FBL Financial Group Inc.
Annual Report 2013

Plain-text annual report

2013 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Letter To Shareholders To My Fellow Shareholders, FBL Financial Group had a fantastic 2013, a year of growth and success. We delivered strong financial results and achieved new highs in operating income per share and net income per share. We were able to produce record earnings by growing our business, actively managing spreads, controlling expenses and executing several significant capital management transactions. These results were achieved because of our commitment to serve our customers and the Farm Bureau member niche. FBL’s mission to protect livelihoods and futures comes to life through our agents and employees. By serving, we all win. This commitment to serve is the foundation for all we do. Great Results FBL produced excellent financial performance again in 2013. Net income increased 47% to a record high of $4.21 per share, and operating income increased 31% to $3.90 per share. We also reached a milestone of more than $100 million in operating income. In 2013 we focused on increasing life insurance sales and we achieved that with a 20% increase in life premium collected. Given the low interest rate environment, over the last few years we have purposely decreased our annuity sales. However, late in 2013 we took several actions to modestly increase annuity sales going forward. During 2013, we were very active in managing our excess capital. We paid a special dividend of $51 million, repurchased 1.4 million shares of FBL common stock, increased our regular quarterly dividend rate by 36% and paid off $50 million of debt. We continue to manage excess capital and in February 2014 announced a significant increase in our quarterly cash dividend to $0.35 per share. This increase now places us among the highest dividend yields in the insurance industry. This is made possible by our confidence in the company and our ability to generate significant capital. Continued on next page >> 1 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Driven to Win FBL Financial Group, its leaders, employees and agents are driven to win, to make insurance simple and life more secure for our customers. We always have our purpose in mind – to protect livelihoods and futures – in all that we do. Our exclusive Farm Bureau agents are one of our most important competitive advantages. We continue to invest in and develop agents for the future in order to grow our total agent count and improve retention. Consumers want to have a face-to-face, trusted relationship with their agent. Our exclusive Farm Bureau agents are part of the community, are committed to serving the Farm Bureau niche marketplace and have long-term customer relationships. This has led to our industry leading cross-sell rate. We are focused on increasing existing agent productivity and increasing the size of the agency force. We have made significant changes to our agency leadership, recruiting, training and new agent compensation in order to accomplish this; early results are promising. Going Forward As we move forward in 2014, we continue to meet the needs of our policyholders – protecting their livelihoods and futures – and further build on FBL’s strong financial foundation. We are successfully addressing the challenges of the low interest rate environment, building on our best-in-class distribution and delivering value to our shareholders. I’m very pleased with FBL’s 2013 results and I’m optimistic about 2014. I look forward to our continued success. Sincerely, James P. Brannen Chief Executive Officer 2 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Questions and Answers with CEO Jim Brannen Q. What are FBL’s competitive advantages? A: FBL Financial Group and our primary subsidiary, Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company, have several distinct competitive advantages. First, is our exclusive multiline agency force. Consumers want to have a face-to-face, trusted relationship with their agent. This helps to make the important financial decisions in life simpler. Our exclusive Farm Bureau agents are part of the community, are committed to serving the Farm Bureau niche marketplace and have long-term customer relationships. Another advantage is our Farm Bureau Financial Services brand, which is highly recognized and regarded in both rural and small metro markets. We also benefit from our connection to Farm Bureau membership organizations and our close ties to the unique needs of the agricultural market. Finally, I’d say another advantage is the cross-sell culture that we have at FBL Financial Group. Having multi- line agents allows us to have more comprehensive relationships with our customers, which has led to our industry leading cross-sell rate. Q: What were some of FBL’s accomplishments in 2013? A: 2013 was an excellent year for FBL Financial Group • We reported all-time high net income and operating income per share with net income up 47% and operating income up 31%. • We reached a milestone of $100 million in operating income for the first time. • We completed significant capital management transactions, further reducing our debt and deploying more than $120 million of excess capital, including a $2 per share special dividend. • We had very strong sales of life products, with life premiums collected up 20% in 2013. • We completed a transition to new management team members with a couple of great hires. Scott Stice is leading our agency force as Chief Marketing Officer, and as of March 2014, John Currier is the new Chief Operating Officer. Q: What are your challenges as you move forward in 2014? A: The two biggest challenges that come to mind are low interest rates and growth. We’ve been successfully addressing the challenges of the low interest rate environment, but these low rates put pressure on our investment yields and spreads. We continue to manage our in force block of business. We also consider other investment opportunities to maintain investment yields. Other areas of emphasis are to manage expenses and make product design changes as appropriate. We’ve been very successful with a long history of growth at Farm Bureau Life and are working hard to continue that trend. In 2014 we’re focused on increasing our total agent count by recruiting more agents and improving agent retention. We’re also focused on increasing individual agent productivity. In order to accomplish this we’re committed to supporting our agents and equipping them with the tools they need to be successful. 3 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Financial Review FBL Financial Group had a great year in 2013 from a financial perspective. We achieved new highs in operating income per share and net income per share. We were able to produce these record earnings by growing our volume of business in force, effectively managing spreads, controlling expenses and executing several significant capital management transactions. We deployed more than $120 million of excess capital, including a $2.00 per share special dividend. As we move forward in 2014, we continue to manage excess capital and announced a significant increase in our quarterly cash dividend to $0.35 per share. We also continue to successfully navigate the low interest rate environment to further build on FBL’s strong financial foundation for the benefit of our policyholders and shareholders. Some of our more significant financial metrics are highlighted in the charts here. Plus, you can find more detailed information in our Form 10-K. 4 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Net Income per common share Record net income per share and operating income per share was achieved in 2013, reflecting steady and consistent growth from Farm Bureau Life and capital management actions taken over the last few years. 2011 net income was negatively impacted by a $2.43 per share loss related to the sale of EquiTrust Life Insurance Company and related debt redemption. This subsidiary was sold in 2011 to reduce risk of the overall enterprise, increase financial flexibility and enable capital management. Operating Income per common share Operating income grew in 2013 to an all-time high of $100.6 million, or $3.90 per share, reflecting the growing business of Farm Bureau Life, spread management and execution of capital management strategies. Capitalization FBL’s total capitalization is $1.1 billion. Farm Bureau Life consistently generates excess capital, with excess capital estimated to be $160 million at year end 2013. 5 Statutory Capital Farm Bureau Life’s capital position remains very strong, even with 2013 dividends of $140 million from Farm Bureau Life to the holding company to support capital transactions. FBL’s company action level risk based capital, or RBC*, ended 2013 at 499%. Book Value per common share FBL’s book value per share was impacted by a $2.00 per share special dividend paid in the third quarter of 2013, yet book value, excluding AOCI, grew by 3% in 2013. Investments By Type At December 31, 2013, FBL’s investments totaled $7.0 billion and are well diversified by individual issue and industry. Investments By Quality FBL’s investment portfolio quality is high with 96% of the fixed maturity securities being investment grade. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 6 Management Team 2013 ANNUAL REPORT (From left to right) Daniel D. Pitcher, Chief Operating Officer – Property Casualty Companies Donald J. Seibel, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Raymond W. Wasilewski, Chief Administrative Officer David A. McNeill, General Counsel James P. Brannen, Chief Executive Officer John D. Currier, Jr., Chief Operating Officer – Life Companies D. Scott Stice, Chief Marketing Officer Charles T. Happel, Chief Investment Officer 7 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Daniel D. Pitcher Chief Operating Officer – Property Casualty Companies Daniel D. (Dan) Pitcher is Chief Operating Officer – Property Casualty Companies of FBL Financial Group. Prior to his current position, he served as vice president, property/casualty companies from 2007 to 2011. Pitcher joined FBL in 1998 and held various information system roles including as information systems vice president in 2002. Prior to joining FBL, Pitcher spent 15 years with Nationwide/ Allied Insurance in various life and property casualty information systems roles. Pitcher holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Drake University, and holds the Fellow Life Office Management Institute (FLMI) certification. Donald J. Seibel Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Donald J. (Don) Seibel was named Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of FBL Financial Group, Inc. in August, 2012. He had been Vice President - Finance and a member of the executive management team since 2007. Seibel joined FBL in 1996 and became GAAP accounting vice president in 1998 and vice president- accounting in 2002. Prior to joining FBL, Seibel worked in public accounting at Ernst & Young. Seibel holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Iowa State University, is a certified public accountant and chartered global management accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants, and holds the Fellow Life Office Management Institute (FLMI) certification. Seibel is also active in civic and industry organizations, currently serving as President and on the board of directors of the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants, and on the board of Variety - The Children’s Charity. Raymond W. Wasilewski Chief Administrative Officer Raymond W. (Ray) Wasilewski was named Chief Administrative Officer for FBL Financial Group in May 2013, with responsibility for Information Technology, Human Resources and Agency Services. He has been with FBL Financial Group since 1997. Wasilewski holds a bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education from Southern Illinois University and a master’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Nova Southeastern University. Before joining FBL Financial Group he was a consultant, a commercial software designer, a computer science and electronics instructor at Alaska Junior College, and he served in the U.S. Navy for 17 years in the cryptography field. Wasilewski serves on the board of The Technology Association of Iowa. 8 2013 ANNUAL REPORT David A. McNeill General Counsel David A. McNeill, General Counsel of FBL Financial Group, joined the company in 1989. He held various positions in the legal department before being named to his current position in 2009. Prior to joining FBL, McNeill was in private practice as an attorney in the Springfield, Mo. law firm of Miller & Sanford (now part of Lathrop & Gage) and then later, the Des Moines law firm of Davis, Hockenberg, Wine, Brown, Koehn & Shors (now the Davis Brown Law Firm). McNeill received his Juris Doctorate degree, with honors, from Drake University Law School and his bachelor’s degree from Simpson College. McNeill is a director and serves as Secretary and Vice Chair of the Kansas Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association, is a director on the Iowa Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association, is a member of the Board of Governors of the Iowa College Foundation and is a member of Simpson College’s Non- Tuition Revenue Committee. James P. Brannen Chief Executive Officer James P. (Jim) Brannen was named Chief Executive Officer of FBL Financial Group, Inc. in August, 2012. Prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Brannen served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and Treasurer since 2007. He joined FBL in 1991, and held various positions in finance and executive management. Prior to joining FBL, Brannen worked in public accounting. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Brannen is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants. Brannen is active in civic and industry organizations, currently serving on the board of directors of United Way of Central Iowa and The Greater Des Moines Partnership. He also serves as a member of the Property Casualty Insurance Association of America (PCI) Board of Governors and as vice president of the Federation of Iowa Insurers. John D. Currier, Jr. Chief Operating Officer – Life Companies John D. Currier, Jr. was named Chief Operating Officer – Life Companies on March 1, 2014. He joined FBL as Chief Actuary in June, 2013, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining FBL, Currier held a number of actuarial and product management roles with Aviva USA, ING U.S. Financial Services and Conseco, most recently serving on the executive team at Aviva USA as Chief Actuary. Currier holds a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science from Butler University. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. In addition, he is a member of the Butler University Actuarial Science Board of Visitors. 9 2013 ANNUAL REPORT D. Scott Stice Chief Marketing Officer Scott Stice was named Chief Marketing Officer of FBL Financial Group, Inc. in June, 2013. Stice has overall responsibility for sales, marketing and distribution for the company’s brand, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and its multiline exclusive agency force. Prior to joining FBL, Stice was senior vice president and head of field strategy and execution at Farmers Insurance. Stice began his insurance career with Farmers as an exclusive agent in 1990, and held various agency, marketing and field operations positions. Stice holds a BS in Business Management and Administration from the University of Redlands, and he earned an MBA from Pepperdine University. Charles T. Happel Chief Investment Officer Charles T. (Charlie) Happel is Chief Investment Officer of FBL Financial Group. He joined the company in 1984 as a Farm Bureau Financial Services agent, moving to the corporate office in 1986. Over the next 15 years, he held various positions in investments, including securities analyst and portfolio manager. Happel became securities vice president in 2001, vice president - investments in August 2008, and was named chief investment officer in September 2009. Happel is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and earned an MBA from Drake University. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder and holds a number of industry designations, including CFP, FLMI, ChFC, CLU, and CPCU. He is also a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Iowa. 10 Board of Directors 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Craig D. Hill, Chairman of the Board Craig D. Hill, 58, is the Chairman of the Board and chair of the Executive Committee. He was elected President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and its subsidiary, Farm Bureau Management Corporation, in December 2011 and has served on its board of directors since 1989. He was its Vice President from 2001 to 2011. He has served on the board of Farm Bureau Life from 1989 to 2007, and again from December 2011 when he also became its President. He has been on the board of Farm Bureau Property & Casualty since 1989, and also serves on the board of Western Ag. Hill is also a director of the American Farm Bureau Federation and FB BanCorp. Hill farms 1,000 acres of row crops and has a swine operation near Milo, Iowa. Steve L. Baccus Steve L. Baccus, 64, became a Class B Director in May 2002 after being named President of the Kansas Farm Bureau. He is also Chairman of the board of directors of Farm Bureau Property & Casualty, and a director of Farm Bureau Life, Western Ag and FB BanCorp. In 2004 Baccus was elected to the board of directors of the American Farm Bureau Federation. His family farm in Ottawa County, Kansas produces wheat, milo, soybeans, sunflower and irrigated corn. Baccus earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Washburn University and Chapman College, respectively. James P. Brannen James P. (Jim) Brannen, 51, was named Chief Executive Officer of FBL Financial Group, Inc. in August, 2012. Prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Brannen served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and Treasurer since 2007. He joined FBL in 1991, and held various positions in finance and executive management. Prior to joining FBL, Brannen worked in public accounting. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Brannen is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants. Brannen is active in civic and industry organizations, currently serving on the board of directors of United Way of Central Iowa and The Greater Des Moines Partnership. He also serves as a member of the Property Casualty Insurance Association of America (PCI) Board of Governors and as vice president of the Federation of Iowa Insurers. 11 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Roger K. Brooks Roger K. Brooks, 76, became a Class A director in May 2009. Brooks is the retired Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of AmerUs Group. He retired from AmerUs in 2005, after nearly 50 years of service. Brooks has served on numerous community boards and is a member of the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame and Iowa Business Hall of Fame. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. Brooks graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Iowa. He also participated in Stanford University’s Executive Program. Jerry L. Chicoine Jerry L. Chicoine, 71, Class A director since 1996, is the Lead Director of the independent directors and Vice Chairman of the Board. Chicoine retired effective January 1, 2001 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. He had served in those capacities since 1999, and was Pioneer’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since 1997. From 1988 to 1997 he had served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He was named a director of Pioneer Hi-Bred in March 1998. He was named Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry by the Iowa Society of CPAs in 1998. He was a partner in the accounting firm of McGladrey & Pullen from 1969 to 1986 and also holds a law degree. Joe D. Heinrich Joe D. Heinrich, 52, Class B Director since 2013, was elected Vice President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation in 2011 and to its board of directors in 2004. He is a director of Farm Bureau Life, Farm Bureau Property & Casualty and Western Ag. Mr. Heinrich and his family farm with his nephew. Together, they have a diversified operation including corn, soybeans, oats and hay, plus a beef cow-calf herd and a dairy operation. 12 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Paul E. Larson Paul E. Larson, 61, Class A director since 2004, retired in 1999 as President of Equitable Life of Iowa and its subsidiary, USG Annuity and Life, after 22 years with the companies. Larson holds both a law degree and a certified public accountant designation. He was named Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry by the Iowa Society of CPAs in 1999, and inducted into the American Institute of CPA’s Business and Industry Hall of Fame in 2000. He is a member of the board of directors of non-public companies Wellmark, Inc., Wellmark of South Dakota, Inc., GuideOne Mutual Insurance Company and GuideOne Specialty Mutual Insurance Company. He was also a board member of EquiTrust Mutual Funds (which was then managed by one of our subsidiaries), where he was chair of the Audit Committee and the committee’s financial expert. He resigned from the EquiTrust Mutual Funds board upon election to the FBL Financial Group Board in 2004. Frank S. Priestly Frank S. Priestley, 65, Class B Director since 2013, owns and operates a farm in Franklin, Idaho. He raises alfalfa, hay, wheat, barley, pasture and Holstein dairy heifers. He was elected President of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation in 1997, having first been elected to the Board of Directors of Idaho Farm Bureau Federation in 1985. He is President and a director of Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho and Farm Bureau Finance Company (Idaho), and a director of Farm Bureau Life. He is also a director of FB BanCorp, American Agricultural Insurance Company, American Farm Bureau Insurance Services and The Mountain States Legal Foundation. He previously served as Class B Director of FBL Financial Group, Inc. from 1998 to 2004, and served on the Board of Directors of the American Farm Bureau Federation. 13 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Kevin G. Rogers Kevin G. Rogers, 53, was elected as a Class B Director in February 2008. He has been President of the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation since 2003. He also served on the board of the American Farm Bureau Federation and its executive committee for six years through 2010. He is a director of FB BanCorp. He is an officer of the Arizona Cotton Grower’s Association and serves on the board of the National Cotton Council, the USDA’s Cotton Board (chairman) and is on the USDA’s Air Quality Task Force. Rogers is also a director of Farm Bureau Life, the vice chairman of Farm Bureau Property & Casualty, and a director of Western Ag. His family farms 7,000 acres in the Phoenix metropolitan area and produces cotton, alfalfa, wheat, barley and corn. Scott E. VanderWal Scott E. VanderWal, 50, was elected a Class B director in May 2011. VanderWal has been president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation since 2004, and a member of its board of directors since 1997. He is also a member of the boards of directors of Farm Bureau Property & Casualty (since 2004), Farm Bureau Life (since 2004), Western Ag (since 2006), FB BanCorp (since 2004) and American Farm Bureau Federation (since 2006), and member of a number of American Farm Bureau task forces. VanderWal received a bachelor’s degree in General Agriculture, with a Plant Science minor, from South Dakota State University in 1985. His family farm operation near Volga, South Dakota includes corn, soybeans, custom cattle feeding and custom harvesting. VanderWal does the overall financial management, accounting, crop management and planning for the farm operation. He has also participated in agricultural and marketing trips to Brazil, China, Switzerland, Cuba, Panama and Colombia. 14 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Company Profile FBL Financial Group is a holding company whose purpose is to protect livelihoods and futures. Its primary operating subsidiary, Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company, underwrites and markets a broad range of life insurance and annuities to individuals and businesses, which are distributed by multiline exclusive Farm Bureau agents. In addition, FBL Financial Group manages all aspects of two Farm Bureau affiliated property-casualty insurance companies for a management fee. FBL Financial Group, headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FFG. Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company Greenfields Life Insurance Company Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company Western Agricultural Insurance Company FBL Financial Group’s Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company subsidiary has 1,793 exclusive agents and managers in 14 Midwestern and Western states. Farm Bureau Life, which originated in 1945, serves the niche marketplace of Farm Bureau members with a comprehensive line of life insurance and annuity products. Greenfields Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company and was created in 2013 to offer life insurance and annuity products in the state of Colorado. FBL Financial Group manages all aspects of two Farm Bureau affiliated property-casualty insurance companies: Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company and Western Agricultural Insurance Company, which operate predominantly in eight states. FBL Financial Group receives a management fee from these companies and underwriting results do not impact FBL Financial Group’s results. 15 Shareholder Information Corporate Headquarters FBL Financial Group, Inc. 5400 University Avenue West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 (515) 225-5400 www.fblfinancial.com Stock Transfer Agent American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219 866-892-5627 www.amstock.com Financial and Investor Inquiries Independent Auditors Ernst & Young LLP Suite 3000 801 Grand Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50309 Form 10-K and Proxy Statement View FBL Financial Group’s Form 10-K and Proxy Statement by visiting www.fblfinancial.com and selecting Financial Information, SEC Filings. Anyone interested in learning more about FBL Financial Group can ask questions and/or request news releases, annual reports, financial supplements, and Forms 10-K and 10-Q at no charge by completing our Document Request Form for printed materials or our Contact Us Form for questions or comments. Direct mail inquires should be forwarded to: Kathleen Till Stange Corporate & Investor Relations Vice President FBL Financial Group, Inc. 5400 University Avenue West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 (515)226-6780 fax: (515) 226-6966 email: Kathleen.TillStange@FBLFinancial.com Direct Stock Purchase Plan You can purchase FBL Financial Group Class A common stock through our stock transfer agent, American Stock Transfer. To find out more, purchase stock or manage your existing account, call 866-892-5627 or visit www.amstock.com. Forward Looking Statements Certain statements made in this annual report concerning FBL Financial Group’s prospects for the future are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the “safe harbor” from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements generally can be identified by their context, including terms such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” or similar words. These statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statement. These risks and uncertainties are detailed in FBL Financial Group’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and include, but are not limited to, difficult conditions in financial markets and the economy, lack of liquidity and access to capital, investment valuations, interest rate changes, changes in laws and regulations, competitive factors, relationships with Farm Bureau organizations, differences between actual claims experience and underwriting assumptions, the ability to attract and retain sales agents, adverse results from litigation and a decrease in ratings. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions which FBL Financial Group believes to be reasonable; however, no assurance can be given that the assumptions will prove to be correct. These important risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating any statement contained herein. Investors should not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements included in this annual report, as they are only as of the date March 28, 2014. FBL disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements after the date of this annual report. Further, FBL Financial Group assumes no responsibility for any inaccuracies or misstatements that occur as a result of the review of dated material. For FBL Financial Group’s most current information, please reference FBL Financial Group’s current SEC filings, which may be found on FBL Financial Group’s website under Investor Relations, SEC Filings. 5400 University Avenue • West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 • 515-225-5400 www.fblfinancial.com 

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