WEST DES MOINES, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL), a leading issuer of fixed index annuities (FIAs) today reported on its first quarter 2022 results. These results include improved yields in the investment portfolio, continuing implementation of new relationships with “best-in-class” asset originators, and new sales and other operating costs and expenses in-line with expectations set out on the company’s fourth quarter 2021 results conference call.

Non-GAAP operating income¹ available to common stockholders for the first quarter of 2022 was $89.9 million, or $0.92 per diluted common share. First quarter 2021 net income available to common stockholders was $271.8 million, or $2.82 per diluted common share; the non-GAAP measures were $41.4 million, or $0.43 per diluted common share for the first quarter of 2021.

The year-over-year increase in quarterly non-GAAP operating income¹ available to common stockholders primarily reflected a substantial increase in average yield on invested assets due to strong returns on partnership and other market value investments and the significant reduction in cash balances over the last twelve months. The benefit of higher yield was partly offset by increases in the cost of money, other operating costs and expenses, and the increase in the liability for future policy benefits to be paid for lifetime income benefit riders (LIBR).

For the first quarter of 2022, net investment income increased $70 million from the comparable quarter of 2021 reflecting an increase in average yield on investments resulting from strong returns from partnerships and other mark-to-market assets, lower cash balances, and the increase in allocation to higher yielding privately sourced assets.

Compared to the first quarter of 2021, the change in the liability for future policy benefits to be paid for LIBR increased by $13 million, driven by increased utilization on old seasoned blocks as we re-price fees at reset periods, partially offset by higher actual than expected index credits in the quarter. Management expects that in the second quarter, the change in the liability for future policy benefits to be paid for LIBR will continue to remain elevated, absent the benefit of higher than expected index credits.

Compared to the first quarter of 2021, amortization of deferred policy acquisition and sales inducement costs decreased by $4 million.

As of March 31, 2022, notional value² under reinsurance agreements – generating six to seven year of “fee-like” ROA earnings – was $4.3 billion, up from $4.1 billion at year-end 2021.

DELIVERED ON INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC GOALS

American Equity’s investment spread was 2.51% for the first quarter of 2022 compared to 2.29% for the fourth quarter of 2021 and 2.00% for the first quarter of 2021. On a sequential quarterly basis, the average yield on invested assets increased by 35 basis points – as mark to market gains on partnerships and other fair value assets were stronger in this year’s first quarter – while the cost of money increased 13 basis points. Adjusted investment spread excluding non-trendable items³ increased to 2.45% in the first quarter of 2022 from 2.03% in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Average yield on invested assets was 4.15% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 3.80% in the fourth quarter of 2021. The average adjusted yield on invested assets excluding non-trendable items³ was 4.12% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 3.68% in the fourth quarter of 2021. Relative to the prior quarter, the average adjusted yield in the first quarter of 2022 reflected an increase of 32 basis points from returns on partnerships and other mark-to-market assets and a 10 basis points benefit due to lower cash holdings relative to invested assets. Since partnership and other mark-to-market asset returns can vary by quarter, excluding that benefit and non-trendable items, average yield improved from 3.68% in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 3.80% in the first quarter of 2022.

Average cash and equivalents in the insurance companies’ portfolios was $1.7 billion compared to $4.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021. Cash and equivalents in the insurance companies’ portfolios as of March 31, 2022 was $576 million. During the quarter, investment asset purchases totaled $4.7 billion and were made at an average rate of 3.58%, including approximately $900 million of private assets at 5.41%.

American Equity CEO & President Anant Bhalla noted, “I am very proud of our team for having delivered on our investment goals outlined less than 18 months ago. First, by de-risking the legacy American Equity structured assets portfolio and raising the portfolio cash position to close to 20% during the pandemic. Second, by transferring $45 billion of core fixed income assets to world-class managers BlackRock and Conning. Third, by putting our private asset origination and scaling plans on a solid foundation with 15.4% of the portfolio or $8.4 billion already invested in private assets with a clear path to our goal of ramping to a 30% to 40% allocation to private assets over time. Finally, we are now fully invested with a portfolio yield at the end of the first quarter of 3.98%”

The aggregate cost of money for annuity liabilities of 1.64% in the first quarter of 2022 was up 13 basis points compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, in line with market costs. The cost of money in the first quarter of 2022 was positively affected by 3 basis points of over-hedging of index-linked credits compared to 14 basis points of hedge gain in the fourth quarter of 2021.

FIA SALES IN-LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS⁴

First quarter sales were $902 million, of which 98%, or $883 million, were in fixed index annuities. This is in line with the company’s focus strategy for 2022 sales. Compared to the first quarter of 2021, total company FIA sales increased 33%. FIA sales at American Equity Life increased 46% while Eagle Life sales declined by 15%.

On a sequential quarterly basis, FIA sales decreased 10% to $883 million primarily due to lower sales in the bank and broker-dealer channel while maintaining a leading market position in the Independent Marketing Organization (IMO) space.

EXPANDED PRODUCT LINE TO BE REINSURED TO BROOKFIELD’s NORTH END RE (CAYMAN) SPC

American Equity has executed an agreement with Brookfield’s North End Re (Cayman) SPC to expand the company’s income products funding the additional $6 billion in capacity under the reinsurance treaty signed between the two companies in 2021. The new products include American Equity Life’s EstateShield as well as Eagle Life’s Eagle Select Income Focus products. The flow reinsurance transfers a 75% quota share of all sales of these products retrospective from July 1, 2021.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The forward-looking statements in this release or that American Equity uses on its conference call, such as anticipate, assuming, become, believe, calls for, can, continue, estimate, expect, forward, future, goal, going forward, grow, intend, likely, look to, may, need, next, on the way, on track, outlook, over time, plan, potential, predictable, project, ramp, should, signal, strategy, target, then, to be, toward, trends, will, would, and their derivative forms and similar words, as well as any projections of future results, are based on assumptions and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, including the “Risk Factors” the company describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The Company’s future results could differ, and it has no obligation to correct or update any of these statements.

CONFERENCE CALL

American Equity will hold a conference call to discuss first quarter 2022 earnings on Thursday, May 5, at 10:00 a.m. CDT. The conference call will be webcast live on the Internet. Investors and interested parties who wish to listen to the call on the internet may do so at www.american-equity.com.

The call may also be accessed by telephone at 855-865-0606, passcode 1593835 (international callers, please dial 704-859-4382). An audio replay will be available shortly after the call on American Equity’s website. An audio replay will also be available via telephone through May 12, 2022 at 855-859-2056, passcode 1593835 (international callers will need to dial 404-537-3406).

ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY

At American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, we think of ourselves as The Financial Dignity Company^TM that offers solutions designed to create financial dignity in retirement. Our policyholders work with independent agents, banks and broker-dealers, through our wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, to choose one of our leading annuity products best suited for their personal needs. To deliver on our promises to policyholders, American Equity has reframed its investment focus, building a stronger emphasis on insurance liability driven asset allocation as well as the origination and management of private assets. Our company is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa with satellite offices slated to open in 2022 in Charlotte, NC and New York, NY. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com.

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company
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Consolidated Statements of Operations

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company
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NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

In addition to net income available to common stockholders, we have consistently utilized non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders and non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders per common share – assuming dilution, non-GAAP financial measures commonly used in the life insurance industry, as economic measures to evaluate our financial performance. Non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders equals net income available to common stockholders adjusted to eliminate the impact of items that fluctuate from quarter to quarter in a manner unrelated to core operations, and we believe measures excluding their impact are useful in analyzing operating trends. The most significant adjustments to arrive at non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders eliminate the impact of fair value accounting for our fixed index annuity business. These adjustments are not economic in nature but rather impact the timing of reported results. We believe the combined presentation and evaluation of non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders together with net income available to common stockholders provides information that may enhance an investor’s understanding of our underlying results and profitability.

Reconciliation from Net Income Available to Common Stockholders to Non-GAAP Operating Income Available to Common Stockholders and Non-GAAP Operating Income Available to Common Stockholders, Excluding Notable Items

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company
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Book Value per Common Share

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company
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NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Average Common Stockholders’ Equity and Return on Average Common Stockholders’ Equity

Return on average common stockholders’ equity measures how efficiently we generate profits from the resources provided by our net assets. Return on average common stockholders’ equity is calculated by dividing net income available to common stockholders, for the trailing twelve months, by average equity available to common stockholders. Non-GAAP operating return on average common stockholders’ equity excluding average accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) and average net impact of fair value accounting for derivatives and embedded derivatives is calculated by dividing non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders, for the trailing twelve months, by average common stockholders’ equity excluding average AOCI and average net impact of fair value accounting for derivatives and embedded derivatives. We exclude AOCI because AOCI fluctuates from quarter to quarter due to unrealized changes in the fair value of available for sale investments. We exclude the net impact of fair value accounting for derivatives and embedded derivatives as the amounts are not economic in nature but rather impact the timing of reported results.