- First-Quarter 2010 Premium Income: EUR9.4 Billion
- First Quarter 2010 Net Profit: EUR280 Million
CNP Assurances, the leading personal insurer in France, with operations in the rest of Europe and in South America, has announced its premium income and net profit figures for the first quarter of 2010.
First-Quarter 2010 Highlights - EUR9.4 billion in premium income, of which EUR1.9 billion from operations outside France - Upturn in unit-linked sales, which accounted for 10% of business in France and 16% for the Group as a whole - Solid 7.1% growth in average technical reserves over the quarter - Attributable net profit of EUR280 million - Solvency capital requirement under Solvency I covered 2.16 times including unrealised gains
Gilles Benoist, Chief Executive Officer, said:
"For the first time, we are publishing quarterly profit indicators in addition to our premium income data. They attest to the strength of our model, which is focused on maintaining margin integrity, in particular by driving a recovery in unit-linked sales in both France and other countries."
1. First-Quarter 2010 Business Review
Consolidated premium income amounted to EUR9.4 billion in the first three months of 2010, a decline of 2.0% as reported and of 3.3% like-for-like. Under French GAAP, premium income rose 1.6% to EUR9.8 billion over the period. By comparison, premium income stood at EUR9.6 billion in first-quarter 2009 and EUR7.6 billion in first-quarter 2008. By geography, premium income declined by 5.3% to EUR7.5 billion in France and rose by 13.5% (6% like-for-like) to EUR1.9 billion in international operations.
The Savings segment reported EUR7.2 billion in revenue, down 6.7% due to the unfavourable comparison with first-quarter 2009, when Savings business surged 28.1% in France and 115.2% in Italy.
The Pensions segment expanded by 38.0% overall, with gains of 61.2% in Brazil (24.5% at constant exchange rates) and of 19.4% in France.
Lastly, loan insurance premiums rose by 10.9% to EUR714 million, led by the cautious recovery in the French lending market (up 5.6% for CNP Assurances in France) and the sustained upwards trend in business in Brazil (up 52.7% for Caixa Seguros, or 17.8% at constant exchange rates).
IFRS French GAAP Premium income Q1 2010 % Q1 2010 % (in EURm) change change Savings 7,230.0 - 6.7 7,438.4 - 5.0 Pensions 793.6 + 38.0 1,006.1 + 74.8 Personal risk 445.1 + 8.9 445.1 + 8.9 Loan insurance 714.6 + 10.9 714.6 + 10.9 Health insurance 131.3 + 20.3 131.3 + 20.3 Property & Casualty 76.7 - 19.5 76.7 - 19.5 TOTAL 9,391.3 - 2.0 9,812.2 + 1.6
By country, business was down slightly in France and Italy due to comparison with an excellent first-quarter 2009.
Premium income continued to experience strong growth in Brazil (up 60.4% or 23.8% at constant exchange rates) and in Cyprus (up 12.2%), while business in Spain almost doubled thanks in part to the recent partnership with Barclays in Southern Europe. IFRS French GAAP Premium Q1 2010 % Q1 2010 % income change change (in EURm) France 7,491.4 - 5.3 7,705.6 - 2.6 Italy 1,044.0 - 4.5 1,110.9 + 0.4 Brazil 613.5 + 60.4 697.9 + 57.9 Spain 156.7 + 92.7 156.7 + 92.7 Portugal 25.5 - 60.6 80.8 + 24.9 Cyprus 48.2 + 12.2 48.3 + 12.3 Ireland 0.5 - 0.5 - Other 11.5 - 11.5 - TOTAL 9,391.3 - 2.0 9,812.2 + 1.6 Italian branches, Cofidis Italy and CNP Unicredit Vita Based on the average first-quarter 2010 euro exchange rate of BRL2.456 Spanish branches, Cofidis Spain, CNP Vida and, since 1 September 2009, BVP Spain Cofidis Portugal and BVP Portugal since 1 September 2009 Argentina and Cofidis Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece and Hungary
The upturn in unit-linked sales that began in late 2009 continued apace in first-quarter 2010, when their contribution to Savings/Pension revenue rose to 10.2% in France and 16.0% for the Group as a whole (versus 2.2% and 6.2% respectively in first-quarter 2009).
- France
In France, CNP Assurances reported EUR7.5 billion in premium income for the first quarter, a 5.3% decline (2.6% under French GAAP) that underperformed the life insurance market's 14% gain over the period. Note, however, that prior-year results had been considerably boosted by promotional campaigns with reduced front-end loads, which drove 19% growth in CNP premium income, versus only a 3% increase in the French market.
Net new money invested in savings and pensions products fell 14.6% year-on-year to EUR2.9 billion.
i. La Banque Postale
La Banque Postale's premium income declined by 31.1% to EUR2.6 billion in the first quarter, reflecting comparison with the very firm growth in new money in the prior-year period, led by marketing campaigns and the success of the high-end Cachemire life insurance contract.
Business was stronger in first-quarter 2010 than in first-quarter 2008. The rebound in the proportion of unit-linked sales in new money remained operative. The Personal Risk and Pension segments reported solid growth of 20.0% and 19.3%, respectively.
ii. Savings Banks
The Savings Banks generated premium income of EUR3.6 billion in the first quarter, a 23.4% gain in line with 2009 trends. Sales were lifted by a marketing campaign offering a 4% return on unit-linked investments and by the successful marketing early in the year of a life-insurance fund based on the new tranche of the BPCE loan.
The percentage of revenue generated by unit-linked sales rose sharply, to 15% for the quarter.
iii. Financial Institutions
Premium income from financial institutions rose by 4.6% to EUR385 million, as the gradual recovery in the property market offset the decline in the consumer lending segment.
A new loan insurance partnership was launched with Barclays Bank France on 1 January.
iv. Companies & Local Authorities
The Companies & Local Authorities partnership centre reported premium income of EUR442 million, up 3.8%.
In the Personal Risk segment, several large corporate tenders won in 2009 came into effect on 1 January 2010, leading to an increase in revenue, while in the Pensions segment, first-quarter business was supported by major large corporate contracts awarded to CNP Assurances.
- International operations
Premium income from operations outside France rose 13.5% to EUR1.9 billion as reported, or by 6% like-for-like.
Unit-linked sales recovered during the quarter, particularly in Italy (CNP Unicredit Vita) and Spain (CNP Vida).
i. CNP Unicredit Vita (Italy)
CNP Unicredit Vita's premium income eased back 5.1% year-on-year to EUR1,031 million. Note, however, that the Italian subsidiary had an excellent first-quarter 2009, when its new money doubled year-on-year.
The revenue stream continued to be dominated by the Savings segment, where the successful launch of two new products - a single-premium unit-linked product and a combined unit-linked/non-unit-linked product - revitalised unit-linked sales, which rose 80% and accounted for 11.7% of Savings/Pensions sales during the quarter.
ii. CNP Barclays Vida y Pensiones (Southern Europe) and CNP Vida (Spain)
Consolidated since September 2009, CNP BVP generated premium income of EUR42.8 million in the first quarter, primarily from the Savings (EUR20.4 million) and Loan Insurance (EUR12.5 million) segments. Two-thirds of revenue was derived from Spain and the other third from Portugal, with the subsidiary's Italian business still in the start-up phase.
CNP Vida's premium income rose by 66.2% to EUR120 million during the quarter, led by gains in unit-linked sales in the Savings segment.
iii. CNP Marfin Insurance Holding (Cyprus / Greece)
Premium income rose 12.2% to EUR48.2 million for the quarter. More than 92% of business came from operations on Cyprus, whose economy has been relatively untouched by the crisis.
Savings accounted for 37% of the subsidiary's new money and property & casualty insurance 33%.
iv. Caixa Seguros (Brazil)
Caixa Seguros' reported premium income was lifted by the real's substantial increase against euro, so that the gain came to 23.8% in reals (to BRL1,507 million), but 60.4% in euros (to EUR613.5 million).
Growth continued to be led by the Pensions segment (up 24.5% in reals), while the loan insurance segment reported another quarter of sustained expansion (up 18.0% in reals) on the back of strong sales of Caixa loans under the government's economic stimulus programme.
2. First-quarter 2010 profit indicators[4] Q1 2010 in EURm Premium income 9,391 Average technical reserves (excluding deferred participation) 258,019 Net insurance revenue 664 Gross operating profit (EBIT) 453 Net recurring profit before capital gains 241 Attributable profit 280
Consolidated premium income declined by a slight 2% in the first quarter of 2010, while average technical reserves excluding deferred participation rose by 7.1%. Average insurance and financial liabilities rose by a faster 9.9% to end the quarter at EUR270.1 billion.
Firm operating performance lifted net insurance revenue to EUR664 million and gross operating profit to EUR453 million.
Consolidated profit attributable to equity holders of the parent amounted to EUR280 million for the quarter.
3. Solvency capital
The solvency capital requirement under Solvency I was covered an estimated 2.16 times including unrealised capital gains and around 1.10 times by equity and quasi-equity alone.