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Storebrand ASA — Earnings Release 2020
Jul 15, 2020
3766_rns_2020-07-15_f5b28db6-c315-412e-b5fb-1d72a1b5a588.html
Earnings Release
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STOREBRAND ASA: Results for the 2nd Quarter 2020
STOREBRAND ASA: Results for the 2nd Quarter 2020
Growth in Core Business and Assets under Management, Solvency Affected by low
Interest Rates
· Group profit of NOK 808m in the 2nd quarter, 40% growth y/y
· 23% growth in Unit Linked premiums y/y
· 15% growth in insurance portfolio premiums y/y, Combined Ratio 92%
· Assets under management (AuM) NOK 880 billion, 17% growth y/y
· Solvency II ratio 163% (167% Q2 2019)
- The situation in the Norwegian and Swedish society and markets following the
COVID-19 pandemic has started to normalise after a turbulent first quarter.
Group profit is strong, we experience strong growth in our core business, our
cost control is good, and we have a solid increase in assets under management.
We are particularly pleased to see that our Swedish business is continuing to
capture market shares, says CEO Odd Arild Grefstad.
Growth in Core Business
Storebrand continued to grow its core business in Savings and Insurance.
Gross written premiums in the Insurance segment increased by 15% compared to
same period last year.
Premiums from Unit linked increased by 23% compared to second quarter last year,
to NOK 5,1 billion. Storebrand succeeds well in the Norwegian and Swedish
markets for occupational pensions. Assets under management (AuM) increased by
17% from same period last year and is now NOK 880 billion.
In Sweden, strong growth in sales, positive net transfers and portfolio
transfers led to NOK 6.7 billion net flow in the first half of 2020. SPP is the
fastest growing provider of occupational pensions in Sweden (excluding unionised
pension schemes), with a market share of 14%. All SPP funds are fossil free,
driven partly by strong customer demand.
Storebrand's position as a leading player in the field of sustainable
investments was recognised by our customers this quarter. Storebrand was ranked
as number one in performance of sustainable investments by Prospera, an annual
survey among institutional investors.
Strong Cost Control
The Group's operational costs for the quarter were NOK 975 million (compared to
NOK 1,030m in second quarter 2019). Storebrand has a strong cost discipline, in
line with the Group's targeted cost level. Storebrand maintains the target of
flat nominal costs in 2020 compared to 2018.
Solvency Affected by Lower Interest Rates
The solvency margin was 163% at the end of the second quarter. The reduction in
the quarter is due to historical low interest rate levels, reduced regulatory
volatility adjustments, as well as a higher allocation to bonds and equites.
The Board of Storebrand ASA expects to pay normal dividends for 2020.
- The COVID-19 situation has led to record low interest rates and volatile
financial markets. Customer buffer capital is at nearly 10% in both Norway and
Sweden and we have seen the volatility in the markets as an opportunity to
increase expected returns and increase our share of bonds with amortised cost.
However, the solvency margin is still well within our target range of 150-180%,
says CEO Odd Arild Grefstad.
Capital Markets Day - Save the Date
Storebrand plans to host a capital markets day 10 December 2020. More
information and a formal invitation will follow.
Key Figures in the Quarter:
(Q2-2019 in brackets)
· Solvency ratio 163% (167%)
· Earnings per share, adjusted for amortisation NOK 1.23 (NOK 1.21)
· Equity NOK 34,396m (NOK 32,242 m)
· Assets under management NOK 880bn (NOK 752bn)
Activities Related to the 2nd Quarter 2020
07:30 CEST: Release of stock exchange notification. Press release, quarterly
report and analyst presentation will be available at www.storebrand.no/ir.
10.00 CEST: Live press and analyst conference in English in a combined webcast
and conference call. The presentation will be available on demand afterwards.
Participants who would like to ask questions at the end of the presentation must
dial-in to the conference call, or alternatively submit their written questions
in the provided form in the webcast. We kindly ask media with separate interview
requests to e-mail SVP Communications, Margrethe Assev, in advance. Reporters
will be contacted after the conference.
To join the call, please click the link below to pre-register. Once registered,
you'll receive dial in number(s) and your conference and user PINs ready for the
call.
Link to webcast (https://events.webcast.no/storebrand-asa/quarterly
-reports/2gCp7Z8XK23DvIDH7ciM)
Link to conference call
registration (https://event.loopup.com/SelfRegistration/registration.aspx?booking
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-9efec2c17aac)
For further inquiries, please contact:
Group Head of Strategy, Finance and M&A Kjetil Ramberg Krøkje:
[email protected] or (+47) 934 12 155
Head of Investor Relations and Rating Daniel Sundahl:
[email protected] or (+47) 913 61 899
Media requests:
SVP Communications, Margrethe Assev:
[email protected] or (+47) 951 55 056
Storebrand's ambition is to provide our customers with financial freedom and
security by being the best provider of long-term savings and insurance.
Storebrand will deliver sustainable solutions adapted to the customer's
individual situation, so that each person receives a better pension in a more
sustainable world. Storebrand has about 40.000 corporate customers and 2 million
individual customers, and has its headquarter at Lysaker outside of Oslo,
Norway. Storebrand manages NOK 880 bn and is one of the largest asset managers
in the Nordics. We work hard to fulfil our mission: A future to look forward to.
Storebrand (STB) is listed on Oslo Stock Exchange. Visit us at www.storebrand.no
and follow us on Twitter: @Storebrand_no This announcement is subject to
information pursuant to the Securities Trading Act § 5-12.