News Release

« Back

Brown & Brown, Inc. 2003 Results Set Record Levels for Revenues and Income

January 14, 2004

DAYTONA BEACH and TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO) today announced record earnings for 2003, the eleventh consecutive year the Company has hit record highs in both revenues and income. Net income for 2003 rose to $110,322,000, or $1.60 per share, an increase of 32.7% over the $83,122,000, or $1.22 per share earned in 2002. Total revenues for the year rose to $551,040,000, up 20.9% compared with $455,742,000 attained in 2002.

During the fourth quarter of 2003 net income increased to $25,800,000, or $0.37 per share, compared with 2002 fourth quarter net income of $21,380,000 or $0.31 per share, a 20.7% increase. Total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2003 was $134,901,000, a 13.2% increase over 2002 fourth quarter revenues of $119,147,000.

J. Hyatt Brown, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said of the results, "Year 2003 was a continuation of our commitment made eleven years ago to grow earnings per share 15% or more, ad infinitum. The actual 2003 earnings per share growth of 31.1% is very pleasing to all of the Brown & Brown team who have performed so well in a changing market. Our operating margin (income before income taxes and minority interest with interest expense and amortization expense added back) grew positively from 33.7% in 2002 to 35.9% in 2003. We are very focused on our intermediate term goal of B-40 - $1 billion dollars of revenues and a 40% operating profit margin. We view 2004 as another step toward reaching that goal."

Jim W. Henderson, President and Chief Operating Officer noted, "We are seeing stronger real interest in the acquisition and merger arena than we saw in early 2003. As we move into 2004, more and more entrepreneurs seem to be recognizing the value of joining forces with larger, stronger partners, like Brown & Brown, and are more inclined to pull the trigger."

Brown & Brown, Inc. and its subsidiaries offer a broad range of insurance and reinsurance products and services, as well as risk management, employee benefit administration, and managed health care programs. Providing service to business, public entity, individual and trade and association clients nationwide, the Company is ranked by Business Insurance magazine as the United States' sixth largest independent insurance intermediary. Our Web address is www.bbinsurance.com.

This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results which are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. It is possible that the Company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's financial results, are contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Some factors include: general economic conditions around the country; downward commercial property and casualty premium pressures; the competitive environment; the integration of the Company's operations with those of businesses or assets the Company has acquired or may acquire in the future and the failure to realize the expected benefits of such integration; and the potential occurrence of a disaster that affects certain areas of the States of Arizona, California, Florida, New York, and/or Washington, where significant portions of the Company's business are concentrated. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.


                             Brown & Brown, Inc.
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                    (in thousands, except per share data)
                                 (unaudited)

                                             For the             For the
                                       Three Months Ended  Twelve Months Ended
                                            December 31         December 31
                                          2003      2002       2003      2002
    REVENUES
    Commissions and fees              $131,632  $117,402   $545,287  $452,289
    Investment income                      344       723      1,428     2,945
    Other income, net                    2,925     1,022      4,325       508
        Total revenues                 134,901   119,147    551,040   455,742

    EXPENSES
    Employee compensation and benefits  67,157    60,224    268,372   224,755
    Non-cash stock grants compensation     448       798      2,272     3,823
    Other operating expenses            18,503    19,381     74,617    66,554
    Amortization                         4,508     3,848     17,470    14,042
    Depreciation                         2,141     1,926      8,203     7,245
    Interest                               813     1,103      3,624     4,659
         Total expenses                 93,570    87,280    374,558   321,078

    Income before income taxes and      41,331    31,867    176,482   134,664
     minority interest

    Income taxes                        15,531     9,721     66,160    49,271

    Minority interest, net of income
     tax                                    --       766         --     2,271

    Net income                         $25,800   $21,380   $110,322   $83,122

    Net income per share:
      Basic                              $0.38     $0.31      $1.61     $1.24
      Diluted                            $0.37     $0.31      $1.60     $1.22

    Weighted average number of shares
       outstanding:
      Basic                             68,532    68,187     68,327    67,283
      Diluted                           68,964    68,953     68,897    68,043


                             Brown & Brown, Inc.
                           INTERNAL GROWTH SCHEDULE
                         Core Commissions and Fees(1)
                     Three Months Ended December 31, 2003
                                (in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)

                          Quarter  Quarter   Total  Total     Less    Internal
                           Ended    Ended     Net    Net   Acquisition   Net
                         12/31/03 12/31/02  Change Growth%  Revenues   Growth%


    Florida Retail        $33,148  $31,514  $1,634    5.2%     $287     4.3%
    National Retail        31,372   30,749     623    2.0%    2,783   (7.0)%
    Western Retail         24,150   18,300   5,850   32.0%    4,744     6.0%
         Total Retail      88,670   80,563   8,107   10.1%    7,814     0.4%

    Professional Programs   9,627    6,565   3,062   46.6%    2,420     9.8%
    Special Programs       16,300   11,631   4,669   40.1%    1,967    23.2%
         Total Programs    25,927   18,196   7,731   42.5%    4,387    18.4%

    Brokerage               7,466    6,179   1,287   20.8%      660    10.1%

    TPA Services            6,612    5,755     857   14.9%        -    14.9%

    Total Core Commissions
        and Fees (1)     $128,675 $110,693 $17,982   16.2%  $12,861     4.6%


                  Reconciliation of Internal Growth Schedule
                        to Total Commissions and Fees
              Included in the Consolidated Statements of Income
            for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2003 and 2002
                                (in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)

                                                     Quarter         Quarter
                                                      Ended           Ended
                                                     12/31/03       12/31/02
    Total core commissions and
      fees(1)                                        $128,675       $110,693
    Contingent commissions                              2,957          3,513
    Adjustment for upfront annual
      commissions (2)                                       -           (492)
    Divested business                                       -          3,688

    Total Commission & Fees                          $131,632       $117,402

     (1) Total core commissions and fees are our total commissions and fees
         less (i) contingent commissions (revenue derived from special
         revenue-sharing commissions from insurance companies based upon the
         volume and the growth and/or profitability of the business placed
         with such companies during the prior year), (ii) adjustment for
         upfront annual commissions (explained below), and (iii) divested
         business (commissions and fees generated from offices, books of
         business or niches sold by the Company or terminated).
     (2) Commissions from a Florida-based workers' compensation carrier that
         changed its agency commission payment policy from paying on a monthly
         basis to paying on an up-front annual basis only for year 2002.
         Beginning January 1, 2003, this carrier reverted back to paying
         commissions on a monthly basis.


                             Brown & Brown, Inc.
                         CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                (in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)

                                                   December 31,   December 31,
                                                       2003             2002

    ASSETS
    Current assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents                     $56,926          $68,050
      Restricted cash                               116,543          102,993
      Short-term investments                            382              446
      Premiums, commissions and fees receivable     146,672          144,244
      Other current assets                           22,943           16,527
        Total current assets                        343,466          332,260

    Fixed assets, net                                32,396           24,730
    Goodwill, net                                   237,753          176,269
    Other intangible assets, net                    232,934          203,984
    Investments                                      10,845            8,585
    Deferred income taxes, net                            -            1,788
    Other assets                                      8,460            6,733
        Total assets                               $865,854         $754,349

    LIABILITIES
    Current liabilities:
      Premiums payable to insurance companies      $199,628         $191,682
      Premium deposits and credits due customers     22,223           16,723
      Accounts payable                               11,282           12,284
      Accrued expenses                               49,691           44,545
      Current portion of long-term debt              18,692           27,334
        Total current liabilities                   301,516          292,568

    Long-term debt                                   41,107           57,585

    Deferred income taxes, net                       15,018                -

    Other liabilities                                10,178           10,754

    Minority Interest                                     -            1,852

    SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Common stock, par value $0.10 per share;
       authorized 280,000 shares;  issued and
       outstanding, 68,561 at 2003 and 68,178 at
        2002                                          6,856            6,818
    Additional paid-in capital                      170,130          159,564
    Retained earnings                               316,822          223,102
    Accumulated other comprehensive income            4,227            2,106

        Total shareholders' equity                  498,035          391,590

    Total liabilities and shareholders' equity     $865,854         $754,349
SOURCE  Brown & Brown, Inc.
    -0-                             01/14/2004
    /CONTACT:  Cory T. Walker, Chief Financial Officer of Brown & Brown, Inc.,
+1-386-239-7250/
    /Web site:  http://www.bbinsurance.com /
    (BRO)

CO:  Brown & Brown, Inc.
ST:  Florida
IN:  FIN INS
SU:  ERN

DO 
-- NYW146 --
1254 01/14/2004 21:23 EST http://www.prnewswire.com

Print Page Email Page Email Alerts