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Table of Contents



United States
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported):
October 22, 2008

Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

001-32630
(Commission File Number)

     
Delaware   16-1725106
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)   (IRS Employer Identification Number)

601 Riverside Avenue
Jacksonville, Florida 32204

(Addresses of Principal Executive Offices)

(904) 854-8100
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

     
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
   
o
  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
   
o
  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
   
o
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
   
o
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits
SIGNATURE
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit 99.1


Table of Contents

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On October 22, 2008, Fidelity National Financial, Inc. issued an earnings release announcing its financial results for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2008. The information in this Current Report is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in this Current Report shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

A copy of the earnings release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c) Exhibits

     
Exhibit
  Description
99.1
  Press release announcing Fidelity National Financial, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2008 Earnings.

 


Table of Contents

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

         
  Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
 
 
Date: October 23, 2008  By:   /s/ Anthony J. Park  
    Name: Anthony J. Park
Title: Chief Financial Officer
 
       
 

 


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX

     
Exhibit
  Description
99.1
  Press release announcing Fidelity National Financial, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2008 Earnings.

 

exv99w1
Exhibit 99.1
     
(FIDELITY LOGO)
  PRESS RELEASE
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2008 EPS of ($0.95); Results Include
a $261.6 Million Charge to Strengthen Reserve for Claim Losses
Jacksonville, Fla. — (October 22, 2008) — Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF), a leading provider of title insurance, specialty insurance, claims management services and information services, today reported operating results for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2008.
                 
    Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended
    September 30, 2008   September 30, 2007
Total revenue
  $989.7 million   $1.36 billion
Net earnings (loss)
  ($198.3 million)   $6.5 million
Net earnings (loss) per diluted share
    ($0.95 )   $ 0.03  
Cash flow from operations
  $6.2 million   $72.1 million
                 
    Nine Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
    September 30, 2008   September 30, 2007
Total revenue
  $3.31 billion   $4.22 billion
Net earnings (loss)
  ($164.1 million)   $174.7 million
Net earnings (loss) per diluted share
    ($0.78 )   $ 0.79  
Cash flow from (used in) operations
  ($55.9 million)   $299.9 million
     The following are summary financial and operational results for the operating segments of FNF for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2008 and 2007:
     Fidelity National Title Group (“FNT”)
                 
    Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended
    September 30, 2008   September 30, 2007
Total revenue
  $872.6 million   $1.23 billion
Pre-tax earnings (loss)
  ($279.4 million)   $5.7 million
Pre-tax margin
    N/A       0.5 %

 


 

     
    Three Months Ended September 30, 2008
Pre-tax loss   ($279.4 million)
Charge to strengthen reserves   $261.6 million
Realized losses and impairments   $27.6 million
Accelerated lease expense   $12.5 million
   
 
Adjusted pre-tax earnings*   $22.3 million
Adjusted pre-tax margin*   2.6%
 
*   The adjusted pre-tax earnings and adjusted pre-tax margin are non-GAAP measures. The company has presented these measures because it believes they may be useful to investors as an additional measure of current operations. It is possible that the adjusting items have occurred in prior periods and may occur in future periods, as the company recorded a charge to strengthen reserves in the third quarter of 2007. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the comparable GAAP measures of pre-tax earnings and pre-tax margin.
                 
    Nine Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
    September 30, 2008   September 30, 2007
Total revenue   $2.92 billion   $3.83 billion
Pre-tax earnings (loss)   ($221.3 million)   $249.9 million
Pre-tax margin     N/A       6.5 %
                 
Month   Direct Orders Opened   Direct Orders Closed   Closing %
July 2008
  135,500   90,600     67 %
August 2008
  128,900   87,300     68 %
September 2008
  143,000   82,700     58 %
 
 
 
 
 
       
Third Quarter 2008
  407,400   260,600       64 %
 
 
 
 
 
       
                 
Month   Direct Orders Opened   Direct Orders Closed   Closing %
July 2007
  189,200   123,800     65 %
August 2007
  186,100   120,700     65 %
September 2007
  148,000     94,600     64 %
 
 
 
 
 
       
Third Quarter 2007
  523,300   339,100     65 %
 
 
 
 
 
       

 


 

                                 
    Open   Closed   Commercial    
    Commercial   Commercial   Revenue   Commercial
    Orders   Orders   (In thousands)   Fee Per File
3rd Quarter 2008
    14,800       9,200     $ 60,200     $ 6,600  
3rd Quarter 2007
    18,200       11,600     $ 90,000     $ 7,800  
- The preceding table only includes commercial activity from FNF’s commercial offices in the national commercial division and does not attempt to capture potential commercial activity in our local offices.
     Specialty Insurance
         
    Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended
    September 30, 2008   September 30, 2007
Total revenue
  $100.4 million   $107.0 million
Pre-tax earnings (loss)
  ($5.8 million)   $10.3 million
Pre-tax margin
  N/A   9.6%
         
    Nine Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
    September 30, 2008   September 30, 2007
Total revenue
  $286.0 million   $309.8 million
Pre-tax earnings
  $16.8 million   $49.6 million
Pre-tax margin
  5.9%   16.0%
     “We continue to operate our businesses in an extremely difficult economic environment,” said Chairman William P. Foley, II. “Order counts in the title business continued to be weak in July and August, with a short-lived increase in early September that lasted only a few weeks. We remain focused on cost and expense management throughout the company, as we eliminated approximately 1,000 additional positions in the third quarter. The majority of those eliminations came later in the quarter, so our reported results do not reflect any significant benefit from those late quarter staffing reductions. Additionally, on October 1, we instituted a 10% company-wide pay reduction that will most likely remain in place through the first quarter of 2009. We also continued to close title and escrow offices during the third quarter, closing more than 115 offices at a total accelerated lease expense of $12.5 million. The significant

 


 

weakness in the capital markets also required us to record $42 million in realized losses during the quarter, with $7 million in actual realized losses from securities sold and $35 million in impairments from corporate bonds and equity securities. We continue to manage our investment portfolio in a conservative fashion, as the average rating remains Aa1/AA+ and the duration remains approximately three years. The $35 million in impairments are other than temporary accounting impairments, not actual cash losses. The final material event during the quarter was the $261.6 million reserve strengthening charge. Based on continued adverse reported and paid claims trends over the last six quarters, we made the decision in the third quarter to more heavily weight the three most recent full year’s data on loss experience in the actuarial model and incorporate that data into the assumptions and factors that determine ultimate expected loss experience for all prior calendar years. This particular change was the primary driver in requiring a significant increase in the level of our balance sheet reserve position. We believe this update to the actuarial model better reflects the expected loss experience that we will ultimately record because of this very difficult market.
     “Our specialty insurance business earnings were negatively impacted by the numerous hurricanes that hit during this summer, as we incurred homeowner’s losses during the quarter, but we won’t see the benefit of the increased flood claim processing revenue until the fourth quarter. Finally, our two major minority-owned investments, Sedgwick and Ceridian, both continue to generate consistent EBITDA margins, despite the tough operating environment. Overall, we are focused on continuing to navigate our way through these challenging times, maintaining profitability in our title insurance operation, providing significant liquidity and ensuring the strength of our balance sheet.”
     Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF), is a leading provider of title insurance, specialty insurance, claims management services and information services. FNF is one of the nation’s largest title insurance companies through its title insurance underwriters — Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Ticor Title, Security Union Title and Alamo Title — that issue approximately 27 percent of all title insurance policies in the United States. FNF also provides

 


 

flood insurance, personal lines insurance and home warranty insurance through its specialty insurance business. FNF also is a leading provider of outsourced claims management services to large corporate and public sector entities through its minority-owned subsidiary, Sedgwick CMS. FNF is also a leading information services company in the human resource, retail and transportation markets through another minority-owned subsidiary, Ceridian Corporation. More information about FNF can be found at www.fnf.com.
     This press release 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 management’s 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. The risks and uncertainties which forward-looking statements are subject to include, but are not limited to: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; continued weakness or adverse changes in the level of real estate activity, which may be caused by, among other things, high or increasing interest rates, a limited supply of mortgage funding or a weak U. S. economy; our potential inability to find suitable acquisition candidates, acquisitions in lines of business that will not necessarily be limited to our traditional areas of focus, or difficulties in integrating acquisitions; our dependence on operating subsidiaries as a source of cash flow; significant competition that our operating subsidiaries face; compliance with extensive government regulation of our operating subsidiaries; and other risks detailed in the “Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information,” “Risk Factors” and other sections of the Company’s Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
CONTACT: Daniel Kennedy Murphy, Senior Vice President and Treasurer, 904-854-8120, dkmurphy@fnf.com

 


 

FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL, INC.
SUMMARY OF EARNINGS
(In thousands, except per share amounts and order information)
                                 
    Three months ended     Nine months ended  
    September 30,     September 30,  
    2008     2007     2008     2007  
    (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)  
Direct title premiums
  $ 286,551     $ 391,065     $ 912,370     $ 1,258,166  
Agency title premiums
    323,769       537,598       1,171,120       1,677,606  
 
                       
Total title premiums
    610,320       928,663       2,083,490       2,935,772  
Escrow, title-related and other fees
    290,613       280,024       857,072       836,480  
 
                       
Total title and escrow
    900,933       1,208,687       2,940,562       3,772,252  
 
                               
Specialty insurance
    99,902       102,844       278,890       297,573  
Interest and investment income
    30,878       47,709       102,951       141,014  
Realized gains and losses
    (42,030 )     2,168       (15,762 )     12,449  
 
                       
Total revenue
    989,683       1,361,408       3,306,641       4,223,288  
 
                               
Personnel costs
    337,809       427,683       1,065,941       1,315,695  
Other operating expenses
    309,052       283,928       896,778       814,590  
Agent commissions
    254,883       415,307       911,692       1,298,340  
Depreciation and amortization
    35,068       32,348       106,679       92,894  
Claim loss expense
    359,664       189,426       547,596       413,495  
Interest expense
    16,081       12,782       50,935       37,194  
 
                       
Total expenses
    1,312,557       1,361,474       3,579,621       3,972,208  
 
                               
Earnings before income taxes
    (322,874 )     (66 )     (272,980 )     251,080  
Income tax expense
    (125,488 )     (4,075 )     (112,146 )     81,441  
 
                       
Earnings (loss) before equity investments and minority interest
    (197,386 )     4,009       (160,834 )     169,639  
 
                               
Earnings (losses) from equity investments
    (2,717 )     2,761       (7,385 )     4,620  
Minority interest
    (1,801 )     298       (4,087 )     (447 )
 
                       
 
                               
Net earnings (loss)
  $ (198,302 )   $ 6,472     $ (164,132 )   $ 174,706  
 
                       
 
                               
Net earnings (loss) per share — basic
  $ (0.95 )   $ 0.03     $ (0.78 )   $ 0.80  
 
                       
Net (loss) earnings per share — diluted
  $ (0.95 )   $ 0.03     $ (0.78 )   $ 0.79  
 
                       
 
                               
Weighted average shares — basic
    208,710       216,325       210,206       218,006  
 
                       
Weighted average shares — diluted
    208,710       219,548       210,206       221,797  
 
                       
 
                               
Direct operations orders opened
    407,400       523,300       1,432,200       1,797,800  
Direct operations orders closed
    260,600       339,100       875,900       1,138,200  
Fee per file
  $ 1,636     $ 1,683     $ 1,516     $ 1,620  
Actual title claims paid
  $ 84,668     $ 79,398     $ 227,831     $ 207,611  

 


 

FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL, INC.
SEGMENT INFORMATION
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
                                   
Three Months Ended                     Specialty   Corporate
September 30, 2008   Consolidated     FNT   Insurance   and Other
Gross operating revenue
  $ 1,000,835       $ 872,855     $ 99,901     $ 28,079  
Interest and investment income
    30,878         27,354       3,263       261  
Realized gains and losses
    (42,030 )       (27,562 )     (2,750 )     (11,718 )
           
Total revenue
    989,683         872,647       100,414       16,622  
 
                                 
Personnel costs
    337,809         311,856       11,766       14,187  
Other operating expenses
    309,052         242,993       46,952       19,107  
Agent commissions
    254,883         254,883              
Depreciation and amortization
    35,068         27,523       1,207       6,338  
Claim loss expense
    359,664         313,483       46,181        
Interest expense
    16,081         1,321       124       14,636  
           
Total expenses
    1,312,557         1,152,059       106,230       54,268  
 
                                 
Earnings (loss) before income taxes
    (322,874 )       (279,412 )     (5,816 )     (37,646 )
Income tax expense
    (125,488 )       (104,888 )     297       (20,897 )
           
Earnings (loss) before equity investments and minority interest
    (197,386 )       (174,524 )     (6,113 )     (16,749 )
Earnings (loss) from equity investments
    (2,717 )       1,548             (4,265 )
Minority interest
    (1,801 )       159             (1,960 )
           
 
                                 
Net earnings (loss)
  $ (198,302 )     $ (173,135 )   $ (6,113 )   $ (19,054 )
           
Open orders
    407,400         407,400              
Closed orders
    260,600         260,600              
                                   
Three Months Ended                     Specialty   Corporate
September 30, 2007   Consolidated     FNT   Insurance   and Other
Gross operating revenue
  $ 1,311,531       $ 1,184,291     $ 102,844     $ 24,396  
Interest and investment income
    47,709         42,414       4,178       1,117  
Realized gains and losses
    2,168         (1,152 )     25       3,295  
           
Total revenue
    1,361,408         1,225,553       107,047       28,808  
 
                                 
Personnel costs
    427,683         400,020       10,834       16,829  
Other operating expenses
    283,928         217,640       45,891       20,397  
Agent commissions
    415,307         415,307              
Depreciation and amortization
    32,348         31,589       1,353       (594 )
Claim loss expense
    189,426         151,128       38,299       (1 )
Interest expense
    12,782         4,183       343       8,256  
           
Total expenses
    1,361,474         1,219,867       96,720       44,887  
 
                                 
Earnings (loss) before income taxes
    (66 )       5,686       10,327       (16,079 )
Income tax expense
    (4,075 )       (2,905 )     3,197       (4,367 )
           
Earnings (loss) before equity investments and minority interest
    4,009         8,591       7,130       (11,712 )
Earnings from equity investments
    2,761         248             2,513  
Minority interest
    298         423             (125 )
           
 
                                 
Net earnings (loss)
  $ 6,472       $ 8,416     $ 7,130     $ (9,074 )
           
Open orders
    523,300         523,300              
Closed orders
    339,100         339,100              

 


 

FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL, INC.
SEGMENT INFORMATION
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
                                   
Nine Months Ended                     Specialty   Corporate
September 30, 2008   Consolidated     FNT   Insurance   and Other
Gross operating revenue
  $ 3,219,452       $ 2,856,645     $ 278,889     $ 83,918  
Interest and investment income
    102,951         91,179       10,267       1,505  
Realized gains and losses
    (15,762 )       (27,523 )     (3,109 )     14,870  
           
Total revenue
    3,306,641         2,920,301       286,047       100,293  
 
                                 
Personnel costs
    1,065,941         986,698       34,453       44,790  
Other operating expenses
    896,778         711,727       121,181       63,870  
Agent commissions
    911,692         911,692              
Depreciation and amortization
    106,679         87,670       4,225       14,784  
Claim loss expense
    547,596         438,701       108,895        
Interest expense
    50,935         5,076       463       45,396  
           
Total expenses
    3,579,621         3,141,564       269,217       168,840  
 
                                 
Earnings (loss) before income taxes
    (272,980 )       (221,263 )     16,830       (68,547 )
Income tax expense
    (112,146 )       (87,311 )     7,743       (32,578 )
           
Earnings (loss) before equity investments and minority interest
    (160,834 )       (133,952 )     9,087       (35,969 )
Earnings (loss) from equity investments
    (7,385 )       2,983             (10,368 )
Minority interest
    (4,087 )       559             (4,646 )
           
 
                                 
Net earnings (loss)
  $ (164,132 )     $ (131,528 )   $ 9,087     $ (41,691 )
           
Open orders
    1,432,200         1,432,200              
Closed orders
    875,900         875,900              
                                   
Nine Months Ended                     Specialty   Corporate
September 30, 2007   Consolidated     FNT   Insurance   and Other
Gross operating revenue
  $ 4,069,825       $ 3,705,968     $ 297,573     $ 66,284  
Interest and investment income
    141,014         125,183       12,252       3,579  
Realized gains and losses
    12,449         2,146       (3 )     10,306  
           
Total revenue
    4,223,288         3,833,297       309,822       80,169  
 
                                 
Personnel costs
    1,315,695         1,236,300       34,247       45,148  
Other operating expenses
    814,590         649,372       108,508       56,710  
Agent commissions
    1,298,340         1,298,210             130  
Depreciation and amortization
    92,894         86,678       4,423       1,793  
Claim loss expense
    413,495         301,662       111,834       (1 )
Interest expense
    37,194         11,215       1,197       24,782  
           
Total expenses
    3,972,208         3,583,437       260,209       128,562  
 
                                 
Earnings (loss) before income taxes
    251,080         249,860       49,613       (48,393 )
Income tax expense
    81,441         80,200       18,106       (16,865 )
           
Earnings (loss) before equity investments and minority interest
    169,639         169,660       31,507       (31,528 )
Earnings from equity investments
    4,620         1,947             2,673  
Minority interest
    (447 )       1,355             (1,802 )
           
 
                                 
Net earnings (loss)
  $ 174,706       $ 170,252     $ 31,507     $ (27,053 )
           
Open orders
    1,797,800         1,797,800              
Closed orders
    1,138,200         1,138,200              

 


 

FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL, INC.
SUMMARY BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
                 
    September 30,   December 31,
    2008   2007
    (Unaudited)        
Cash and investment portfolio
  $ 4,196,274     $ 4,671,383  
Goodwill
    1,351,106       1,339,705  
Title Plant
    342,599       331,888  
Total assets
    7,313,864       7,587,853  
Notes payable
    1,356,023       1,167,739  
Reserve for claim losses
    1,634,557       1,419,910  
Secured trust deposits
    589,476       689,935  
Total stockholders’ equity
    2,820,748       3,244,088  
Book value per share
    13.36       15.23  
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