Investors Title Company Announces Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Investors Title Company (Nasdaq: ITIC) today announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. The Company reported net income of $2.3 million, or $1.20 per diluted share, compared to $19.8 million, or $10.42 per diluted share, for the prior year period.

Revenues for the quarter decreased 16.5% to $70.9 million, compared with $85.0 million for the prior year quarter. Total revenues were offset by the recognition of a $12.2 million unrealized loss in the Company’s equity portfolio. Net premiums written increased 3.1% versus the prior year period, driven by higher average home values and growth of our footprint in the Texas market, setting a second quarter record. Escrow and title-related fees increased 78.1% due to a larger share of business that generates escrow income, and fee income associated with commercial activity. Revenues from non-title services increased 17.8% due primarily to higher levels of property exchange transaction volumes. Realized gains from sales of equity securities were $1.9 million higher, while other income decreased $3.8 million due to a non-recurring gain on the sale of property which occurred in the prior year quarter.

Operating expenses increased 13.9%, compared to the prior year period, primarily due to increases in personnel costs, title fees, and office and technology expenses. Personnel costs were 31.3% higher than the prior year period due to staffing of new offices, hiring to support growth initiatives, and increased employee benefit costs. Office, technology, and other operating expenses increased 49.4% in support of expanding our geographic footprint and various ongoing technology initiatives.

Income before income taxes decreased $22.3 million to $3.0 million for the current quarter versus $25.3 million in the prior year period. Excluding the impact of changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments, income before income taxes (non-GAAP) decreased 26.1% to $15.1 million for the current quarter versus $20.5 million in the prior year period (see Appendix A for a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure).

For the six months ended June 30, 2022, net income decreased $25.1 million to $8.5 million, or $4.45 per diluted share, versus $33.6 million, or $17.70 per diluted share, for the prior year period. Net premiums written increased 2.9% to $132.8 million, versus $129.0 million in the prior year period. Operating expenses increased 12.9% to $129.2 million, mainly due to increases in personnel and office, technology, and other operating expenses. Overall results for the first six months have been shaped predominantly by the same factors that affected the second quarter.

Chairman J. Allen Fine added, “We are pleased to report a new record level of premiums written for the second quarter. Although net income is down for the quarter, much of the negative comparison is attributable to market losses in our equity portfolio and the gain on the sale of property in the prior year quarter.

The impact of higher mortgage rates has been varied as we have seen some slowing of activity in some markets but ongoing strength in others. Refinance activity has been more significantly impacted by higher rates than activity generated by home sales. We remain optimistic about the Company’s prospects for solid financial results and continue to focus on identifying opportunities to profitably expand our market presence, regardless of cyclical changes in the real estate market.”

Investors Title Company’s subsidiaries issue and underwrite title insurance policies. The Company also provides investment management services and services in connection with tax-deferred exchanges of like-kind property.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as “plan,” expect,” “aim,” “believe,” “project,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “should,” “could,” “would,” and other expressions that indicate future events and trends. Such statements include, among others, any statements regarding the Company’s expected performance for this year, projections regarding U.S. recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, future home price fluctuations, changes in home purchase or refinance demand, activity and the mix thereof, interest rate changes, expansion of the Company’s market presence, enhancing competitive strengths, development in housing affordability, wages, unemployment or overall economic conditions or statements regarding our actuarial assumptions and the application of recent historical claims experience to future periods. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated and historical results. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic (including any of its variants) and its effects (and the effects of measures undertaken to combat it) on the economy and the Company’s business; the cyclical demand for title insurance due to changes in the residential and commercial real estate markets; the occurrence of fraud, defalcation or misconduct; variances between actual claims experience and underwriting and reserving assumptions, including the limited predictive power of historical claims experience; declines in the performance of the Company’s investments; government regulations; changes in the economy; the potential impact of inflation and responses by government regulators, including the Federal Reserve; loss of agency relationships, or significant reductions in agent-originated business; difficulties managing growth, whether organic or through acquisitions and other considerations set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in subsequent filings.

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