Old Republic International's Q1 2025: Unpacking Contradictions in Growth, Capital Strategy, and Expense Ratios

Growth contributors in Property and General Liability business, capital allocation and share repurchases, expense ratio sustainability are the key contradictions discussed in Old Republic International's latest 2025Q1 earnings call.



Operating Profitability Growth:
- Old Republic reported $252.7 million in consolidated pretax operating income for Q1 2025, up from $231.5 million in Q1 2024.
- The growth was driven by increased contributions from Specialty Insurance and favorable loss reserve developments in both specialty insurance and title insurance.

Specialty Insurance Segment Performance:
- Specialty Insurance's net premiums earned grew by 13% in Q1 2025, with the segment producing $260 million in pretax operating income, up from $220 million last year.
- This growth was supported by strong renewal retention ratios, rate increases on major lines, solid new business, and increasing premium production in new subsidiaries.

Title Insurance Revenue Expansion:
- Title Insurance's premiums and fees increased by 11% in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024, reaching $605 million.
- The increase was driven by growth in commercial premiums, which rose by 27%, and favorable market conditions despite a challenging real estate and mortgage environment.

Investment Income and Asset Growth:
- Net investment income increased by 4%, with the average reinvestment rate on corporate bonds during the quarter at 5.1%.
- This rise was due to higher yields on the bond portfolio, despite a lower invested asset base from returning excess capital, and a nearly $60 million increase in the equity portfolio.

Financial Strength and Capital Management:
- Book value per share ended the quarter at $24.19, boosted by strong operating earnings and higher investment valuations.
- The company returned capital to shareholders through a special $500 million dividend and $68 million in regular dividends, along with $25 million in share repurchases.