14.0 MILLION COMMON SHARES REPURCHASED IN 2023 FOR $852 MILLION
NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Loews Corporation (NYSE:L) today released its fourth quarter 2023 financial results.
Fourth Quarter highlights:
Loews Corporation reported net income of $446 million, or $1.99 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2023, which represents a 26% increase over $355 million, or $1.49 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2022. The following are the highlights for the fourth quarter:
CNA Financial Corporation’s (NYSE:CNA) net income improved year-over-year due to higher net investment income and higher underwriting income.
Boardwalk Pipelines’ results improved due to higher revenues from re-contracting, partially offset by higher expenses.
These increases were partially offset by lower investment returns on equity securities at the parent company compared to the 2022 period.
Loews Corporation repurchased 2.1 million shares of its common stock for a total cost of $141 million through the end of the quarter.
Book value per share, excluding AOCI, increased 9% to $81.92 as of December 31, 2023, from $74.88 as of December 31, 2022 due to repurchases of common shares and strong operating results during 2023.
As of December 31, 2023, the parent company had $2.6 billion of cash and investments and $1.8 billion of debt.
CEO commentary:
“Loews had a spectacular quarter, with each of our subsidiaries producing strong results.”
– James S. Tisch, President and CEO, Loews Corporation
Consolidated highlights:
December 31,
Three Months
Years Ended
(In millions, except per share data)
2023
2022 (a)
2023
2022 (a)
Net income attributable to Loews Corporation before
net investment gains (losses)
$ 442
$ 378
$ 1,469
$ 960
Net investment gains (losses):
CNA
4
(23)
(71)
(138)
Loews Hotels & Co
36
Total net investment gains (losses)
4
(23)
(35)
(138)
Net income attributable to Loews Corporation
$ 446
$ 355
$ 1,434
$ 822
Net income per share
$ 1.99
$ 1.49
$ 6.29
$ 3.38
December 31, 2023
December 31, 2022 (a)
Book value per share
$ 70.69
$ 60.81
Book value per share excluding AOCI
81.92
74.88
(a)
As of January 1, 2023, Loews Corporation adopted Accounting Standards Update 2018-12, “Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts (“ASU 2018-12”), which was applied retrospectively effective January 1, 2021. Previously reported amounts have been adjusted to reflect application of the new guidance. See pages 4 and 5 of this release for more information.
Three months ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022
CNA:
Net income attributable to Loews Corporation improved 57% to $336 million from $214 million.
Core income increased 37% to $362 million from $265 million.
Results include higher net investment income from limited partnerships and fixed income securities.
Property and Casualty underwriting results were higher due to improved underlying underwriting income and lower net catastrophe losses, partially offset by lower favorable net prior year loss reserve development.
Net written premiums grew by 10% driven by strong retention and new business.
Property and Casualty combined ratio was 92.1% compared to 93.7%. Property and Casualty underlying combined ratio was 91.4% compared to 91.2%.
Net income was positively impacted by investment gains in 2023 compared to investment losses in 2022 mostly due to the favorable change in fair value of non-redeemable preferred stock.
Boardwalk:
Net income increased 11% to $92 million compared to $83 million.
EBITDA increased 5% to $260 million compared to $248 million.
Net income and EBITDA increased due to higher transportation revenues from re-contracting and recently completed growth projects, increased storage and parking and lending revenues, and the Bayou Ethane acquisition. These increases were partially offset by higher depreciation expenses due to an increased asset base from recently completed growth projects and higher employee-related expenses.
Loews Hotels:
Net income of $32 million compared to $33 million.
Adjusted EBITDA of $83 million compared to $85 million.
Net income slightly decreased due to lower equity income from joint ventures driven by decreased overall occupancy rates and higher operating costs offset by consolidating the results of a property previously accounted for under the equity method.
Corporate & Other:
Results decreased to a net loss of $14 million compared to net income of $25 million.
The decrease in results is primarily due to lower investment income from parent company equity securities.
Year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022
Loews Corporation reported net income of $1,434 million, or $6.29 per share, compared to $822 million, or $3.38 per share. The 74% year-over-year increase was driven by the following:
CNA’s results improved due to higher net investment income, higher Property and Casualty underwriting income, lower investment losses, and a significantly lower unfavorable impact from the long-term care annual reserve review performed in the third quarter of each year.
Investment income at the parent company improved due to higher returns on short-term investments and equity securities.
Boardwalk Pipelines’ results increased due to higher revenues from re-contracting and recently completed growth projects.
Loews Hotels & Co’s net income increased due to an after-tax gain of $36 million related to the acquisition of an additional equity interest in, and the consolidation of, a previously unconsolidated joint venture property in the second quarter of 2023.
These increases were partially offset by an after-tax charge of $37 million related to the termination of a defined benefit plan in the third quarter of 2023 in Corporate & Other.
Share Purchases:
On December 31, 2023, there were 222.2 million shares of Loews common stock outstanding.
For the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, Loews repurchased 2.1 million and 14.0 million shares of its common stock at an aggregate cost of $141 million and $852 million, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, Loews purchased 4.5 million shares of CNA common stock at an aggregate cost of $178 million.
Depending on market conditions, Loews may from time to time purchase shares of its and its subsidiaries’ outstanding common stock in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise.
Reconciliation of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures
This news release contains financial measures that are not in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Management believes some investors may find these measures useful to evaluate our and our subsidiaries’ financial performance. CNA utilizes core income, Boardwalk utilizes earnings before interest, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), and Loews Hotels utilizes Adjusted EBITDA. These measures are defined and reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measures on pages 6 and 7 of this release.
Earnings Remarks and Conference Calls
For Loews Corporation
Today, February 5, 2024, earnings remarks will be available on our website.
Remarks will include commentary from Loews’s president and chief executive officer and chief financial officer.
For CNA
Today, February 5, 2024, CNA will host an earnings call at 9:00 a.m. ET.
A live webcast will be available via the Investor Relations section of CNA’s website at www.cna.com.
To participate by phone, dial 1-844-481-2830 (USA toll-free) or +1-412-317-1850 (International).
About Loews Corporation
Loews Corporation is a diversified company with businesses in the insurance, energy, hospitality and packaging industries. For more information, please visit www.loews.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected by management of the Company. A discussion of the important risk factors and other considerations that could materially impact these matters, as well as the Company’s overall business and financial performance, can be found in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and readers of this release are urged to review those reports carefully when considering these forward-looking statements. Copies of these reports are available through the Company’s website (www.loews.com). Given these risk factors, investors and analysts should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.
Loews Corporation and Subsidiaries
Selected Financial Information
December 31,
Three Months
Years Ended
(In millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Revenues:
CNA Financial (a)
$ 3,507
$ 3,111
$ 13,299
$ 11,879
Boardwalk Pipelines
511
401
1,636
1,446
Loews Hotels & Co (b)
210
189
852
721
Corporate investment income (loss) and other
30
92
114
(2)
Total
$ 4,258
$ 3,793
$ 15,901
$ 14,044
Income (Loss) Before Income Tax:
CNA Financial (a) (c)
$ 460
$ 283
$ 1,518
$ 814
Boardwalk Pipelines
116
109
373
330