UNITED STATES






 


UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549




FORM 8-K


CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) May 7, 2015


INDEPENDENCE HOLDING COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware

001-32244

58-1407235

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

(Commission File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

 

96 Cummings Point Road, Stamford, Connecticut

06902

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (203) 358-8000



Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:


Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)


Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240a-12)


Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))


Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13a-4(c))














 





Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.


The information set forth under this Item 2.02 (Results of Operations and Financial Condition) is intended to be furnished. Such information, including the Exhibit attached hereto, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.


On May 7, 2015, Independence Holding Company issued a news release reporting its 2015 first-quarter results, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 99.1.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits


(c)  

Exhibits:


Exhibit 99.1

News Release of Independence Holding Company dated May 7, 2015: Independence Holding Company Announces 43% Increase in 2015 First-Quarter Results and 29% Increase in Annual Dividend Rate.




SIGNATURE


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.



INDEPENDENCE HOLDING COMPANY

 

(Registrant)



By: Teresa A. Herbert




/s/ Teresa A. Herbert

Teresa A. Herbert

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


Date:


May 8, 2015










INDEPENDENCE HOLDING COMPANY

CONTACT:  LOAN NISSER

96 CUMMINGS POINT ROAD

(646) 509-2107

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT 06902

www.IHCGroup.com

NYSE: IHC

 


NEWS RELEASE


INDEPENDENCE HOLDING COMPANY ANNOUNCES 43% INCREASE IN 2015

FIRST-QUARTER RESULTS AND 29% INCREASE IN ANNUAL DIVIDEND RATE



Stamford, Connecticut, May 7, 2015. Independence Holding Company (NYSE: IHC) today reported 2015 first-quarter results.    

Financial Results

Independence Holding Company (“IHC”) reported a 43% increase in net income per diluted share of $.30, or $5,219,000, for the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to $.21 per diluted share, or $3,701,000, for the three months ended March 31, 2014. The Company reported revenues of $134,265,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2014 of $141,072,000.  The decrease in revenues is primarily due to the runoff of major medical business from lines that we exited largely as a result of the requirements of the Affordable Care Act, offset in part by an increase in medical stop-loss and specialty health premiums.  

Chief Executive Officer’s Comments

Roy T. K. Thung, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has voted to increase the cash dividend by 29% from $.07 per share to $.09 per share annually, effective with the next semi-annual dividend of $.045 per share in June.  

Our significant earnings increase in the current quarter was largely driven by continued growth in earned premium and significantly increased earnings from our direct medical stop-loss, by far our largest line of business, and increased earnings from our group life, disability and DBL line of business.  We expect continued growth in the stop-loss line of business, as evidenced by the 39% increase in our direct business written in the twelve months ended April 2015, while maintaining consistent profit margins on a growing premium base. Our earnings were also positively impacted by our specialty health business, which grew significantly and produced very positive profit margins in 2015.

Our overall investment portfolio continues to be very highly rated (on average, AA) and has a duration of approximately six years. Our book value increased to $17.11 per share at March 31, 2015 from $16.76 per share at December 31, 2014, and our total stockholders’ equity increased to $297 million at March 31, 2015 compared to $291 million at December 31, 2014.    

With respect to medical stop-loss, for 2015 and beyond, we expect that a growing percentage (currently 86%) of our block of stop-loss business will be written via our direct platform.  Our fully insured division has transitioned from being focused on major-medical to being principally a specialty health insurance company with controlled distribution and higher-margin lines of business, and we continue to build the direct-to-consumer and career advisor distribution models that are essential to our future growth.  As a result of the significant increase in the volume and quality of our stop-loss line, the improved profitability in our fully insured segment and the continued profitability and higher retention on our group life and disability business, we expect improved operating results for the year 2015.”  









About Independence Holding Company

Independence Holding Company is a holding company principally engaged in the life and health insurance business, and the acquisition of blocks of policies, through its insurance company subsidiaries (Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, Madison National Life Insurance Company, Inc. and Independence American Insurance Company) and its marketing and administrative affiliates.  Standard Security Life furnishes medical stop-loss, group major and limited medical, short-term medical, group long-term and short-term disability, group life, short-term, employer-mandatory disability benefit policies in New York, group and individual dental, vision and various supplemental products.  Madison National Life sells group life and disability, group limited medical, group and individual dental, individual life insurance and various supplemental products.  Independence American offers pet insurance, non-subscriber occupational accident, short-term medical, medical stop-loss, group and individual dental and various supplemental products.  IHC owns certain subsidiaries through its majority ownership of American Independence Corp. (NASDAQ: AMIC), which is a holding company principally engaged in the insurance and reinsurance business.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements and information contained in this release may be considered “forward-looking statements,” such as statements relating to management's views with respect to future events and financial performance.  Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic conditions in the markets in which IHC operates, new federal or state governmental regulation, IHC’s ability to effectively operate, integrate and leverage any past or future strategic acquisition, and other factors which can be found in IHC’s other news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  IHC expressly disclaims any duty to update its forward-looking statements unless required by applicable law.”








INDEPENDENCE HOLDING COMPANY

FIRST QUARTER REPORT

March 31, 2015

(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)



 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

March 31,

 

 

2015

 

2014

REVENUES:

 

 

 

 

Premiums earned

$

122,114 

$

123,270 

Net investment income

 

5,441 

 

5,801 

Fee income

 

3,716 

 

9,339 

Other income

 

994 

 

1,111 

Net realized investment gains

 

2,000 

 

1,551 

 

 

134,265 

 

141,072 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPENSES:

 

 

 

 

Insurance benefits, claims and reserves

 

79,620 

 

85,309 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

44,149 

 

48,135 

Amortization of deferred acquisitions costs

 

1,464 

 

1,282 

Interest expense on debt

 

432 

 

481 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

125,665 

 

135,207 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

8,600 

 

5,865 

Income taxes

 

3,269 

 

1,860 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

5,331 

 

4,005 

Less: income from noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

in subsidiaries

 

(112)

 

(304)

 

 

 

 

 

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO IHC

$

5,219 

$

3,701 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic income per common share

$

.30 

$

.21 

 

 

 

 

 

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING

 

17,364 

 

17,623 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted income per common share

$

.30 

$

.21 

 

 

 

 

 

WEIGHTED AVERAGE DILUTED SHARES

 

 

 

 

 

OUTSTANDING

 

17,531 

 

17,763 





As of May 1, 2015, there were 17,336,816 common shares outstanding, net of treasury shares.









INDEPENDENCE HOLDING COMPANY

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In Thousands, Except Share Data)


 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2015

 

 

2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short-term investments

 

$

50 

 

$

50 

 

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

 

 

50,937 

 

 

16,790 

 

Trading securities

 

 

9,520 

 

 

11,095 

 

Fixed maturities, available-for-sale

 

 

564,144 

 

 

583,880 

 

Equity securities, available-for-sale

 

 

7,350 

 

 

13,895 

 

Other investments

 

 

25,484 

 

 

25,251 

 

Total investments

 

 

657,485 

 

 

650,961 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

 

20,595 

 

 

25,083 

 

Deferred acquisition costs

 

 

31,143 

 

 

30,806 

 

Due and unpaid premiums

 

 

76,811 

 

 

62,628 

 

Due from reinsurers

 

 

273,712 

 

 

278,242 

 

Premium and claim funds

 

 

32,929 

 

 

32,553 

 

Goodwill

 

 

50,318 

 

 

50,318 

 

Other assets

 

 

62,739 

 

 

57,126 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

 

$

1,205,732 

 

$

1,187,717 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Policy benefits and claims

 

$

245,047 

 

$

236,803 

 

Future policy benefits

 

 

275,803 

 

 

277,041 

 

Funds on deposit

 

 

181,119 

 

 

186,782 

 

Unearned premiums

 

 

11,042 

 

 

9,455 

 

Other policyholders' funds

 

 

18,326 

 

 

18,802 

 

Due to reinsurers

 

 

47,823 

 

 

47,945 

 

Accounts payable, accruals and other liabilities

 

 

79,052 

 

 

67,641 

 

Debt

 

 

4,000 

 

 

4,000 

 

Junior subordinated debt securities

 

 

38,146 

 

 

38,146 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

 

 

900,358 

 

 

886,615 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

IHC STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock (none issued)

 

 

 - 

 

 

 - 

 

Common stock

 

 

18,546 

 

 

18,531 

 

Paid-in capital

 

 

127,113 

 

 

127,098 

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

901 

 

 

22 

 

Treasury stock, at cost

 

 

(12,738)

 

 

(12,141)

 

Retained earnings

 

 

162,865 

 

 

157,667 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL IHC STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

296,687 

 

 

291,177 

NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS IN SUBSIDIARIES

 

 

8,687 

 

 

9,925 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL EQUITY

 

 

305,374 

 

 

301,102 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

 

$

1,205,732 

 

$

1,187,717