Investors Title Company today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021. The Company reported net income of $14.5 million, or $7.63 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared to $15.3 million, or $8.07 per diluted share, for the prior year period. The Company set an all-time record for net premiums written in a quarter.

Revenues increased 20.4% to $81.4 million, compared with $67.6 million for the prior year quarter. Net premiums written increased 26.5% to $72.3 million, driven mainly by higher average home prices and continued low mortgage interest rates. Escrow and other title-related fees increased 79.3% primarily due to increases in commission income and title ancillary services. Revenue from non-title services increased 25.2%, mainly due to an increase in like-kind exchange activity. Changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments resulted in the recognition of an $802 thousand loss, which was $4.4 million lower than the prior year quarter, as market values declined from the previous year’s rebound.

Operating expenses increased 29.1% compared to the prior year quarter. Commissions to agents increased commensurate with the increase in agent premium volume. Personnel costs were 22.9% higher than the prior year due to staffing additions in support of strategic growth initiatives and volume increases. Higher premium volumes, increases in travel-related expenses and ongoing technology initiatives drove the increase in other operating expenses.

Income before income taxes decreased 2.2% to $18.4 million for the current quarter versus $18.9 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) increased 26.3% to $19.2 million for the current quarter versus $15.2 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 nine months ended September 30, 2021, net income increased $25.3 million to $48.1 million, or $25.34 per diluted share, versus $22.8 million, or $12.02 per diluted share, for the prior year period. Revenues increased 49.7% to $238.5 million compared with $159.3 million for the prior year period. Operating expenses increased 35.4% to $177.4 million, mainly due to increases in agent commissions, personnel costs and other expenses. Aside from changes in the estimated fair value of equity security investments and a decrease in like-kind exchange activity, overall results for the year-to-date period have been shaped predominantly by the same factors that affected the third quarter.

Chairman J. Allen Fine added, “We are pleased to report a record level of net premiums written for the ninth consecutive quarter. Our results for the quarter and the year have been influenced predominately by continued strength in residential real estate demand as well as high levels of refinance activity. In addition, we have benefitted from recent investments to expand our market presence in key markets.”

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, positive 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; changes resulting from President Biden’s administration and Congress; 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, 2020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in subsequent filings.

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