii) the right to sell that information to title
insurers, including title insurance underwriters that the
Company owns and other third party customers. In most cases, FIS
is responsible for keeping the title plant assets current and
fully functioning, for which the Company pays a fee to FIS based
on the Companys use of, or access to, the title plant. For
2005, 2004, and 2003, the Companys payments to FIS under
these arrangements were $29.9 million, $28.9 million,
and $28.2 million, respectively. In addition, since
November 2004, each applicable title insurance underwriter in
turn has received a royalty on sales of access to its title
plant assets. For the years ended December 31, 2005 and
2004, the revenues from these title plant royalties were
$3.0 million and $0.3 million, respectively. The
Company has also entered into agreements with FIS that permit
FIS and certain of its subsidiaries to access and use (but not
to re-sell) the starters databases and back plant databases of
the Companys title insurance subsidiaries. Starters
databases are the Companys databases of previously issued
title policies and back plant databases contain historical
records relating to title that are not regularly updated. Each
of the Companys applicable title insurance subsidiaries
receives a fee for any access to or use of its starters and back
plant databases by FIS. The Company also does business with
additional entities within the information services segment of
FIS that provide real estate information to the Companys
operations, for which the Company recorded expenses of
$10.9 million, $9.9 million, and $11.4 million in
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
The Company also has certain license and cost sharing agreements
with FIS. The Company recorded expense of $11.9 million,
$12.8 million, and $17.9 million relating to these
agreements in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively
Also, the Company capitalized software costs of
$11.2 million paid to FIS relating to a development
agreement.
The Companys financial statements reflect allocations for
a lease of office space to us for our corporate headquarters and
business operations in the amounts of $3.8 million,
$2.8 million, and $0.5 million in 2005, 2004, and 2003.
The Company believes the amounts earned by the Company or
charged to the Company under each of the foregoing arrangements
are fair and reasonable. Although the commission rate paid on
the title insurance premiums written by the FIS title agencies
was set without negotiation, the Company believes the
commissions earned are consistent with the average rate that
would be available to a third party title agent given the amount
and the geographic distribution of the business produced and the
low risk of loss profile of the business placed. In connection
with the title plant management and maintenance services
provided by FIS, the Company believes that the fees charged to
the Company by FIS are at approximately the same rates that FIS
and other similar vendors charge unaffiliated title insurers.
The IT infrastructure support and data center management
services provided to the Company by FIS is priced within the
range of prices that FIS offers to its unaffiliated third party
customers for the same types of services. However, the amounts
the Company earned or were charged under these arrangements were
not negotiated at arms-length, and may not represent the
terms that the Company might have obtained from an unrelated
third party.
54
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Amounts Due from/to FNF are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In millions) | |
Notes receivable from FNF
|
|
$ |
19.0 |
|
|
$ |
22.8 |
|
Due from FNF
|
|
|
32.7 |
|
|
|
63.7 |
|
Notes payable to FNF (See Note G)
|
|
|
497.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Company has notes receivable from FNF relating to agreements
between its title underwriters and FNF. These notes amounted to
$19.0 million and $22.8 million at December 31,
2005 and 2004, respectively. As of December 31, 2005, these
notes bear interest at 5.1%. The Company earned interest revenue
of $1.0 million, $1.0 million, and $0.7 million
relating to these notes during 2005, 2004, and 2003,
respectively.
The Company is included in FNFs consolidated tax returns
and thus any income tax liability or receivable is due to/from
FNF. Due from FNF at December 31, 2005 and 2004, includes a
receivable from FNF relating to overpayment of taxes of
$11.5 million and $63.6 million, respectively. The
Company paid $255.9 million, $371.5 million, and
$395.1 million to FNF for taxes owed in 2005, 2004 and
2003, respectively.
Our financial statements reflect allocations for a lease of
office space to us for our corporate headquarters and business
operations. In connection with the Distribution, we entered into
a lease with FIS, pursuant to which FIS leases office space to
us for our corporate headquarters and business operations.
Fixed maturity securities are purchased to support the
investment strategies of the Company, which are developed based
on factors including rate of return, maturity, credit risk, tax
considerations and regulatory requirements. Fixed maturity
securities which may be sold prior to maturity to support the
Companys investment strategies are carried at fair value
and are classified as available for sale as of the balance sheet
dates. Fair values for fixed maturity securities are principally
a function of current interest rates and are based on quoted
market prices. Included in fixed maturities are mortgage-backed
securities, which are recorded at purchased cost. Discount or
premium is recorded for the difference between the purchase
price and the principal amount. Any discount or premium is
amortized using the interest method and is recorded as an
adjustment to interest and investment income. The interest
method results in the recognition of a constant rate of return
on the investment equal to the prevailing rate at the time of
purchase or at the time of subsequent adjustments of book value.
Changes in prepayment assumptions are accounted for
retrospectively.
Equity securities are considered to be available for sale and
are carried at fair value as of the balance sheet dates. Fair
values are based on quoted market prices.
Other long-term investments consist primarily of equity
investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting.
Short-term investments, which consist primarily of securities
purchased under agreements to resell, commercial paper and money
market instruments, which have an original maturity of one year
or less, are carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair
value.
Realized gains and losses on the sale of investments are
determined on the basis of the cost of the specific investments
sold and are credited or charged to income on a trade date
basis. Unrealized gains or losses on fixed maturity and equity
securities which are classified as available for sale, net of
applicable deferred income taxes (benefits), are excluded from
earnings and credited or charged directly to a separate
component of stockholders equity. If any unrealized losses
on fixed maturity or equity securities are deemed
other-than-temporary, such unrealized losses are recognized as
realized losses.
55
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
|
|
|
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
For purposes of reporting cash flows, highly liquid instruments
purchased with original maturities of three months or less are
considered cash equivalents. The carrying amounts reported in
the Consolidated and Combined Balance Sheets for these
instruments approximate their fair value.
|
|
|
Fair Value of Financial Instruments |
The fair values of financial instruments presented in the
applicable notes to the Companys Consolidated and Combined
Financial Statements are estimates of the fair values at a
specific point in time using available market information and
appropriate valuation methodologies. These estimates are
subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and significant
judgment in the interpretation of current market data.
Therefore, the fair values presented are not necessarily
indicative of amounts the Company could realize or settle
currently. The Company does not necessarily intend to dispose of
or liquidate such instruments prior to maturity.
|
|
|
Trade and Notes Receivables |
The carrying values reported in the Consolidated and Combined
Balance Sheets for trade and notes receivables approximate their
fair value.
Goodwill represents the excess of cost over fair value of
identifiable net assets acquired and assumed in a business
combination. SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Intangible
Assets (SFAS No. 142) provides that
goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful
lives should not be amortized, but shall be tested for
impairment annually, or more frequently if circumstances
indicate potential impairment, through a comparison of fair
value to its carrying amount. The Company measures for
impairment on an annual basis.
As required by SFAS No. 142, the Company completed
annual goodwill impairment tests in the fourth quarter of each
respective year using a September 30 measurement date, and
has determined fair values were in excess of carrying values.
Accordingly, no goodwill impairments have been recorded.
The Company has other intangible assets which consist primarily
of customer relationships which are generally recorded in
connection with acquisitions at their fair value.
SFAS No. 142 requires that intangible assets with
estimable lives be amortized over their respective estimated
useful lives to their estimated residual values and reviewed for
impairment in accordance with SFAS No. 144,
Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived
Assets. Customer relationships are amortized over their
estimated useful lives using an accelerated method which takes
into consideration expected customer attrition rates over a
ten-year period. Contractual relationships are generally
amortized over their contractual life.
At December 31, 2005 and 2004, prepaid expenses and other
assets on the consolidated and combined balance sheets included
other intangible assets of $108.6 million, less accumulated
amortization of $37.8 million, and $61.5 million, less
accumulated amortization of $22.7 million, respectively.
Amortization expense relating to other intangible assets was
$15.1 million, $13.0 million, and $1.9 million
for the years ended 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. Future
amortization expense relating to these assets is
$17.6 million in 2006, $14.5 million in 2007,
$10.6 million in 2008, $6.8 million in 2009,
$5.4 million in 2010, and $15.9 million thereafter.
56
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Capitalized software includes software acquired in business
acquisitions, purchased software and internally developed
capitalized software. Purchased software is recorded at cost and
amortized using the straight-line method over a three-year
period and software acquired in a business acquisition is
recorded at its fair value upon acquisition and amortized using
straight-line and accelerated methods over its estimated useful
life, generally three to seven years. Capitalized computer
software development costs are accounted for in accordance with
SOP No. 98-1, Accounting for the Costs of Computer
Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use. At the
beginning of application development, software development
costs, which include salaries and related payroll costs and
costs of independent contractors incurred during development,
are capitalized. Research and development costs incurred prior
to application development of a product are expensed as incurred
and are not significant. The cost of computer software is
amortized on a product-by-product basis when ready for use for
internally developed software and the date of purchase for
purchased software. The capitalized cost of internally developed
capitalized software is amortized on a straight-line basis over
its estimated useful life, generally seven years.
At December 31, 2005 and 2004, included in prepaid expenses
and other assets on the consolidated and combined balance sheets
were capitalized software costs of $109.5 million, less
accumulated amortization of $40.0 million, and
$101.0 million, less accumulated amortization of
$23.7 million, respectively. Amortization expense relating
to computer software was $19.2 million, $17.2 million,
and $14.4 million for 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Title plants are recorded at the cost incurred to construct or
obtain and organize historical title information to the point it
can be used to perform title searches. Costs incurred to
maintain, update and operate title plants are expensed as
incurred. Title plants are not amortized as they are considered
to have an indefinite life if maintained. Sales of title plants
are reported at the amount received net of the adjusted costs of
the title plant sold. Sales of title plant copies are reported
at the amount received. No cost is allocated to the sale of
copies of title plants unless the carrying value of the title
plant is diminished or impaired.
Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated
depreciation. Depreciation is computed primarily using the
straight-line method based on the estimated useful lives of the
related assets: thirty years for buildings and three to seven
years for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Leasehold
improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the
lesser of the term of the applicable lease or the estimated
useful lives of such assets.
The Companys reserve for claim losses includes known
claims for title insurance as well as losses the Company expects
to incur, net of recoupments. Each known claim is reserved based
on a review by the Company as to the estimated amount of the
claim and the costs required to settle the claim. Reserves for
claims which are incurred but not reported are established at
the time premium revenue is recognized based on historical loss
experience and other factors, including industry trends, claim
loss history, current legal environment, geographic
considerations and type of policy written.
The reserve for claim losses also includes reserves for losses
arising from the escrow, closing and disbursement functions due
to fraud or operational error.
If a loss is related to a policy issued by an independent agent,
the Company may proceed against the independent agent pursuant
to the terms of the agency agreement. In any event, the Company
may proceed
57
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
against third parties who are responsible for any loss under the
title insurance policy under rights of subrogation.
In the state of Illinois, a trust company is permitted to
commingle and invest customers assets with those of the
Company, pending completion of real estate transactions.
Accordingly, the Companys consolidated and combined
balance sheets reflect a secured trust deposit liability of
$882.6 million and $735.3 million at December 31,
2005 and 2004, respectively, representing customers assets
held by us and corresponding assets including cash and
investments pledged as security for those trust balances.
The Companys operating results have been historically
included in FNFs consolidated U.S. Federal and State
income tax returns and the Company is a party to an agreement
with FNF which governs the respective rights, responsibilities
and obligations of FNF and us with respect to tax liabilities
and refunds and other tax-related matters. The provision for
income taxes in the Consolidated and Combined Statements of
Earnings is made at rates consistent with what the Company would
have paid as a stand-alone taxable entity. The Company
recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary
differences between the financial reporting basis and the tax
basis of the Companys assets and liabilities and expected
benefits of utilizing net operating loss and credit
carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured
using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in
the years in which those temporary differences are expected to
be recovered or settled. The impact on deferred taxes of changes
in tax rates and laws, if any, are applied to the years during
which temporary differences are expected to be settled and
reflected in the financial statements in the period enacted.
In a limited number of situations, the Company limits its
maximum loss exposure by reinsuring certain risks with other
insurers. The Company also earns a small amount of additional
income, which is reflected in the Companys direct
premiums, by assuming reinsurance for certain risks of other
insurers. The Company also cedes a portion of certain policy and
other liabilities under agent fidelity, excess of loss and
case-by-case reinsurance agreements. Reinsurance agreements
provide that in the event of a loss (including costs,
attorneys fees and expenses) exceeding the retained
amounts, the reinsurer is liable for the excess amount assumed.
However, the ceding company remains primarily liable in the
event the reinsurer does not meet its contractual obligations.
Direct title insurance premiums and escrow and other
title-related fees are recognized as revenue at the time of
closing of the related transaction as the earnings process is
then considered complete, whereas premium revenues from agency
operations and agency commissions include an accrual based on
estimates of the volume of transactions that have closed in a
particular period for which premiums have not yet been reported
to us. The accrual for agency premiums is necessary because of
the lag between the closing of these transactions and the
reporting of these policies to us by the agent.
|
|
|
Stock-Based Compensation Plans |
Certain FNT employees are participants in FNTs and
FNFs stock-based compensation plans, which provide for the
granting of incentive and nonqualified stock options, restricted
stock and other stock-based incentive awards for officers and
key employees. The amounts below relating to the FNF plans are
based on
58
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
allocations of FNFs stock compensation expense relating to
awards given to FNT employees during the historical period.
The Company accounts for stock-based compensation using the fair
value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123,
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation
(SFAS No. 123) as of the beginning of
2003. Under the fair value method of accounting, compensation
cost is measured based on the fair value of the award at the
grant date and recognized over the service period. The Company
has elected to use the prospective method of transition, as
permitted by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation Transition and Disclosure
(SFAS No. 148). Under this method,
stock-based employee compensation cost is recognized as if the
fair value method of accounting had been used to account for all
employee awards granted, modified, or settled. The Company has
provided for stock compensation expense of $12.5 million,
$5.4 million, and $4.9 million for the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively, which is
included in personnel costs in the Consolidated and Combined
Statements of Earnings.
The following table illustrates the effect on net earnings for
the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003 as if the
Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of
SFAS No. 123 to all awards held by FNT employees who
are plan participants (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Net earnings, as reported
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
$ |
558,164 |
|
|
$ |
683,325 |
|
Add: Stock-based compensation expense included in reported net
earnings, net of related tax effects
|
|
|
7,839 |
|
|
|
3,360 |
|
|
|
3,016 |
|
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense
determined under fair value based methods for all awards, net of
related tax effects
|
|
|
(8,277 |
) |
|
|
(4,268 |
) |
|
|
(8,124 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,543 |
|
|
$ |
557,256 |
|
|
$ |
678,217 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic as reported
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic pro forma
|
|
$ |
3.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted as reported
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted pro forma
|
|
$ |
3.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net earnings per share basic and diluted,
as reported
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3.22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net earnings per share basic and diluted,
adjusted for SFAS 123 effects
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3.22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The preparation of these Consolidated and Combined Financial
Statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the Consolidated and Combined Financial
Statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses
during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from
those estimates.
59
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The results of operations and financial position of the entities
acquired during any year are included in the Consolidated and
Combined Financial Statements from and after the date of
acquisition. These acquisitions were made by the Company or FNF
and then contributed to FNT by FNF. The acquisitions made by FNF
and contributed to FNT are included in the related Consolidated
and Combined Financial Statements as capital contributions.
Based on the Companys valuation, any difference between
the fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities and
the purchase price paid is recorded as goodwill. Pro forma
disclosures for acquisitions are considered immaterial to the
results of operations for 2005, 2004, and 2003.
On August 1, 2005, the Company acquired Service Link, L.P.
(Service Link), a national provider of centralized
mortgage and residential real estate title and closing services
to major financial institutions and institutional lenders. The
acquisition price was approximately $110 million in cash.
The Company recorded approximately $76.2 million in
goodwill and approximately $33.6 in other amortizable intangible
assets relating to this transaction.
|
|
|
American Pioneer Title Insurance Company |
On March 22, 2004, the Company acquired American Pioneer
Title Insurance Company (APTIC) for
$115.2 million in cash, subject to certain equity
adjustments. APTIC is a
45-state licensed title
insurance underwriter with significant agency operations and
computerized title plant assets in the state of Florida. APTIC
operates under the Companys Ticor Title brand. The Company
recorded approximately $34.5 million in goodwill and
approximately $10.6 in other amortizable intangible assets
relating to this transaction.
On October 9, 2003, the Company acquired LandCanada, a
provider of title insurance and related mortgage document
production in Canada, for $17.6 million in cash. The
Company recorded approximately $8.7 million in goodwill
relating to this transaction.
On March 31, 2003, the Company acquired Key
Title Company (Key Title) for
$22.5 million in cash. Key Title operates in 12 counties in
the state of Oregon. The Company recorded approximately
$2.0 million in goodwill relating to this transaction.
On March 26, 2003, the Company merged with ANFI, Inc.
(ANFI), which is predominately a California
underwritten title company, and ANFI became a wholly-owned
subsidiary of FNF. In the merger, each share of ANFI common
stock (other than ANFI common stock FNF already owned) was
exchanged for 0.454 shares of FNFs common stock. FNF
issued 5,183,103 shares of its common stock worth
approximately $136.7 million to the ANFI stockholders in
the merger, net of cash acquired. The Company recorded
approximately $83.6 million in goodwill and
$33.1 million in other amortizable intangible assets
relating to this transaction.
60
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The carrying amounts and fair values of the Companys fixed
maturity securities at December 31, 2005 and 2004 are as
follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Gross | |
|
Gross | |
|
|
|
|
Carrying | |
|
Amortized | |
|
Unrealized | |
|
Unrealized | |
|
|
|
|
Value | |
|
Cost | |
|
Gains | |
|
Losses | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Fixed maturity investments (available for sale):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. government and agencies
|
|
$ |
852,223 |
|
|
$ |
868,290 |
|
|
$ |
188 |
|
|
$ |
(16,255 |
) |
|
$ |
852,223 |
|
|
States and political subdivisions
|
|
|
993,815 |
|
|
|
1,003,179 |
|
|
|
1,579 |
|
|
|
(10,943 |
) |
|
|
993,815 |
|
|
Corporate debt securities
|
|
|
590,410 |
|
|
|
601,780 |
|
|
|
471 |
|
|
|
(11,841 |
) |
|
|
590,410 |
|
|
Foreign government bonds
|
|
|
21,141 |
|
|
|
21,398 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
(264 |
) |
|
|
21,141 |
|
|
Mortgage-backed securities
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,457,632 |
|
|
$ |
2,494,687 |
|
|
$ |
2,248 |
|
|
$ |
(39,303 |
) |
|
$ |
2,457,632 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Gross | |
|
Gross | |
|
|
|
|
Carrying | |
|
Amortized | |
|
Unrealized | |
|
Unrealized | |
|
|
|
|
Value | |
|
Cost | |
|
Gains | |
|
Losses | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Fixed maturity investments (available for sale):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. government and agencies
|
|
$ |
707,007 |
|
|
$ |
708,885 |
|
|
$ |
1,058 |
|
|
$ |
(2,936 |
) |
|
$ |
707,007 |
|
|
States and political subdivisions
|
|
|
991,696 |
|
|
|
982,794 |
|
|
|
11,973 |
|
|
|
(3,071 |
) |
|
|
991,696 |
|
|
Corporate debt securities
|
|
|
388,429 |
|
|
|
392,518 |
|
|
|
320 |
|
|
|
(4,409 |
) |
|
|
388,429 |
|
|
Foreign government bonds
|
|
|
4,189 |
|
|
|
4,178 |
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,189 |
|
|
Mortgage-backed securities
|
|
|
83,496 |
|
|
|
83,311 |
|
|
|
355 |
|
|
|
(170 |
) |
|
|
83,496 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,174,817 |
|
|
$ |
2,171,686 |
|
|
$ |
13,717 |
|
|
$ |
(10,586 |
) |
|
$ |
2,174,817 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The change in unrealized gains (losses) on fixed maturities for
the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003 was
$(40.2) million, $(26.1) million, and
$(20.6) million, respectively.
61
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The following table presents certain information regarding
contractual maturities of the Companys fixed maturity
securities at December 31, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
Amortized | |
|
|
Maturity |
|
Cost | |
|
% of Total | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
% of Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
One year or less
|
|
$ |
347,745 |
|
|
|
13.9 |
% |
|
$ |
345,246 |
|
|
|
14.0 |
% |
After one year through five years
|
|
|
1,190,201 |
|
|
|
47.7 |
|
|
|
1,168,915 |
|
|
|
47.6 |
|
After five years through ten years
|
|
|
736,030 |
|
|
|
29.6 |
|
|
|
723,827 |
|
|
|
29.5 |
|
After ten years
|
|
|
220,671 |
|
|
|
8.8 |
|
|
|
219,601 |
|
|
|
8.9 |
|
Mortgage-backed securities
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,494,687 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
2,457,632 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subject to call
|
|
$ |
322,319 |
|
|
|
12.9 |
% |
|
$ |
318,929 |
|
|
|
13.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed maturity securities valued at approximately
$95.3 million and $71.9 million were on deposit with
various governmental authorities at December 31, 2005 and
2004, respectively, as required by law.
Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities
because certain borrowers have the right to call or prepay
obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
Equity securities at December 31, 2005 and 2004 consist of
investments in various industrial and miscellaneous other
industry groups. At December 31, 2005, the Company held
equity securities with a total cost of $185,651 and an aggregate
fair value of $176,987. At December 31, 2004, the Company
held equity securities with a total cost of $108,574 and an
aggregate fair value of $115,070.
The carrying value of the Companys investment in equity
securities is fair value. As of December 31, 2005, gross
unrealized gains and gross unrealized losses on equity
securities were $7.2 million and $15.9 million,
respectively. Gross unrealized gains and gross unrealized losses
on equity securities were $9.8 million and
$3.3 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2004.
The change in unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities for
the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003 was
$(15.2) million, $(4.5) million, and
$(0.8) million, respectively.
Interest and investment income consists of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
13,987 |
|
|
$ |
1,909 |
|
|
$ |
1,513 |
|
Fixed maturity securities
|
|
|
70,924 |
|
|
|
55,817 |
|
|
|
45,973 |
|
Equity securities
|
|
|
2,154 |
|
|
|
(44 |
) |
|
|
1,749 |
|
Short-term investments
|
|
|
28,639 |
|
|
|
5,435 |
|
|
|
5,594 |
|
Notes receivable
|
|
|
2,380 |
|
|
|
1,768 |
|
|
|
1,879 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
118,084 |
|
|
$ |
64,885 |
|
|
$ |
56,708 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During the second quarter of 2005, the Company began lending
fixed maturity and equity securities to financial institutions
in short-term security lending transactions. The Companys
security lending policy requires that the cash received as
collateral be 102% or more of the fair value of the loaned
securities. These short-term security lending arrangements
increase investment income with minimal risk. At
December 31, 2005, the Company had security loans
outstanding with a fair value of $120.2 million included in
accounts
62
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
payable and accrued liabilities and the Company held cash in the
amount of $124.3 million as collateral for the loaned
securities.
Net realized gains amounted to $44.7 million,
$22.9 million, and $101.8 million for the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. Included
in 2003 net realized gains is a $51.7 million realized
gain as a result of InterActive Corps acquisition of
Lending Tree Inc. and the subsequent sale of the Companys
InterActive Corp common stock and a realized gain of
$21.8 million on the sale of New Century Financial
Corporation common stock.
During the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003,
gross realized gains on sales of fixed maturity securities
considered available for sale were $4.7 million,
$8.6 million, and $17.6 million, respectively; and
gross realized losses were $1.3 million, $0.3 million,
and $2.2 million, respectively. Gross proceeds from the
sale of fixed maturity securities considered available for sale
amounted to $1,889.9 million, $2,063.5 million, and
$724.4 million during the years ended December 31,
2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
During the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003,
gross realized gains on sales of equity securities considered
available for sale were $48.7 million, $30.6 million,
and $98.9 million, respectively; and gross realized losses
were $26.1 million, $23.4 million, and
$7.8 million, respectively. Gross proceeds from the sale of
equity securities amounted to $520.7 million,
$622.9 million, and $760.9 million during the years
ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.
Gross unrealized losses on investment securities and the fair
value of the related securities, aggregated by investment
category and length of time that individual securities have been
in a continuous unrealized loss position at December 31,
2005 and 2004 were as follows (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less than 12 Months | |
|
12 Months or Longer | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Unrealized | |
|
|
|
Unrealized | |
|
|
|
Unrealized | |
2005 |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Losses | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Losses | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Losses | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
U.S. government and agencies
|
|
$ |
322,998 |
|
|
$ |
(6,429 |
) |
|
$ |
512,611 |
|
|
$ |
(9,826 |
) |
|
$ |
835,609 |
|
|
$ |
(16,255 |
) |
States and political subdivisions
|
|
|
560,521 |
|
|
|
(6,187 |
) |
|
|
196,729 |
|
|
|
(4,756 |
) |
|
|
757,250 |
|
|
|
(10,943 |
) |
Corporate debt securities
|
|
|
250,163 |
|
|
|
(5,218 |
) |
|
|
274,974 |
|
|
|
(6,623 |
) |
|
|
525,137 |
|
|
|
(11,841 |
) |
Equity securities
|
|
|
79,560 |
|
|
|
(15,500 |
) |
|
|
6,330 |
|
|
|
(448 |
) |
|
|
85,890 |
|
|
|
(15,948 |
) |
Foreign government bonds
|
|
|
19,766 |
|
|
|
(264 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,766 |
|
|
|
(264 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total temporary impaired securities
|
|
$ |
1,233,008 |
|
|
$ |
(33,598 |
) |
|
$ |
990,644 |
|
|
$ |
(21,653 |
) |
|
$ |
2,223,652 |
|
|
$ |
(55,251 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less than 12 Months | |
|
12 Months or Longer | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Unrealized | |
|
|
|
Unrealized | |
|
|
|
Unrealized | |
2004 |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Losses | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Losses | |
|
Fair Value | |
|
Losses | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
U.S. government and agencies
|
|
$ |
576,655 |
|
|
$ |
(2,725 |
) |
|
$ |
40,517 |
|
|
$ |
(211 |
) |
|
$ |
617,172 |
|
|
$ |
(2,936 |
) |
States and political subdivisions
|
|
|
286,222 |
|
|
|
(2,609 |
) |
|
|
39,019 |
|
|
|
(462 |
) |
|
|
325,241 |
|
|
|
(3,071 |
) |
Mortgage-backed securities
|
|
|
22,309 |
|
|
|
(170 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22,309 |
|
|
|
(170 |
) |
Corporate debt securities
|
|
|
242,147 |
|
|
|
(2,615 |
) |
|
|
114,808 |
|
|
|
(1,794 |
) |
|
|
356,955 |
|
|
|
(4,409 |
) |
Equity securities
|
|
|
64,739 |
|
|
|
(1,998 |
) |
|
|
33,554 |
|
|
|
(1,332 |
) |
|
|
98,293 |
|
|
|
(3,330 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total temporary impaired securities
|
|
$ |
1,192,072 |
|
|
$ |
(10,117 |
) |
|
$ |
227,898 |
|
|
$ |
(3,799 |
) |
|
$ |
1,419,970 |
|
|
$ |
(13,916 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
63
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
A substantial portion of the Companys unrealized losses
relate to its holdings of debt securities. Unrealized losses
relating to U.S. government, state and political
subdivision and fixed maturity corporate holdings were primarily
caused by interest rate increases. Since the decline in fair
value of these investments is attributable to changes in
interest rates and not credit quality, and the Company has the
intent and ability to hold these securities, the Company does
not consider these investments other-than-temporarily impaired.
The unrealized losses relating to equity securities were caused
by market changes that the Company considers to be temporary.
During 2005, the Company recorded an impairment charge on two
investments that it considered to be other-than-temporarily
impaired, which resulted in a charge of $6.9 million.
During 2004, the Company incurred an impairment charge relating
to two investments that it determined to be other than
temporarily impaired, which resulted in a charge of
$6.6 million.
|
|
D. |
Property and Equipment |
Property and equipment consists of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Land
|
|
$ |
1,109 |
|
|
$ |
3,968 |
|
|
Buildings
|
|
|
12,077 |
|
|
|
22,726 |
|
|
Leasehold improvements
|
|
|
72,575 |
|
|
|
71,475 |
|
|
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
|
|
|
364,619 |
|
|
|
348,229 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
450,380 |
|
|
|
446,398 |
|
|
Accumulated depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(293,428 |
) |
|
|
(281,482 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
156,952 |
|
|
$ |
164,916 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill consists of the following (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, December 31, 2003
|
|
$ |
920,278 |
|
Goodwill acquired during the year
|
|
|
39,322 |
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, December 31, 2004
|
|
|
959,600 |
|
Goodwill acquired during the year
|
|
|
91,926 |
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, December 31, 2005
|
|
$ |
1,051,526 |
|
|
|
|
|
64
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
|
|
F. |
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consist of the
following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) | |
Accrued benefits
|
|
$ |
238,058 |
|
|
$ |
218,121 |
|
Salaries and incentives
|
|
|
197,565 |
|
|
|
186,057 |
|
Accrued recording fees and transfer taxes
|
|
|
45,857 |
|
|
|
48,827 |
|
Accrued premium taxes
|
|
|
31,937 |
|
|
|
24,343 |
|
Trade accounts payable
|
|
|
31,414 |
|
|
|
33,958 |
|
Security loans
|
|
|
120,184 |
|
|
|
|
|
Other accrued liabilities
|
|
|
125,583 |
|
|
|
92,399 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
790,598 |
|
|
$ |
603,705 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes payable consist of the following (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Unsecured note due to FNF, net of discount, interest payable
semiannually at 7.3%, due August, 2011
|
|
$ |
249,337 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Unsecured note due to FNF, net of discount, interest payable
semiannually at 5.25%, due March, 2013
|
|
|
248,463 |
|
|
|
|
|
Syndicated credit agreement, unsecured, interest due monthly at
LIBOR plus 0.50%, (4.87% at December 31, 2005), unused
portion of $300,000 at December 31, 2005
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Other promissory notes with various interest rates and maturities
|
|
|
5,462 |
|
|
|
22,390 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
603,262 |
|
|
$ |
22,390 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The carrying value of the Companys notes payable was
approximately $22.5 million lower than its estimated fair
value at December 31, 2005. At December 31, 2004, the
carrying value of the Companys outstanding notes
approximated estimated fair value. The fair value of the
Companys unsecured notes payable is based on established
market prices for the securities on December 31, 2005.
In connection with the Distribution, the Company issued two
$250 million intercompany notes payable to FNF (the
Mirror Notes), with terms that mirror FNFs
existing $250 million 7.30% public debentures due in August
2011 and $250 million 5.25% public debentures due in March
2013. Original proceeds from the issuance of the 2011 public
debentures were used by FNF to repay debt incurred in connection
with the acquisition of the Companys subsidiary, Chicago
Title, and the original proceeds from the 2013 public debentures
were used for general corporate purposes. Interest on each
Mirror Note accrues from the last date on which interest on the
corresponding FNF notes was paid and at the same rate. The
Mirror Notes mature on the maturity dates of the corresponding
FNF notes. Upon any acceleration of maturity of the FNF notes,
whether upon redemption or an event of default of the FNF notes,
FNT must repay the corresponding Mirror Note. Following issuance
of the Mirror Notes, the Company filed a Registration Statement
on Form S-4,
pursuant to which the Company offered to exchange the
outstanding FNF notes for notes FNT would issue having
substantially the same terms and deliver the FNF notes received
to FNF to reduce the debt under the intercompany notes. On
January 17, the offers expired. As of that time,
$241,347,000 aggregate principal
65
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
amount of the 7.30% notes due 2011 and the entire
$250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 5.25% notes
due 2013 had been validly tendered and not withdrawn in the
exchange offers. Following the completion of the exchange
offers, the Company issued a new 7.30% Mirror Note due in 2011
in the amount of $8,653,000, which is outstanding at
December 31, 2005 and represents the principal amount of
the portion of the original Mirror Notes that was not exchanged.
On October 17, 2005, the Company entered into a Credit
Agreement, dated as of October 17, 2005, with Bank of
America, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Swing Line Lender (the
Credit Agreement), and the other financial
institutions party thereto. The Credit Agreement provides for a
$400 million unsecured revolving credit facility maturing
on the fifth anniversary of the closing date. Amounts under the
revolving credit facility may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed
by the borrowers thereunder from time to time until the maturity
of the revolving credit facility. Voluntary prepayment of the
revolving credit facility under the Credit Agreement is
permitted at any time without fee upon proper notice and subject
to a minimum dollar requirement. Revolving loans under the
credit facility bear interest at a variable rate based on either
(i) the higher of (a) a rate per annum equal to
one-half of one percent in excess of the Federal Reserves
Federal Funds rate, or (b) Bank of Americas
prime rate; or (ii) a rate per annum equal to
the British Bankers Association London Interbank Offered Rate
(LIBOR) rate plus a margin of between .35%-1.25%,
depending on the Companys then current public debt credit
rating from the rating agencies. In addition, the Company will
pay a 0.15% commitment fee on the entire facility.
The Credit Agreement contains affirmative, negative and
financial covenants customary for financings of this type,
including, among other things, limits on the creation of liens,
limits on the incurrence of indebtedness, restrictions on
investments, and limitations on restricted payments and
transactions with affiliates. The Credit Agreement requires the
Company to maintain investment grade debt ratings, certain
financial ratios related to liquidity and statutory surplus and
certain levels of capitalization. The Credit Agreement also
includes customary events of default for facilities of this type
(with customary grace periods, as applicable) and provides that,
upon the occurrence of an event of default, the interest rate on
all outstanding obligations will be increased and payments of
all outstanding loans may be accelerated and/or the
lenders commitments may be terminated. In addition, upon
the occurrence of certain insolvency or bankruptcy related
events of default, all amounts payable under the Credit
Agreement shall automatically become immediately due and
payable, and the lenders commitments will automatically
terminate. The Companys management believes that the
Company is in compliance with all covenants related to the
Credit Agreement at December 31, 2005.
During the fourth quarter of 2005, the Company borrowed
$150 million under this facility and paid it to FNF in
satisfaction of a $150 million intercompany note issued by
one of the Companys subsidiaries to FNF in August 2005.
During the fourth quarter of 2005, the Company repaid
$50 million of this amount.
Principal maturities of notes payable at December 31, 2005,
are as follows (dollars in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
$ |
5,462 |
|
2007
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
Thereafter
|
|
|
497,800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
603,262 |
|
|
|
|
|
66
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Income tax expense consists of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Current
|
|
$ |
276,736 |
|
|
$ |
298,737 |
|
|
$ |
311,435 |
|
Deferred
|
|
|
50,615 |
|
|
|
24,861 |
|
|
|
96,301 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
327,351 |
|
|
$ |
323,598 |
|
|
$ |
407,736 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total income tax expense for the years ended December 31
was allocated as follows (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Statement of earnings
|
|
$ |
327,351 |
|
|
$ |
323,598 |
|
|
$ |
407,736 |
|
Other comprehensive income:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minimum pension liability adjustment
|
|
|
(1,188 |
) |
|
|
(6,909 |
) |
|
|
(6,401 |
) |
Unrealized losses on investment securities, net
|
|
|
(20,767 |
) |
|
|
(10,786 |
) |
|
|
(7,939 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total income tax expense (benefit) allocated to other
comprehensive income
|
|
|
(21,955 |
) |
|
|
(17,695 |
) |
|
|
(14,340 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total income taxes
|
|
$ |
305,396 |
|
|
$ |
305,903 |
|
|
$ |
393,396 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A reconciliation of the federal statutory rate to the
Companys effective tax rate is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Federal statutory rate
|
|
|
35.0 |
% |
|
|
35.0 |
% |
|
|
35.0 |
% |
Federal benefit of state taxes
|
|
|
(1.4 |
) |
|
|
(0.8 |
) |
|
|
(0.9 |
) |
Tax exempt interest income
|
|
|
(1.7 |
) |
|
|
(1.0 |
) |
|
|
(0.6 |
) |
State income taxes
|
|
|
4.0 |
|
|
|
2.3 |
|
|
|
2.5 |
|
Non-deductible expenses
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
|
|
0.6 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
Other
|
|
|
0.4 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
0.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37.7 |
% |
|
|
36.6 |
% |
|
|
37.3 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
67
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The significant components of deferred tax assets and
liabilities at December 31, 2005 and 2004 consist of the
following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Deferred tax assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employee benefit accruals
|
|
$ |
45,290 |
|
|
$ |
68,278 |
|
|
Pension
|
|
|
20,168 |
|
|
|
24,318 |
|
|
Accrued liabilities
|
|
|
16,161 |
|
|
|
8,474 |
|
|
Investment securities
|
|
|
11,984 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
State income taxes
|
|
|
10,605 |
|
|
|
10,793 |
|
|
Other
|
|
|
9,645 |
|
|
|
8,777 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total deferred tax assets
|
|
$ |
113,853 |
|
|
$ |
120,640 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred tax liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of goodwill and intangible assets
|
|
$ |
(26,303 |
) |
|
$ |
(27,040 |
) |
|
Title plant
|
|
|
(59,757 |
) |
|
|
(58,141 |
) |
|
Other
|
|
|
(12,396 |
) |
|
|
(18,973 |
) |
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
(17,532 |
) |
|
|
(22,083 |
) |
|
Insurance reserve basis differences
|
|
|
(60,070 |
) |
|
|
(26,589 |
) |
|
Investment securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(8,395 |
) |
|
Bad debts
|
|
|
(11,090 |
) |
|
|
(10,667 |
) |
|
Lease accounting
|
|
|
(2,544 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total deferred tax liabilities
|
|
|
(189,692 |
) |
|
|
(171,888 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net deferred tax liability
|
|
$ |
(75,839 |
) |
|
$ |
(51,248 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management believes that based on its historical pattern of
taxable income, the Company will produce sufficient income in
the future to realize its deferred tax assets or the realization
of its deferred tax assets will coincide with the turnaround in
its deferred tax liabilities. A valuation allowance will be
established for any portion of a deferred tax asset that
management believes may not be realized. Adjustments to the
valuation allowance will be made if there is a change in
managements assessment of the amount of deferred tax asset
that is realizable.
As of January 1, 2005, FNF has agreed to participate in a
new Internal Revenue Service pilot program (Compliance Audit
Program or CAP) that is a real-time audit for 2005 and future
years. The Internal Revenue Service is also currently examining
FNFs tax returns for years 2004, 2003 and 2002. Management
believes the ultimate resolution of this examination will not
result in a material adverse effect to the Companys
financial position or results of operations.
68
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
|
|
I. |
Summary of Reserve for Claim Losses |
Following is a summary of the reserve for claim losses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Beginning balance
|
|
$ |
980,746 |
|
|
$ |
932,439 |
|
|
$ |
887,973 |
|
|
Reserves assumed(1)
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
|
|
38,597 |
|
|
|
4,203 |
|
|
Claim loss provision related to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current year
|
|
|
319,730 |
|
|
|
275,982 |
|
|
|
237,919 |
|
|
|
Prior years
|
|
|
34,980 |
|
|
|
(16,580 |
) |
|
|
10,915 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total claim loss provision
|
|
|
354,710 |
|
|
|
259,402 |
|
|
|
248,834 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Claims paid, net of recoupments related to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current year
|
|
|
(14,479 |
) |
|
|
(19,095 |
) |
|
|
(11,591 |
) |
|
|
Prior years
|
|
|
(258,120 |
) |
|
|
(230,597 |
) |
|
|
(196,980 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total claims paid, net of recoupments
|
|
|
(272,599 |
) |
|
|
(249,692 |
) |
|
|
(208,571 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending balance
|
|
$ |
1,063,857 |
|
|
$ |
980,746 |
|
|
$ |
932,439 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Provision for claim losses as a percentage of title premiums
|
|
|
7.2 |
% |
|
|
5.5 |
% |
|
|
5.3 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
The Company assumed the outstanding reserve for claim losses of
Service Link, APTIC, and ANFI in connection with their
acquisitions in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. |
Management continually updates loss reserve estimates as new
information becomes known, new loss patterns emerge, or as other
contributing factors are considered and incorporated into the
analysis of reserve for claim losses. The unfavorable
development on the prior years loss reserve during 2005
reflects the increase in losses incurred and loss payments
during 2005 on previous policy years, resulting in an increase
in estimated ultimate losses in previous policy years. The title
loss provision in 2004 reflects a higher estimated loss for the
2004 policy year offset in part by a favorable adjustment from
previous policy years. The favorable adjustment was attributable
to lower than expected payment levels on previous issue years
that included periods of increased resale activity as well as a
high proportion of refinance business. As a result, title
policies issued in previous years have been replaced by the more
recently issued policies, therefore generally terminating much
of the loss exposure on the previously issued policies. The
unfavorable development during 2003 reflects the higher than
expected payment levels on previously issued policies.
|
|
J. |
Commitments and Contingencies |
The Companys title insurance underwriting subsidiaries
are, in the ordinary course of business, subject to claims made
under, and from
time-to-time are named
as defendants in legal proceedings relating to, policies of
insurance they have issued or other services performed on behalf
of insured policyholders and other customers. The Company
believes that the reserves reflected in its Consolidated and
Combined Financial Statements are adequate to pay losses and
loss adjustment expenses which may result from such claims and
proceedings; however, such estimates may be more or less than
the amount ultimately paid when the claims are settled.
In the ordinary course of business, the Company is involved in
various pending and threatened litigation matters related to its
operations, some of which include claims for punitive or
exemplary damages. The
69
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Company believes that no actions, other than those listed below,
depart from customary litigation incidental to its business. As
background to the disclosure below, please note the following:
|
|
|
|
|
These matters raise difficult and complicated factual and legal
issues and are subject to many uncertainties and complexities,
including but not limited to the underlying facts of each
matter, novel legal issues, variations between jurisdictions in
which matters are being litigated, differences in applicable
laws and judicial interpretations, the length of time before
many of these matters might be resolved by settlement or through
litigation and, in some cases, the timing of their resolutions
relative to other similar cases brought against other companies,
the fact that many of these matters are putative class actions
in which a class has not been certified and in which the
purported class may not be clearly defined, the fact that many
of these matters involve multi-state class actions in which the
applicable law for the claims at issue is in dispute and
therefore unclear, and the current challenging legal environment
faced by large corporations and insurance companies. |
|
|
|
In these matters, plaintiffs seek a variety of remedies
including equitable relief in the form of injunctive and other
remedies and monetary relief in the form of compensatory
damages. In most cases, the monetary damages sought include
punitive or treble damages. Often more specific information
beyond the type of relief sought is not available because
plaintiffs have not requested more specific relief in their
court pleadings. In general, the dollar amount of damages sought
is not specified. In those cases where plaintiffs have made a
specific statement with regard to monetary damages, they often
specify damages just below a jurisdictional limit regardless of
the facts of the case. This represents the maximum they can seek
without risking removal from state court to federal court. In
our experience, monetary demands in plaintiffs court
pleadings bear little relation to the ultimate loss, if any, we
may experience. |
|
|
|
For the reasons specified above, it is not possible to make
meaningful estimates of the amount or range of loss that could
result from these matters at this time. The Company reviews
these matters on an on-going basis and follows the provisions of
SFAS No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies
when making accrual and disclosure decisions. When assessing
reasonably possible and probable outcomes, the Company bases its
decision on its assessment of the ultimate outcome following all
appeals. |
|
|
|
In the opinion of the Companys management, while some of
these matters may be material to the Companys operating
results for any particular period if an unfavorable outcome
results, none will have a material adverse effect on its overall
financial condition. |
Several class actions are pending in Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Florida alleging improper premiums were charged for title
insurance. The cases allege that the named defendant companies
failed to provide notice of premium discounts to consumers
refinancing their mortgages, and failed to give discounts in
refinancing transactions in violation of the filed rates. The
actions seek refunds of the premiums charged and punitive
damages. Recently the courts order denying class
certification in one of the Ohio actions was reversed and the
case was remanded to the trial court for further proceedings.
The Company petitioned the Supreme Court of Ohio for review, but
the court declined to accept jurisdiction over the matter. The
Company intends to vigorously defend the actions.
A class action in California alleges that the Company violated
state law by giving favorable discounts or rates to builders and
developers for escrow fees and requiring purchasers to use
Chicago Title Insurance Company for escrow services. The
action seeks refunds of the premiums charged and additional
damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend this action.
A class action in Missouri alleges that the Company has engaged
in the unauthorized practice of law by preparing documents in
conjunction with its business of insuring title and closing real
estate transactions. The action seeks refunds of the payments
and treble damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend
this action.
70
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
A shareholder derivative action was filed in Florida on
February 11, 2005 alleging that FNF directors and certain
executive officers breached their fiduciary and other duties,
and exposed FNF to potential fines, penalties and suits in the
future, by permitting so called contingent commissions to obtain
business. The Company and the directors and executive officers
named as defendants filed motions to dismiss the action on
June 3, 2005. The plaintiff abandoned his original
complaint and responded to the motions by filing an amended
complaint on July 13, 2005, and FNF, along with the
directors and executive officers named as defendants, has
responded to the amended complaint. Recently, the magistrate
judge granted the defendants motion to stay discovery. The
amended complaint repeats the allegations of the original
complaint and adds allegations about captive
reinsurance programs, which FNF continues to believe were
lawful. These captive reinsurance programs are the
subject of investigations by several state departments of
insurance and attorneys general. FNT has agreed to indemnify FNF
in connection with this matter under the separation agreement
that was entered into in connection with the distribution of FNT
common stock and the Company intends to vigorously defend this
action.
None of the cases described above includes a statement as to the
dollar amount of damages demanded. Instead, each of the cases
includes a demand in an amount to be proved at trial. Two of the
Ohio cases state that the damages per class member are less than
the jurisdictional limit for removal to federal court.
The Company receives inquiries and requests for information from
state insurance departments, attorneys general and other
regulatory agencies from time to time about various matters
relating to its business. Sometimes these take the form of civil
investigative subpoenas. The Company attempts to cooperate with
all such inquiries. From time to time, the Company is assessed
fines for violations of regulations or other matters or enters
into settlements with such authorities which require the Company
to pay money or take other actions.
In the Fall of 2004, the California Department of Insurance
began an investigation into reinsurance practices in the title
insurance industry. In February 2005, FNF was issued a subpoena
to provide information to the California Department of Insurance
as part of its investigation. This investigation paralleled
similar inquiries of the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners, which began earlier in 2004. The investigations
have focused on arrangements in which title insurers would write
title insurance generated by realtors, developers and lenders
and cede a portion of the premiums to a reinsurance company
affiliate of the entity that generated the business.
The Company recently negotiated a settlement with the California
Department of Insurance with respect to that departments
inquiry into these arrangements, which the Company refers to as
captive reinsurance arrangements. Under the terms of the
settlement, the Company will refund approximately
$7.7 million to those consumers whose California property
was subject to a captive reinsurance arrangement and paid a
penalty of $5.6 million. The Company also recently entered
into similar settlements with 26 other states, in which the
Company agreed to refund a total of approximately
$1.2 million to policyholders. Other state insurance
departments and attorneys general and the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also have
made formal or informal inquiries of the Company regarding these
matters.
The Company has been cooperating and intends to continue to
cooperate with the other ongoing investigations. The Company has
discontinued all captive reinsurance arrangements. The total
amount of premiums the Company ceded to reinsurers was
approximately $10 million over the existence of these
agreements. The remaining investigations are continuing and the
Company currently is unable to give any assurance regarding
their consequences for the industry or for FNT.
Additionally, the Company has received inquiries from regulators
about its business involvement with title insurance agencies
affiliated with builders, realtors and other traditional sources
of title insurance business, some of which the Company
participated in forming as joint ventures with its subsidiaries.
These inquiries have focused on whether the placement of title
insurance with the Company through these affiliated
71
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
agencies is proper or an improper form of referral payment. Like
most other title insurers, the Company participates in these
affiliated business arrangements in a number of states. The
Company recently entered into a settlement with the Florida
Department of Financial Services under which it agreed to refund
approximately $3 million in premiums received though these
types of agencies in Florida and pay a fine of $1 million.
The other pending inquiries are at an early stage and as a
result the Company can give no assurance as to their likely
outcome.
Since 2004 the Companys subsidiaries have received civil
subpoenas and other inquiries from the New York State Attorney
General (the NYAG), requesting information about
their arrangements with agents and customers and other matters
relating to, among other things, rates, rate calculation
practices, use of blended rates in multi-state transactions,
rebates, entertainment expenses, and referral fees. Title
insurance rates in New York are set by regulation and generally
title insurers may not charge less than the established rate.
Among other things, the NYAG has asked for information about an
industry practice (called blended rates and
delayed blends) in which discounts on title
insurance on properties outside New York are sometimes given or
where credit is given in subsequent transactions in connection
with multi-state commercial transactions in which one or more of
the properties is located in New York. The NYAG is also
reviewing the possibility that the Companys Chicago Title
subsidiary may have provided incorrect data in connection with
rate-setting proceedings in New York and in connection with
reaching a settlement of a class action suit over charges for
title insurance issued in 1996 through 2002. The New York State
Insurance Department has also joined NYAG in the latters
wide-ranging review of the title insurance industry and the
Company. The Company can give no assurance as to the likely
outcome of these investigations, including but not limited to
whether they may result in fines, monetary settlements,
reductions in title insurance rates or other actions, any of
which could adversely affect the Company. The Company is
cooperating fully with the NYAG and New York State Insurance
Department inquiries into these matters.
Further, U.S. Representative Oxley, the Chairman of the
House Financial Services Committee, recently asked the
Government Accountability Office (the GAO) to
investigate the title insurance industry. Representative Oxley
stated that the Committee is concerned about payments that
certain title insurers have made to developers, lenders and real
estate agents for referrals of title insurance business.
Representative Oxley asked the GAO to examine, among other
things, the foregoing relationships and the levels of pricing
and competition in the title insurance industry. The Company is
unable to predict the outcome of this inquiry or whether it will
adversely affect the Companys business or results of
operations.
Finally, the California Department of Insurance has begun to
examine levels of pricing and competition in the title insurance
industry in California, with a view to determining whether
prices are too high and if so, implementing rate reductions. New
York, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Texas insurance regulators
have also announced similar inquiries (or other reviews of title
insurance rates) and other states could follow. At this stage,
the Company is unable to predict what the outcome will be of
this or any similar review.
In conducting its operations, the Company routinely holds
customers assets in escrow, pending completion of real
estate transactions. Certain of these amounts are maintained in
segregated bank accounts and have not been included in the
accompanying Consolidated and Combined Balance Sheets. The
Company has a contingent liability relating to proper
disposition of these balances for our customers, which amounted
to $8.7 billion at December 31, 2005. As a result of
holding these customers assets in escrow, the Company has
ongoing programs for realizing economic benefits during the year
through favorable borrowing and vendor arrangements with various
banks. There were no investments or loans outstanding as of
December 31, 2005 and 2004 related to these arrangements.
The Company leases certain of its premises and equipment under
leases which expire at various dates. Several of these
agreements include escalation clauses and provide for purchases
and renewal options for periods ranging from one to five years.
72
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Future minimum operating lease payments are as follows (dollars
in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
$ |
115,854 |
|
2007
|
|
|
94,742 |
|
2008
|
|
|
67,273 |
|
2009
|
|
|
42,563 |
|
2010
|
|
|
20,930 |
|
Thereafter
|
|
|
12,576 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total future minimum operating lease payments
|
|
$ |
353,938 |
|
|
|
|
|
Rent expense incurred under operating leases during the years
ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, was
$144.2 million, $140.8 million and
$127.3 million, respectively.
|
|
K. |
Regulation and Stockholders Equity |
Our insurance subsidiaries, including underwriters, underwritten
title companies and independent agents, are subject to extensive
regulation under applicable state laws. Each of the insurance
underwriters is subject to a holding company act in its state of
domicile which regulates, among other matters, the ability to
pay dividends and investment policies. The laws of most states
in which the Company transacts business establish supervisory
agencies with broad administrative powers relating to: issuing
and revoking licenses to transact business; regulating trade
practices; licensing agents; approving policy forms; prescribing
accounting principles and financial practices; establishing
reserve and capital and surplus as regards policyholders
(capital and surplus) requirements; defining
suitable investments and approving rate schedules.
Pursuant to statutory accounting requirements of the various
states in which the Companys title insurance subsidiaries
are licensed, they must defer a portion of premiums earned as an
unearned premium reserve for the protection of policyholders and
must maintain qualified assets in an amount equal to the
statutory requirements. The level of unearned premium reserve
required to be maintained at any time is determined by statutory
formula based upon either the age, number of policies and dollar
amount of policy liabilities underwritten or the age and dollar
amount of statutory premiums written. As of December 31,
2005, the combined statutory unearned premium reserve required
and reported for the Companys title insurance subsidiaries
was $1,303.8 million.
The insurance commissioners of their respective states of
domicile regulate the Companys title insurance
subsidiaries. Regulatory examinations usually occur at
three-year intervals, and certain of these examinations are
currently ongoing.
The Companys insurance subsidiaries are subject to
regulations that restrict their ability to pay dividends or make
other distributions of cash or property to their immediate
parent company without prior approval from the Department of
Insurance of their respective states of domicile. As of
December 31, 2005, $1.9 billion of the Companys
net assets are restricted from dividend payments without prior
approval from the Departments of Insurance. During 2006, the
Companys directly owned title insurance subsidiaries can
pay or make distributions to the Company of approximately
$289.9 million, without prior approval.
The combined statutory capital and surplus of the Companys
title insurance subsidiaries was $852.2 million and
$887.2 million as of December 31, 2005 and 2004,
respectively. The combined statutory earnings of the
Companys title insurance subsidiaries were
$400.4 million, $371.0 million and $477.9 million
for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003,
respectively.
As a condition to continued authority to underwrite policies in
the states in which the Companys title insurance
subsidiaries conduct their business, the subsidiaries are
required to pay certain fees and file
73
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
information regarding their officers, directors and financial
condition. In addition, the Companys escrow and trust
business is subject to regulation by various state banking
authorities.
Pursuant to statutory requirements of the various states in
which the Companys title insurance subsidiaries are
domiciled, they must maintain certain levels of minimum capital
and surplus. Each of the Companys title underwriters has
complied with the minimum statutory requirements as of
December 31, 2005.
The Companys underwritten title companies are also subject
to certain regulation by insurance regulatory or banking
authorities, primarily relating to minimum net worth. Minimum
net worth of $7.5 million, $2.5 million,
$3.0 million and $0.4 million is required for Fidelity
National Title Company, Fidelity National
Title Company of California, Chicago Title Company and
Ticor Title Company of California, respectively. All of the
Companys underwritten title companies are in compliance
with all of their respective minimum net worth requirements at
December 31, 2005.
FNT has agreed that, without FNFs consent, FNT will not
issue any shares of its capital stock or any rights, warrants or
options to acquire its capital stock, if after giving effect to
the issuances and considering all of the shares of FNTs
capital stock which may be acquired under the rights, warrants
and options outstanding on the date of the issuance, FNF would
not be eligible to consolidate FNTs results of operations
for tax purposes, would not receive favorable tax treatment of
dividends paid by FNT or would not be able, if it so desired, to
distribute the rest of FNTs stock it holds to its
stockholders in a tax-free distribution. These limits will
generally enable FNF to continue to own at least 80% of
FNTs outstanding common stock.
|
|
L. |
Employee Benefit Plans |
In connection with the Distribution, we established an Employee
Stock Purchase Plan (the FNT ESPP). Participation in
the FNT ESPP began in November 2005. Under the terms of the FNT
ESPP, eligible employees may voluntarily purchase, at current
market prices, shares of the Companys common stock through
payroll deductions and through matching contributions, if any,
on their behalf. Pursuant to the FNT ESPP, employees may
contribute an amount between 3% and 15% of their base salary.
Shares purchased are allocated to employees based upon their
contributions. The Company contributes varying amounts as
specified in the FNT ESPP. During the year ended
December 31, 2005, 214,746 shares were purchased and
allocated to employees, based upon their contributions, at an
average price of $22.73 per share and the Company
contributed $1.8 million or the equivalent of
77,135 shares, in accordance with the employers
matching contribution.
Prior to the commencement of the FNT ESPP, the Companys
employees participated in the Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the FNF ESPP). Under
the terms of the FNF ESPP and subsequent amendments, eligible
employees voluntarily purchased, at current market prices,
shares of FNFs common stock through payroll deductions.
Pursuant to the FNF ESPP, employees were allowed to contribute
an amount between 3% and 15% of their base salary and certain
commissions. Shares purchased were allocated to employees, based
upon their contributions. The Company contributed varying
matching amounts as specified in the ESPP. The Company recorded
expenses of $14.0 million, $8.6 million, and
$11.5 million, respectively, for the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003 relating to participation
of FNT employees in ESPP plans.
|
|
|
401(k) Profit Savings Plan |
The Companys employees are eligible to participate in the
FNF 401(k) Plan, which allows eligible employees to contribute
up to 40% of their pretax annual compensation, up to the maximum
amount allowed pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. The
Company generally matches 50% of each dollar of employee
74
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
contribution up to 6% of the employees total eligible
compensation. The Company recorded $23.5 million,
$20.1 million, and $19.0 million, respectively, in
expenses for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and
2003 relating to the participation of FNT employees in the FNF
401(k) plan.
In 2005, in connection with the Distribution, we established a
2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the Omnibus Plan)
authorizing the issuance of up to 8,000,000 shares of
common stock, subject to the terms of the Omnibus Plan. The
Omnibus Plan provides for the grant of stock options, stock
appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units
and performance shares, performance units, other cash and
stock-based awards and dividend equivalents. As of
December 31, 2005, there were 777,500 shares of
restricted stock and 2,206,500 stock options outstanding, all of
which were granted to certain employees and directors of the
Company on October 18, 2005, pursuant to the Omnibus Plan.
These shares and options vest over a four-year period. The
Company recorded stock-based compensation expense of
$0.9 million and $0.4 million in 2005 in connection
with the issuances of FNT restricted stock and stock options,
respectively.
All stock option transactions under the Omnibus Plan in 2005 are
as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted Average | |
|
|
|
|
Shares | |
|
Exercise Price | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Balance, December 31, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Granted
|
|
|
2,206,500 |
|
|
|
21.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercised
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cancelled
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, December 31, 2005
|
|
|
2,206,500 |
|
|
$ |
21.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All options issued and outstanding at December 31, 2005,
are unvested, have an exercise price of $21.90 per share
and a weighted average remaining contractual life of
9.8 years. There were no exercisable options outstanding at
December 31, 2005. No stock options vested or were
forfeited in 2005.
As a result of stock-based compensation grants prior to the
commencement of the Omnibus Plan, certain Company employees are
also participants in FNFs stock-based compensation plans,
which provide for the granting of incentive and nonqualified
stock options, restricted stock and other stock-based incentive
awards for officers and key employees. Grants of incentive and
nonqualified stock options under the FNF Plans have generally
provided that options shall vest equally over three years and
generally expire ten years after their original date of grant.
All options granted under the FNF Plans had an exercise price
equal to the market value of the underlying common stock on the
date of grant. However, certain of these plans allow for the
option exercise price for each share granted pursuant to a
nonqualified stock option to be less than the fair market value
of the common stock on the date of grant to reflect the
application of the optionees deferred bonus, if
applicable. In connection with grants of FNF stock options to
Company employees, the Company recorded stock-based compensation
expense of $8.4 million, $2.8 million, and
$3.3 million in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively, which
was based on an allocation of compensation expense to the
Company for personnel who provided services to the Company.
In 2003, FNF issued to certain Company employees rights to
purchase shares of FNF restricted common stock (the FNF
Restricted Shares). A portion of the FNF Restricted Shares
vest over a five-year period and a portion vest over a four-year
period, of which one-fifth vested immediately on the date of
grant. The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense of
$2.8 million, $2.6 million, and $1.6 million in
connection with the issuance of the FNF Restricted Shares to FNT
employees for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and
2003, respectively, which was based on an allocation of
compensation expense to the Company for personnel who provided
services to the Company.
75
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The Company follows the fair value recognition provisions of
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123,
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation
(SFAS No. 123), for stock-based employee
compensation. Under the fair value method of accounting,
compensation cost is measured based on the fair value of the
award at the grant date and recognized over the service period.
The Company has elected to use the prospective method of
transition, as permitted by Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation Transition and Disclosure
(SFAS No. 148). Under this method,
stock-based employee compensation cost is recognized from the
beginning of 2003 as if the fair value method of accounting had
been used to account for all employee awards granted, modified,
or settled in years beginning after December 31, 2002. The
Company has recorded stock-based compensation expense of
$1.3 million in 2005 related to the Incentive Plan and has
allocated stock-based compensation expense of
$11.2 million, $5.4 million, and $4.9 million for
the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003,
respectively, related to the participation of Company employees
in the FNF stock-based compensation plans, all of which is
included in personnel costs in the Consolidated and Combined
Statements of Earnings.
Pro forma information regarding net earnings and earnings per
share is required by SFAS No. 123, and has been
determined as if the Company had accounted for all of its
employee stock options under the fair value method of that
statement. The fair values of all options were estimated at the
date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model with
the following weighted average assumptions. The risk free
interest rates used in the calculation are the rates that
correspond to the weighted average expected life of an option.
For purposes of valuing the options granted under the Omnibus
Plan in 2005, the Company used historical activity of FNF common
stock shares and stock options to estimate the volatility rate
of the FNT common stock and the expected life of the FNT
options. FNT stock options granted in 2005 were valued using a
risk free interest rate of 4.3%, a volatility factor of 28%, an
expected dividend yield of 4.6%, and a weighted average expected
life of four years, resulting in a weighted average fair value
of $3.98 per option. The risk free interest rate used for
options granted under the FNF stock-based compensation plans
during the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003
was 4.1%, 3.2% and 2.0%, respectively. A volatility factor for
the expected market price of FNF common stock of 27%, 34% and
43% was used for options granted for the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively. The
expected dividend yield used for FNF stock in 2005, 2004, and
2003 was 2.4%, 2.5% and 1.4%, respectively. A weighted average
expected life of 4.0 years, 3.8 years and
3.5 years was used for FNF options issued in 2005, 2004,
and 2003 respectively. The weighted average fair value of each
FNF option granted during 2005, 2004, and 2003 was $8.56,
$10.71, and $10.57, respectively.
76
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
For purposes of pro forma disclosures, the estimated fair value
of the options is amortized into expense over the options
vesting period. The following table illustrates the effect on
net income and earnings per share if the Company had applied the
fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123 to
all outstanding and unvested awards in each period:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Net earnings, as reported
|
|
$ |
538,981 |
|
|
$ |
558,164 |
|
|
$ |
683,325 |
|
Add: Stock-based compensation expense included in reported net
earnings, net of related tax effects
|
|
|
7,839 |
|
|
|
3,360 |
|
|
|
3,016 |
|
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense
determined under fair value based methods for all awards, net of
related tax effects
|
|
|
(8,277 |
) |
|
|
(4,268 |
) |
|
|
(8,124 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net earnings
|
|
$ |
538,543 |
|
|
$ |
557,256 |
|
|
$ |
678,217 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic as reported
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic pro forma
|
|
$ |
3.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted as reported
|
|
$ |
3.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted pro forma
|
|
$ |
3.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net earnings per share basic and diluted,
as reported
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3.22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net earnings per share basic and diluted,
adjusted for SFAS 123 effects
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3.22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In connection with the Chicago Title merger, the Company assumed
Chicago Titles noncontributory defined benefit pension
plan (the Pension Plan).
The Pension Plan covered certain Chicago Title employees. Plan
benefits are based on years of service and the employees
average monthly compensation in the highest 60 consecutive
calendar months during the 120 months ending at retirement
or termination. Effective December 31, 2000, the Pension
Plan was frozen and there will be no future credit given for
years of service or changes in salary.
77
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The following table sets forth the funded status of the Pension
Plan as of December 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Change in Benefit Obligation:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net benefit obligation at beginning of year
|
|
$ |
150,255 |
|
|
$ |
131,984 |
|
|
$ |
111,132 |
|
|
Interest cost
|
|
|
8,347 |
|
|
|
8,650 |
|
|
|
8,104 |
|
|
Actuarial (gain) loss
|
|
|
11,682 |
|
|
|
20,918 |
|
|
|
20,676 |
|
|
Gross benefits paid
|
|
|
(7,409 |
) |
|
|
(11,297 |
) |
|
|
(7,928 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net benefit obligation at end of year
|
|
$ |
162,875 |
|
|
$ |
150,255 |
|
|
$ |
131,984 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in Pension Plan Assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
|
|
$ |
87,214 |
|
|
$ |
77,700 |
|
|
$ |
66,232 |
|
|
Actual return on plan assets
|
|
|
8,525 |
|
|
|
2,811 |
|
|
|
7,196 |
|
|
Employer contributions
|
|
|
24,306 |
|
|
|
18,000 |
|
|
|
12,200 |
|
|
Gross benefits paid
|
|
|
(7,409 |
) |
|
|
(11,297 |
) |
|
|
(7,928 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
|
|
$ |
112,636 |
|
|
$ |
87,214 |
|
|
$ |
77,700 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funded status at end of year
|
|
$ |
(50,239 |
) |
|
$ |
(63,041 |
) |
|
$ |
(54,284 |
) |
|
Unrecognized net actuarial loss
|
|
|
83,466 |
|
|
|
80,261 |
|
|
|
61,588 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net amount recognized at end of year
|
|
$ |
33,227 |
|
|
$ |
17,220 |
|
|
$ |
7,304 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The accumulated benefit obligation (ABO) is the same as the
projected benefit obligation (PBO) due to the pension plan
being frozen as of December 31, 2000.
Under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87,
Employers Accounting for Pensions,
(SFAS No. 87) the measurement date shall
be as of the date of the financial statements, or if used
consistently from year to year, as of a date not more than three
months prior to that date. The Companys measurement date
is December 31.
The net pension liability included in accounts payable and
accrued liabilities as of December 31, 2005 and 2004 is
$50.2 million and $63.0 million, respectively. The net
pension liability at December 31, 2005 and 2004 includes
the additional minimum pension liability adjustment of
$3.2 million and $18.7 million, respectively, which
was recorded as a net of tax charge of $2.0 million and
$11.8 million, respectively, to accumulated other
comprehensive earnings (loss) in 2005 and 2004 in accordance
with SFAS No. 87.
The components of net periodic (income) expense included in the
results of operations for 2005, 2004, and 2003 are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Service cost
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
Interest cost
|
|
|
8,347 |
|
|
|
8,650 |
|
|
|
8,104 |
|
Expected return on assets
|
|
|
(8,877 |
) |
|
|
(7,570 |
) |
|
|
(7,128 |
) |
Amortization of actuarial loss
|
|
|
8,829 |
|
|
|
7,004 |
|
|
|
4,193 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total net expense
|
|
$ |
8,299 |
|
|
$ |
8,084 |
|
|
$ |
5,169 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
78
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit
obligations at December 31, are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Discount rate
|
|
|
5.50 |
% |
|
|
5.75 |
% |
Rate of compensation increase
|
|
|
N/A |
(a) |
|
|
N/A |
(a) |
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net expense for
years ended December 31 are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Discount rate
|
|
|
5.75 |
% |
|
|
6.25 |
% |
|
|
6.75 |
% |
Expected return on plan assets
|
|
|
8.50 |
% |
|
|
8.50 |
% |
|
|
8.50 |
% |
Rate of compensation increase
|
|
|
N/A |
(a) |
|
|
N/A |
(a) |
|
|
N/A |
(a) |
|
|
(a) |
Rate of compensation increase is not applicable due to the
pension being frozen at December 31, 2000. |
The discount rate used was determined by discounting projections
of future benefit payments using annual spot rates from the
Citigroup Pension Discount Curve. The discounted cash flows were
then used to determine the effective discount rate.
The expected long term rate of return on plan assets was 8.5% in
2005 and 2004, derived using the plans asset mix,
historical returns by asset category, expectations for future
capital market performance, and the funds past experience.
Both the plans investment policy and the expected
long-term rate of return assumption are reviewed periodically.
The Companys strategy is to focus on a one to three-year
investment horizon, maintaining equity securities at 65% of
total assets while maintaining an average duration in debt
securities, extending that duration as interest rates rise and
maintaining cash funds at appropriate levels relating to the
current economic environment.
The Companys pension plan asset allocation at
December 31, 2005 and 2004 and target allocation for 2006
are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Target | |
|
Percentage of | |
|
|
Allocation | |
|
Plan Assets | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Asset Category |
|
2006 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Equity securities
|
|
|
65 |
% |
|
|
72.0 |
% |
|
|
|
% |
Debt securities
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
|
18.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Insurance annuities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Other (Cash)
|
|
|
1-3 |
% |
|
|
0.6 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
%(a) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
Investments were all cash at December 31, 2004 as the
Company was in the process of transferring the assets from one
investment manager to another. |
The Company does not hold any investments in its own equity
securities within its pension plan assets.
79
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The Companys funding policy is to contribute annually at
least the minimum required contribution under the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Contributions are
intended to provide not only for benefits accrued to date, but
also for those expected to be earned in the future. In 2005,
2004 and 2003, the Company made contributions of
$24.3 million, $18.0 million, and $12.2 million,
respectively. In 2006, the Company is not required to make a
contribution to the pension plan and has not yet determined if a
voluntary contribution will be made.
A detail of actual and expected benefit payments is as follows
(in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
Actual Benefit Payments
|
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
$ |
11,297 |
|
2005
|
|
|
7,409 |
|
Expected Future Payments
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
$ |
11,241 |
|
2007
|
|
|
10,298 |
|
2008
|
|
|
14,520 |
|
2009
|
|
|
12,058 |
|
2010
|
|
|
12,477 |
|
2011 2015
|
|
|
68,180 |
|
The Company assumed certain health care and life insurance
benefits for retired Chicago Title employees in connection with
the Chicago Title merger. Beginning on January 1, 2001,
these benefits were offered to all employees who meet specific
eligibility requirements. The costs of these benefit plans are
accrued during the periods the employees render service.
The Company is fully insured for its postretirement health care
and life insurance benefit plans, and the plans are not funded.
The health care plans provide for insurance benefits after
retirement and are generally contributory, with contributions
adjusted annually. Postretirement life insurance benefits are
contributory, with coverage amounts declining with increases in
a retirees age.
80
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The accrued cost of the accumulated postretirement benefit
obligation included in the Companys Consolidated and
Combined Balance Sheets at December 31, 2005, 2004, and
2003 is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Change in Benefit Obligation:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net benefit obligation at beginning of year
|
|
$ |
21,440 |
|
|
$ |
22,684 |
|
|
$ |
22,757 |
|
|
Service cost
|
|
|
161 |
|
|
|
205 |
|
|
|
221 |
|
|
Interest cost
|
|
|
1,005 |
|
|
|
1,281 |
|
|
|
1,405 |
|
|
Plan participants contributions
|
|
|
1,662 |
|
|
|
1,513 |
|
|
|
1,646 |
|
|
Plan amendments
|
|
|
(782 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actuarial (gain) loss
|
|
|
(1,429 |
) |
|
|
(348 |
) |
|
|
537 |
|
|
Gross benefits paid
|
|
|
(3,822 |
) |
|
|
(3,895 |
) |
|
|
(3,882 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net benefit obligation at end of year
|
|
|