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Brown & Brown, Inc. 2004 Results Set Record Levels for Revenues and Income

February 10, 2005

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. and TAMPA, Fla., Feb 10, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO) today announced record earnings for 2004, the twelfth consecutive year the Company has hit record highs in both revenues and net income. Net income for 2004 rose to $128,843,000, or $1.86 per share, an increase of 16.3% in per share earnings over the $110,322,000, or $1.60 per share earned in 2003. Total revenues for the year rose to $646,934,000, up 17.4% compared with the $551,040,000 attained in 2003.

During the fourth quarter of 2004, net income increased to $30,256,000, or $0.43 per share, compared with 2003 fourth quarter net income of $25,800,000, or $0.37 per share, a 16.2% increase. Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2004 was $163,046,000, a 20.9% increase over 2003 fourth quarter revenues of $134,901,000.

J. Hyatt Brown, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said of the results, "Our outstanding record of earnings per share growth of 15% or more continues for the twelfth straight year, thanks primarily to the remarkable men and women who have adopted the Brown & Brown culture as their own. Just as we achieved our last interim goal, 'Project 28,' we continue to aggressively pursue our current intermediate goal of achieving over the coming years 'B- 40,' that is, $1 billion in revenue and a 40% operating margin (pre-tax income with interest and amortization expense added back). We feel quite comfortable in our ability to continue growing and rewarding those who elect to grow with us."

Jim W. Henderson, President and Chief Operating Officer, noted, "During 2004 and carrying right into the new year, we have been favored by the excep- tional caliber of organizations seeking to join the Brown & Brown team. The results that we continue to produce are proof of the win-win culture we achieve with acquisitions. Looking forward, we continue to see a large number of extremely fine potential new opportunities. 2004 also signaled a higher level of success in the recruitment and hiring of new future leaders. Many of them are expected to be successful graduates of our own Brown & Brown Insur- ance University."

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

This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results which are forward-looking statements, including those relating to continuing our revenue, earnings and operating growth, and to identifying and consummating attractive acquisition opportunities. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's current 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, financial condition and achievements may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results, financial condition and achievements indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further informa- tion concerning the Company and its business, including factors that poten- tially could materially affect the Company's financial results and condition, as well as its other achievements, 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 Com- pany'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; the potential occurrence of a disaster that affects certain areas of the States of Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey, New York and/or Washington, where significant portions of the Company's business are concentrated; the actual costs of resolution of contingent liabilities; those factors relevant to Brown & Brown's identification, consummation and integration of acquisitions, including any matters analyzed in the due dili- gence process, material adverse changes in the customers of the companies whose operations are acquired, and material adverse changes in the business and financial condition of either or both companies and their respective customers; and the cost and impact on the Company of previously disclosed pending litigation and regulatory inquiries regarding industry and Company practices with respect to compensation received from insurance carriers, certain of which practices are currently under review by a committee of independent members of the Company's Board of Directors. 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
                                   2004        2003          2004        2003
    REVENUES
    Commissions and fees        $158,352    $131,632      $638,267    $545,287
    Investment income              1,108         344         2,715       1,428
    Other income, net              3,586       2,925         5,952       4,325
        Total revenues           163,046     134,901       646,934     551,040

    EXPENSES
    Employee compensation
     and benefits                 82,220      67,157       314,221     268,372
    Non-cash stock grant
     compensation                    741         448         2,625       2,272
    Other operating expenses      21,506      18,503        84,927      74,617
    Amortization                   6,069       4,508        22,146      17,470
    Depreciation                   2,249       2,141         8,910       8,203
    Interest                       3,457         813         7,156       3,624
         Total expenses          116,242      93,570       439,985     374,558

    Income before income
     taxes                        46,804      41,331       206,949     176,482

    Income taxes                  16,548      15,531        78,106      66,160

    Net income                   $30,256     $25,800      $128,843    $110,322


    Net income per share:
      Basic                        $0.44       $0.38         $1.87       $1.61
      Diluted                      $0.43       $0.37         $1.86       $1.60

    Weighted average number
     of shares outstanding:
      Basic                       69,152      68,532        68,909      68,327
      Diluted                     69,687      68,964        69,444      68,897

    Dividends declared per
     share:                        $0.08       $0.07         $0.29     $0.2425



                             Brown & Brown, Inc.
                           INTERNAL GROWTH SCHEDULE
                         Core Commissions and Fees(1)
                     Three Months Ended December 31, 2004
                                (in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)

                          Quarter  Quarter   Total  Total     Less    Internal
                           Ended    Ended     Net    Net   Acquisition  Net
                          12/31/04 12/31/03 Change Growth%  Revenues  Growth %


    Florida Retail        $35,242  $31,973  $3,269  10.2%     $574     8.4%
    National Retail        45,765   30,244  15,521  51.3%   14,382     3.8%
    Western Retail         24,960   23,926   1,034   4.3%    1,940    (3.8)%
         Total Retail     105,967   86,143  19,824  23.0%   16,896     3.4%

    Professional Programs  11,095    9,571   1,524  15.9%      650     9.1%
    Special Programs       22,466   16,927   5,539  32.7%    4,640     5.3%
         Total Programs    33,561   26,498   7,063  26.7%    5,290     6.7%

    Brokerage              12,108    7,307   4,801  65.7%    3,304    20.5%

    TPA Services            6,348    5,608     740  13.2%       --    13.2%

    Total Core
     Commissions and
     Fees (1)            $157,984 $125,556 $32,428  25.8%  $25,490     5.5%



                  Reconciliation of Internal Growth Schedule
                        to Total Commissions and Fees
              Included in the Consolidated Statements of Income
            for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2004 and 2003
                                (in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)


                                                  Quarter        Quarter
                                                   Ended          Ended
                                                 12/31/04        12/31/03

    Total core commissions and fees (1)          $157,984        $125,556
    Contingent commissions                            368           2,957
    Divested business                                  --           3,119

    Total Commission & Fees                      $158,352        $131,632

(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), and (ii) divested business (commissions and fees generated from offices, books of business or niches sold by the Company or terminated).

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

                                              December 31,       December 31,
                                                  2004               2003
    ASSETS
    Current assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents                $188,106            $56,926
      Restricted cash                           147,483            116,543
      Short-term investments                      3,163                382
      Premiums, commissions and fees
       receivable                               173,416            146,672
      Other current assets                       28,819             22,943
        Total current assets                    540,987            343,466

    Fixed assets, net                            33,438             32,396
    Goodwill                                    360,843            237,753
    Amortizable intangible assets, net          293,009            232,934
    Investments                                   9,328             10,845
    Other assets                                 12,933              8,460
        Total assets                         $1,250,538           $865,854

    LIABILITIES
    Current liabilities:
      Premiums payable to insurance
       companies                               $240,867           $199,628
      Premium deposits and credits
       due customers                             34,841             22,223
      Accounts payable                           16,257             11,282
      Accrued expenses                           58,031             49,691
      Current portion of long-term debt          16,135             18,692
        Total current liabilities               366,131            301,516

    Long-term debt                              227,063             41,107

    Deferred income taxes, net                   24,859             15,018

    Other liabilities                             8,160             10,178

    SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Common stock, par value $0.10
     per share; authorized 280,000
     shares;  issued and outstanding,
     69,159 at 2004 and 68,561 at 2003            6,916              6,856
    Additional paid-in capital                  187,280            170,130
    Retained earnings                           425,662            316,822
    Accumulated other comprehensive
     income                                       4,467              4,227

        Total shareholders' equity              624,325            498,035

    Total liabilities and shareholders'
     equity                                  $1,250,538           $865,854

SOURCE Brown & Brown, Inc.

Cory T. Walker, Chief Financial Officer, Brown & Brown, Inc., +1-386-239-7250
http://www.prnewswire.com

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