Phoenix Financial Ltd. (PHOE) Earnings Call Transcript & Summary

Hello. This is David Alexander, Deputy CEO of Phoenix Financial. Thank you for joining us to discuss the group's financial review for the first 9 months of 2024. The call will be led by Phoenix CEO, Eyal Ben Simon; and Deputy CEO and CFO, Eli Schwartz. The presentation for the call can be found on our website or the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange website. This presentation provides key points on the financial statements released this morning and should be read together with the full financials. At the end of the call, we'll answer questions that were discussed today on the Hebrew call. You can send any additional questions to us individually or to the e-mail address, [email protected]. We'll make ourselves available to meet with investors to discuss performance, strategy or any questions you may have. Please note that this call will include forward-looking statements that actual future results may be different. In addition to the presentation and the call, the group's performance can best be understood together with the full financial statements available on our website. On the call today, Eyal will highlight the key results for the quarter and discuss the strategy and the targets. Eli will then review the financial results and the segment breakdown in more detail.

Hello, and thank you for joining the call today. Phoenix Financial is a leading Israeli financials group with more than $130 billion in assets under management, distinct capabilities and competitive advantages. We have 2 lines of activities. First, the cash generating broad multi-airline insurance businesses, including a leading P&C operation as well as significant life and health businesses; and second, capital-light growth engines, including asset management, agencies and credit businesses. This includes the market-leading investment house, a growing wealth business, leading financial distribution footprint and a growing SME credit platform. Phoenix has grown assets under management by 19% annually over the past 5 years with an average return on equity of 15%. The company has a strong capital position, liquidity and solvency and good solvency ratio. We utilized our strong cash flow to grow distribute dividends and execute buybacks. The Israeli economy remains resilient. As the largest Israeli asset manager, we continue to see opportunities across the Israeli economy. GDP and capital markets have been resilient and have rebounded since the end of 2023. The currency has been stable. Unemployment rates continue to be low. We continue to watch inflation, which has been reasonable. In the first 9 months of the year, Phoenix generated 16% return on equity and ILS 1.3 billion of comprehensive income representing over ILS 5 income per share. In the third quarter, we generated 24% of return on equity -- more than 24% return on equity. This was despite the war, ongoing uncertainty, interest rates and market volatility. In September, we published updated strategic targets and road map for 2027. We see strong ongoing interest in the Phoenix among international investors who represent 1/3 of our shareholders. This is an important vote of confidence for the Phoenix and to the entire Israeli economy. Here, we see the growth in comprehensive income broken down by insurance in blue and asset management and credit in orange. The gray or nonoperating effects, including investment performance above and below 3% real yields, interest rates, effects and special items. In first 9 months, the insurance businesses generated ILS 909 million in asset management agencies and credit ILS 433 million in core income. Nonoperating income had a minimal negative effect of ILS 58 million. A strong Q3 quarter in both lines of businesses, together with positive nonoperating effects led us to generate more than 24% return on equity. Core return on equity was 18%. An important driver of group performance in the Corporate Account or Nostro. In the first 9 months of the year, returns were over 6% on a nominal basis and nearly 2% on a real basis despite the challenging environment. The Phoenix has a strong record of dividends and buybacks with over 5% dividend yield over the past few years. So far in 2024, we distributed nearly ILS 0.5 billion in dividends and buybacks. This includes ILS 176 million buybacks out of an annual program of ILS 200 million. We seek to continue to grow dividends over time, sharing over 50% of income with shareholders in both dividends and buybacks. We will now review strategic execution. Phoenix continues to execute our strategy across all activities, with 4 levers in our strategy. The first accelerated growth in high return on equity activities, the second innovation and efficiency to increase competitive advantages, the third, active management of our businesses and our people; and fourth, strong capital management. This strategy focused the group on delivering attractive return on equities, generating strong cash flows and accelerating growth in higher multiple businesses. We published new targets for 2027 in September. And as you can see, we're moving on track to achieve them. In both lines of activities, we have performed well in 2024 to date. Our asset management agencies and credit activities are profitable businesses and will generate strong growth in EBITDA. These are capital-efficient businesses based on fee income with low volatility. Cash flows from these businesses create strong liquidity. In the first 9 months of the year, EBITDA reached ILS 860 million. We continue to grow our assets under management. By the end of September, we managed over ILS 0.5 trillion or roughly even more than $130 billion. We focused growth on high-margin activities such as Investment House & Wealth and Investment Policies. Here, we see the results of our asset management businesses, including retirement and the investment house and wealth segments. Income for the first 9 months was ILS 232 million with EBITDA of ILS 445 million. Our Investments House activities are growing fast across all businesses, including mutual funds and brokerage. Our Wealth business is focused on alternative investments for qualified investors, which is growing as well. This business is based on our strong international partnerships with leading managers globally. In the Retirement business, we focus on efficiency and profitability. In our Distribution business, we continue to see significant opportunities to create and to unlock value. Income was ILS 117 million with EBITDA of ILS 286 million. This business is managed on a stand-alone basis, not just distributing Phoenix product. It generates strong cash flows and has attractive business model, and there is a lot of room to grow in a very fragmented market. We continue to grow our credit activity while focusing on profitability and risk management. Income was ILS 84 million, and EBITDA was ILS 128 million. The business is based on Phoenix Gama, a strong platform that provides SME credit solutions. Gama has a stable client base with extensive date and high ratings. In addition, it includes our Construction Financial business and we just launched the digital consumer credit offering in the past few months. In the Insurance business, we continue to grow our P&C premiums to ILS 3.7 billion in the first 9 months of the year and ILS 1.2 billion in the third quarter. And we continue to see strong inflows in investment policies with ILS 2.4 billion in the third quarter. We continue to invest in technology to create efficiency and distinct competitive advantages, and we continue to maintain high solvency levels. One of our key factors for success is to maintain alignment and commitment among our people. An important element of this alignment is equity-based compensation, including options and RSUs. Over the past few years, we have significantly increased equity compensation across the group. This has led to very positive feedback from our teams and even stronger focus on performance and value creation. Eli will take it from here and review the financial results and segments in more detail. Please, Eli.

Thank you, Eyal. The total comprehensive profit for the quarter was ILS 617 million before tax. Insurance core income was ILS 466 million before tax, significantly increased year-over-year, and asset management and credit income was ILS 261 million. On the right, you will see a full breakdown by segment. In the first 9 months, we saw growth in both core insurance and core asset management income compared to last year. Insurance core income was ILS 1.4 billion before tax and asset management and agencies and credit income was ILS 700 million. After minimal negative nonoperating effect, the total comprehensive profit for the period was ILS 1.28 billion before tax. Looking on the breakdown of the third quarter income by segment, we see strong contributions from all activities aligned with the group strategy. In the asset management and agencies and credit, we see significant growth in the investment house Wealth segment compared to the third quarter of 2023. in the first 9 months, we see a similar trend. The total income was nearly ILS 2 billion before tax with nearly ILS 1.3 billion net comprehensive income. The strong balance sheet and the debt structure provides financial strength to the group. They provide resins in the short term and support the group strategy execution and ability to capture business opportunities going forward. Today, we report that the solvency for the end of June was steady at 195% and we transitioned in 165% without transition measures. This strong solvency position above long-term target allow us flexibility in strategic choices, investment allocation and dividends. As we implement IFRS 17, we expect to see the process like in Europe, where the market become familiar with the update reporting over time. CSM is an important part of the reporting, shifting the focus from premium, which are no longer reported directly in the profit and loss to the future cash flow and economic value. These changes are expected to improve transparency. We are tracking the implementation of IFRS 17. We are still evaluations, the impact of our business, but at this point, we can share some initial observation. As the bottom line, IFRS 17 is expected to increase our income and decrease volatility. The change will have a limited economic impact on the business and no impact on the solvency without transition period. However, the initial implementation is expected to decrease shareholders' equity by almost ILS 0.4 billion to ILS 0.8 billion and will create significant CSM of ILS 9.5 billion to ILS 10 billion, a new pool of future profit on the balance sheet. CSM will be recognized by between 35% to 45% in the coming 5 years. increasing income and return on equity of the group. We intend to present capital market effect with and without normalizations using the mechanism similar to our 3% yields but modified for the FY '17 reported and will be based on the risk-free interest, liquidity premium and the investment margin based on the Phoenix insurance portfolio. Looking forward, we intend to share initial balance in March and first full quarter results in May 2025. We understand that the transition will create questions and we will be available to answer them. We will be available to explain and answer questions in the coming days, but also in the coming months. as investors become more familiar with the update reporting. We will now review each segment in more details. The P&C segment continues to show strong results with ILS 678 million in profit in 9 months. The performance was driven by strong performance across all P&C activities. In Motor, we see the full implementation of machine learning models for the underwriting and pricing. In the Health segment, we see improvement in the underwriting profit across activities. We terminated our LTC agreement with Maccabi in the end of 2023 and started to implement the Health Reform. In the Life segment, we see continued improvement in the underwriting profit. Nine-month results was positively impacted by interest rate, offset market performance. In the third quarter, we see a positive impact of the take-up rate research. Other equity returns were impacted positively by capital market. Moving to the asset management agencies credit activities, Investment House and Wealth business contribute ILS 243 million in the 9 months. The contribution is driven by the growth of in the mutual phones, part of it's the M&A synergies. Our Brokerage business continued to grow, both in the number of clients and in income per client. The Retirement business contributed was ILS 72 million pretax with the increase in the core income year-on-year. The Distribution segment delivered ILS 226 million operating income before tax. Core income grew from ILS 221 million last year to ILS 245 million this year. The Credit segment, which include Gam results, generate income growth while maintaining a stable credit portfolio in challenging environment. Credit drove ILS 109 million pretax in the first 9 months of the year. This includes strong contributions and synergies from construction financial business. Our consumer credit activity launched earlier in this year. We will report under this segment as we intend to merge it with the Phoenix Gama.

Thank you, Eli. We'll now review the questions that were discussed in the conference call in Hebrew. First question. How do you see the impact of implementing IFRS 17 on your results?

As we presented in the presentation, we believe that it will increase the income, it will decrease a little bit the equity and increase the return on equity. It will help us to give the investor a greater transparency and ability to capture -- to compare the local companies in Israel to international peers. The implementation of this process is still in process, but we will be glad to answer any questions that will be needed.

Second question. Following the sale of most of the shares of the controlling shareholders, how do you operate as a company with disparate control? What is the sentiment that you see among potential and existing investors?

First, we see continuity in strategy and management. We continue to have strong governance. The Board will continue to have experienced Israeli and international directors. We see growing in the international investors holding Phoenix shares more than 1/3 of them. We are growing interest or growing interest because of performance. They see the opportunity and of course, they believe in the strategy. And of course, it's a vote of confidence in the company and its management.

Next question. How do you see the motor insurance market following a profitable year? And are we at the peak of the cycle?

First, I don't know if we're in the peak of the cycle, we didn't meet the peak or we're above or over the peak. We see still ongoing high level of debt and damage costs. We do not know exactly how cycle will develop in the next few quarters. What I do know is that we -- an accurate pricing like Phoenix is doing as a key to strong profitability, is changing market conditions. And here, we think machine learning models are creating real competitive advantage. And as we said before, we built this actually pricing models and, of course, efficiency tools to take advantage of the market. So it doesn't really matter if the cycle is up and down, we believe we have a competitive advantage. So we can take more value in that market in the future as well.

Next question. Can you provide an update on the GAAP and variable management fees? When do you expect to return to collect fees?

First, we are almost there. So it can be days or weeks, depends on capital markets. We have seen strong investment performance in Q3, and we have reached ILS 58 million of GAAP. So it can be very, very close. It can -- as I said, days, weeks, depends on capital markets.

Next question. Can you elaborate on the launch of Consumer Credit business? Do you plan to be active in M&A in this segment?

We launched successfully this activity 2 months ago, only 2 months ago. It's a unique platform, highlighting group capabilities. It's totally or fully digital has lots of synergies between or across all group activities, mainly of the Insurance one. And we'll always assess M&A opportunities, as we said in the past, and we believe that it will create a strong organic growth. And of course, this platform will become more and more relevant to the Phoenix activities in the coming future.

Next question. You continue to describe investment policies as a strategic engine. Can you explain what is your aspiration and why it's strategic for Phoenix?

First, it's a great product for the client. It's on the investment side and for us, it's very profitable. It's actually emphasizing the unique capabilities and competitive advantage that Phoenix has managed to create the track record with lots of partnership is very positive. So we see a great growth or a lot of growth in the last 9 months. Recently, we launched a hosting track with Apollo. Globally, it's unique. It's a unique product even in global aspects. And while building the market exposing to leading international players. And of course, it's a significant value creation for Phoenix for the future.

Next question. What are the current trends in the Health business? How is the new reform impacting the market?

What we have seen in the last few months is that clients are very clever. They're very smart. They understand what best for them. And if they need more explanations or to understand better the product, they ask the agents. And most of them or at least half of them choose to remain in the basic policies and not to move on to the supplementary policies. And they -- more than everything, they now see that Phoenix is a great insurance company that can provide good services, so they put a lot of trust in Phoenix. And of course, as I said, they choose -- a lot of them are choosing the more basic or the more comprehensive cover, not the supplementary one, which shows that the Phoenix strategy on that business or in that sector, was very clear and very accurate.

Next question. You set an ambitious ROE target for 2027, but it seems that you're already within range. Do you intend to update your targets?

First, we examine our targets continuously like we did in the past. As we said, after the IFRS is implemented on Q1 2025, we'll see after a few quarters how it works. And if needed, we'll update our targets.

And last question. Your Investment House business is growing quickly. Should we expect it to grow in the same pace in the future?

First, the partnership believe in that company, as you have noticed, we have just extended our partnership from 2028 to 2031, which is a very positive move for both of us. So we all believe in that activity in that sector and the management, of course, it's a great platform. It's a platform that just acquired and became the leading -- just acquired a few funds from Psagot and became the leader of the market in both actually a growth, size and of course, profitability. The current growth is, as I said, was based on M&A, but the platform has a very strong capabilities and a few -- actually, a few segments that they are actually excellent few segments. We see the brokerage, of course, the funds and the total ecosystem of improving and growing the asset management business in Israel that support very strong on the next growth of that activity.

Thank you. Those are the questions. Investors are welcome to contact us directly or via e-mail. The e-mail address for IR is [email protected]. We'd be happy to schedule a call to answer questions or to discuss in more detail. We understand that the transition to IFRS 17 is going to raise questions and will be available both in the coming days, but also in the longer term, to support the market in getting up to speed with the planned implementation and then in the first few quarters with the actual implementation. Thank you again for joining the call.