AIG Q1 Earnings Top on New Business Despite High Catastrophe Loss

Core Insights - American International Group, Inc. (AIG) reported first-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $1.17, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.4%, but down from $1.25 in the same quarter last year [1] - Adjusted operating revenues were $6.6 billion, a significant decline year over year, missing the consensus mark by 2.6% [1] Financial Performance - The first-quarter earnings were bolstered by new business production and strong retention, although lower premiums and high catastrophe charges from California wildfires negatively impacted results [2] - Total premiums for the quarter were $5.8 billion, down 1.7% year over year, and also missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.5% [3] - Total net investment income increased by 13% year over year to $1.1 billion, driven by higher income from fixed maturity securities and dividends from Corebridge Financial, beating the consensus by 18.4% [3] - Total benefits, losses, and expenses rose 2.1% year over year to $5.8 billion, primarily due to increased losses and loss adjustment expenses [4] - Adjusted return on equity was 6.4%, consistent with the previous year [4] Segmental Performance - General Insurance – North America Commercial segment reported net premiums written of $1.2 billion, a 14% increase year over year, supported by new business and strong retention [5] - Underwriting income for this segment fell 45% to $129 million, impacted by increased catastrophe charges, which rose to $258 million from $72 million a year ago [6] - General Insurance – International Commercial segment saw net premiums written of $2.0 billion, a 5% increase year over year, with underwriting income decreasing by 27% to $240 million [7] - General Insurance – Global Personal segment reported net premiums written of $1.3 billion, a 14% decrease year over year, with an underwriting loss of $126 million compared to a profit of $30 million in the prior year [8] Investment and Financial Position - AIG's total net investment income rose 51% year over year to $11 million, attributed to dividends from Corebridge [9] - Interest expenses decreased by 21% year over year due to debt reduction, with adjusted pre-tax loss narrowing from $205 million to $70 million [10] - As of March 31, 2025, AIG had a cash balance of $1.4 billion, total assets of $161.9 billion, and long-term debt of $8.6 billion, down from $8.8 billion at the end of 2024 [11] - Total equity fell to $41.5 billion from $42.6 billion at the end of 2024, with total debt to total capital at 17.1% [11] - Adjusted book value per share declined 6.2% year over year to $74.45 [12] Capital Deployment - AIG repurchased shares worth $2.2 billion and distributed dividends of $234 million, with a cash dividend of 45 cents per share for the second quarter, marking a 12.5% increase [13]