Page 8 - AprilMag2026final
P. 8

CFO REPORT




                                                                                         Tim Demetres
                                                                                         Chief Financial Officer




                     2025 Financial Results






                               arket interest rates significantly affect consumer behavior and investing strategy.
                               When markets are highly volatile investors tend to lean toward more conservative
                               investments such as fixed annuities; preserve principal with fixed returns. Follow-
                               ing a period of high inflation, ongoing tariff negotiations, and it being a presidential
                  M election year, market rates fell within a more predictable range. Further, the Fed an-
                  nounced three rate cuts beginning in September 2025. As a result, our members opted to stay the
                  course. GCU also attracted and grew its membership base. As seen in the expense comparisons,
                  we are investing in our people and new technologies. These investments will enhance our mem-
                  ber service experience, modernize internal systems, and enable new product offerings in 2026
                  and beyond. Our technological initiatives will improve the way our members interact with GCU
                  and provide an easier way of doing business between us. We have undertaken these initiatives
                  and maintained our financial strength as evidenced by the solvency ratio at 109+%. In addition,
                  AM Best and KBRA have affirmed our A- financial strength ratings.

             GCU’s  total  assets  increased  $12.2  million  to  $2.8  $99 million compared to $496.8 million in 2024. Life and
          billion and surplus decreased $10.8 million from the net  annuity sales, including conversions, decreased $100.8
          loss for the year and the increase in the asset valuation  million year over year. Net investment income increased
          reserve. Total adjusted capital decreased by $5.5 million.  $2.3 million from higher alternative asset distributions.
          Since 1892, we remain focused on serving the communi-     Operating expenses, before the increase in reserves,
          ty and meeting the financial needs of our members.   totaled  $387.1  million  in  2025  versus  $422.9  million  in
          Highlights of 2025                                   2024. In 2024, GCU disbursed $6.0 million more in an-
                                                               nuity benefits due to death claims, and surrender activity.
             Income (loss) before net realized capital gains (losses)   Annuity  exchanges  decreased  $40.8  million  from  more
          totaled ($9.4) million in 2025 compared to ($8.3) million   members opting to stay with their current contracts. Gen-
          reported in 2024. The gain from operations was lower in   eral insurance expenses were $2.1 million higher in 2025
          2025 primarily due to increasing crediting rates on mem-  when compared to 2024 primarily from investing in new
          ber annuity contracts and strengthening annuity reserves.   hires and staff salaries, technology and cloud services,
          Net income (loss) after realized capital gains (losses) was   and other. Pension expenses decreased $699 thousand
          ($6.5) million in 2025 compared to ($4.9) million in 2024.   due to lower retirements in 2025.
          We had $3.1 million in net realized capital gains from ex-     The increase in reserves totaled $20.2 million in 2025
          pired in-the-money call options and recovery of a previous-  compared to $82.2 million in 2024. Reserves generally
          ly impaired mortgage loan.                           increase from premiums received and interest accumu-
             Total Assets increased $12.2 million mostly due to rec-  lation offset by decreases from death claims and annuity
          ognizing $11.9 million negative IMR as an admitted asset   benefit payments. We strengthened annuity reserves by
          in 2025. In 2025, we successfully rebalanced over $300   $2 million based on actuarial testing results.
          million of long dated corporate credit securities to govern-     Surplus decreased $10.8 million to $196.1 million in
          ment agency residential mortgage-backed securities.   2025 compared to $207.0 million at year-end 2024. The
             Liabilities  grew  $23  million  to  $2.598  billion  in  2025   decrease in surplus primarily reflects the $6.5 million net
          compared  to  $2.575  billion  at  year-end  2024.  Life  and   loss for the year and the $5.3 million increase in the AVR.
          annuity  reserves  increased  $19.8  million  along  with  a   GCU Holding Company and Subsidiaries had a $0.3 mil-
          $5.4 million increase in the asset valuation reserve (AVR   lion increase in net equity.
          - a reserve for future credit losses). The interest mainte-     Total Adjusted Capital (TAC) was $239.4 million at De-
          nance reserve (IMR – an interest related reserve for de-  cember 31, 2025. TAC starts with surplus of $196.1 mil-
          ferring realized investment gains and losses) decreased   lion and adds back the asset valuation reserve of $43.2
          $13 million to $0.
             Total Income in 2025 was $398.0 million, a decrease of                      CONTINUED ON PAGE 9


          6   GCU MAGAZINE   MAY 2026
   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13