HAMILTON, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited ("Aspen") today reported results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023.
Mark Cloutier, Executive Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are pleased to report an excellent set of results for 2023. Aspen's continued focus on underwriting discipline and operating excellence resulted in our adjusted combined ratio improving to 86.4%,* our net income available to ordinary shareholders increasing to $485 million and an annualized operating return on average equity of 20.2%,* all significant improvements over the prior year.
"In addition to improved underwriting performance, investment income of $276 million represents a 47% increase year over year. For the full year 2023, Aspen Capital Markets generated $136 million** in total fee income from capital sourced across multiple lines and classes in both our insurance and reinsurance segments.
"It is pleasing to note the quality of earnings we are now generating, with meaningful contributions from each of our core earning engines, underwriting, investments and capital markets fees. We believe we have reached a state where we are able to sustain strong ROEs across cycles through the very healthy mix in the sources of our earnings.
"The combination of our 'One Aspen Approach,' balance sheet strength, and capital markets capabilities, positions us with a distinct advantage in the specialty (re)insurance sector, with the scale being an important source of capacity to our customers while still maintaining the ability to be nimble, decisive, and opportunistic in response to changes in trading conditions and market opportunities.
"In a year that again saw our sector challenged by climate, geopolitical events, and socio-economic challenges, this fourth consecutive year of improved results gives us confidence we have the talent, strategy, platforms, and brand to continue to perform at the top of our class, delivering strong returns for our shareholders through changing market cycles and across a wide range of industry loss event scenarios."
* Non-GAAP financial measures are used throughout this release, such as operating income, operating return on average equity, adjusted underwriting income and adjusted combined ratio. These are non-GAAP financial measures as defined in SEC Regulation G. For additional information and reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures, refer to the end of this press release. Refer to "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" at the end of this press release.
** Reflected in our underwriting result as a reduction to acquisition costs.
Full Earnings materials
The full earnings press release for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023 will be published on Aspen's website at www.aspen.co.
About Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited ("Aspen" or the "Company")
Aspen provides insurance and reinsurance coverage to clients in various domestic and global markets through wholly-owned operating subsidiaries in Bermuda, the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as its branch operations in Canada, Singapore and Switzerland. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Aspen reported $15.2 billion in total assets, $7.8 billion in gross loss reserves, $2.9 billion in total shareholders' equity and $4.0 billion in gross written premiums. Aspen's operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A-" by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and an "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best Company Inc. For more information about Aspen, please visit www.aspen.co.
Please refer to the "Financials - Annual Reports" section of Aspen's investor website for a copy of our Annual Report on Form 20-F.
(1) Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release or any other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company may contain written "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts. In particular, statements using the words such as "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "aim," "project," "anticipate," "seek," "will," "likely," "assume," "estimate," "may," "continue," "guidance," "objective," "outlook," "trends," "future," "could," "would," "should," "target," "predict," "potential," "on track" or their negatives or variations and similar terminology and words of similar import generally involve forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions, estimates and data concerning future results and events and that are subject to a number of uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, many of which are outside Aspen's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, our exposure to weather-related natural disasters and other catastrophes, the direct and indirect impact of global climate change, our relationship with, and reliance upon, a limited number of brokers for both our insurance and reinsurance business, the impact of inflation, our exposure to credit, currency, interest and others risks within our investment portfolio, the cyclical nature of the insurance and reinsurance industry, the occurrence, timing and results of, and market reaction to, our proposed initial public offering and proposed listing of our ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange and many other factors. For a detailed description of these uncertainties and other factors that could impact the forward-looking statements in this press release and other communications issued by or on behalf of Aspen, please see the "Risk Factors" section in Aspen's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC, which should be deemed incorporated herein.
The inclusion of forward-looking statements in this press release or any other communication should not be considered as a representation by Aspen that current plans or expectations will be achieved. Aspen undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
Basis of Preparation
Aspen has prepared the financial information contained within this financial results press release in accordance with the principles of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP").
Contacts
Marc MacGillivray, Chief Accounting Officer
Marc.MacGillivray@Aspen.co
+44 20 7184 8455
