CBL annual profit falls 14% as expansion costs weigh

Friday 24th February 2017

CBL Corp, the NZX-listed company that sells credit surety and financial risk insurance, posted a 14 percent drop in annual profit, missing its prospectus forecast, due to costs associated with its expansion.

Profit fell to $30.7 million in the 2016 calendar year, from $35.5 million a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement, citing the costs of finance, raising capital, business acquisitions, and foreign exchange impacts. The profit fell short of the $40.4 million forecast in its prospectus. Revenue rose 36 percent to $333.5 million, ahead of the $304.7 million prospectus forecast. The shares fell 4 percent to $3.56.

CBL listed on the NZX in 2015, raising $90 million to help fund the acquisition of Australia's largest surety bond insurer Assetinsure, and has since acquired UK tax investigation insurance provider Professional Fee Protection, and France's largest specialist producer of construction-sector insurance Securities and Financial Solutions Europe SA, continuing an international expansion strategy begun in 2000. Its debt increased to $96.9 million at the end of 2016, from $65.2 million in 2015, and it signalled that growth through acquisitions was likely to slow this year.

"After a busy few years with the IPO, major acquisitions and capital raising, 2017 is about refocusing on business development opportunities across the group and consolidating acquisitions," the company said in presentation notes accompanying the earnings release. "Current levels of capital, together with earnings development, (are) expected to be sufficient to fund growth, and small acquisitions in the foreseeable future."

This year, the company plans to develop emerging programmes and markets in Europe (France, Italy, Romania, and Spain), Latin America (Mexico), Australia, South East Asia (Philippines, Vietnam), and India.

"As a result, CBL expects 2017 to be a strong year with a developing pipeline of new business," the company said.

The company's CBL Insurance unit posted a 21 percent increase in profit to $47 million as revenue lifted 11 percent to $228.2 million. Its gross written premium value increased 14 percent to $247.5 million on growth in existing product programmes and new programmes in Australia, South East Asia and continuing development of its Mexican building warranties product.

Its Assetinsure unit posted a profit of $4 million, beating the prospectus forecast of $2.4 million, as it exited unprofitable commercial property lines and aligned the business more with its own underwriting philosophy and expertise.

The company's CBL Insurance Europe unit posted a profit of $1.9 million, lagging behind its forecast for $2.9 million, as it increased investment in resources and infrastructure to support growth.

Its European Insurance Services business posted profit of $2.6 million, missing its $5.4 million forecast. The company said it had strengthened the management team during the year, appointing chief executive Pierre Galeon, and had restructured its operations to gain efficiencies.

The Professional Fee Protection business added $1.8 million to profit in the year, while the Securities and Financial Solutions Europe business contributed $2.8 million in profit since the company gained regulatory approval for the acquisition in October 2016.

It will pay a final dividend of 2 cents on March 31, taking the annual total for 2016 to 5 cents, unchanged from the previous year.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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