Cincinnati Financial Corporation has recently released its 10-K report, providing a comprehensive overview of its business operations. The company operates through five segments, including Commercial Lines Insurance, Personal Lines Insurance, Excess and Surplus Lines Insurance, Life Insurance, and Investments. Cincinnati Financial Corporation is one of the 25 largest property casualty insurers in the United States, with a focus on providing insurance products through independent insurance agencies in 46 states.
In terms of financial performance, the company's value creation ratio (VCR) is a key performance target. For the year ending December 31, 2023, the VCR stood at 19.5%, which exceeded the high end of the targeted range. The primary contributors to the VCR were net income before investment gains at 9.1%, change in fixed-maturity securities, realized and unrealized gains at 1.9%, and change in equity securities, investment gains at 8.6%.
The company's long-term objectives focus on three primary performance drivers for the VCR, including premium growth, combined ratio, and investment contribution. Over the five-year period from 2019 through 2023, Cincinnati Financial Corporation achieved a compound annual growth rate of 9.9% in net written premiums, exceeding the industry average of 6.9%. The company's underwriting philosophy and initiatives drove a GAAP combined ratio averaging 94.6% over the same period, slightly better than the performance target range. Additionally, the company's investment income growth on a pretax basis had a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% over the same five-year period.
In terms of financial highlights, the total investments increased by 13% during 2023, reaching $25.357 billion on a fair value basis. Total assets increased by 10% compared to the previous year, reaching $32.769 billion. Shareholders' equity increased by 15%, and book value per share also increased by 15% to $77.06.
The income statement and per share data for the company showed a significant improvement in net income, with a rise of $2.330 billion in 2023 compared to a net loss in 2022. The company declared a cash dividend of $3.00 per share, reflecting a 9% increase from the previous year.
As a result of these announcements, the company's shares have moved -0.5% on the market, and are now trading at a price of $112.24. If you want to know more, read the company's complete 10-K report here.
