Enact (ACT)2025-05-01 12:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported adjusted operating income of $169 million, up 2% year over year [6] - Adjusted earnings per share was $10, up 6% year over year [6] - GAAP net income was $166 million or $1.08 per diluted share, compared to $1.00 per diluted share in the same period last year [18] - Adjusted operating return on equity was 13.4% [19] - Insurance in force was $258 billion, up 2% year over year [6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New insurance written was $10 billion, down 26% sequentially and down 7% year over year [19] - Primary insurance in force was $268 billion, relatively flat from $269 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024 and up 2% year over year [20] - Total net premiums earned were $245 million, down $1 million sequentially and up $4 million or 2% year over year [20] - The base premium rate was 40.1 basis points, relatively flat sequentially [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The housing market conditions remained tight with elevated home prices despite high borrowing costs [6] - Approximately 8% of the insurance in force had mortgage rates at least 50 basis points above March's average mortgage rate of 6.7% [9] - Persistency was 84%, up two points sequentially and down one point year over year [20] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining a strong balance sheet, investing in business growth, and returning capital to shareholders [11][14] - The introduction of the Rate three sixty pricing engine aims to enhance competitive pricing and risk selection [12][13] - The company continues to participate in GSE CRT transactions to diversify its platform [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management highlighted a stable consumer and labor market, with potential improvement if mortgage rates decline [7] - The company is prepared to navigate a range of scenarios amid elevated geopolitical uncertainty [8] - Management expressed confidence in the long-term drivers of the housing market, particularly pent-up demand from first-time homebuyers [8] Other Important Information - The company returned over $94 million to shareholders through share buybacks and dividends [14] - A new $350 million share repurchase program was authorized, along with a 14% increase in the dividend from 18.5 cents to 21 cents per share [14][29] - The PMIERs sufficiency ratio stood at 165, indicating a strong capital foundation [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is the company reacting to market uncertainty in underwriting and pricing? - The company is maintaining prudent guidelines and leveraging its strong capital base to help well-qualified borrowers [35] Question: Has there been any impact from recent government policy changes on loss mitigation? - The company has seen continued strength in GSE loss mitigation programs and is optimistic about new loss mitigation options [39] Question: What are the pricing dynamics and market share changes? - Market participation has been stable, and pricing adjustments are made based on risk and return alignment [45] Question: How does the seasoning of the portfolio affect delinquency development? - The average age of the portfolio is now 3.9 years, which is expected to slow the increase in new delinquency development [54] Question: Are cancellation rates increasing? - The company has not seen significant changes in borrower-initiated cancellations, which primarily occur due to refinancing [71]