XML 58 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates  
Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates

Note 11. Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates

 

White Mountains’ investments in unconsolidated affiliates represent investments in other companies in which White Mountains has a significant voting and economic interest but does not control the entity.

 

Millions

 

March 31,
2012

 

December 31,
2011

 

Symetra common shares

 

$

 269.5

 

$

 261.0

 

Symetra warrants

 

23.7

 

12.6

 

Total investment in Symetra

 

293.2

 

273.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pentelia Capital Management

 

1.7

 

1.7

 

Total investments in unconsolidated affiliates

 

$

 294.9

 

$

 275.3

 

 

Symetra

 

At March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, White Mountains owned 17.4 million common shares of Symetra Financial Corporation (“Symetra”) and warrants to acquire an additional 9.5 million common shares. White Mountains accounts for its investment in common shares of Symetra using the equity method. At December 31, 2011, due to the prolonged low interest rate environment in which life insurance companies currently operate, White Mountains concluded that its investment in Symetra common shares was other-than-temporarily impaired and wrote down the GAAP book value of the investment to its estimated fair value of $261.0 million, or $15 per share at December 31, 2011.  White Mountains recorded $45.9 million of after-tax equity in losses of unconsolidated affiliates and $136.6 million of after-tax equity in net unrealized losses of unconsolidated affiliates.

 

Under the equity method, the GAAP carrying value of White Mountains’ investment in Symetra common shares is normally equal to the percentage of Symetra’s GAAP book value represented by White Mountains’ common share ownership, which was 15% at March 31, 2012. As a result of recording the write-down, White Mountains’ carrying value of its investment in Symetra differs from the carrying value derived under the equity method applying its ownership share against Symetra’s GAAP equity. The pre-tax basis difference of $195.8 million as of December 31, 2011 is being amortized over a 30 year period pro rata based on estimated future cash flows associated with Symetra’s underlying assets and liabilities to which the basis difference has been attributed. White Mountains continues to record its equity in Symetra’s earnings and net unrealized gains (losses). In addition, White Mountains recognizes the amortization of the basis difference through equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates and equity in net unrealized gains (losses) from investments in unconsolidated affiliates consistent with the original attribution of the writedown between equity in earnings and equity in net unrealized gains (losses). For the three months ended March 31, 2012, White Mountains recognized after-tax amortization of $1.0 million through equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates and $3.0 million through equity in net unrealized losses from investments in unconsolidated affiliates. At March 31, 2012, the pre-tax unamortized basis difference was $191.5 million.

 

White Mountains accounts for its Symetra warrants as derivatives with changes in fair value recognized through the income statement as a gain or loss recognized through other revenues.  White Mountains uses a Black Scholes valuation model to determine the fair value of the Symetra warrants.  The major assumptions used in valuing the Symetra warrants at March 31, 2012 were a risk free rate of 0.39%, volatility of 35.2%, an expected life of 2.33 years, a strike price of $11.49 per share and a share price of $11.53 per share.

 

The following table summarizes amounts recorded by White Mountains relating to its investment in Symetra for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended
March 31, 2012

 

Three Months Ended
March 31, 2011

 

 

 

Common

 

 

 

 

 

Common

 

 

 

 

 

Millions

 

Shares

 

Warrants

 

Total

 

Shares

 

Warrants

 

Total

 

Carrying value of investment in Symetra as of January 1

 

$

 261.0

 

$

 12.6

 

$

 273.6

 

$

  350.4

 

$

  37.1

 

$

  387.5

 

Equity in earnings (1)(2)

 

10.9

 

—

 

10.9

 

7.3

 

—

 

7.3

 

Equity in net unrealized losses from Symetra’s fixed maturity portfolio(3)

 

(1.2

)

—

 

(1.2

)

 —

 

—

 

—

 

Dividends received

 

(1.2

)

—

 

(1.2

)

(.8

)

—

 

(.8

)

Increase (decrease) in value of warrants

 

—

 

11.1

 

11.1

 

—

 

(1.2

)

(1.2

)

Carrying value of investment in Symetra as March 31(4) (5)

 

$

 269.5

 

$

 23.7

 

$

 293.2

 

$

  356.9

 

$

  35.9

 

$

  392.8

 

 

(1)        Equity in earnings excludes tax expense of $0.7 and $0.6.

(2)        Equity in earnings includes $1.1 increase relating to the pre-tax amortization of Symetra common share impairment from December 31, 2011.

(3)        Net unrealized gains includes $3.2 increase relating to the pre-tax amortization of Symetra common share impairment from December 31, 2011.

(4)        Includes White Mountains’ equity in net unrealized (losses) gains from Symetra’s fixed maturity portfolio of $(1.2) and $63.7 as of March 31, 2012 and 2011, which exclude tax expense of $0 and $5.2.

(5)        The aggregate value of White Mountains’ investment in common shares of Symetra was $200.6 based upon the quoted market price of $11.53 per share at March 31, 2012.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2012, White Mountains received cash dividends from Symetra of $1.2 million on its common share investment that was recorded as a reduction of White Mountains’ investment in Symetra.  During the three months ended March 31, 2012, White Mountains also received cash dividends from Symetra of $0.7 million on its investment in Symetra warrants that was recorded in net investment income.