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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 24, 2024
Commission File Number
1-15202


     W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION     
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware22-1867895
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  
475 Steamboat RoadGreenwichConnecticut06830
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
(203)629-3000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
None
Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report.

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Title of Each Class Trading Symbol Name of Each Exchange
on Which Registered
Common Stock, par value $.20 per share WRB New York Stock Exchange
5.700% Subordinated Debentures due 2058WRB-PENew York Stock Exchange
5.100% Subordinated Debentures due 2059WRB-PFNew York Stock Exchange
4.250% Subordinated Debentures due 2060WRB-PGNew York Stock Exchange
4.125% Subordinated Debentures due 2061WRB-PHNew York Stock Exchange
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).    Emerging growth company         


W. R. Berkley Corporation         2

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.         


W. R. Berkley Corporation         3

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
Reference is made to the press release of W. R. Berkley Corporation (the “Company”) relating to the announcement of the Company’s results of operations for the fourth quarter of 2023. The press release was issued on January 24, 2024. A copy of the press release is attached to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
The information contained herein shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act.


W. R. Berkley Corporation         4

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit 99.1 Press Release dated January 24, 2024





W. R. Berkley Corporation         5



SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION




By: /s/ Richard M. Baio
Name:Richard M. Baio
Title:Executive Vice President -
Chief Financial Officer




        


Date: January 24, 2024


W. R. Berkley Corporation         6

EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit:
99.1         Press Release dated January 24, 2024






NEWS
RELEASE
W. R. Berkley Corporation
475 Steamboat Road
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
(203) 629-3000
             
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     CONTACT:    Karen A. Horvath
Vice President - External
Financial Communications
(203) 629-3000


W. R. Berkley Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results
Fourth Quarter Return on Equity of 23.6% and Operating Return on Equity of 23.2%;
Record Quarterly and Annual Pre-Tax Underwriting Income and Net Investment Income


Greenwich, CT, January 24, 2024 - W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) today reported its fourth quarter and full year 2023 results.
Summary Financial Data
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Fourth QuarterTwelve Months
2023202220232022
Gross premiums written$3,232,710 $2,914,877 $12,972,006 $11,909,052 
Net premiums written2,719,668 2,427,907 10,954,467 10,004,070 
Net income to common stockholders397,340 382,223 1,381,359 1,381,062 
Net income per diluted share1.47 1.37 5.05 4.94 
Operating income (1)391,753 323,329 1,344,567 1,223,934 
Operating income per diluted share1.45 1.16 4.92 4.38 
Return on equity (2)23.6 %23.0 %20.5 %20.8 %
Operating return on equity (1) (2)23.2 %19.4 %19.9 %18.4 %


(1)Operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure defined by the Company as net income excluding after-tax net investment gains and related expenses.
(2)Return on equity and operating return on equity represent net income and operating income, respectively, expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of beginning of year common stockholders’ equity.



W. R. Berkley Corporation        2

Fourth quarter highlights included:
Return on equity of 23.6%.
Book value per share grew 11.6%, before dividends and share repurchases.
Record net investment income of $313.3 million driven by 52.9% increase in the core portfolio.
Net premiums written growth increased to 12.0%.
The current accident year combined ratio before catastrophe losses of 1.2 loss ratio points was 87.2%.
The reported combined ratio was 88.4%, including current accident year catastrophe losses of $32.0 million.
Record pre-tax underwriting income grew 8.2% to $315.9 million.
Average rate increases excluding workers' compensation were approximately 8.0%.
Total capital returned to shareholders was $263.8 million, consisting of $106.7 million of share repurchases, $128.8 million of special dividends and $28.3 million of regular dividends.
Full year highlights included:
Return on equity of 20.5%.
Book value per share grew 25.5%, before dividends and share repurchases.
Record annual pre-tax underwriting income of $1.1 billion.
Gross and net premiums written grew 8.9% and 9.5% to records of $13.0 billion and $11.0 billion, respectively.
Average rate increases excluding workers' compensation were approximately 8.1%.
Net investment income grew 35.1% to a record $1.1 billion.
Operating cash flow increased 14.0% to a record of $2.9 billion.
Total capital returned to shareholders was $1.0 billion, consisting of $537.2 million of share repurchases, $390.0 million of special dividends and $111.4 million of regular dividends.

The Company commented:
Our Company completed another record-setting year in 2023, achieving a 23.6% annualized return on beginning equity in the fourth quarter. Our quarter and full year results were characterized by growth in net premiums written, along with record underwriting performance and net investment income. Book value per share grew 11.6% during the fourth quarter, before the return of $264 million of capital to shareholders through special and ordinary dividends and share repurchases.
Growth in net premiums written accelerated to 12% in the fourth quarter, as we deployed capital in areas of the business that we expect to achieve or exceed our targeted risk-adjusted return on equity. In a market where lines of business increasingly move independently from each other, our decentralized structure provides us with a competitive advantage that allows us to better navigate risks and embrace opportunities.
Net investment income from our fixed-maturity portfolio increased more than 50% during the quarter and 60% for the year as our portfolio grew and we (re)invested at higher interest rates. The current rates at which we can reinvest remains higher than our annual book yield, and record operating cash flow positions us well for future investment income growth.
Our Company performed exceptionally well during 2023, and we anticipate 2024 will continue to be rewarding for our shareholders. We view the current property and casualty insurance and investment environments as favorable to our business model. We are confident that we will continue to deliver superior long-term risk-adjusted returns and increase value to shareholders in 2024 and beyond.



W. R. Berkley Corporation        3
Webcast Conference Call
    The Company will hold its quarterly conference call with analysts and investors to discuss its earnings and other information on January 24, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. eastern time. The conference call will be webcast live on the Company's website at https://ir.berkley.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx. Please log on early to register. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Company's website approximately two hours after the end of the conference call. Additional financial information can be found on the Company's website at https://ir.berkley.com/investor-relations/financial-information/quarterly-results/default.aspx.
About W. R. Berkley Corporation
    Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States and operates worldwide in two segments of the property casualty business: Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess.





W. R. Berkley Corporation        4
Forward Looking Information

This is a “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein, including statements related to our outlook for the industry and for our performance for the year 2024 and beyond, are based upon the Company’s historical performance and on current plans, estimates and expectations. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. They are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the cyclical nature of the property casualty industry; the impact of significant competition, including new entrants to the industry; the long-tail and potentially volatile nature of the insurance and reinsurance business; product demand and pricing; claims development and the process of estimating reserves; investment risks, including those of our portfolio of fixed maturity securities and investments in equity securities, including investments in financial institutions, municipal bonds, mortgage-backed securities, loans receivable, investment funds, including real estate, merger arbitrage, energy related and private equity investments; the effects of emerging claim and coverage issues; the uncertain nature of damage theories and loss amounts, including claims for cyber security-related risks; natural and man-made catastrophic losses, including as a result of terrorist activities; the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, or other epidemics and pandemics; the impact of climate change, which may alter the frequency and increase the severity of catastrophe events; general economic and market activities, including inflation, interest rates, and volatility in the credit and capital markets; the impact of the conditions in the financial markets and the global economy, and the potential effect of legislative, regulatory, accounting or other initiatives taken in response to such conditions, on our results and financial condition; foreign currency and political risks relating to our international operations; our ability to attract and retain key personnel and qualified employees; continued availability of capital and financing; the success of our new ventures or acquisitions and the availability of other opportunities; the availability of reinsurance; our retention under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2019; the ability or willingness of our reinsurers to pay reinsurance recoverables owed to us; other legislative and regulatory developments, including those related to business practices in the insurance industry; credit risk related to our policyholders, independent agents and brokers; changes in the ratings assigned to us or our insurance company subsidiaries by rating agencies; the availability of dividends from our insurance company subsidiaries; cyber security breaches of our information technology systems and the information technology systems of our vendors and other third parties, or related processes and systems; the effectiveness of our controls to ensure compliance with guidelines, policies and legal and regulatory standards; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results for the year 2024 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement we make. Any projections of growth in our revenues would not necessarily result in commensurate levels of earnings. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.



# # #











W. R. Berkley Corporation        5
Consolidated Financial Summary
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Fourth QuarterTwelve Months
2023202220232022
Revenues:
  Net premiums written$2,719,668 $2,427,907 $10,954,467 $10,004,070 
  Change in unearned premiums(5,054)85,317 (553,780)(442,641)
    Net premiums earned2,714,614 2,513,224 10,400,687 9,561,429 
  Net investment income313,341 231,283 1,052,835 779,185 
  Net investment gains:
  Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on investments(2,862)77,647 47,540 217,311 
   Change in allowance for credit losses on investments10,666 (2,549)(498)(14,914)
  Net investment gains7,804 75,098 47,042 202,397 
  Revenues from non-insurance businesses160,283 164,338 535,508 509,548 
  Insurance service fees25,194 28,260 106,485 110,544 
  Other Income146 1,599 381 3,396 
       Total Revenues3,221,382 3,013,802 12,142,938 11,166,499 
Expenses:
   Loss and loss expenses1,627,540 1,522,104 6,372,142 5,861,750 
   Other operating costs and expenses906,011 822,248 3,363,936 2,961,505 
   Expenses from non-insurance businesses154,754 159,127 524,998 493,189 
   Interest expense31,879 31,902 127,459 130,374 
     Total expenses2,720,184 2,535,381 10,388,535 9,446,818 
     Income before income tax501,198 478,421 1,754,403 1,719,681 
   Income tax expense(102,234)(96,437)(370,557)(334,727)
     Net Income before noncontrolling interests398,964 381,984 1,383,846 1,384,954 
   Noncontrolling interest(1,624)239 (2,487)(3,892)
     Net income to common stockholders$397,340 $382,223 $1,381,359 $1,381,062 
 Net income per share:
 Basic$1.48 $1.38 $5.10 $4.99 
 Diluted$1.47 $1.37 $5.05 $4.94 
 Average shares outstanding (1):
 Basic269,053 276,625 271,000 276,852 
 Diluted271,015 278,888 273,298 279,461 


(1)Basic shares outstanding consist of the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (including shares held in a grantor trust). Diluted shares outstanding consist of the weighted average number of basic and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period.




W. R. Berkley Corporation        6
Business Segment Operating Results
(Amounts in thousands, except ratios) (1)
Fourth QuarterTwelve Months
2023202220232022
Insurance:
   Gross premiums written$2,902,010 $2,607,497 $11,561,138 $10,583,785 
   Net premiums written2,410,348 2,147,121 9,657,121 8,784,146 
   Net premiums earned2,382,621 2,207,057 9,130,324 8,369,062 
   Pre-tax income486,697 403,473 1,640,438 1,455,658 
   Loss ratio60.8 %61.4 %62.3 %61.3 %
   Expense ratio28.6 %27.8 %28.4 %27.9 %
   GAAP Combined ratio89.4 %89.2 %90.7 %89.2 %
Reinsurance & Monoline Excess:
   Gross premiums written$330,700 $307,380 $1,410,868 $1,325,267 
   Net premiums written309,320 280,786 1,297,346 1,219,924 
   Net premiums earned331,993 306,167 1,270,363 1,192,367 
   Pre-tax income125,474 107,161 438,765 316,527 
   Loss ratio53.8 %54.2 %53.8 %61.3 %
   Expense ratio27.4 %28.6 %28.3 %28.4 %
   GAAP Combined ratio81.2 %82.8 %82.1 %89.7 %
Corporate and Eliminations:
   Net investment gains $7,804 $75,098 $47,042 $202,397 
   Interest expense(31,879)(31,902)(127,459)(130,374)
   Other expenses(86,898)(75,409)(244,383)(124,527)
   Pre-tax loss(110,973)(32,213)(324,800)(52,504)
Consolidated:
   Gross premiums written$3,232,710 $2,914,877 $12,972,006 $11,909,052 
   Net premiums written2,719,668 2,427,907 10,954,467 10,004,070 
   Net premiums earned2,714,614 2,513,224 10,400,687 9,561,429 
   Pre-tax income 501,198 478,421 1,754,403 1,719,681 
   Loss ratio60.0 %60.6 %61.3 %61.3 %
   Expense ratio28.4 %27.8 %28.4 %28.0 %
   GAAP Combined ratio88.4 %88.4 %89.7 %89.3 %


(1)Loss ratio is losses and loss expenses incurred expressed as a percentage of premiums earned. Expense ratio is underwriting expenses expressed as a percentage of premiums earned. GAAP combined ratio is the sum of the loss ratio and the expense ratio.




W. R. Berkley Corporation        7
Supplemental Information
(Amounts in thousands)
Fourth QuarterTwelve Months
2023202220232022
Net premiums written:
   Other liability$971,611 $838,516 $3,840,908 $3,408,254 
   Short-tail lines (1)527,074 431,528 2,099,684 1,749,926 
   Auto351,934 308,746 1,397,585 1,257,659 
   Workers' compensation290,203 281,070 1,228,058 1,221,804 
   Professional liability269,526 287,261 1,090,886 1,146,503 
     Total Insurance2,410,348 2,147,121 9,657,121 8,784,146 
   Casualty reinsurance197,059 201,851 769,161 785,631 
   Property reinsurance76,975 49,137 280,060 211,772 
   Monoline excess35,286 29,798 248,125 222,521 
     Total Reinsurance & Monoline Excess309,320 280,786 1,297,346 1,219,924 
          Total$2,719,668 $2,427,907 $10,954,467 $10,004,070 
Current accident year losses from catastrophes (including COVID-19 related losses):
   Insurance$20,488 $24,592 $159,897 $126,393 
   Reinsurance & Monoline Excess11,529 6,253 35,065 85,317 
     Total$32,017 $30,845 $194,962 $211,710 
Net Investment income:
   Core portfolio (2)$285,841 $186,897 $966,723 $588,873 
   Investment funds11,300 23,180 16,743 145,099 
   Arbitrage trading account16,200 21,206 69,369 45,213 
     Total$313,341 $231,283 $1,052,835 $779,185 
Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on investments:
   Net realized (losses) gains on investments$(27,705)$(10,422)$(22,908)$217,943 
   Change in unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities24,843 88,069 70,448 (632)
     Total$(2,862)$77,647 $47,540 $217,311 
Other operating costs and expenses:
   Policy acquisition and insurance operating expenses$771,170 $699,227 $2,954,686 $2,673,903 
   Insurance service expenses21,379 25,071 91,714 96,419 
   Net foreign currency losses (gains)33,577 34,130 31,799 (50,930)
   Other costs and expenses79,885 63,820 285,737 242,113 
     Total$906,011 $822,248 $3,363,936 $2,961,505 
Cash flow from operations$698,076 $795,301 $2,929,238 $2,568,604 
Reconciliation of net income to operating income:
   Net income$397,340 $382,223 $1,381,359 $1,381,062 
   Pre-tax investment gains, net of related expenses(7,804)(75,098)(47,042)(199,087)
   Income tax expense 2,217 16,204 10,250 41,959 
     Operating income after-tax (3)$391,753 $323,329 $1,344,567 $1,223,934 

(1)Short-tail lines include commercial multi-peril (non-liability), inland marine, accident and health, fidelity and surety, boiler and machinery, high net worth homeowners and other lines.
(2)Core portfolio includes fixed maturity securities, equity securities, cash and cash equivalents, real estate and loans receivable.
(3)Operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure defined by the Company as net income excluding after-tax net investment gains (losses). Net investment gains (losses) are computed net of related expenses, including performance-based compensatory costs associated with realized investment gains. Management believes this measurement provides a useful indicator of trends in the Company’s underlying operations.



W. R. Berkley Corporation        8
Selected Balance Sheet Information
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
Net invested assets (1)$26,973,703 $24,545,672 
Total assets37,202,015 33,861,099 
Reserves for losses and loss expenses18,739,652 17,011,223 
Senior notes and other debt1,827,951 1,828,823 
Subordinated debentures1,009,090 1,008,371 
Common stockholders' equity (2)7,455,431 6,748,332 
Common stock outstanding (3)256,545 264,546 
Book value per share (4)29.06 25.51 
Tangible book value per share (4) 28.08 24.58 


(1)Net invested assets include investments, cash and cash equivalents, trading accounts receivable from brokers and clearing organizations, trading account securities sold but not yet purchased and unsettled purchases, net of related liabilities.
(2)As of December 31, 2023, reflected in common stockholders' equity are after-tax unrealized investment losses of $586 million and unrealized currency translation losses of $340 million. As of December 31, 2022, after-tax unrealized investment losses were $893 million and unrealized currency translation losses were $372 million.
(3)During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company repurchased 8,707,676 shares of its common stock for $537.2 million. During the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company repurchased 1,560,701 shares of its common stock for $106.7 million. The number of shares of common stock outstanding excludes shares held in a grantor trust.
(4)Book value per share is total common stockholders’ equity divided by the number of common shares outstanding. Tangible book value per share is total common stockholders’ equity excluding the after-tax value of goodwill and other intangible assets divided by the number of common shares outstanding.




W. R. Berkley Corporation        9
Investment Portfolio
December 31, 2023
(Amounts in thousands, except percentages)
Carrying ValuePercent of Total
Fixed maturity securities:
   United States government and government agencies$1,716,731 6.4 %
   State and municipal:
        Special revenue1,606,195 6.0 %
        State general obligation432,078 1.6 %
        Local general obligation387,336 1.4 %
        Corporate backed154,839 0.6 %
        Pre-refunded104,478 0.4 %
            Total state and municipal2,684,926 10.0 %
   Mortgage-backed securities:
        Agency1,429,956 5.3 %
        Commercial644,313 2.4 %
        Residential - Prime192,193 0.7 %
        Residential - Alt A2,861 0.0 %
            Total mortgage-backed securities2,269,323 8.4 %
   Asset-backed securities4,187,040 15.5 %
   Corporate:
        Industrial3,559,555 13.2 %
        Financial2,779,234 10.3 %
        Utilities684,924 2.5 %
        Other630,346 2.3 %
            Total corporate 7,654,059 28.3 %
   Foreign government 1,666,229 6.2 %
            Total fixed maturity securities (1)20,178,308 74.8 %
Equity securities available for sale:
   Common stocks838,054 3.1 %
   Preferred stocks252,293 0.9 %
            Total equity securities available for sale1,090,347 4.0 %
Cash and cash equivalents (2)1,694,199 6.3 %
Investment funds 1,621,655 6.0 %
Real estate1,249,874 4.6 %
Arbitrage trading account938,049 3.5 %
Loans receivable201,271 0.8 %
          Net invested assets$26,973,703 100.0 %


(1)Total fixed maturity securities had an average rating of AA- and an average duration of 2.4 years, including cash and cash equivalents.
(2)Cash and cash equivalents includes trading accounts receivable from brokers and clearing organizations, trading account securities sold but not yet purchased and unsettled purchase.

v3.23.4
Cover Page
Jan. 24, 2024
Entity Information [Line Items]  
Document Type 8-K
Document Period End Date Jan. 24, 2024
Entity File Number 1-15202
Entity Registrant Name W. R. BERKLEY CORP
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code DE
Entity Tax Identification Number 22-1867895
Entity Address, Address Line One 475 Steamboat Road
Entity Address, City or Town Greenwich
Entity Address, State or Province CT
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code 06830
City Area Code (203)
Local Phone Number 629-3000
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Title of 12(b) Security Common Stock, par value $.20 per share
Trading Symbol WRB
Security Exchange Name NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company false
Entity Central Index Key 0000011544
Amendment Flag false
5.700% Subordinated Debentures due 2058  
Entity Information [Line Items]  
Title of 12(b) Security 5.700% Subordinated Debentures due 2058
Trading Symbol WRB-PE
Security Exchange Name NYSE
5.100% Subordinated Debentures due 2059  
Entity Information [Line Items]  
Title of 12(b) Security 5.100% Subordinated Debentures due 2059
Trading Symbol WRB-PF
Security Exchange Name NYSE
4.250% Subordinated Debentures due 2060  
Entity Information [Line Items]  
Title of 12(b) Security 4.250% Subordinated Debentures due 2060
Trading Symbol WRB-PG
Security Exchange Name NYSE
4.125% Subordinated Debentures due 2061  
Entity Information [Line Items]  
Title of 12(b) Security 4.125% Subordinated Debentures due 2061
Trading Symbol WRB-PH
Security Exchange Name NYSE

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