AXA Group Half Year 2010 Earnings

PARIS, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

Disciplined growth /

• Total revenues: up 1.4% to Euro 49.9 billion
• Life & Savings: NBV margin up from 16.0% to 19.1%
• Property & Casualty: Current Year loss ratio improved by 1.5 points

Sustainable earnings /

• Sustainable underlying earnings at Euro 2.1 billion
• Adjusted earnings up 29% to Euro 2.3 billion
• Net income at Euro 0.9 billion (including Euro -1.5 billion exceptional loss)

Active capital management & strong balance sheet /

• Euro 3.3 billion consideration for the announced sale of part of the UK Life operations

"The sustainability of our underlying earnings and our ability to improve their quality combined with the strong rebound in our adjusted earnings amidst an uncertain economic environment demonstrate once again the solidity of AXA's business model and the benefits from the management actions undertaken," said Henri de Castries, Chairman and CEO of AXA.

"In the first half of 2010, we implemented active measures to improve margins, with a strong focus on new business growth in some selected areas and new business profitability in others, be it on a country or business line level. Both our new business margin in Life & Savings and our current year profitability in Property & Casualty improved, while revenues from our asset management businesses have increased after two difficult years."

"More customers continue to choose AXA: it is a very positive signal that we can improve our margins with innovative and well-segmented products and services that our clients value. The engagement of our teams and the quality of our distribution partners are instrumental in this performance."

"Through the last months, the active management of our businesses - most notably the recently announced sale of part of our UK life operations - shows our commitment to continue to enhance the capital and growth profile of the Group."

"AXA's performance in the first half of 2010 provides a strong and sustainable basis which, together with an ongoing optimization of our capital allocation and a continued focus on operating efficiency, sharpens our capacity to rebound when the economic outlook improves."

1H10 KEY HIGHLIGHTS /

Revenues

• Total Revenues were up 1% to Euro 49,925 million.

• Life & Savings revenues were up 1% to Euro 30,881 million.

APE(1) was up 1% to Euro 3,229 million, as strong performances mainly in MedLA and the UK were partly offset by lower sales in the US, France and Japan. High growth markets(2) APE was up 36%.

Net inflows were positive at Euro +6.1 billion (up Euro 0.4 billion vs. 1H09), mainly driven by higher sales.

New Business Value (NBV(3)) was up 21% to Euro 616 million, primarily due to improved business mix mainly benefiting from product redesign in the US and Japan.

As a result, New Business margin was up 3.2 points from 16.0% to 19.1%, with Protection at 39%, Health at 42% and Investment & Savings at 10%.

• Property & Casualty revenues were stable at Euro 15,394 million as the 4% growth in individual lines (largely driven by a 3% average price increase), was offset by a 4% decrease in commercial lines where the 2% average price increase was more than compensated notably by lower volumes from more selective underwriting and by a reduced sum insured.

• Asset Management revenues were up 10% to Euro 1,670 million, mostly due to higher average assets under management (+7%). Assets under management reached Euro 898 billion, up Euro 53 billion vs. December 31, 2009 levels, benefiting from positive forex impact partly offset by net outflows mainly in institutional clients.

Earnings

• Underlying Earnings were down 3% to Euro 2,082 million. Life & Savings was up 6% underpinned by sustained investment margin and higher average unit-linked assets. Property & Casualty was down 9% following a slight increase in combined ratio (up 0.2 pt to 98.1%) and lower investment income. Asset Management was down 15% mainly as a result of non-recurring 1H09 tax benefit.

• Adjusted Earnings strongly increased to Euro 2,284 million (+29%), benefiting from both higher realized capital gains and lower impairment charges (notably from equities). 1H10 realized capital gains amounted to Euro 481 million vs. Euro 241 million in 1H09.

• Net Income was down 28% to Euro 944 million. Excluding the Euro 1,478 million exceptional provision for loss related to the announced sale of part of the UK Life operations, net income was up 81% to Euro 2,422 billion benefiting from higher adjusted earnings and favourable asset valuation movements.

Balance sheet

• Shareholders' equity was Euro 48.6 billion, up Euro 2.4 billion vs. December 31, 2009, benefiting from a Euro 1.2 billion increase in net unrealized capital gains, a positive Euro 2.1 billion from forex movements net of hedging instruments and Euro 0.9 billion net income for the period, partially offset by Euro 1.3 billion 2009 dividend payment and by Euro 0.5 billion increase in pension deficits.

• Solvency I ratio was 188%, up 17 points vs. December 31, 2009, notably benefiting from underlying earnings (+9 points) and favorable overall market conditions (+8 points), primarily as a result of lower interest rates.

• Debt ratio: interest cover improved to 9.3x in 1H10 vs. 7.9x in FY09. Debt gearing(4) was 29% up 3 points vs. December 31, 2009, of which forex (+3 points) and exceptional provision for loss related to the announced UK transaction (+1 point). Including the expected proceeds from this transaction, debt gearing would be 27%.

REVENUES /

Life & Savings

• Life & Savings revenues were up 1% to Euro 30,881 million. Italy and Germany experienced positive growth, whereas the US and France decreased.

Net inflows were positive at Euro +6.1 billion, up Euro 0.4 billion vs. 1H09, mainly driven by higher sales.

Disciplined growth

• New Business Volume (APE(1)) was up 1% to Euro 3,229 million, with:

(i) strong performance notably in MedLA (mainly Italian joint venture with BMPS in favourable low interest rate and fiscal environment) and the UK; high growth markets sales increased by 36%,

(ii) decrease in France following selective underwriting in individual business and fewer large contracts in Group business,

(iii) lower variable annuity sales in the US reflecting "Accumulator" product redesign in 2009.

Variable annuity sales showed positive momentum in 2Q10, supported by the launch of the new variable annuity "Retirement Cornerstone" product.

Unit-linked share in APE was 39% (down 1 point vs. 1H09 but up 3 points vs. 1Q10 mainly driven by an increase in variable annuity sales in Japan).

Increase in new business profitability

• New Business Value (NBV(3)) was up 21% to Euro 616 million, primarily due to improved business mix mainly driven by product redesign in the US and in Japan.

As a result, New Business margin was up from 16.0% to 19.1%.

(Graph: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100804/NY45610-a )

(Graph: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100804/NY45610-a )

Note: Actuarial and financial assumptions are not updated on a half year basis, except for interest rates which are hedged for variable annuity products.

Property & Casualty

Property & Casualty revenues were stable at Euro 15,394 million as the 4% growth in individual lines (largely driven by a 3% average price increase), was offset by a 4% decrease in commercial lines where the 2% average price increase was more than compensated notably by lower volumes from more selective underwriting and by a reduced sum insured.

Net new personal contracts amounted to +668k.

Personal lines were up 4% mainly benefiting from a 3% average price increase.

• Personal Motor revenues (36% of total P&C revenues) were up 4% mainly driven by the UK (+34%) following double digit average price increase and higher volumes as a result of the success of Direct business. France was up 5% mostly driven by tariff increases while Spain was down 7% mainly due to both lower volumes as a result of severe price competition and lower guarantees.

Motor net new contracts amounted to +505k.

• Personal Non-Motor revenues (24% of total P&C revenues) increased by 3% driven by France (+5%) largely attributable to price increases in household, and by Italy as AXA MPS household business benefited from the rebound of bank mortgage loan activity. These positive impacts were partially offset by a decrease in Germany (-3%) primarily due to the medical liability segment restructuring with tariff increase and selective underwriting.

Household net new contracts amounted to +163k.

Commercial lines were down 4% as the 2% average price increase was more than offset notably by lower volumes from more selective underwriting and by a reduced sum insured.

• Commercial Motor revenues (8% of total P&C revenues) were stable as increase in Mexico (+5%) was more that offset by negative contributions notably from Spain (-23%) reflecting tariff increase despite high competition.

• Commercial Non-Motor revenues (31% of total P&C revenues) were down 5% notably due to the UK (-13%) following the exit from certain property accounts in a very competitive environment, Switzerland (-4%) as a result of lower volumes mainly in the competitive health market and Belgium (-5%) as a consequence of selective underwriting in workers compensation.

Asset Management revenues up 10% driven by higher average assets under management

Asset Management

• Asset Management revenues were up 10% to Euro 1,670 million, mostly due to higher average assets under management (+7%).
• Assets Under Management were up Euro 53 billion versus December 31, 2009 to Euro 898 billion(5) mainly as a result of:
  • Net inflows: Euro -25 billion primarily in the institutional clients segment at both AllianceBernstein and AXA IM (mostly from AXA Rosenberg),
  • Market impact: Euro +1 billion,
  • Forex impact: Euro +78 billion mostly driven by the USD appreciation versus the Euro.

International Insurance

International Insurance revenues were stable at Euro 1,762 million, with AXA Assistance up 5% mainly due to travel business, compensated by AXA Corporate Solutions Assurance down 1%.

EARNINGS /

Underlying Earnings

Underlying Earnings were down 3% to Euro 2,082 million as the positive performance in Life & Savings (up 6%), was more than offset by lower contribution from Property & Casualty (-9%) and Asset Management (-15%).

• Life & Savings Underlying Earnings were up 6%(9) to Euro 1,325 million.

Margin on revenues was up 4% to Euro 2,372 million primarily driven by higher margins (+3%) mainly resulting from an improved business mix.

Sustained investment margin and higher fees and revenues

Margin on assets was up 20%(9) to Euro 2,714 million:

-  Unit-linked management fees were up 20%(9) to Euro 1,052 million, mainly driven by higher average reserves (+18%) following improved market conditions compared to last year.

-  General Account investment margin was up 21%(9) to Euro 1,280 million, as a result of higher average asset base as well as lower policyholders' participation partly offset by a slight decrease in investment yields.

-  Other fees were up 15%(9) to Euro 382 million as a result of higher mutual funds assets under management.

Technical margin was down 54%(9) or Euro 589 million to Euro 527 million, mainly impacted by (i) Euro 331 million lower Variable Annuities hedging margin, mostly in the US, principally due to the non repeat of 1H09 interest rate hedging gains as well as unfavourable credit spreads evolution and lower but still high volatility costs, (ii) Euro 165 million from the non repeat of 1H09 one-off gain in the UK as a result of internal restructuring of an annuity portfolio and (iii) Euro 73 million in Japan mainly from the non repeat of 1H09 high level of surrenders.

Expenses, net of DAC/DOC were down 6%(9) to Euro 3,566 million, with acquisition expenses down 12% mainly due to lower DAC amortization notably reflecting a lower technical margin in the US, while administrative expenses were stable.

Expenses gross of DAC/DOC as a percentage of reserves decreased by 0.1 pt to 1.6%.

VBI amortization was up 6%(9) to Euro 147 million, driven by the US and Hong Kong, partly offset by France and the UK.

Tax and minority interests were up 10%(9) to Euro 586 million mainly driven by higher pre-tax underlying earnings.

• Property & Casualty Underlying Earnings were down 9% to Euro 923 million with a combined ratio up 0.2 pt to 98.1%.

Improved current year loss ratio following price increases

Loss ratio increased by 0.2 point to 70.4% as a result of:

• -1.5 pts in current year loss ratio of which
  • -1.4 pts in current year loss ratio excluding natural events, with -1.8 pts improvement from the 2.4% price increase (net earned basis), partly offset by increase in frequency and severity,
  • -0.1 pt from natural events (in particular Xynthia storm impact in 1H10 slightly lower than Klaus storm impact in 1H09),  
• +1.7 pts from lower prior year reserve developments

Reserving ratio(10) stood at 197%, fairly stable versus last year.

(Graph: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100804/NY45610-b )

(Graph: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100804/NY45610-b )

Expense ratio remained flat at 27.7% with acquisition expense ratio down 0.4 point, while administrative expense ratio was up 0.4 point mainly due to non recurring items.

Investment income(11) was down 6% to Euro 1,059 million, reflecting a decrease in investment yields mainly in France, MedLA and the UK.

Tax and minority interests were flat at Euro 386 million.

Improved operating performance in Asset Management

• Asset Management Underlying Earnings were down 15% to Euro 150 million mainly as a result of the non repeat of Euro 65 million positive tax one-off in 1H09, partly offset by higher average assets under management. Excluding the tax one-off, underlying earnings increased by 22%.

AllianceBernstein Underlying Earnings were down 25% to Euro 71 million as the increase in revenues (+15%) was more than offset by the non recurrence of the 1H09 tax benefit.

AXA Investment Managers Underlying Earnings were down 4% to Euro 78 million as higher revenues (+4%) were more than compensated by lower carried interest and higher expenses.

• International Insurance Underlying Earnings were up 17% to Euro 144 million mainly due to AXA Corporate Solutions Assurance's performance.

• Banking Underlying Earnings were Euro -22 million (vs. Euro 15 million in 1H09).

• Holdings Underlying Earnings decreased by Euro 21 million on a comparable basis to Euro -438 million, as Euro 64 million net provision related to potential losses arising from AXA Rosenberg coding error was partly offset by lower net financial charges.

Adjusted Earnings

Higher realized gains and lower impairments

Adjusted Earnings were up 29% to Euro 2,284 million benefiting from higher realized capital gains and lower impairment charges (notably from equities).

1H10 realized capital gains amounted to Euro 481 million vs. Euro 241 million in 1H09. Impairments amounted to Euro 203 million (of which Euro 137 million on equities and Euro 44 million on fixed income assets) vs. Euro 691 million in 1H09.

Net Income

Net income reduced by the announced disposal of part of the UK Life operations

Net Income was down 28% to Euro 944 million. Excluding the Euro 1,478 million exceptional provision for loss related to the announced sale of part of the UK Life operations, net income was up 81% to Euro 2,422 billion benefiting from higher adjusted earnings and favourable asset valuation movements.

1H10 change in fair value amounted to Euro 219 million mainly as a result of:

(i) Euro -44 million impact from credit spreads and interest rates

(ii) Euro +124 million impact from mark to market of equity & alternative assets, mainly Private Equity

(iii) Euro +97 million impact from mark-to-market of ABS

Other items amounted to Euro -1,552 million, of which Euro -1,478 million exceptional provision for loss related to the announced disposal of part of the UK Life operations.

BALANCE SHEET /

Shareholders' Equity & Solvency

• Shareholders' equity was Euro 48.6 billion, up Euro 2.4 billion vs. December 31, 2009, benefiting from a Euro 1.2 billion increase in net unrealized capital gains, a positive Euro 2.1 billion forex impact net of hedging instruments and Euro 0.9 billion net income for the period, partly offset by Euro 1.3 billion 2009 dividend payment and by an increase of Euro 0.5 billion in pension deficits.

Net unrealized gains on real estate & loans (not included in shareholders' equity) increased by Euro 0.3 billion to Euro 2.9 billion as of June 30, 2010.

Solvency I ratio up 17 points to 188%

• Solvency I ratio was 188%, up 17 points vs. December 31, 2009, notably benefiting from underlying earnings (+9 points) and favorable market conditions overall (+8 points), primarily as a result of lower interest rates.

Indicative sensitivities to market movements are: -4 points to -10% in equity markets, -3 points to -10% in real estate markets, -1 point to -10% in private equity market value.

On fixed income assets, sensitivities to market evolutions are: -5 points to 10 bps increase in interest rates, -2 points to 10 bps increase in corporate spreads.

• Financial structure

AXA's net financial debt was up Euro 2.6 billion to Euro 16.1 billion. This was explained by increases of Euro 1.8 billion in subordinated debt, Euro 0.5 billion in deeply subordinated debt following forex movements, and Euro 0.4 billion in senior debt net of cash as a result of payments related to unwind of balance sheet forex hedging instruments.

The increase in subordinated debt was driven by the April issuance of Euro 1.3 billion subordinated debt instrument (5.25%) in anticipation of the refinancing of upcoming calls, as well as forex movements.

Improved interest cover at 9x

Interest coverage ratio was 9.3x (vs. 7.9x in FY09) mainly benefiting from improved adjusted earnings.

Debt gearing was up 3 points to 29% negatively impacted by forex (+3 points) and the provision for loss on the announced UK transaction (+1 point). Including the expected proceeds from this transaction, debt gearing would be 27%.

Invested assets

AXA's invested assets amounted to Euro 581 billion including Euro 446 billion in the General Account, invested in a diversified portfolio mainly comprised of fixed income investments (81%), real estate (4%), cash (6%) and listed equities (4%).

General Account asset movements included:

(i) Positive net inflows: mainly invested in government bonds and corporate bonds,

(ii) Positive market impact: mainly on fixed income assets which benefited from interest rates decrease,

(iii) Positive forex impact: Euro depreciation mainly against USD, JPY and CHF,

(iv) Negative scope effect: Euro 7 billion assets reclassified in held for sale following the announced disposal of part of the UK life and savings operations.

NOTES & OTHER INFORMATION/

Notes

(1) Annual Premium Equivalent (APE) represents 100% of new business regular premiums + 10% of new business single premiums. APE is Group share.

(2) High growth markets: Central & Eastern Europe, Hong Kong, South East Asia & China, Turkey, Mexico, Gulf region and Morocco.

(3) New Business Value is Group share.

(4) (net financing debt + perpetual subordinated debt) / (shareholders' equity, excluding fair value recorded in shareholders' equity + net financing debt)

(5) The difference with Euro 1,015 billion of total assets under management corresponds to assets directly managed by AXA insurance companies

(6) And Other Companies

(7) Underlying earnings are Adjusted earnings, excluding net capital gains attributable to shareholders. Adjusted earnings represent Net income before the impact of exceptional operations, goodwill and related intangibles amortization/impairments, and profit or loss on financial assets (classified under the fair value option) and derivatives. Life & Savings NBV and APE, adjusted and underlying earnings are non-GAAP measures and as such are not audited, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies, and should be read together with our GAAP measure. Management uses these non-GAAP measures as key indicators of performance in assessing AXA's various businesses and believes that the presentation of these measures provide useful and important information to shareholders and investors as measures of AXA's financial performance.

(8) Net of interest charges on perpetual subordinated notes (TSDI) and perpetual deeply subordinated notes (TSS).

(9) On a pro-forma basis, i.e. restated from the scope, the Forex and adjusted for reclassifications between margins.

(10) Net technical reserves / Net earned premiums

(11) Net of financial charges

About AXA

AXA Group is a worldwide leader in Financial Protection. AXA's operations are diverse geographically, with major operations in Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific area. For full year 2009, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 90.1 billion and IFRS underlying earnings to Euro 3.9 billion. AXA had Euro 1,015 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2009.

The AXA ordinary share is listed on compartment A of Euronext Paris under the ticker symbol CS (ISIN FR0000120628 – Bloomberg: CS FP – Reuters: AXAF.PA). AXA's American Depositary Share is also quoted on the OTC QX platform under the ticker symbol AXAHY.

This press release is available on the AXA Group website: www.axa.com

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained herein are forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the section "Cautionary statements" in page 2 of AXA's Document de Reference for the year ended December 31, 2009, for a description of certain important factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect AXA's business. AXA undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.

APPENDIX 1: AXA Group IFRS revenues – 1H10 vs. 1H09 /

APPENDIX 2: Life & Savings – Breakdown of APE between unit-linked non unit-linked and mutual funds /

APPENDIX 3: AXA Group IFRS Revenues in local currency – Discrete quarters /

APPENDIX 4: 1H10 Property & Casualty revenues contribution & growth by business line /

APPENDIX 5: 1H10 Property & Casualty price increases /

APPENDIX 6: Life & Savings New Business Volume (APE), Value (NBV) and NBV to APE margin /

APPENDIX 7: Earnings summary after taxes and minority interests /