American Equity Reports Strong Earnings Driven by Ramping Private Asset Allocation to 24% while Growing Total Sales to $1.4 Billion

May 16, 2023 by American Equity Investment Life Holding Company

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 8, 2023– American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL), a leading issuer of fixed index annuities (FIAs), today reported its first quarter 2023 results. Investment spread increased from the fourth quarter of 2022, while sales momentum continued in both the independent agent channel and bank and broker-dealer channel.

American Equity’s President and CEO, Anant Bhalla stated: “Our strong first quarter results across all aspects of our Virtuous Flywheel reflect the power of AEL 2.0 as it gains momentum. Strong new money yields enabled by our robust asset sourcing capabilities and reinsurance structures empowered the front-end of the Flywheel to sell nearly $1.4 billion of annuities. I am thankful to our American Equity teammates and our partners in the AEL Network who have embraced our ways of working to deliver financial dignity to our retail clients and be the partner of choice to our distribution partners and advisors.”

With regard to the macro-economic outlook, Bhalla continued, “We opportunistically repurchased $253 million of shares in the first quarter while maintaining a fortress balance sheet. Our excess capital position as of March 31, was $650 million. In this current economic environment, we are extremely vigilant with regards to prudent balance sheet management and identification of both risks and opportunities in these turbulent markets. We remain confident in our ability to return capital to shareholders and selectively source private assets at very attractive risk-adjusted returns for all stakeholders.”

Non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹ for the first quarter of 2023 was $124.3 million, or $1.47 per diluted common share, compared to non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹ of $107.1 million, or $1.09 per diluted common share for the first quarter of 2022, restated for the adoption of Accounting Standards Update 2018-12 — more commonly known as Long Duration Targeted Improvements or LDTI. For the first quarter of 2023, non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹ included notable items² of $9.6 million, or $0.11 per share, after taxes. There were no notable items² affecting results for the first quarter of 2022.

The year-over-year change in quarterly non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹ excluding the impact of notable items² reflects improved investment spread, increased recurring fee revenue related to reinsurance and a decrease in the change in the Market Risk Benefit (MRB) liability.

For the first quarter of 2023, net investment income fell by $10 million to $559 million when adjusted to reflect non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹. This $10 million decrease reflects a decline in average investments primarily due to $3.8 billion of invested assets transferred as a result of an in-force reinsurance transaction effective October 3, 2022 with 26North Re, offset in part by improved investment yields resulting from attractive new money rates, the effect of higher short term rates on our floating rate portfolio and the increase in portfolio allocation to privately sourced assets to 24.2%. The contribution to net investment income from partnerships and other mark-to-market investments for the first quarter of 2023 was $21 million less than expected as actual returns were below those used in our investment projections.

Compared to the first quarter of 2022, the change in the MRB liability decreased by $26 million to $47 million when adjusted to reflect non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹. This $26 million decrease reflects a $7 million benefit from the fourth quarter 2022 in-force reinsurance transaction which is captured in a $35 million decline in expense associated with adverse experience and a $10 million positive change in the amortization of net deferred capital market impacts, offset in part by a $20 million increase in the interest accrued on the MRB balance. First quarter 2023 change in MRB liability adjusted to reflect non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹ was $8 million higher than expected due to $2 million in adverse experience, $3 million of expense associated with model true-ups, and $3 million less from the amortization of net deferred capital market impacts due mostly to a decrease in interest rates during the quarter.

Compared to the first quarter of 2022, amortization of deferred policy acquisition and sales inducement cost decreased $3 million to $115 million reflecting a $5 million reduction from the fourth quarter 2022 in-force reinsurance transaction. Amortization in the first quarter of 2023 included $1 million of expense associated with new sales.

As of March 31, 2023, account value of business ceded subject to fee income was $10.2 billion, up from $9.6 billion at the end of 2022. Flow reinsurance ceded subject to fee income in the first quarter of 2023 totaled $634 million of account value. Revenue associated with recurring fees under reinsurance agreements for the first quarter of 2023 totaled $22 million compared to $9 million for the first quarter of 2022 when adjusted to reflect non-GAAP operating income available to common stockholders¹. Growth in ceded account value and a positive $1 million true-up associated with the final settlement of the fourth quarter reinsurance transaction contributed to the increase in revenues.

Other operating costs and expenses for the first quarter of 2023 of $74 million included our single notable item² in the quarter of $12 million, pre-tax, to reflect expense associated with the strategic incentive compensation award made in November of last year.

The effective tax rate on pre-tax operating income available for common stockholders¹ for the first quarter of 2023 was 24.4%. Tax expense in the quarter included a $6 million true-up related to 2022 which contributed approximately 300 basis points to the effective tax rate.

INVESTMENT SPREAD INCREASES AS STRONG ORIGINATION OF PRIVATE ASSETS CONTINUES

American Equity’s investment spread was 2.67% for the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2.54% for the fourth quarter of 2022 and 2.51% for the first quarter of 2022. Adjusted investment spread excluding non-trendable items³ increased to 2.67% in the first quarter of 2023 from 2.53% in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Average yield on invested assets was 4.48% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 4.30% in the fourth quarter of 2022. The average adjusted yield on invested assets excluding non-trendable items³ was 4.48% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 4.29% in the fourth quarter of 2022. Below expected returns on mark-to-market assets reduced the portfolio yield by 17 basis points in the first quarter of 2023 compared to nine basis points in the fourth quarter of 2022. The benefit to the investment portfolio from higher short-term rates on floating rate investments was 7 basis points in the first quarter.

During the quarter, investment asset purchases totaled $2.1 billion and were made at an average rate of 7.19%, including approximately $1.3 billion of private assets at 7.89%.

The aggregate cost of money for annuity liabilities of 1.81% in the first quarter of 2023 was up 5 basis points compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, in line with market costs. The cost of money in the both quarters reflect a minimal benefit from the over-hedging of index-linked credits.

FIA SALES INCREASE 23% FROM PRIOR SEQUENTIAL QUARTER

First quarter sales were $1,371 million, of which 70.3%, or $964 million, were in fixed index annuities. Total enterprise FIA sales increased 23.2% and 9.3% compared to fourth and first quarters of 2022, respectively. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, FIA sales at American Equity Life in the Independent Marketing Organization (IMO) channel increased 15.5%, while Eagle Life FIA sales through banks and broker-dealers rose 56.8%.

Backed by our new flow reinsurance agreement with 26North Re, which became effective February 8th, total enterprise multi-year fixed rate annuity sales were $404 million in the first quarter.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The forward-looking statements in this release or that American Equity uses on its conference call, such as ability, aim, anticipate, assume, become, believe, building, can, commit, constructive, confident, continue, could, drive, estimate, expect, exposure, forward, future, goal, grow, guidance, intend, likely, look to, maintain, may, might, model, opportunity, outlook, over time, plan, potential, prepare, project, ramp, remain risk, scenario, see, should, signal, strategy, tail wind, target, test, to be, toward, trends, uncertainty, 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 2023 earnings on Tuesday, May 9, at 10:00 a.m. CT.

The conference call will be webcast live on the Internet. Investors and interested parties who wish to listen to the webcast may register to access it on our IR website at https://ir.american-equity.com. An audio replay will also be available via the same link on our website shortly after the completion of the call for 30 days.

The call may also be accessed by telephone. Investors and interested parties may register for the call with the form available at this link, and upon submission (and via follow-up email) will receive the dial-in number and a unique PIN to access the call. Registration is available now or any time up to and during the time of the call. Registration is also available by visiting our IR website at https://ir.american-equity.com.

ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY

At American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, our policyholders work with over 40,000 independent agents and advisors affiliated with independent market organizations (IMOs), banks and broker-dealers through our wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. Advisors and agents choose one of our leading annuity products best suited for their clients’ personal needs to create financial dignity in retirement. To deliver on its promises to policyholders, American Equity has re-framed its investment focus — building a stronger emphasis on insurance liability driven asset allocation and specializing in alternate, private asset management while partnering with world renowned, public fixed income asset managers. American Equity is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa with additional offices in Charlotte, NC and New York, NY. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

In addition to net income (loss) 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 (loss) 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 (loss) available to common stockholders provides information that may enhance an investor’s understanding of our underlying results and profitability.

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 fixed index annuities 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 fixed index annuities. 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 fixed index annuities as the amounts are not economic in nature but rather impact the timing of reported results.

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Steven Schwartz | Head of Investor Relations
American Equity Investment Life Holding Company^®
515-273-3763 | sschwartz@american-equity.com

Source: American Equity Investment Life Holding Company

Originally Posted at American Equity on May 8, 2023 by American Equity Investment Life Holding Company.