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Movado Group, Inc. announces second quarter results

~ Second Quarter Net Sales of $88.5 million ~

~ Second Quarter Loss Per Share of ($0.28), or ($0.07) Excluding Restructuring Plan and Other Items ~

~ Ends Second Quarter with Cash of $170 million ~

~ Announces Licensing Partnership with Calvin Klein ~

PARAMUS, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE: MOV) today announced second quarter and six-month results for the period ended July 31, 2020.

Efraim Grinberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We remain focused on ensuring the safety and health of our employees, customers and the communities where we operate. In a quarter that was significantly impacted globally by the COVID-19 pandemic, I am proud of our team’s ability to build on our multi-year investments in our digital center of excellence and adapt to support our ongoing mission to put consumers first, allowing them to connect with our great brands, designs and platforms wherever and whenever they choose to shop. These efforts allowed us to capture strong online demand where our Movado brand generated a 130% increase in our own and third party ecommerce sales. In North America, we reopened our outlet stores in June and were encouraged by the improved sequential performance in July, despite reduced stores hours. We are also seeing encouraging demand in our domestic department store channel. In China, we had a 16% increase in sales for the quarter with trends continuing to accelerate and we had positive top line growth in France and Germany, despite our customers being closed for nearly half of the quarter.”

Mr. Grinberg continued, “The aggressive actions we took at the height of the pandemic have positioned us well to continue to navigate the current environment. We have implemented initiatives that are expected to generate $90 million in cost savings in this fiscal year and have strengthened our financial health as evidenced by our cash balance of $170 million after repaying $37 million on our revolver at quarter end. As we look to the remainder of the year, we continue to expect improving sales trends in the second half relative to the first half with improved profitability and we will continue to be disciplined and agile in managing the business given the continued uncertainty. The actions we have taken, combined with our strong liquidity, enable us to leverage our powerful portfolio of brands which will be further strengthened by the exciting new licensing partnership announced today to design and develop Calvin Klein timepieces and jewelry. As a result, we have confidence that we will emerge from this extraordinary period a stronger company that is even better positioned to deliver long-term shareholder value.”

Non-GAAP Items (See attached table for GAAP and Non-GAAP measures)

Second quarter fiscal 2021 results of operations included the following items:

  • Operating expenses include a $0.7 million pre-tax charge, or $0.5 million after tax, representing $0.02 per diluted share, associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets related to the acquisition of Olivia Burton;
  • $0.3 million pre-tax charge, or $0.2 million after tax, representing $0.01 per diluted share, associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets and deferred compensation related to the acquisition of MVMT;
  • $7.4 million pre-tax charge, or $5.0 million after tax, representing $0.22 per diluted share, related to corporate initiatives primarily in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
  • Other non-operating income includes a $1.3 million pre-tax gain, or $0.8 million after tax, representing $0.04 per diluted share, associated with the sale of a non-operating asset in Switzerland.

Second quarter Fiscal 2020 results of operations included the following items:

  • Operating expenses include a $0.7 million pre-tax charge, or $0.6 million after tax, representing $0.02 per diluted share, associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets related to Olivia Burton;
  • $1.1 million pre-tax charge, or $0.9 million after tax, representing $0.04 per diluted share, associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets and deferred compensation related to the acquisition of MVMT;
  • $0.3 million pre-tax gain, or $0.2 million after tax, representing $0.01 per diluted share, associated with the change in estimate of the remaining accrual for the fiscal 2018 cost saving initiatives; and
  • Other non-operating income includes a $13.6 million pre-tax benefit, or $10.4 million after tax, representing $0.44 per diluted share, associated with the remeasurement of the contingent consideration liability associated with the MVMT acquisition.

Second Quarter Fiscal 2021 (See attached table for GAAP and Non-GAAP measures)

  • Net sales decreased 43.9% to $88.5 million compared to $157.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Net sales on a constant dollar basis also decreased 43.9%.
  • Gross profit was $45.4 million, or 51.2% of sales, compared to $85.3 million, or 54.1% of sales, in the second quarter last year. The decrease in gross margin percentage was primarily the result of unfavorable changes in channel and product mix, decreased leverage on fixed costs due to decreased sales, and U.S. special tariff headwinds.
  • Operating expenses were $54.3 million compared to $76.6 million in the prior year period. For the second quarter of fiscal 2021, adjusted operating expenses were $45.9 million, which excludes the operating expense charges mentioned above in the Non-GAAP Items section. For the second quarter of fiscal 2020, adjusted operating expenses were $75.1 million, which excludes the operating expense charges mentioned above in the Non-GAAP Items section. The decrease in adjusted operating expenses was primarily due to the Company’s initiative to minimize all non-essential operating expenses such as certain marketing, selling and payroll related expenses.
  • Operating loss was $8.9 million compared to operating income of $8.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2020. Adjusted operating loss for the second quarter of fiscal 2021 was $0.6 million, which excludes the fiscal 2021 charges listed above in the Non-GAAP Items section, compared to adjusted operating income for the second quarter of fiscal 2020 of $10.3 million, which excludes the fiscal 2020 charges listed above in the Non-GAAP Items section.
  • The Company recorded a tax benefit of $1.6 million compared to a tax provision of $4.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company recorded an adjusted tax provision in the second quarter of fiscal 2021 of $0.6 million compared to an adjusted tax provision of $1.8 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2020.
  • Net loss was $6.6 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, compared to net income of $17.5 million, or $0.75 per diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 . Adjusted net loss for the fiscal 2021 period was $1.7 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, which excludes the second quarter fiscal 2021 net charges listed above in the Non-GAAP Items section after the associated tax effects. This compares to adjusted net income in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 of $8.3 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, which excludes the second quarter fiscal 2020 net charges listed above in the Non-GAAP Items section after the associated tax effects.

First Half Fiscal 2021 (See attached table for GAAP and Non-GAAP measures)

  • Net sales were $158.2 million compared to $304.4 million in the first six months of fiscal 2020, a decrease of 48.0% primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Net sales on a constant dollar basis decreased 47.8%.
  • Gross profit was $77.2 million, or 48.8% of sales, compared to $164.2 million, or 54.0% of sales in the same period last year. Adjusted gross profit for the first six months of fiscal 2021, which excludes $3.5 million in corporate initiative charges related to the impact to the business of the COVID-19 pandemic, was $80.8 million, or 51.0% of net sales. Adjusted gross profit for the first six months of fiscal 2020, which excludes $0.1 million in adjustments associated with the amortization of acquisition accounting adjustments related to the MVMT acquisition, was $164.4 million, or 54.0% of net sales. The decrease in adjusted gross margin percentage was primarily the result of decreased leverage on fixed costs due to decreased sales, unfavorable changes in channel and product mix, unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates and U.S. special tariff headwinds.
  • Operating expenses were $268.3 million as compared to $150.5 million in the first six months of last fiscal year. For the first six months of fiscal 2021, adjusted operating expenses were $99.0 million, which excludes $155.9 million in adjustments related to the impairment of goodwill and certain intangible assets, $11.1 million in corporate initiative charges related to the impact to the business from the COVID-19 pandemic, $1.4 million of expenses associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets related to Olivia Burton and $1.0 million in adjustments associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets and deferred compensation related to the MVMT acquisition. For the first six months of fiscal 2020, adjusted operating expenses were $146.9 million, which excludes $1.4 million of expenses associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets related to Olivia Burton and $2.5 million in adjustments associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets, accounting adjustments and deferred compensation related to the MVMT acquisition, partially offset by $0.3 million in adjustments associated with the change in estimate of the remaining accrual for the fiscal 2018 cost saving initiatives. The decrease in adjusted operating expenses was primarily due to the Company’s initiative to minimize all non-essential operating expenses such as certain marketing, selling and payroll related expenses.
  • Operating loss was $191.1 million compared to operating income of $13.8 million in the first six months of fiscal 2020. Adjusted operating loss for the first six months of fiscal 2021 was $18.2 million, which excludes the fiscal 2021 charges listed in the immediately preceding bullet, compared to adjusted operating income of $17.4 million in the first six months of fiscal 2020 which excludes the fiscal 2020 net charges listed in the immediately preceding bullet.
  • The Company recorded a tax benefit in the first six months of fiscal 2021 of $33.9 million as compared to a tax provision of $5.6 million in the first six months of last year. Based upon adjusted pre-tax income, the adjusted tax benefit was $4.3 million in the first half of fiscal 2021 compared to an adjusted tax provision of $3.1 million in the first half of fiscal 2020.
  • Net loss was $156.6 million, or $6.75 per diluted share, compared to net income of $21.4 million, or $0.92 per diluted share, in the first six months of fiscal 2020. Adjusted net loss for the first half of fiscal 2021 was $14.7 million, or $0.63 per diluted shares, which excludes $131.1 million, net of $24.9 million of tax, in adjustments related to the impairment of goodwill and certain intangible assets, $10.0 million, net of $4.6 million of tax, in corporate initiative charges related to the impact to the business from the COVID-19 pandemic, $1.1 million, net of $0.3 million of tax, of expenses associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets related to Olivia Burton and $0.6 million, net of $0.4 million of tax, in adjustments associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets and deferred compensation related to the MVMT acquisition, and $0.8 million, net of $0.5 million of tax, associated with a gain on the sale of a non-operating asset in Switzerland. This compares to adjusted net income for the first half of fiscal 2020 of $13.9 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, which excludes $1.1 million, net of $0.3 million of tax, of expenses associated with the amortization of acquired intangible assets related to Olivia Burton; $2.0 million, net of $0.6 million of tax, of expenses related to the amortization of acquired intangible assets, accounting adjustments and deferred compensation related to MVMT; $10.4 million, net of $3.3 million of tax, of gains associated with the remeasurement of the contingent consideration liability associated with the MVMT acquisition; and $0.2 million, net of $0.1 million of tax, of gains associated with the change in estimate of the remaining accrual for the fiscal 2018 cost saving initiatives.

Fiscal 2021 Outlook

Given the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 crisis and lack of visibility, the potential financial impact to the business cannot be reasonably estimated. The Company is not providing fiscal 2021 guidance.

Conference Call

The Company’s management will host a conference call and audio webcast to discuss its results today, August 27, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (877) 407-0784. Additionally, a live webcast of the call can be accessed at www.movadogroup.com. The webcast will be archived on the Company’s website approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call. Additionally, a telephonic re-play of the call will be available at 12:00 p.m. ET on August 27, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. ET on September 10, 2020 and can be accessed by dialing (844) 512-2921 and entering replay pin number 13708469.

Movado Group, Inc. designs, sources, and distributes MOVADO®, MVMT®, OLIVIA BURTON®, EBEL®, CONCORD®, COACH®, TOMMY HILFIGER®, HUGO BOSS®, LACOSTE®, SCUDERIA FERRARI®, REBECCA MINKOFF® and URI MINKOFF® watches worldwide, and operates Movado company stores in the United States and Canada.

In this release, the Company presents certain financial measures that are not calculated according to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Specifically, the Company is presenting adjusted gross profit, adjusted gross margin, adjusted operating expenses and adjusted operating income, which are gross profit, gross margin, operating expenses and operating income, respectively, under GAAP, adjusted to eliminate the amortization of acquisition accounting adjustments related to the Olivia Burton and MVMT acquisitions, corporate initiatives and the impairment of goodwill and certain intangible assets. The Company is also presenting adjusted tax provision, which is the tax provision under GAAP, adjusted to eliminate the impact of charges for the Olivia Burton and MVMT acquisitions, corporate initiatives, the impairment of goodwill and certain intangible assets and the gain on sale of a non-operating asset. The Company believes these adjusted measures are useful because they give investors information about the Company’s financial performance without the effect of certain items that the Company believes are not characteristic of its usual operations. The Company is also presenting adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and adjusted effective tax rate, which are net income, earnings per share and effective tax rate, respectively, under GAAP, adjusted to eliminate the after-tax impact of amortization of acquisition accounting adjustments related to the Olivia Burton and MVMT acquisitions, corporate initiatives, the impairment of goodwill and certain intangibles and the gain on sale of a non-operating asset. The Company believes that adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and adjusted effective tax rate are useful measures of performance because they give investors information about the Company’s financial performance without the effect of certain items that the Company believes are not characteristic of its usual operations. Additionally, the Company is presenting constant currency information to provide a framework to assess how its business performed excluding the effects of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations in the current period. Comparisons of financial results on a constant dollar basis are calculated by translating each foreign currency at the same US dollar exchange rate as in effect for the prior-year period for both periods being compared. The Company believes this information is useful to investors to facilitate comparisons of operating results. These non-GAAP financial measures are designed to complement the GAAP financial information presented in this release. The non-GAAP financial measures presented should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for the comparable GAAP financial measures, and the methods of their calculation may differ substantially from similarly titled measures used by other companies.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “targets,” “goals,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should” and variations of such words and similar expressions. Similarly, statements in this press release that describe the Company’s business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals are also forward-looking statements. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements and levels of future dividends to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements. These risks and uncertainties may include, but are not limited to general economic and business conditions which may impact disposable income of consumers in the United States and the other significant markets (including Europe) where the Company’s products are sold, uncertainty regarding such economic and business conditions, trends in consumer debt levels and bad debt write-offs, general uncertainty related to possible terrorist attacks, natural disasters, pandemics, including the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and other diseases on travel and traffic in our retail stores and the stores of our wholesale customers, supply disruptions and delivery delays from our Chinese and other suppliers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, adverse impact on the Company’s wholesale customers and customer traffic in the Company’s stores as a result of increased uncertainty and economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the stability of the European Union (including the impact of the United Kingdom’s process to exit from the European Union), the stability of the United Kingdom after its exit from the European Union, and defaults on or downgrades of sovereign debt and the impact of any of those events on consumer spending, changes in consumer preferences and popularity of particular designs, new product development and introduction, decrease in mall traffic and increase in e-commerce, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its business strategies, competitive products and pricing, the impact of “smart” watches and other wearable tech products on the traditional watch market, seasonality, availability of alternative sources of supply in the case of the loss of any significant supplier or any supplier’s inability to fulfill the Company’s orders, the loss of or curtailed sales to significant customers, the Company’s dependence on key employees and officers, the ability to successfully integrate the operations of acquired businesses without disruption to other business activities, the possible impairment of acquired intangible assets including goodwill if the carrying value of any reporting unit were to exceed its fair value, volatility in reported earnings resulting from changes in the estimated fair value of contingent acquisition consideration, the continuation of the company’s major warehouse and distribution centers, the continuation of licensing arrangements with third parties, losses possible from pending or future litigation, the ability to secure and protect trademarks, patents and other intellectual property rights, the ability to lease new stores on suitable terms in desired markets and to complete construction on a timely basis, the ability of the Company to successfully manage its expenses on a continuing basis, information systems failure or breaches of network security, the continued availability to the Company of financing and credit on favorable terms, business disruptions, and general risks associated with doing business outside the United States including, without limitation, import duties, tariffs (including retaliatory tariffs), quotas, political and economic stability, changes to existing laws or regulations, and success of hedging strategies with respect to currency exchange rate fluctuations, and the other factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Be advised that developments subsequent to this press release are likely to cause these statements to become outdated with the passage of time. The Company assumes no duty to update its forward looking statements and this release shall not be construed to indicate the assumption by the Company of any duty to update its outlook in the future.

(Tables to follow)

MOVADO GROUP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

July 31,

July 31,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Net sales

$

88,538

$

157,816

$

158,204

$

304,365

Cost of sales

43,182

72,477

80,955

140,153

Gross profit

45,356

85,339

77,249

164,212

Operating expenses

54,272

76,563

112,409

150,462

Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets

155,919

Total operating expenses

54,272

76,563

268,328

150,462

Operating (loss)/income

(8,916

)

8,776

(191,079

)

13,750

Non-operating (expense)/income:
Gain on sale of a non-operating asset

1,317

1,317

Change in contingent consideration

13,627

13,627

Interest expense

(590

)

(225

)

(861

)

(449

)

Interest income

8

24

23

45

(Loss)/Income before income taxes

(8,181

)

22,202

(190,600

)

26,973

(Benefit)/Provision for income taxes

(1,559

)

4,741

(33,889

)

5,588

Net (loss)/income

(6,622

)

17,461

(156,711

)

21,385

Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

(7

)

(44

)

(103

)

(45

)

Net (loss)/income attributable to Movado Group, Inc.

$

(6,615

)

$

17,505

$

(156,608

)

$

21,430

Diluted Income Per Share Information
Net (loss)/income attributable to Movado Group, Inc.

$

(0.28

)

$

0.75

$

(6.75

)

$

0.92

Weighted diluted average shares outstanding

23,240

23,292

23,191

23,370

MOVADO GROUP, INC.
GAAP AND NON-GAAP MEASURES
(In thousands, except for percentage data)
(Unaudited)

As Reported

Three Months Ended

July 31,

% Change

2020

2019

Total net sales, as reported

$

88,538

$

157,816

-43.9

%

Total net sales, constant dollar basis

$

88,461

$

157,816

-43.9

%

As Reported

Six Months Ended

July 31,

% Change

2020

2019

Total net sales, as reported

$

158,204

$

304,365

-48.0

%

Total net sales, constant dollar basis

$

158,813

$

304,365

-47.8

%

MOVADO GROUP, INC.
GAAP AND NON-GAAP MEASURES
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

Net Sales

Gross Profit

Operating

(Loss)/Income

Pre-tax

(Loss)/Income

(Benefit)/Provision

for Income Taxes

Net

(Loss)/Income

Attributable to

Movado Group,

Inc.

Diluted EPS

Three Months Ended July 31, 2020
As Reported (GAAP)

$

88,538

$

45,356

$

(8,916

)

$

(8,181

)

$

(1,559

)

$

(6,615

)

$

(0.28

)

Olivia Burton Costs (1)

671

671

139

532

$

0.02

MVMT Costs (2)

284

284

108

176

$

0.01

Gain On Sale of a Non-Operating Asset (3)

(1,317

)

(474

)

(843

)

$

(0.04

)

Corporate Initiatives (4)

7,368

7,368

2,353

5,015

$

0.22

Adjusted Results (Non-GAAP)

$

88,538

$

45,356

$

(593

)

$

(1,175

)

$

567

$

(1,735

)

$

(0.07

)

Three Months Ended July 31, 2019
As Reported (GAAP)

$

157,816

$

85,339

$

8,776

$

22,202

$

4,741

$

17,505

$

0.75

Olivia Burton Costs (1)

690

690

131

559

0.02

MVMT Costs (2)

1,125

1,125

270

855

0.04

Change In Contingent Consideration (5)

(13,627

)

(3,270

)

(10,357

)

(0.44

)

Cost Savings Initiatives (6)

(320

)

(320

)

(77

)

(243

)

(0.01

)

Adjusted Results (Non-GAAP)

$

157,816

$

85,339

$

10,271

$

10,070

$

1,795

$

8,319

$

0.36

Net Sales Gross Profit Operating
(Loss)/Income
Pre-tax
(Loss)/Income
(Benefit)/Provision
for Income Taxes
Net
(Loss)/Income
Attributable to
Movado Group,
Inc.
Diluted EPS
Six Months Ended July 31, 2020
As Reported (GAAP)

$

158,204

$

77,249

$

(191,079

)

$

(190,600

)

$

(33,889

)

$

(156,608

)

$

(6.75

)

Olivia Burton Costs (1)

1,356

1,356

258

1,098

$

0.05

MVMT Costs (2)

981

981

373

608

$

0.03

Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment (7)

155,919

155,919

24,867

131,052

$

5.65

Gain On Sale of a Non-Operating Asset (3)

(1,317

)

(474

)

(843

)

$

(0.04

)

Corporate Initiatives (4)

3,508

14,608

14,608

4,592

10,016

$

0.43

Adjusted Results (Non-GAAP)

$

158,204

$

80,757

$

(18,215

)

$

(19,053

)

$

(4,273

)

$

(14,677

)

$

(0.63

)

Six Months Ended July 31, 2019
As Reported (GAAP)

$

304,365

$

164,212

$

13,750

$

26,973

$

5,588

$

21,430

$

0.92

Olivia Burton Costs (1)

1,402

1,402

266

1,136

0.05

MVMT Costs (2)

140

2,598

2,598

624

1,974

0.08

Change In Contingent Consideration (5)

(13,627

)

(3,270

)

(10,357

)

(0.44

)

Cost Savings Initiatives (6)

(320

)

(320

)

(77

)

(243

)

(0.01

)

Adjusted Results (Non-GAAP)

$

304,365

$

164,352

$

17,430

$

17,026

$

3,131

$

13,940

$

0.60

Contacts

ICR, Inc.

Rachel Schacter/Allison Malkin

203-682-8200

Read full story here

Categories
Business

MetLife Investment Management originates $6.2 billion in private placement debt for 1H 2020

Private placement debt portfolio grows to $91.2 billion1

WHIPPANY, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MetLife Investment Management (MIM), the institutional asset management business of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), today announced it originated $6.2 billion in private placement debt for the first half of 2020, across nearly 100 transactions. This included $1.7 billion of investments originated on behalf of institutional clients.

Despite COVID-driven economic uncertainty and associated volatility in the fixed income markets, we remained active throughout the first six months of 2020, serving as a key capital partner to our issuers,” said John Wills, global head of private placements at MIM.

MIM’s private placement debt origination for the first half of 2020 comprised $4.5 billion in corporate private placement debt transactions and $1.7 billion in infrastructure private placement debt transactions. This origination activity, which added 29 new credits, helped grow MIM’s total private placement debt portfolio to $91.2 billion as of June 30, 2020.

MIM’s corporate private placement activity was diversified across industry sectors, including general industrial, healthcare, professional services, retail and utilities. MIM was selective in its infrastructure private placement opportunities and participated in transactions that provided strong structural protections and relative value across the following sectors: electric transmission, renewable power, social housing and infrastructure, and stadiums. Investments included nearly $550 million in six transactions across the renewable power and social housing and infrastructure sectors.

I am proud of our team’s efforts to support our borrowers and institutional investor clients,” added Wills. “The breadth, depth and experience of our deal sourcing and credit management capabilities served our clients across the corporate, insurance and pension communities well during these extremely difficult times. We expect that MIM will continue to be a leading private placement provider in corporate and infrastructure debt, benefiting from our size, sector expertise and global footprint.”

About MetLife Investment Management

MetLife Investment Management, the institutional asset management business of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), is a global public fixed income, private capital and real estate investment manager providing tailored investment solutions to institutional investors worldwide. MetLife Investment Management provides public and private pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, funds and other institutional clients with a range of bespoke investment and financing solutions that seek to meet a range of long-term investment objectives and risk-adjusted returns over time. MetLife Investment Management has over 150 years of investment experience and as of June 30, 2020, had $629.1 billion2 in total assets under management. For more information, visit https://investments.metlife.com.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements in this news release, such as “expect,” “will,” and “continue” are based on assumptions and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, including the “Risk Factors” MetLife, Inc. describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. MetLife’s future results could differ, and it has no obligation to correct or update any of these statements.

______________________________

1 As of June 30, 2020. At estimated fair value. Includes corporate and infrastructure private placement debt contained in MetLife’s general account, separate accounts and non-proprietary assets of unaffiliated/third party clients.

2 Total assets under management is comprised of all MetLife general account and separate account assets and unaffiliated/third party assets, at estimated fair value, managed by MIM.

Contacts

James Murphy

(973) 355-4673

Categories
Business

Cross River announces completion of $106 million subordinated debt offering

Additional Proceeds From Private Placement Transaction Will Provide The Company With Opportunistic Capital

FORT LEE, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CRB Group, Inc., the parent company of Cross River Bank, today announced the closing of its $106 million private placement of subordinated notes (the “Notes”).

We are pleased to announce the successful completion of our subordinated debt offering, which will provide us with opportunistic capital to continue our strategic growth plans and to fuel our commitment to our employees, partners, businesses and consumers,” said Gilles Gade, Founder, President and CEO of Cross River. “This offering was oversubscribed, and we appreciate the strong support and positive response of the investment community.”

The Notes have a maturity date of September 1, 2030 and carry a fixed rate of interest of 6.50% for the first five years. Thereafter, the Notes will pay interest at 3-month SOFR plus 638 basis points, payable quarterly in arrears. The Notes include a right of prepayment without penalty on or after September 1, 2025. The subordinated notes have been structured to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes. Kroll Bond Rating Agency assigned an investment rating of BBB- to the Notes.

The net proceeds from the offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including to support the growth of the company. Cross River’s current offerings include marketplace lending, payments and strategic financing, as well as small business and commercial real estate lending.

Piper Sandler & Co. served as the lead-placement agent and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods and Jefferies LLC. acted as co-placement agents for the private offering. The Company was advised by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and the placement agents were advised by Holland & Knight LLP.

About Cross River

Cross River Bank is a fast-growing financial services organization that merges the established expertise and traditional services of a bank with the forward-thinking offerings of a technology company. Cross River combines a comprehensive suite of products into a unique banking-as-a-platform solution, encompassing lending, payments and risk management. Cross River partners with leading marketplace lenders and technology companies enabling them to focus on their own growth without hindering innovation, while maintaining a strong focus on compliance. In December 2018, Cross River secured $100 million in a funding round led by KKR. This was on top of the $28 million VC funding round in 2016 from Battery Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and Ribbit Capital. Founded in 2008, Cross River is a New Jersey state-chartered FDIC insured bank. For more information, please visit Cross River’s website at www.crossriver.com or on Twitter @crossriverbank.

Contacts

Cross River

Eden Hoffman

201 808 7000 x538

ehoffman@crossriver.com

Categories
Business

Prudential Financial declares quarterly dividend on Common Stock

NEWARK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) announced today the declaration of a quarterly dividend of $1.10 per share of Common Stock, payable on September 17, 2020, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 25, 2020.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial wellness leader and premier active global investment manager with more than $1.5 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2020, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help to make lives better by creating financial opportunity for more people. Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit news.prudential.com.

Contacts

MEDIA CONTACT:
Bill Launder

973-802-8760

bill.launder@prudential.com

Categories
Business

AM Best places credit ratings of Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. and its subsidiaries under review with developing implications

OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AM Best has placed under review with developing implications the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” of Third Point Reinsurance Company Ltd. (Bermuda) and Third Point Reinsurance (USA) Ltd. (Bermuda). AM Best also has placed under review with developing implications the Long-Term ICRs of “bbb-” of Third Point Re (USA) Holdings, Inc. (TP USA) (Wilmington, DE) and its ultimate holding company, Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. (TPRE) [NYSE: TPRE] (Bermuda). Concurrently, AM Best has placed under review with developing implications the Long-Term Issue Credit Rating of “bbb-” on the $115 million 7% fixed senior unsecured notes due 2025 of TP USA.

The under review rating action follows the group’s announcement that TPRE has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd. (SIIG) (Bermuda) [NASDAQ: SG] at a transaction value of approximately $788 million. TPRE will finance the transaction through a combination of cash-on-hand and equity issued to Sirius Group shareholders. SIIG currently has $685 million of debt that will remain outstanding and $223 million of preferred shares, which will be redeemed as part of the transaction.

AM Best will continue to hold discussions with TPRE management and monitor the group’s balance sheet strength, operating performance, business profile and enterprise risk management. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The ratings will remain under review until the close of the transaction and a review by AM Best of the post-transaction details.

The under review with developing implications status reflects the need for AM Best to fully assess the financial and operational impacts of the SIIG acquisition, including potential benefits to TPRE’s group business profile following the close of the transaction. The addition of the SIIG business is expected to add approximately $1.9 billion to TPRE’s $600 million in gross premium written. The additional business not only adds size, which is expected to enhance TPRE’s market profile and add scale, but augments business diversification as SIIG has a larger global presence and has insurance operations in addition to its reinsurance platform.

TPRE’s balance sheet strength is expected to remain at a very strong level despite the acquisition of Sirius, which maintains a higher level of financial and underwriting leverage and a significant amount of safety reserves moderating the fungibility of capital. Risk-adjusted capital should benefit further as TPRE’s already reduced concentration in alternative investments will be a significantly smaller portion of total invested assets of the combined entity; AM Best expects that a significant majority share of investments will be composed of investment-grade, fixed-income securities and equities that will act as a portfolio ballast.

This transaction includes a significant ownership interest in TPRE by China Minsheng Investment Group Corp., Ltd. (CMIG), which is expected to acquire approximately a 35% stake in TPRE. CMIG has a significantly weaker credit quality than Third Point Re and has lacked transparency when dealing with AM Best. The risk involved with CMIG ownership is moderated by its limited voting control, which will be less than 10% of the voting shares. CMIG currently owns 96% of Sirius.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media – Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2020 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Darian Ryan, CPA

Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5449

darian.ryan@ambest.com

Steve Chirico, CPA

Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5087

steve.chirico@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey

Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jim Peavy

Director, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644

james.peavy@ambest.com

Categories
Business

AM Best: India non-life market facing challenges (AM BestTV)

OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In this episode of AMBestTV, Myles Gould, director, analytics, and Yuan Tian, senior financial analyst, both of AM Best, said that competition, poor pricing discipline and investments challenge the India non-life market. Click on http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=india620 to view the entire program.

AM Best has a market segment outlook of negative on India’s non-life market. Gould addressed the key factors that are driving the negative outlook.

“Key factors underpinning the negative outlook include the competitive market conditions in core lines of business along with poor pricing discipline,” said Gould. “Furthermore, there is an unhealthy reliance on unrealized and realized gains from investment holdings, particularly emanating from typically high-risk investment strategies. In addition, a more recent dynamic is that of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which is expected to result in a level of volatility in top-line and bottom-line results of Indian non-life insurance.”

Tian highlighted the reasons for the imbalance in the non-life market operating results.

“The market has been quite a loss-making on the writing side,” said Tian. “So the insurance companies in this market have been relying on investment returns to generate overall positive operating earnings. The companies have been quite aggressive investing in high-risk asset classes such as equity, low-quality fixed income and real estate assets. Those asset classes have been generating quite good returns over the last years. However, during the pandemic, the stock market has fallen by over 20% in the first quarter. This has impacted the capital position and earnings of non-life insurers.”

To access the related market segment report, titled, “Market Segment Outlook: India Non-Life,” please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=297272.

Recent episodes of AMBestTV include:

  • AM Best: Insurers Boost Private Equity Holdings 10% in 2019: Jason Hopper, associate director, industry research and analytics of AM Best, said that insurers have increased their private equity holdings by 10% year over year to $81 billion in 2019: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=privateequity620.
  • AM Best: Florida Personal Property Writers Challenged Even Without a Hurricane: Michelle Baurkot, director, and Chris Draghi, senior financial analyst, both of AM Best, said that Florida writers struggled to turn a 2019 underwriting profit even with the absence of a major hurricane: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=ambfloridareport720.
  • Insurtech Movement Joins Forces for Week of Presentations: The formation of the Northeast Insurtech Alliance, which is made up of innovation-focused executives from five organizations throughout the northeastern United States: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=northeastinsurtechalliance720.
  • AM Best: Workers’ Comp Writers Brace for COVID-19 Hit: Decreased premiums and unexpected claims could negatively impact workers’ compensation writers, said Sridhar Manyem, director, and Dan Mangano, financial analyst, both of AM Best: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=workerscomp620.

AM BestTV covers exclusive AM Best and insurance industry information and reports, targeted topics and key developments in the insurance, reinsurance and related sectors daily. Sign up for alerts of episodes at www.ambest.com/multimedia/ambtvsignup.html. View AM BestTV episodes at www.ambest.tv.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2020 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Lee McDonald
Group Vice President, Publication and News Services
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5561
lee.mcdonald@ambest.com